That wasn't how I saw it! Part 1

The 10k Buddha Temple, Shatin, Hong Kong

The other week, students were discussing the difficulties learning forms. I understand the problem, because I've been there.

Pak Tai Temple, Cheung Chau, Hong Kong

The difficulties come about when what you saw wasn't how it was done. So if several students were watching the same demonstration, they would all witness something different. This then results in everybody doing something different. Some students will forget and then follow somebody next to them. Yet they themselves might not have got it right. I see this often where the same mistakes are repeated.

This phenomena is called the Rashomon effect, from Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon. Your instructor didn't mislead you, your senses did.

This is why it is difficult to learn from videos or from books. You need to have a foundation in what you are doing to get what it is being taught. I'm not discouraging people from doing so, because it's your journey, not mine. This will be discussed in a future blog.

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