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The Evolution of Practice
copyright 2001, Paul Abdella

The study and practice of T'ai-Chi Ch'uan from beginning to advanced levels evolves naturally in three distinct phases. The first is the stage of imitation, the second is the stage of assimilation, and third is the stage of innovation. To recognize each stage and allow it to develop and evolve naturally from one into the next is the way to cultivate depth and mastery in T'ai-Chi.

Imitation:  1. to seek to follow the example of  2. to mimic  3. to reproduce in form and content

Imitation is the most primal form of learning we know. From the first utterances of speech to our first walking steps humans have always learned by imitating the world around them. We awaken these innate human functions by imitating through sight, sound, touch and our other senses. Through imitation and the assistance of our caregivers we acquire the ability to walk, talk, feed and dress ourselves and to perform other basic life skills. As we mature we cultivate interests and seek to imitate those who are accomplished in those areas. It might be an athlete, musician, dancer, actor or someone in another discipline we admire and seek to imitate. I remember as a kid choreographing fight scenes with my friends based on what we saw in the movies or on television. We had no real idea what we were doing but to us, our mimicry looked like those we admired.

At some point we may perceive our own limitations and seek out instruction from a qualified teacher. Finding a good teacher isn't always easy and could be the subject of an entire article. Once a connection is made with a teacher we find ourselves once again engaged in the act of imitation-this time on a new and deeper level. As our instruction unfolds we find that imitating the teacher requires a precision of movement we hadn't formerly encountered. Our new movements contain an understructure of meaning both in principle and execution, which may make our performance of them, seem awkward and robotic. Through continued practice and receiving corrections from the teacher something deeply satisfying begins to occur. Assimilation.

Assimilation:  1. to absorb and incorporate; digest

In time the principles behind the movements are understood and assimilated by the mind and body. This process happens incrementally over time and continues on deeper more subtle levels as long as one continues their practice. There is however an initial recognition that ones movements have become relaxed and fluid and they begin to feel like the teacher's movements look. When this occurs the thin veneer of mere imitation has been transcended and we are on another, more internal, level of practice. Over time as our understanding and assimilation of T'ai-Chi deepens we begin to naturally personalize our practice. Our areas of interest and specialization become clear which shape and guide our T'ai-Chi. We begin to see the principles as flexible guideposts rather than immutable laws. The body begins to follow the dictates of the mind and our natural instinct for creativity begins to emerge. At this point we enter into the stage of innovation.

Innovation:  1. the process of making changes  2. a new method, custom, idea, etc.

The history of T'ai-Chi is a story of innovation. From its roots in Shaolin through the Chen, Yang, Wu, and other family styles, T'ai-Chi is an art that has passed through the creative minds of many individuals whose willingness to innovate within a tradition has led to its survival and continued evolution. Every prominent figure whose innovations have changed the course of the art has passed through the first two stages. All of us have our own unique reasons for practicing T'ai-Chi and we each have inherent strengths and weaknesses that influence the way we innovate within our practice. Once all the fundamental principles have been assimilated someone more oriented toward energy work and meditation would, by necessity, innovate differently than someone more interested in martial arts for example. Teaching is another vehicle for innovation in T'ai-Chi since the best teachers have the ability to make the art accessible to diverse groups of people and must remain creative in their approach to teaching. True innovation however is not arbitrary or designed to cover weaknesses in comprehension or technique. Rather, it is a natural outgrowth of having worked slowly and deeply through the first two phases. The first two rules of mastery are after all: 1. Start at the beginning. And 2. Don't skip any stages.

Cultivating an awareness and enjoyment of the three phases of practice: imitation, assimilation, and innovation, will allow you to continually progress and meet your objectives for as long as you chose to practice.

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