The Eight Ways of Tai Chi Chuan™

Professor Cheng distilled the tai chi form into eight movements that are easy to learn and fun to practice, The Eight Ways. These eight exercises bring the essential health benefits of the full form into your everyday activities. Become stronger climbing stairs. Sit and get up from a chair with greater stability and less effort.

The Tai Chi Form: Beginning Level

The Beginning Level of Cheng Man-Ch’ing’s form is taught in approximately 30-36 one-hour classes, divided into three separate 10-12-hour courses called B1, B2 and B3. Each class hour provides teacher demonstrations, lots of practice repetitions, hands-on adjustments by teachers, and verbal guidance. Students are asked to practice what they know at home in the morning

The Tai Chi Form: Fundamentals Level

In Fundamentals, we review the entire form from beginning to end, working to embody the tai chi principles at a deeper level. In particular, we bring our attention to the feet, legs and hips.  As in any art, there are fundamental elements that provide a foundation for one’s practice and future growth. In Fundamentals, we

The Tai Chi Form: Intermediate Level

At the Intermediate Level, we progress to a deeper and more internal understanding and practice of tai chi chuan. New concepts are introduced that enable us to integrate our form and push hands practice as one body of knowledge with all movement initiated and guided from our tantien. Intermediate Form is a 20-hour course. Intermediate

Sensing Hands (Push Hands)

“Push hands” (tui shou) practice might be better translated as “sensing hands.” In this partner exercise, we use postures and movements from the tai chi form to “listen” with our body for our partner’s balance, timing, and tension. Through push hands practice, we learn to play with another person’s energy and movements and develop relaxation

Traditional Hawaiian Swimming

Offered at our summer trainings, this swimming technique, used by Hawaiian warriors from the Huna tradition, uses the tai chi principles of timing, balance and relaxation to propel you through the water with ease and comfort.  

Roots & Branches 5 Element Qigong ™

Roots & Branches 5 Element Qigong™ is energetic and healing as it condenses tai chi into standing postures, walks and shifting movements.  By integrating principle, breath, and focus in the “tantien” with awareness of the Chinese Five Elements, this work generates, circulates and unblocks “qi” (vital energy) allowing it to nourish us at the deepest

Tai Chi Sword

Tai Chi Sword is as different from Western swordsmanship as calligraphy is from typing. The embodiment of the Tai Chi Form and training in Sensing Hands are pre requisites for learning the Sword Form. The sensitivity and delicacy of the prior forms are needed if the practice of sword is to be of benefit to