26 September 2006

Mastery

A Master of Tai Chi is basically a student with over 10 years experience whose teacher has given them their blessing to teach. The teacher confers Mastery. A Grand Master is the head of a lineage (his teachers have passed on) who has produced Masters. A Grand Master therefore has at least 20 years experience (and generally has much more). In the same way that students can be classified as good, mediocre or poor, so can Masters. A mediocre student becomes a mediocre Master, etc.

My own feeling is that a Tai Chi Master must also have received a transmission of energy from their teacher. These are energetic teachings that, once imparted, reside in the energy of the student awaiting the right time and conditions (developed through persistent practice) to fully flower, generally in the teaching of their own students. Mastery implies that the master will continue to develop and improve even in their own teacher's physical absence. You are only a master when your teacher can confidently allow you to go forth and multiply, not just externally (by teaching others) but also internally in your own energetic and spiritual development. This requires the student to have captured the correct way of working from their teacher.

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