Training Partners, Training Parties (community brainstorm)

[Trunk]

The purpose of this thread is to community brainstorm ideas for connecting with training partners (1 or more people together for the purpose of training). While my primary intended emphasis is to provide ideas for people to connect with local training partners, it could also be a little bit of connecting across the internet. I'd like to brainstorm ways for people to easily connect with local community around them, often with no connection w/ TTBs at all... though I suppose we could also explore using TTBs as somewhat of a springboard...

 

What I'm *not* really interested in at this point are ideas to change/expand the existing structure of TTBs to facilitate this. I've got enough on my plate right now, and my preference is to first fully explore various ways that people have gone about this, do go about this, without changing what we have here at TTBs (though I admit there are some appealing ideas along this line, it's inevitable that we fully explore that too, and I'm not going to 'report'/hide/squash/be hostile towards posts that explore this, I'm just not going to put any personal nor managerial energies into it at this point. It's not first. )

 

(Gonna tack on some posts from another thread.)

 

How have you connected with training partners in your local area?

What format/s work for you?

What problems around this have you found?

 

- Trunk

[BaguaKicksAss]

 

Trunk (IP: Private )

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Posted 11 February 2014 - 02:51 PM

I think that, in the west, there is a huge cultural deficit for Taoist (and eastern-eclectic) activities and support. Since westerners don't have a lot of resources around them (local teachers to study with, local friends & training partners to hang out, practice, and talk with), they come here. It's just because eastern-eclectic (except for maybe yoga studios) is in it's cultural infant stages in the west.

 

I think that, also for the above reasons, there is a lot of mis-placed energy and attention here at TTBs. Energy and time that would be better spent locally with like-minded training partners, in-person, gets spent in digital-land cyberspace. I think that it's critical that TTB members reach out and make local connections in their lives in various ways, to help foster grass roots local culture where you are. This could be done lots of ways, on your own or in concert with a school/teacher (local or distant) that resonates with you. Otherwise, a bunch of time, energy, attention continues to get displaced into cyberspace. Look towards long term local cultural development, long term personal health, along these lines. Be creative, your culture needs you.

 

TTBs serves legitimate purpose/s but, imo, it's over used for lack of local development.

 

- Trunk

 

 

p.s.

I think that most of us feel we're not ready to teach, and we don't need to. Gather around a teacher's dvd for teaching. Host a little training party, serve tea, learn from videos with friends.

[BaguaKicksAss]

 

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Posted 11 February 2014 - 03:18 PM

Definitely agreed Trunk, in person is so important. Also good for feedback, even if neither person is at teacher level. I have learned so much teaching others!! Even just talking with others, while showing each other physical movements can be extremely educational.

 

Also there is nothing like Bagua video night! We also sometimes have cheese kung fu movies night lol.

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Posted 11 February 2014 - 03:36 PM

Yup. I had a friend over a while back and we're learning from the same video. I'd missed a stepping technique that he totally got and loved. We reviewed the video and now I'm diggin' it too! (If you have the luxury of having an iPad amongst you, it's the bomb for practicing in the back yard - or anywhere outside.) I like that it allowed the flat hierarchy of TTBs to be replicated in my back yard: neither of us are really teachers, but we still learned a lot from each other as well as had guidance (through video, at least).

 

Quote

Also there is nothing like Bagua video night! We also sometimes have cheese kung fu movies night lol.

Way cool.

 

I think that co-reading w/ a friend any classic is also a good idea. Reading the classics (of any tradition) helps you to develop deeper roots so that when you are learning a modern system you have a much better context of what the modern system is presenting. Important.

 

I think it'd be a good idea for the community to brain-storm ideas like this, nifty little do-able ideas for developing local culture outside of TTBs' digital sphere.

 

I think of TTBs not as a final destination, but more like a train station. Yeah, meet people, chat, connect with resources, learn, all that stuff ... but also, find a teacher/school, root that in personal local practice, develop that further by training with local friends. It takes more creativity and initiative, but contrast that arc with just focusing on TTBs forever without that local growth: not healthy. Not healthy for individual members, not healthy for TTBs, not healthy for long term growth of local cultures, not healthy for participating in life.

 

- Trunk

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[thelerner]

In the past I've met up with other bums at seminars, which has been great. I wonder if we pinned the tao bums Google map it'd be easier for people find out that they lived near each other and get together.

Coincidentally, I just found out a TB who's in my area and we've corresponded and we'll see if we can get together for coffee.

[BaguaKicksAss]

 

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Posted Yesterday, 04:42 AM

Trunk, on 11 Feb 2014 - 15:36, said:

Yup. I had a friend over a while back and we're learning from the same video. I'd missed a stepping technique that he totally got and loved. We reviewed the video and now I'm diggin' it too! (If you have the luxury of having an iPad amongst you, it's the bomb for practicing in the back yard - or anywhere outside.) I like that it allowed the flat hierarchy of TTBs to be replicated in my back yard: neither of us are really teachers, but we still learned a lot from each other as well as had guidance (through video, at least).

