Strategies

Pregnant woman on the train, should I get up and free my seat for her? The thing is, I wasn't sure if she's pregnant or not. It might be a very embarassing moment for both of us! Then the guy beside me just got up and left without saying a word or signalling that the seat is for her. He was actually standing up because his stop was here. But it is an interesting strategy nevertheless! It doesn't offend her and allow the "pregnant" woman to make her choice. Fantastic!

Teaching tai ji requires a similar strategy. Instead of saying you are wrong, the teacher said, I prefer it if it's done like this. I'm not planning to teach (not anytime soon anyway!) but it's interesting to observe how a teacher teaches, to see what kind of strategy he goes about to make the student understand. It's always the "win-win" strategy (like the above pregnant woman strategy) that always wins - do not strike at the ego, and yet allow the person to make his/her own choice.

Have you seen any examples of such strategies in your class (be it tai ji or otherwise) or in life? Please share it here!