Sensei doesn't know what he's talking about

The big secret - your sensei is still trying to figure this stuff out - still trying to figure out how to express the art with his body while at the same time trying to figure out how to teach you to express the art with your body.  The ship is being sailed while it is being built.

.

Another big secret - sensei doesn't even speak your language!  He can't.  We are learning a very personal, subjective body art and he has a different body than you do and he has a different subjective understanding and perception of his own body.  His manner of thinking about how he is accomplishing the art is not the right way for you to think about your own body doing the art.

.

So, a lot of what sensei tells you is B.S. - it just doesn't apply to you.

.

It's not malicious.  He really does want you to learn this thing and become skilled.  It's just that your sensei doesn't know what he's talking about and doesn't even speak your language.

.

But sensei can still do the thing better than you can - he just can't figure out how to tell you how to do it.

.

What sensei does when he does his thing is of greater importance than how he explains what he is thinking about when he does his thing.  So, listen and pay attention to what sensei says, but WATCH WHAT HE DOES!  It is difficult, but you have to figure out how to turn your perceptual filters off so that you can see what is actually happening instead of what you think is happening or what sensei tells you you should see.  Make special note of the times that sensei does things differently from how he tells you to do them.

.

And remember - all the rules apply (except when they don't.)

Want to discuss this blog post?
Come find me on Facebook at my Mokuren Dojo FB group

____________________
Patrick Parker
www.mokurendojo.com