The Tai Chi Curriculum

You could say that the Tai Chi curriculum is Proficiency in Forms Practice and in Two Person Practice. Everything meaningful for me in Tai Chi would be covered by that.

Unfortunately this curriculum would not help to define Tai Chi to the non-player or distinguish it as an Internal Art. Well, it turns out that there is no consensus reality amongst Tai Chi players with regard to that type of definition either except that we know it when we see it. This is a factor allowing the unscrupulous or delusional to ply their trade.

It is no surprise that in the absence of a clear definition that a clear methodology is so rare. It has been said that the truth about the training methods necessary to develop good internal skills are so counter-intuitive that you are simply not going to discover them on your own. Historically this has been true but as advancing research into Sports Medicine, Anatomy Trains and the Enteric Body has unearthed the Dynamics of Energy involved in reflexes and motor function I think we can find a way to focus our practice to produce verifiable results in less than 3 lifetimes.

Once you are studying Forms Practice and Basic Applications you are Doing Tai Chi. Once you can see yourself inside and get a Radar lock on your partner and you can sense them internally becoming aware that you just acquired knowledge of their center then you are Doing Internal Martial Arts. Your level of skill in these things denotes your level in Tai Chi.

Tai Chi is a Martial Art. It is okay to excel in the Performance Art of Tai Chi as a central focus. A common complaint I have heard is that a focus on the Aesthetic and Artistic will cause people to try and make their forms pretty. Well, anyone who is familiar with high level internal skills displayed in Music or Dance will know that one hint of artifice or self-consciousness will cause the moment to fail.

I think that although Tai Chi is a Martial Art that Fighting Ability is not one of the more important determinants of Tai Chi level. Someone may cultivate partner work rather than combat skills and reach very high levels and conversely those who pursue fighting skills often seem to significantly delay their advancement in Tai Chi as an Internal Art. Furthermore some well-conditioned MMA guy could easily out fight some excellent Tai Chi players so I think a focus on Fighting Skills per se can misdirect our inquiry. If Push Hands was Ping Pong then I personally play a game more concentrated on extended volleying and being the Minister of Silly Spins rather than a game relying upon serves that cannot be returned or slams. When you play that way sometimes you forget who’s serve it was and even what the score is and you give up keeping score altogether.

So the Art keeps me showing up every day and what I learn in that context I test in partner work and free play to keep myself honest.

BTW - I am still zeroing in on my actual Tai Chi Curriculum List and thank you for being patient and giving me the room to get there!