Highlights
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Key Terms
Rationale For a New Teaching Initiative
Despite the plethora of information about Yang Tai Chi publicly available, substantial roadblocks continue to exist preventing us from reaching the attainments of our great Tai Chi ancestors. For the last two and half years since having rejoined the Tai Chi community with the launch of my YouTube channel, I've observed the chief problem not to lie in limits of individual talent or drive. Rather, our current Tai Chi culture does not support the expansion of thought needed to grasp the range and scope of its mysteries. If you cannot imagine something you cannot manifest it. Beyond its value as a recreational and self development exercise there is so much more to Tai Chi lying just beyond reach of our fingertips.
Our Role in Tai Chi's Evolution
While other world empires have risen and fallen, China is the only civilization in history to have resurrected itself repeatedly. As an emblematic product of its deep resilient culture, it is likely that Tai Chi Chuan too will be able to reconstitute itself to its original glory.
The One-Year Shengren Mentorship Program consists of weekly 1.5 hour long Zoom meetings taken accompanied by 3-Day live hands on retreats. Participants consist of students, practitioners and teachers, who contribute their own rich experience and feedback to give context to the ancient transmissions.
With this shift away from the number one guru ideology, instruction consists of leading participants through the steps of preparing their own inner garden or laboratory through which to grow the regenerative seed of Tai Chi greatness within themselves. Done this way, if a 21st century resurrection of the original standard is to be matched or even surpassed, it will be accomplished not in the hands of one or even a handful of individuals, but through the collective innovative attainments of the community as a whole.
The One Year Shengren Mentorship Program differs from other training in considering martial arts skills as a secondary byproduct of innovative advances they make in their own fields of experience and expertise. Graduates are promoted for independent teachings derived from their personal lives un-affliated with the lineages they received their training in.
Historical Re-Framing
Insights will be sought through the meticulous surveying of China's unbroken chronology. Of what's known as its Si Da Men Pai 四大门派 "Four great martial art schools" - chronologically, Shao Lin Quan, Xing Yi Quan, Tai Chi Chuan, Ba Gua Quan. Taken together they are testament to the fact that Chinese innovation never ceased across Chinese history, but continued to undergo revolutionary advances in through the 1800s. The training will illustrate how the third and fourth great schools interpreted core principles of yin yang, medicine, and change differently. Doing this side by side comparison in itself has proven to be of incalculable value.
System Comparison
That said, the overall workshop layout and atmosphere is conducive to examining deep methods in a fun relaxed way. The two groups together will look through an expanded lens in examining what could be learned about Yang Lu Chan's 1800s Tai Chi innovation from the perspective of greater Chinese history and culture.
Dr.Yuen's inheritance of a zhengtongxitong 正统系统 "complete orthodox system" from 23-year classical discipleship in Baguaquan provides the "medicine" framework with which to analyze Yang Sau Chung's advanced corrections.
Insofar as the founding Yang family proclaims its Tai Chi to be zhengzongyangtaiji 正宗杨家太极 "authentic Yang family Tai Chi", this invitation is being extended to you to together examine in what ways this 第三大门派 3rd great school of martial arts in Tai Chi Chuan 太极拳 compares with the 第四大门派 4th and final great school in Ba Gua Quan 八卦拳.
Blending Essences of Two Renown Lineage Systems
Enrollment gains you unprecedented access to the direct transmissions Dr. Yuen himself received from family members of these two famous systems, arguably the cloak and bowl descendants of the two 4th generation pedigree traditions.
You will have an opportunity to experience first-hand the difference between what a pedigree versus hybrid training and transmission is like. Importantly, you will learn how both Tai Chi and Ba Gua as authentic family traditions were notably designed to be entirely self encased and self sufficient, not requiring outside help to engender complete development in a practitioner.
Seeking a Common Medicine Link
We borrowed from Orthodox martial arts three traditional ways of working the "medicine" in the system. It provides practitioners three ways to assess the different practices under comparison, as well as to help find common ground between them. They are: (1) its health, healing, and life benefits, (2) the specific element or aspect of the traditional method that interfaces yin yang producing special skills and abilities, and (3) the complete orthodox system that provides the framework and culture for the highest human attainment.
