Class Dynamics

Training's been going really well since we arrived back in Wudang. The first week was initially quite trying, because getting back into the routine of training so much, is always really painful. It's hard to work through forms, etc. when you don't even want to bend your knees. The second week, dampened my spirits a bit, because we heard that our class was going to be combined with the traditional class of Chinese students, a.k.a Er Ban. The last week was the best week so far. I felt like I really accomplished a lot in my training, and had some time to practice Tai Ji on my own.

I noticed since I returned that our class dynamics have been a little different. Really the only visible difference, was that one of our classmates stayed home a little longer to work for extra money before his return. I've always felt a connection with this person, not for any particular reason, but I find that he has a pretty positive attitude, and when the class gets into a funk, he's usually trying to look on the brighter side. I often struggle to keep a positive outlook as well, and so I feel maybe we've bonded because of this. I find it amazing, that for me personally, so much can change in the atmosphere of my training just because one person isn't there.

This realization led me onto a process of thoughts. Do I contribute so much into our class atmosphere? Would my classmates feel the loss if I were to leave? I am constantly working on positive thinking. Does this affect the other people whom I train with? I hope the answer to all of these questions is, "yes". Sometimes it's easy to get wrapped up in your own little world here, you forget about what's going on around you. If I intend to be an instructor when I'm finished here, I hope I can offer as much to my students as I try to offer to my comrades. And although it may be a constant struggle, realizing that one person can make such a difference in my day to day, inspires me to try and do the same for others.