Introduction
Our Teachers’ Training Program requires a higher level of expertise, responsibility and commitment (including moral and spiritual) than our normal programs because we expect our teachers to teach by embodied example – to walk our mind-body talk. We want our teachers to not only cope with life, but endeavour to move to ever greater heights or depths of wisdom and compassion through continued mind-body practice. In this essentially spiritual quest, we must surrender anything that limits us, including jealousy, anger, fear, greed, personality compulsions, belief systems etc.
In any integrated mind-body practice and indeed Life itself, the “Mind” is a fundamental and pivotal element, because it directs our efforts and energies. There are 2 major elements involved in understanding Mind: 1) Power of the mind which develops through concentration and focus 2) Wisdom of mind which includes not only understanding the world but the Self beyond the conventional “I” or ego, which may be called transcendental or transpersonal wisdom. Most people are attracted to power but power without wisdom is blind.
There are Five Teacher/ Instructor levels:
- Instructor in Training – being accepted into the Teachers’ Training Program
- Assistant Instructor (White Sash) – teaching under the guidance of an Instructor.
- Full Instructor (Blue Sash) – certified to teach specified disciplines/ arts.
- Lineage Instructor (Black Sash) – certified to teach and transmit the core of the Tai Chi and Meditation Centre’s mind-body programs.
- Master Instructor (Red Sash).
The time taken to complete each level depends not only on mastering mind-body skills and techniques but in spiritual maturation, which is an individual matter. The ego does not easily yield its control.
Completion of our Personal Mastery program is a pre-requisite for entry into our Teachers’ Training program.