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Studying Tai Chi at Its Source: Wudang Mountains, China
I am raising funds to study Tai Chi at the Wudang Taoist Wellness Academy (WTWA) in the Wudang Mountains of China, the birthplace of Tai Chi and Taoist internal arts. This is a rare opportunity to immerse myself in an ancient lineage of movement, meditation, and healing—knowledge I intend to embody fully and bring back to share with my community.
Studying with Master Gu
I will be studying under Master Gu Shining, director of the Wudang Taoist Culture Centre (WTCC) and headmaster of WTWA. Born in the Wudang Mountains, Master Gu is one of the few martial artists in the region who teaches fluently in English. His teaching follows the true Taoist Way—integrating Tai Chi movement with meditation, internal alchemy, philosophy, and cultural study. He belongs to the 15th generation of the Wudang Sanfeng Pai lineage, under his shīfu, Grandmaster Zhong Qingwei (also known as Zhong Yunlong). His mission is to share Taoist wisdom and wellness practices with students around the world.
Why This Matters to Me
I have practiced yoga for over 10 years and am currently completing my 200-hour yoga teacher training at Shiva Yoga in Los Angeles. Yoga has taught me that quietening the mind is a daily practice—one that requires presence, patience, and devotion. Tai Chi offers a complementary path, helping tune into the body’s energetic intelligence, regulate the nervous system, and restore balance from within. In the West, Eastern healing practices are often misunderstood or overlooked, yet they offer powerful, time-tested tools for well-being. I feel deeply called to help people of all ages reconnect with their bodies, find inner calm, and experience healing through mindful movement.
What I Hope to Share
My intention is to return from this training and teach Tai Chi and embodied movement in an accessible, inclusive way, offering sliding-scale classes so finances are never a barrier to healing. Living in Los Angeles, I see how disconnected many of us have become—from nature, from our bodies, and from ourselves. This immersion will allow me to cultivate a deeper relationship with all three, and to share that experience with others.
What the Funds Will Support
The funds will support tuition and accommodation for an immersion at WTWA—with one month as the minimum stay and six months as the ideal—as well as travel, visa costs, and basic care for my dog, Butter, while I am away. My hope is to raise enough for the full experience, though any amount helps bring this journey closer.
A Grateful Invitation
If this journey resonates with you, I invite you to support it in whatever way feels right—through a donation, sharing this page, or simply sending good wishes. Every form of support is received with deep gratitude and helps make this experience, and the sharing of these teachings, possible. While I may travel alone, this learning is held with the intention of returning it to community.
With love and thanks,
Alicia
I am raising funds to study Tai Chi at the Wudang Taoist Wellness Academy (WTWA) in the Wudang Mountains of China, the birthplace of Tai Chi and Taoist internal arts. This is a rare opportunity to immerse myself in an ancient lineage of movement, meditation, and healing—knowledge I intend to embody fully and bring back to share with my community.
Studying with Master Gu
I will be studying under Master Gu Shining, director of the Wudang Taoist Culture Centre (WTCC) and headmaster of WTWA. Born in the Wudang Mountains, Master Gu is one of the few martial artists in the region who teaches fluently in English. His teaching follows the true Taoist Way—integrating Tai Chi movement with meditation, internal alchemy, philosophy, and cultural study. He belongs to the 15th generation of the Wudang Sanfeng Pai lineage, under his shīfu, Grandmaster Zhong Qingwei (also known as Zhong Yunlong). His mission is to share Taoist wisdom and wellness practices with students around the world.
Why This Matters to Me
I have practiced yoga for over 10 years and am currently completing my 200-hour yoga teacher training at Shiva Yoga in Los Angeles. Yoga has taught me that quietening the mind is a daily practice—one that requires presence, patience, and devotion. Tai Chi offers a complementary path, helping tune into the body’s energetic intelligence, regulate the nervous system, and restore balance from within. In the West, Eastern healing practices are often misunderstood or overlooked, yet they offer powerful, time-tested tools for well-being. I feel deeply called to help people of all ages reconnect with their bodies, find inner calm, and experience healing through mindful movement.
What I Hope to Share
My intention is to return from this training and teach Tai Chi and embodied movement in an accessible, inclusive way, offering sliding-scale classes so finances are never a barrier to healing. Living in Los Angeles, I see how disconnected many of us have become—from nature, from our bodies, and from ourselves. This immersion will allow me to cultivate a deeper relationship with all three, and to share that experience with others.
What the Funds Will Support
The funds will support tuition and accommodation for an immersion at WTWA—with one month as the minimum stay and six months as the ideal—as well as travel, visa costs, and basic care for my dog, Butter, while I am away. My hope is to raise enough for the full experience, though any amount helps bring this journey closer.
A Grateful Invitation
If this journey resonates with you, I invite you to support it in whatever way feels right—through a donation, sharing this page, or simply sending good wishes. Every form of support is received with deep gratitude and helps make this experience, and the sharing of these teachings, possible. While I may travel alone, this learning is held with the intention of returning it to community.
With love and thanks,
Alicia
Organizer
