Given the pressures of modern living it is difficult to learn Tai Chi as most of us are beset with responsibilities and full timetables. If you are fortunate enough to begin to learn Tai Chi from a proficient instructor, then it may help to be aware of the following common errors.

Lack of perseverance
There is a Chinese saying: ”If a person is without patience, they should not learn the art of healing. If they practice healing, it will not be medicine, it will be witchcraft”. In learning Tai Chi, the same applies - patience is required because Tai Chi is philosophical as well as scientific. It requires time for substantial study.

Tai Chi can be regarded as a fusion of Chinese philosophy and Western science. It can benefit both mind and body.  If we are learning Tai Chi but are impatient, we are wasting our time. The Chinese say, ”It is like going to the mountain full of treasure and returning empty-handed - what a pity”.

One should learn Tai Chi properly and steadily and practise consistently. After a while, practice becomes a habit, a part of your daily routine.  In addition, a profound interest in Tai Chi is developed, reinforced by the pleasure derived from psychological involvement with the movement. I urge you to practice Tai Chi earnestly because in the end you will be rewarded both physically and mentally.

Greed to learn more
The error of being greedy to learn more is well expressed in the Chinese saying, “If you eat too much, you will have less opportunity to chew properly.” In other words, do not bite off more than you can chew.

It is said that if you learn a little at a time you gain; if you learn too much too soon, you will have doubt and lack of faith. Therefore, when the teacher only teaches one or two moves at a time, we must practise humbly until we are proficient, otherwise we will have a feeling of uncertainty and will begin to lose confidence.

If you devote sufficient time to the study of each Tai Chi movement you have learned, you will not only build a firm foundation, but gain a greater understanding of Tai Chi.

“Short-cut“ learning
The error of “short-cut” learning may be expressed as “more haste, less speed”. If Tai Chi is learned too quickly, you never actually reach your goal. In Chinese philosophy there is a saying, “When there is sufficient water, it will form a creek”. There is no need for haste in learning; when you have learned enough and progressed properly, you will have the full body of knowledge.

When learning an art form like Tai Chi, one must allow time to assimilate it and to let each idea or concept permeate the consciousness. Given sufficient time, it is possible to absorb the essence and the concept becomes crystal clear. All the principles are then grounded in the mind. Learning Tai Chi is based on appreciation and reasoning associated with principles, not simply rote learning. Eventually, a student comes to a realisation that Tai Chi is a crystallisation of a profound philosophy and an expression of an exact science.

The benefits to be derived from Tai Chi are unlimited. Since the benefits are unlimited, then haste in learning Tai Chi is like hurrying towards infinity.

Senior Master Chin Min Lian