Honesty, a reflection of character

In the presence of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, there is nothing to hide

White Horse Tai Chi has been providing Tai Chi and Qigong classes for over 10 years. In the last 12 months, we've have several cases of people who joined and not paying. That is despite being asked to pay over email or instant messaging. Over the years, we've also have many who have said they will attend class and not show up.

Martial arts classes are not charities and we are subject to the same economic impact as other businesses. In our experience, I can say we are experiencing what those in the catering industry experience. That is people who book and don't show up and those who eat and then sneak off and not pay. I grew up in the Chinese catering trade, so I know what I am talking about. The reality is, running a martial arts club is not cheap. Expenses need to be paid, so by not paying, this is not a victimless crime. So why do people think this is acceptable behaviour?

A few years ago, we started asking new joiners to pay by bank transfer. This worked well and it has reduced the number of those who had no intention to attend. However, we've now had people who have not intention to pay. What we offer on our website and our terms are quite clear. You can't say you didn't know. Furthermore, we never said anybody can have free tasters. So going forwards, new joiners who show up, but have not paid in advance, will need to arrive 10 minutes early and settle the fee. The website was updated earlier this month, and the amount of enquiries have dropped.

You might think that those who do this are from a certain class or demographic, but actually, all are not who you might think. Honesty matters in martial arts, as well as in society in general. Honesty is a good reflection of your character. Good character is important in Dojo etiquette. In the Dojo*, everything is about the relationship.

Some people think their actions are clever, but dishonesty doesn't pay and you reap what you sow. On the other hand, people like that are not welcome. Running a White Horse Tai Chi is basically a second job. It is time consuming, but when students progress and are enjoying what they do. It is worth it. These are the type of students we like.

If you're not going to pay, I can tell the look in your eyes and your body language...

Thank you for reading my blog.

*Dojo is the Japanese word for training hall or a place of practice. These term is commonly recognised and hence we will use it too.

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