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reprinted from Internal Wushu Arts May 1995
Newsletter
A GOOD TUISHOU PARTNER:
A GREAT GIFT
© ATDALE
The layers and dynamics of tuishou or any
partner work goes far beyond the mere instruction and patterns we
are trying to study, refine and learn. Partner work brings many
things to the surface that we normally seek to ignore or avoid.
We have our own little quirks, our own baggage from the day,
family etc. We have our own frustrations on not getting it, or
having had it last week and not this week, wanting it NOW, etc.
One of the most wonderful gifts in partner
work is having a partner that works 'with you'. "Well, isn't
that the way it should be?" Ideally yes but it seldom
happens in real life and learning situations. Though I'm
specifically taking about partner work here this also applies to
learning forms.
There are the partners that are so
busy showing you what they can do, or how good they are
that you might as well not be there (except they need you
as an audience or dummy to practice on).
There are the partners that are
continually showing you the possibilities and options.
The problem is all you need and want to understand is how
to do the damn exercise.
There are the partners that would
rather socialize and visit instead of practicing
mindfully or working on 'listening' skills
There are the partners that just
aren't there! They give you no energy or movements to
really work with. They hook onto a basic pattern and then
zone out.
There are the partners that are so
afraid of showing you the 'wrong' way they continually
apologize instead of practicing and seeing what happens.
As long as there is an attempt there are no mistakes in
my view.
There are the partners that correct
every movement you do that you don't get to practice the
exercise. In fact, most of the time you're over-loaded
with information that you may forget the pattern of the
movement.
Then there are the partners that
'listen' to what you are trying to understand and the two
of you work at it. Instead of showing you they are
working with you. Instead of teaching you they are
helping you or sharing.
It's all so complex. There are times
we need to be shown how, times we must be permitted to
fumble, time to put things together, times to study
detail, times to let go.
Now, if we could just get the right timing.
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