Question: 'How long will it take to learn tai chi?'
Answer: 'A long time.'
Question: 'Is it is easy to learn?'
Answer: 'No.'
Let's be honest, learning anything new takes time, effort, patience, determination and perseverance. Any person who is considered to be accomplished in his or her field, be it musician, actor, artist, sports person or tai chi Master, has taken years to become an 'expert'. During this extended time of learning, many hours are spent practising, reading, watching, re-learning, re-assessing and questioning.
During this extended time of professional and personal development, we are judged by our peers, the community, the people we work with and even our families. This judgement can be quite harsh and is often one reason we give up. Unsolicited criticism can create self doubt, which in turn can sour our once ambitious goals. The perseverance we once had begins to loose traction and we find ourselves questioning our abilities and our progress.
Tai Chi, because its very nature of slow and specific movements, is difficult to learn. New students are encouraged to learn short forms first, which cultivates patience and humility, and hopefully an appreciation of the learning process. They begin to realise the joy of this art form is in its attention to detail - and they continue learning because they can see the beauty and benefits of the tai chi form. Learning tai chi in a group creates camaraderie and a supportive network. Experienced students have empathy with new students, and rather than judge their efforts and limited prowess, they support and encourage each other.
The student who first arrives in class, as an absolute beginner, with poor coordination, poor balance and fuzzy memory, but who keeps returning, week after week - who gradually finds success - oh, what joy that brings! Learning tai chi, learning anything challenging, is character building and each small success improves confidence and self esteem, as well as physical and mental ability.
Perseverance: Goals and dreams fulfilled. A life well lived.