 

Way cool.

 

Oh I love watching a video, or going through a rather difficult book with a friend or two and dissecting it bit by bit . My friends are all more experienced at martial arts than I am, so that helps too. I just bring my laptop out into the backyard. Has a SSD, so it's OK if I drop it lol.

 

Trunk, on 11 Feb 2014 - 15:36, said:

>I think that co-reading w/ a friend any classic is also a good idea. Reading the classics (of any tradition) helps you to develop deeper roots so that when you are learning a modern system you have a much better context of what the modern system is presenting. Important.

 

I have been to many esoteric meetups, and practice groups over the years; sometimes we will all discuss a certain book. Sometimes it is extremely insightful, and other times it reminds of those 3 hour long office meetings where only 1-2 points get covered! It is good to have new ideas and viewpoints though.

 

Trunk, on 11 Feb 2014 - 15:36, said:

I think it'd be a good idea for the community to brain-storm ideas like this, nifty little do-able ideas for developing local culture outside of TTBs' digital sphere.

 

www.meetup.com

www.craigslist.org

 

Trunk, on 11 Feb 2014 - 15:36, said:

I think of TTBs not as a final destination, but more like a train station. Yeah, meet people, chat, connect with resources, learn, all that stuff ... but also, find a teacher/school, root that in personal local practice, develop that further by training with local friends. It takes more creativity and initiative, but contrast that arc with just focusing on TTBs forever without that local growth: not healthy. Not healthy for individual members, not healthy for TTBs, not healthy for long term growth of local cultures, not healthy for participating in life.

 

- Trunk

 

I still think finding a local teacher brings people further than all the books and vids they can get ahold of . Everyone wants the fancy famous teacher and thinks a vid by that person is better than the local one no one has heard of. This is unfortunate. Sure there are crappy local teachers, but still, you don't usually spend 5-10 years with someone like this, yet some spend that long learning from vids!

 

Also though, local practice groups are hella fun!

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When Rotating in Worship of Heaven, the sound of thunder is everywhere and transforms everything.

[BaguaKicksAss]

I've personally started meetup groups, or joined other meetup groups.

 

The problem with meetup is you have 400 members (using an example of a real meetup group), 10 RSVP yes, 1-2 actually show up each week.

 

I also make use of craigslist.

 

I have found that if I advertise classes people want to show up, but not if I advertise a local practice group.

 

Though I do live in a city which has TWENTY different Bagua teachers!

 

Folks seem to say they are to busy to do regular practice meets .

 

I tend to meet others in class, then some of them stay friends for years, even after we both move on.

 

For the magical side of things, people just refer folks to me.

 

OK so now problems......

 

Most meetups are just another way to promote a school or training for money, usually, since meetup charges, it has attracted this sort of person/meetup.

 

An even bigger problem... folks noticing the quality of people which are attracted by some of the events I start, then carefully work to to get each and every person over to join *their* group! So it can get political fast, if there is a person who wants power or students really badly.

 

Other problems, finding free practice space, since having complete strangers over to my house isn't really on my to do list. Fortunately we all practice martial arts outdoors though, but people usually like to stick to their particular system.

 

Another problem is ego, with martial arts people bragging about how much better they are, even if it is only purely from having more years of experience.

 

Also, locally (since there are 20 schools just for Bagua for example), there is far to much other school or teacher trashing.

 

I have put on quite a few large and small events, and have run into many problems, but at least most of the people who show up do enjoy it.

 

If I personally com up with some resource, it is going to be free events/meets only, or $5 or less ones, which aren't trying to promote their $40 weekly classes later .

[Trunk]

I wonder if we pinned the tao bums Google map it'd be easier for people find out that they lived near each other and get together.

Link to that map? I know we had one around here... don't know where it is.

[BaguaKicksAss]

Link to that map? I know we had one around here... don't know where it is.

 

We can no longer add to the map, google apps has discontinued it. (I did much research on this a few months back when it was brought up).

 

I'm sure there are other ma apps though, just have to find a free one, that won't suddenly become paid or discontinued later.

 

 

I'm looking into other community map options, preferably ones which integrate right into IPboards/the forum software...

 

 

 

Don't get to excited or hold your breath though . But just thought I'd mention my current research project.

 

 

Found our map... thread: http://thetaobums.com/topic/7242-the-tao-bums-map/

 

 

 

If anyone is curious why it is pretty much obsolete, igoogle stopped its services (inc imap) in November 2013.

 

Looking into Bing, and etc., and so forth...

 

 

 

[ronko]

Im in the outbacks of north east England ,

well , err ....

that says it all really ! haha

[Trunk]

Another fraction of an idea:

1. Buy a dvd (edit: or book) and let other TTBs know about it.

2. Co-practice privately in an e-mail thread

- as that allows more detailed discussion of method that might violate copyright law if shared openly on the forum, or maybe you just want to share step-by-step with certain people you met here on TTBs.

