In Taoist teachings, Internal Alchemy refers to a process of transformation of your body, mind, and spirit that cannot be forced, accelerated, or manufactured through effort alone.

Yet for many people, the language of spiritual awakening assumes that striving and self-improvement are oriented towar...

In this class, guest speaker Tim Burkett continues exploring Zhuangzi, connecting his teachings to everyday life and showing how we can stay grounded, compassionate, and present during personal and collective challenges. The discussion begins with Zhuangzi’s question of whether the world truly needs...

 Once you stop pushing and stop feeding agitation, the next question is simple: what actually guides your actions now?

In Taoism, Lao Zi talked about three treasures that form the foundation of the path: compassion, frugality, and not putting oneself first. If you really want to understand what it ...

Certain issues arise in Taoist cultivation right when things are finally settling. After all the effort to restore Jing (精), regulate Qi (氣), and clarify Shen (神), why does practice begin to look like less doing and more meditation, more stillness, more drifting with the current? And why is it exact...

One of the analogies Stuart often used was the idea of pushing the boat so it can drift with the current. This is a common idea in Taoism. The character for Tao (道) shows a person floating in the water, going with the flow of the river. It’s the image of being at ease and not fighting against what’s...

In this Tao Talk, Tim Burkett explores humor as a core Taoist and Zen practice rather than entertainment. He frames laughter as the moment conceptual clinging breaks—when rigid thinking, expectations, and self-seriousness loosen their grip. Drawing from Taoist stories, Zen anecdotes, and everyday si...

Stuart taught us that spiritual cultivation must always combine practice with study. He wasn’t saying theory matters so you can sound smart or explain things intellectually. He was saying that theory gives the practice its internal alignment. He often repeated the line:

“Theory without practice is ...

Stuart used to talk about the Laying the Foundation stage as men restoring Jing to the kidneys and women restoring or settling the Blood in the womb. This stage sounds simple on paper, but in practice it’s one of the hardest stages for people to truly enter. Many students hover around it for years, ...

In this session, Tim Burkett continues his series on Zhuangzi with a deep exploration of humor as a spiritual tool in Taoism and Chan/Zen. He begins by situating Zhuangzi as the second great Taoist sage, whose playfulness influenced how Buddhism transformed once it entered China. Taoism had already ...

Tim is now alternating talks in his Way of the Butterfly Series between the Sanctuary of Tao and the Minnesota Zen Center. Here's a link to the talk he gave at the Minnesota Zen Center on 10/26/25: https://youtu.be/dzA7bWLxZBs

Summary of the talk he gave for the Sanctuary of Tao on 11/16/25:

Tim B...

Most people are first drawn to Taoist internal arts because something about the practices feels exciting or mysterious. They hear about energy cultivation, spiritual awakening, and immortality, and are curious, if not positively determined, to achieve such states. That curiosity and desire are good....

This begins a new series of reflections on what it means to be a cultivator, a sincere practitioner of Taoist and Buddhist philosophy, meditation, Taijiquan, and Qigong. Each article will explore the inner realities of practice, the living transmission of our lineage, and the art of integrating cult...