Understanding Taoist Alchemy


Interpreting the Ancient Codes

Interpreting the ancient codes shrouding the esoteric Chinese arts is one of the great challenges facing any serious student of Taoist Nei Dan. Download the free paper now.

Bai Wenxiang Xingyiquan 形意拳, 白文祥大师

Grandmaster Bai Wenxiang (白文祥大师) demonstrates Xinqyiquan (形意拳, Hsing-I Chuan). Living testimony to the health benefits of Chinese internal martial arts, Grandmaster Bai is 70 in this video. He is trained in both traditional Kung Fu and modern Wushu.

Tai Chi Silk Reeling

Master Chen explains a few of the secrets of Tai Chi silk reeling. Chen Xili, 20th Generation is the son of Grandmaster Chen Quanzhong in Xian, China. Silk Reeling (缠丝) is the most important body mechanic in Taijiquan. 陈氏太极拳, 陈全忠

Tai Chi Peng Lu Ji An

Tai Chi Peng Lu Ji An 陈氏太极拳 四正手

Demonstration of Peng, Lu, Ji, An by Chen Xili, 20th Generation, Son of Grandmaster Chen Quanzhong in Xian, China. Peng, Lu, Ji and An are the four major directions in Taijiquan. They are often translated as Push, Rollback, Wardoff and Press, but this translation obscures their original meaning. Sometimes called the four directions, or four energies, watch as Master Chen demonstrates how to perform these important movements.

Be Nice to Your Invisible Friends

Do you know you have 4 pounds of bacteria living in your gut? Where do they come from? What are they doing there? Recently, I had a fascinating conversation with a prominent researcher in this field, and here is his advice: be nice to your invisible friends – they are crucial to your health.

Scientists [...]

Happy New Year 2013

Happy New Year! 2013 is here and we are ready to get started on our New Year’s Resolutions and Un-resolutions. Do something for yourself this year. Try Qigong, Tai Chi or meditation. If you already practice, why not deepen your experience by working on something new? Or expand your horizons with a concert, class or [...]

Excerpts from The Science of Qi Healing

The Science of Qi Healing, is a survey of more than 240 research papers on the science of Qigong, Taijiquan and Qi healing. In this paper, Dr. Ted Nawalinski summarizes the most relevant Chinese and English literature for you. It is available as a free PDF download with reference citations. Here are a few excepts:

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Exercise is Associated with Reduced Cancer Recurrence

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s weekly E-Zine on Fitness and Health, May 20, 2012.

Spectacular news for the 14 million Americans living today with a diagnosis of cancer: this week, two impressive medical studies show that exercise helps to prevent recurrence of cancer. The first study of 45 peer-reviewed articles published from January [...]

Chen Taijiquan Yi Lu, First Form 36 Postures

This video is a demonstration of Chen Taijiquan’s first form or Yi Lu in 36 postures (陈氏太极拳老驾一路 (三十六式)). This form comes from my teacher, Grandmaster Chen Quanzhong, 19th generation Grandmaster from the Chen Tai Chi (Taijiquan) family. I am a 20th generation indoor student of Grandmaster Chen.

Grandmaster Chen preserves the sequence and essence of [...]

Adobo Chicken: My Favorite Recipes from the Philippines

By Jiji Nawalinski

If you’ve read his ‘Sinful Meat’ essay, you know that my husband does not eat meat for the ethical, environmental, and health issues he discusses. However, Ted loved these chicken recipes which came with me as part of our marriage contract and devoured them for decades. And he does bend his vegetarian [...]

Is Red Meat Sinful?

No, and neither is pork or chicken.

But is eating meat bad for you? Why do we do it? Can we do without it? Are we intelligently designed to eat meat?  What does the ancient wisdom say about it?

The TCM Perspective:

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a complex skill requiring years, even decades, to master [...]