Whose body is that?
Published: Thu, 11/21/13
Last Saturday it was Clare who pointed out that even when I devote
most of a course to absolute basics new stuff always comes out.
There are three basic reasons for this.
Firstly, there are no advanced techniques, only basics done better
as a result of more practice. That isn't to say that I
don't enjoy doing 'advanced training' with different
weapons and more complex training drills. But there is very often
very little benefit in this kind of training unless the students
involved have really mastered the basics. (imagine trying to teach
a writing class to a group who have a hazy grasp on the whole
alphabet and little understanding of punctuation.) In my own
training I do the same basics as I teach to beginners, if I can do
more 'advanced stuff' it comes from that practice of the
fundamentals.
Secondly, I pick up new insights and ideas all the time, as I wrote
yesterday, I recently read Dave Lowry's essay on the different
cultural interpretation of the term hips between East and West.
The teacher's understanding and insight should grow too and I
am always happy to share what I discover, even if it means
effectively admitting that I didn't know it all last time you
trained with me. (Guess what? I still don't! Training in Stav
is an ongoing journey for all of us.)
Thirdly, our individual capacity to understand grows as fast as it
grows. Some people will develop physically very fast but never
actually seem to grasp the principle behind what they are doing.
Other people will see the principle behind a drill and be able to
articulate the concept, but never seem to be able to perform the
exercise with their body. For the teacher watching people progress
in their own way is the fun of teaching (and it is important to
maintain one's sense of humour, occasionally I find myself
trying to teach someone whose co-ordination is so bad that it is
all I can do to stop myself asking. "Whose body have you
borrowed today? Because it obviously isn't yours." Such
people don't usually come back twice, which can be a pity
because I like a challenge and I do have more patience than you
might think.) Over the years I have turned to Ivar and said that I
have just realised something new and clever. Ivar would often turn
round and say, but I told you that years ago. To which the only
reply can be, well, I only just noticed. Just because something is
right in front of you for years on end doesn't mean you can
actually see it before you are ready.
So the insight regarding the, lets avoid the 'H' word for
the moment, lower part of the body? Simply that the power comes
from the centre and is transmitted via the feet and the arms but
there needs to be a sense of moving around a central point. The
Chinese have a nicely mystical description of the concept, will
have a look at that tomorrow and I will get to the Western version
eventually.
Don't forget that it isn't too early to book for the 2014
Stav Camp, see http://www.stavcamp.org
regards
Graham
P S I am building up the library of material for the Ice and Fire
members. I have just added the Winter Edition of the Web of Wyrd
and a new video showing one of the original drills with the staff
using Fe. You can join at http://www.iceandfire.org.uk/join.html