Long ago, at the Shaolin Temple, a prospective student may have had to travel some great distance, and would have encountered many dangers along the way; proving his level-of-commitment before he even arrived at the gates of Shaolin. Even after he had finally arrived, he may have been left to wait outside the gates of the temple, for quite some time, so that the Shaolin monks might have an opportunity to further observe his level-of-sincerity.
IF he was (eventually) admitted past the gates, the prospective student would be led to a meeting with the Head Abbot, in which he would be further observed. The interview may have lasted only a few moments, as the Senior Master might have dismissed him for the least little thing... one simple display of bad manners, for example, and he would have been escorted out. But even after the applicant had been accepted, and became a Disciple, he was still subject to even more tests, which earned him the right to stay.
Here at the Tao-Shiu-Kuan, we won't ask you to stand out in the rain, or "snatch a pebble from my hand"... but you will be expected to follow our rules, display some level of sincere interest, observe the simplest rules of courtesy, and demonstrate your ability to follow directions.
How well you complete the Membership Application Process will be your "first test"...
Make an appointment with the Head Instructor to visit a class. After you have observed the class, feel free to talk to any of the students, regarding any questions or concerns that you may have about the class. Ask for a copy of the School Rules & Regulations, and any other pertinent literature, that you may take home and review.
Please schedule another appointment if you would like to visit again, or sit-in on a different class (you should observe as many different classes as you can).
If you would like to "try-out" one of our classes, please see the Head Instructor to schedule your participation, and ask for a Student Waiver, good for "one free class"; again, you may participate in several different programs, but you must sign a new Student Waiver each time.
Apply for your Membership: Ask for an application, and fill it out as best you can, even if you are unsure of which program you would like to pursue... you can always change your mind, at a later time, if you feel that you have made the wrong choice.
Review your application with the Head Instructor: At this time, you may ask the Head Instructor about any questions that you still have, and he will go over the details of your membership application, including tuition rates & discounts; you will then be expected to make your tuition payment before you attend your first class... checks should be made out to "Jeffrey L. Davis".
Please feel free to stop by in between classes, or you may call
(304) 291-3710
to schedule an appointment.
