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 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...

Stuart used to write a section for the newsletter called A Few Words. I thought I would continue the tradition in my own way with A Few More Words.

I dream about Stuart all the time. In the dreams, we’re talking, working on classes, planning things, or just interacting normally. Then, somewhere in ...

As the Dragon month comes to a close, the Snake comes slithering in on May 17th to represent the fourth month of the Chinese year. This Snake month will be a Water Snake month, which tells us more about the kind of energy this Snake has.

Snakes already carry the ideas of strategy, concealment, pati...