When I first began studying with Stuart in the early 1990s, I wanted to learn everything he knew. I wanted to learn the Taijiquan form, sword, saber, staff, the two-person sets, Taiji Ruler, Qigong, meditation, and Neidan (Internal Alchemy). If Stuart taught it, I wanted to learn it.

Like many stud...

The 6th Moon is symbolized by the Goat. This month will be a Yin Wood Goat, which will come scaling in as the previous month comes to an end. Goats are peaceful, domestic animals, but they're also mountain climbers. They have incredible endurance and are fiercely territorial. In metaphysics, Goat en...

This moon will be governed by Hexagram #33, “Retreating,” within a year ruled by Hexagram #46 (Ascending), which creates a classic dynamic tension: strategic retreat tucked within an overall period of growth. For this combination, picture a massive, ancient tree pushing its way up through the soil (...

Guan Gong (关公), was originally the Han dynasty general Guan Yu (关羽), and is one of the most fascinating figures in Chinese spiritual history. His journey from a real life military general to a universally revered deity across multiple faiths is incredible. In Taoism, Guan Gong is revered as a powerh...

The name “Heavenly Worthy” or “Tian Zun” isn't just one person; it’s actually a grand title used for any of the three deities collectively known as The Three Pure Ones.

The first Pure One is called Jade Pure One, and his formal name is Yuanshi Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning. H...

The Meaning of the Golden Flower 

• The Golden Flower symbolizes the blossoming of the Original Light.
• This Original Light is the source of Big Mind or Original Awareness.
• The purpose of practice is to rediscover this original nature rather than acquire something new.
• Our deepest nature has neve
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The 5th moon is represented by the Horse, which also happens to be the animal sign for the year, giving us an amplification of Horse qualities. Horses represent summer and peak yang energy. They symbolize movement, travel, momentum, independence, and personal freedom.

The month’s Horse is ruled by ...

The Yi Jing image for the month is Hexagram #44, which is often translated as Pairing, Coming to Meet, Encountering, or Temptation. Its image is Heaven over Wind, showing a single yin line beneath five yang lines. This suggests that something small has entered a previously stable situation. Traditio...

Lately I’ve been teaching counting the breaths. It's one of the oldest and simplest meditation methods there is. Count the inhalations. Count the exhalations. Count both. Count to 10 (or any of the numerous variations I’ve been teaching) and start over. If you lose track, simply return to one and tr...

The “Three Star Gods,” Fu, Shou, and Lu, are among the most recognizable figures in popular Chinese religion. Fu represents fortune, blessings, happiness, and good luck, Shou represents prosperity, status, success, official rank, and Lu represents longevity, health, and long life. Although the Three...

On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, one of the oldest traditional festivals in China is celebrated. Although the Dragon Boat Festival is most commonly associated with dragon boat races and eating zòngzi (sticky rice dumplings), its origins are complex and appear to predate both organized Taoi...

 In this video, I’m demonstrating a way of training that combines two of our main practices: the 16-Posture Before Heaven Taiji Form and the Taiji Ruler.

On the left side of the screen, I perform the Before Heaven 16-Posture Taijiquan Form in its standard empty-hand version. On the right side, I pe...