 

Of course, the above kind of spin-offs already happen... maybe room to expand on it though.

[thelerner]

Another fraction of an idea:

1. Buy a dvd and let other TTBs know about it.

2. Co-practice privately in an e-mail thread

- as that allows more detailed discussion of method that might violate copyright law if shared openly on the forum, or maybe you just want to share step-by-step with certain people you met here on TTBs.

 

Of course, the above kind of spin-offs already happen... maybe room to expand on it though.

There's a free book on OBE's. I was thinking it'd be fun to go through it with a group. The book The Phase free at obe4u.com. Not that I believe I have much chance at it, but you never know. If people are interested let me know.

[BaguaKicksAss]

Another fraction of an idea:

1. Buy a dvd (edit: or book) and let other TTBs know about it.

2. Co-practice privately in an e-mail thread

- as that allows more detailed discussion of method that might violate copyright law if shared openly on the forum, or maybe you just want to share step-by-step with certain people you met here on TTBs.

 

Of course, the above kind of spin-offs already happen... maybe room to expand on it though.

 

If anyone would like a super awesome expanded PPF to do this with, just let me know . See my JAJ book club in a sub forum of my PPF for more details on wonderful PPF enhancements which are available...

 

I just listed all the section headings, so everyone could follow along, but didn't quite much at all for obvious copyright reasons.

[BaguaKicksAss]

So many books on archive.org for free as well .

[Nungali]

The purpose of this thread is to community brainstorm ideas for connecting with training partners (1 or more people together for the purpose of training). While my primary intended emphasis is to provide ideas for people to connect with local training partners, it could also be a little bit of connecting across the internet. I'd like to brainstorm ways for people to easily connect with local community around them, often with no connection w/ TTBs at all... though I suppose we could also explore using TTBs as somewhat of a springboard...

 

What I'm *not* really interested in at this point are ideas to change/expand the existing structure of TTBs to facilitate this. I've got enough on my plate right now, and my preference is to first fully explore various ways that people have gone about this, do go about this, without changing what we have here at TTBs (though I admit there are some appealing ideas along this line, it's inevitable that we fully explore that too, and I'm not going to 'report'/hide/squash/be hostile towards posts that explore this, I'm just not going to put any personal nor managerial energies into it at this point. It's not first. )

 

(Gonna tack on some posts from another thread.)

 

How have you connected with training partners in your local area?

 

Through the club I am a member of, by attending workshops with visiting teachers, by going to see what is available (clubs), asking people if they have ever done any martial arts, spotting a guy walking through the park with a sword bag ( "Excuse me! Do you have weapons in there ? " - well, one has to meet up somehow ... that one lead to a GREAT connection ) .

 

What format/s work for you?

 

Training without an 'instructor' (more of an experimental and sharing session than an instructual one - I can get as much of that as I want ) , being experimental but practical, slow-mo training and analysis of movement, examining practically and realism of standard bunkai and developing new ones, inserting and crossing techniques (where a movement or form is lacking in one, it can be inserted from another). I like doing '1 step' and progressing .... like chess, I do this move (practice) ... you counter and retaliate with (practice) .... so practicing 1 move, then 2 connected moves ... up to ? (I did a bit of this as 'Kumbana' (combinations ) in Pentjak Silat .... like a kata but with active and passive switching roles, in set forms) . We have done it by developing the form, as it goes along (good for weapons - Mr. Sugarno of Aiki Kai taught several bokkan exercises like these) - a bit like a choreographed fight scene or we also did it 'on the spot' (as they come, not pre-arranged) in slow motion.

And ...... oooh , heaps of stuff - but not enough of it!

 

What problems around this have you found?

 

- Trunk

 

Finding people with; the willingness and basic skills, people that want to break out the mould and dont believe in 'keeping the style pure' (I am talking about 'out of class training here' ... some have a problem with that ), curiosity and insight level higher than competitiveness, I guess in 20 years I have found about 5 people I could train with on that level. Also it is a country area with a not large population.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Nungali

[thelerner]

I think dream work offers the most bang for the buck. A Siddhi/psychic power that is learnable. I'd suggest we set up a Dreamwork thread in the PPF section. Preferably something starting with the letter A or 1 so it'd be on top and easy to find.

 

It might be interesting to see how and if it evolves.

 

For my part I'd keep it simple. A thread going over one book with one practice to be worked on. In the past I've gone overboard on theory and studying. Keeping it simple, not worrying to much about theory, but concentrating on one thing with group support would be my ideal.

 

Maybe call it A Dream Workshop- To Lucidity and Beyond!

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

I downloaded the e-book.

 

That obe4u.com looks interesting.

 

I say we do it.

 

I used to be able to lucid dream with great effectiveness, oh around puberty I guess, but the ability left me.

 

I have had many dreams I consider precognitive in some mysterious way, also.

 

It might be interesting.

 

The Lamb Lies Down.

...