"Tong Bi Postural Restoration" to Create Space For New Experience
You are introduced to a new approach distilled from Gong Bao Zhai's Orthodox Ba Gua Quan. Tong Bi Postural Restoration or "Tong Bi" for short is a derivation of a greater discipline called Tong Bi Self Awareness Meditation, Practice and Therapy.
By giving you access to the root process of yin yang, Chinese medicine, and Change inside your body, you are taught how to use TongBi to examine the effects of Yang Sau Chung's layered way of performing the solo form on their mind body transformation. Moreover, to understand the mechanism behind the layered architecture of the various Tai Chi partner practices, including pushing hands to self defense training.
Which do I Choose, Group I. or II.?
In this fascinating leading edge training everyone is taught equally. The two groups will be working side by side engaged at two different levels of engagement with the Tai Chi and Ba Gua systems.
"Mental preparation" is needed by members of Group I. to be able digest the immense amount of information that will be presented in the two system comparison. Context is laid and mental endurance developed through participation in the weekly online Zoom meetings.
Authority Driven Learning
(1) Instructor Certification. Beyond mental understanding, earning an instructor certificate trains the mind to strive for practical knowledge that can be used to guide others.
(2) Wenda 问答 (Question & Answer) Format. Ensures that every workshop is alive and generating new material that only could be between participants, seeking to problem solve most current matters, together adding to a cumulative data base of information
Ways to Get Involved
<1> Group I. One Year Shengren Mentorship Program. Regular weekly Zoom meetings supplemented with live workshops. Team study of the Anatomy of a Complete Orthodox Lineage System is use as a backdrop supporting each member in mastering their specialty.
<2> Group II. Live Workshop Drop In.
<3> At the retreat Group II. participants may request and upon approval gain expedited enrollment into Shengren Research Group (Group I.)
<4> To request permission to join the Shengren Research Group, please Email Dr. Yuen by clicking on the icon at the bottom of his BIO below
Open Menu class format imparts a priceless big picture understanding of Tai Chi and Ba Gua as complete tradtiional systems. Instruction focuses on shaping students posture, movement, attitude, way of neutralizing and issuing force. Emulate the look, sound, and feel of both Yang Sau Chung and Gong Bao Zhai's mindset, way of speaking, gesturing, and what it felt like to make contact with them. Come in open-minded to make additions to your current way of practice to actualize internal power and special skills. Workshop is instructor certified meaning that you are encouraged to put what you've learned to immediate use.
Use this workshop to get hands-on training and plan future goals. Use this retreat to relax and rejuvenate, reflect on the past and refocus. Personalized instruction in a NON COMPETITIVE class atmosphere
Experience Tai Chi's "layered architecture" in both Square and Angle methods of solo form. And how these solo forms are related to two layers of partner training in Tuishou (push hands) and Sanshou (combat)
Receive detailed instruction on the secret JI 擠 Power Pressing technique, and from body experience of his way of Fajin 发劲 issuing strength training, understand why Yang Sau Chung's online solo form video differs from other Yang Tai Chi
Group II. Receive the above along with Yang Sau Chung's Zhan Zuang standing meditation, quan lu 拳路 "hand patterns", and Gong Bao Zhai's Luohan Fist, 8 Mother Palms and Single & Double Changing Palm
Group I. Train together with Group II. plus continuing the weekly Shengren research over Zoom with closed door family transmission comparing Tai Chi with Ba Gua's complete systems. This in addition to personal healing sessions
Receive instruction in Imperial Palace Ba Gua Tong Bi Postural Restoration to unwind old injuries, reverse entrenched patterns, and recharge inner resources
Recharge & Rejuvenate in a Beautiful Nature Setting
The workshop retreat will begin the morning of Monday July 8th and end the evening of Wednesday July 10th. Members are encouraged to arrive the night before and leave the day after. Each day will involve full training (as much as you like) with a shared lunch break. A schedule will be provided upon registration.
As the theme of this workshop is Tai Chi and internal martial arts background and interest in Yang Tai Chi is required. Most important is an open mind to new learning approaches.
No. This style of Ba Gua Quan is so markedly different from even well known versions that it won't matter how much you know in advance.
After enrolling, you will be provided with hotel and travel information.
Registration may be canceled up to 10 days prior to the retreat. A refund will be issued minus a 25% processing fee.
