Learning and practicing a martial art can engage us deeply, and manifest personalities strongly. If we want a happy and successful group of tai chi players, some guidelines might help.
Golden Rule
We just do tai chi quan.
Corrollary: We do not discuss politics, religion, current events, etc.
Corrollary: We do not talk about other group members. If another member is creating issues, please share with the teacher.
Privacy
Do not question other members about their personal lives. Curiosity is normal, but imagine a newcomer finding themselves being interviewed by other students. It will make them feel like an outsider.
Privacy Exceptions: You can ask about the teacher. As for other members, we can follow-up about things a member volunteers, but after class and without prying.
In-class questions
Questions make classes better, but once answered, the class must move on. If a student is still puzzled, but the teacher offers no more, they are implicitly suggesting you meet them half way: explore the answer for a few days, then come back with a different question if still stuck. A new question proves an effort was made, and avoids stalemate.
Touching
It is common for a tai chi teacher to gently guide a student’s hand or elbow to the correct position, because it can be surprisingly hard to copy a teacher’s position based only on what we see. I can stand right next to a student and demonstrate a hand position, and they will do their best buut end up with something completely different.
What to do?
Our policy is never to touch each other. In rare cases, the teacher can ask permission to guide the student into position, but only after the student themselves realizes they are stumped. Even then, the student can simply say, “No, thanks, I will work on that.”
Other members
Do not address each other in class, either to answer their tai chi questions or to remind them of our code. Let the teacher handle either.
Otherwise, feel free to socialize during practice.
Realationship with teacher
Master Chen was cordial and gracious but never did anything in class other than explain tai chi and make corrections to our form. We asked few questions. He did not mingle with us before class or after. We did not socialize. He volunteered many personal stories, but we did not follow up. This distance worked well. I am no Master Chen, so I am more accessible; I think we can continue informally, but within the limits suggested here.
Focus
Always remember our goal, the mastery of tai chi quan. Some have expressed an appreciation of my form, and one judge in a national tournament said I was the closest he had seen to my teacher. My lineage runs from Yang Lu-ch’an to Yang Jianhou to Yang Chengfu to Cheng Man-ch’ing to William CC Chen to me. You have a chance to extend this line, but only by focusing on tai chi quan itself, not me, and not each other.