Find your own truth

When you study a style, whether it's art or movement or sound, you're studying another artist's beliefs.

Most of us find an art or artist that appeals to us and learn what we can from them, often through their disciples. We train to do better and better in the art overall, with the stylistic differences emphasized by the founder of that particular art.

For instance, I train in Shotokan karate. My sensei teaches me what he learned from his sensei, who learned from his, etc. I try to generate power through the hips, move the body efficiently as a unit, and push my endurance by doing large movements quickly. Ok, that's fine.

I'm trying to "master" a style of martial art developed by someone of a totally different body type, using motions that aren't necessarily natural for me. Perhaps they never will be, even though I'm used to them at this point.

Same goes for taiko, right? You've been learning how someone else plays, moving your body as best you can to their sensibilities and their priorities. Nothing necessarily "wrong" with that.

It only becomes an issue when you, the student, perceive your teachings as *the* truth. I believe that you should always be open to better ways that you haven't discovered yet. If you don't leave that possibility open, you become shackled to your style, to your teacher.

Until you invent your own style of doing something, that suits your body, your strengths, and your sensibilities, you are effectively pushing a square peg through a round hole. Sure, the hole might be somewhat rounded and less difficult to shove through, and eventually you might get the bulk of your peg through, but it's pretty doubtful that it was a smooth process.

I'm not saying you shouldn't study an art and try to get better at it! Just realize when your study is more confining than enriching. Find your own truth!