how much should a teacher give

[wenwu]

ok so after 4 years with my bagua teacher i have the feeling that i am grinding to a halt in my progress, this is partly to do with the time i have to trainin has been cut down a lot (i am currently working two jobs that cover my morning and evening but i try to get stuff done any chance i get)

 

also it seems that my teacher has stopped teaching me things, i work hard on the techniquies i have and when i asked him about it he replied that it was time to work on my 'zi gong' or personal skill. i.e. i have to make bagua my own. just i don't feel like i have enough

 

has anyone else had this same sort of experience, what did you do about it?

[adam mizner]

hi

as a teacher i can say that most students never put the work in to warrant much more teaching beyond the first few years. they really just need to spend some years getting good at the basics. my most senoir student is quite good now, but i dont feel the need to teach him new skills at present. he is working on the basics as am i. as for making the art your own, that depends on the meaning. the skills must become part of you. i like to say you dont do taiji , you become taiji. it is a mental and physical change that has to happen. after that change then higher skills can be played with. that said i really just work on my stance and my meditation, just beginers stuff.

 

metta

adam

 

ok so after 4 years with my bagua teacher i have the feeling that i am grinding to a halt in my progress, this is partly to do with the time i have to trainin has been cut down a lot (i am currently working two jobs that cover my morning and evening but i try to get stuff done any chance i get)

 

also it seems that my teacher has stopped teaching me things, i work hard on the techniquies i have and when i asked him about it he replied that it was time to work on my 'zi gong' or personal skill. i.e. i have to make bagua my own. just i don't feel like i have enough

 

has anyone else had this same sort of experience, what did you do about it?

[h.uriahr]

ok so after 4 years with my bagua teacher i have the feeling that i am grinding to a halt in my progress, this is partly to do with the time i have to trainin has been cut down a lot (i am currently working two jobs that cover my morning and evening but i try to get stuff done any chance i get)

 

also it seems that my teacher has stopped teaching me things, i work hard on the techniquies i have and when i asked him about it he replied that it was time to work on my 'zi gong' or personal skill. i.e. i have to make bagua my own. just i don't feel like i have enough

 

has anyone else had this same sort of experience, what did you do about it?

 

Just because it's taught to you that certain way doesnt mean you cant own, tweak it, play with it, feed it and kill it. In otherwords, have fun with the techniques after you have gotten so used to them they become boring and then after you play with them so much it's no longer fun go back to the beginning and start over.

[lotusbud]

This is a common feeling to anyone trying to learn any advanced skill.

 

You are obviously hungry for more. Channel that energy into examining your practice. Don't take for granted that you know something, but go deeper, look deeper, look honestly at what is really happening in your movements. If you have a million questions that is a good thing. Don't worry about getting the answers from your teacher, follow the questions and see where they lead you. This will produce results. Your teacher will see the improvement and lead you in the right direction or give you correction if you go off on the wrong path.

 

Also I recommend against thinking that your progress is grinding to a halt just because it isn't apparent. Sometimes it's like a seed germinating underground.

Remember, the brain learns quick, the body is much much slower

[Trunk]

hi

...

That was seasoned and humble.

What a pleasure to read.

Thank you for sharing your good company.

[Sloppy Zhang]

Don't underestimate the power of personal reflection and contemplation.

 

Yes, practice the basics... but as you practice think of the theory. I had some personal revelations as I was thinking about the theory of taiji, did one or two moves just for the heck of it... then realized WHY. I was like, "haha, it makes so much sense!" I got so happy, and that pushed me to actually start looking at things MORE in depth.

 

So sometimes it's not about acquiring new stuff as it is looking into the nooks and crannies of what you already have.

 

And I will say that in a perfect world the teacher will tell you everything you need to know in order to advance. Maybe your teacher has done that and you just didn't get it, or maybe your teacher is just a bad teacher and hasn't done that, I don't know your teacher and I don't want to judge, but whatever the case is, the art itself is deep enough that someone willing to uncover it will find it, at least in my experience.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Sloppy Zhang

[mjjbecker]

..

Edited August 27, 2009 by mjjbecker