New Student Information

Welcome! Here’s some information to get you started on your journey to health, wellbeing, and inner stillness with qi gong, tai chi, and Taoist cultivation.

Note: we prefer the pinyin spelling "taiji" but often use "tai chi" on the website as it is more familiar.

Who should take classes?

Adults interested in increasing their physical and mental health, emotional stability, longevity, and all-around wellbeing.

Most in-person classes require standing for the duration of the class (usually an hour).  If needed, you’re welcome to take breaks and sit quietly at the back of class. 

We do not currently offer classes for children.

I’m a beginner, where do I start?

Qi Gong classes are a great place to start, specifically Hunyuan Gong and/or Chansi Gong.

For Tai Chi, the Hunyuan Taiji Simplified 24 Form is intended for beginners and lays the foundation for the other sets in the system.

What should I expect from a Qi Gong class?

Qi Gong (chi gong, 氣功) can be thought of as a movement meditation. Throughout the class, we perform specific movements to cultivate skill with qi (the body’s subtle energy, or life force). The practice releases tension and helps cultivate 鬆 (song), the body’s soft suppleness.

Most movements are repeated nine times, and a beginner need only follow along. Classes are largely silent, with the instructor occasionally giving pointers. Practicing in silence allows access to the stillness at the heart of Taoist cultivation. Let your body move and breathe as naturally as possible, and your skill and ease will grow with practice.

While the movements seem simple on the surface, continued practice reveals great depth. Qigong practice is the core of the health, martial, and spiritual benefits of the Hunyuan Taiji system.

How do I register and pay?

Visit our schedule of classes and click "Register" to sign up for the specific class(es) you'd like to attend.

Monthly memberships offer the best deal in terms of class prices, and can be cancelled at any time. We also offer class packages of 5, 10, or 20 classes, which can be used any time within a year of purchase.

Attending class online

Most classes are offered online through Zoom. When you register for class, you will be emailed the Zoom link. You can also access the links to any classes you've registered for from our website as long as you're logged in.

Attending class in-person

Many classes are offered in-person at the Taoist Studies Institute (225 North 70th Street, Seattle, WA 98103) in the Greenwood / Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA. Please arrive a few minutes before class and enter quietly as another class may be in session. A coat room is available across the hall from the entrance. Feel free to sit, stand, or chat quietly with other students while waiting for class to begin.

Where do I stand in class?

For qi gong classes, students typically stand in a circle around the instructor.

For tai chi classes, students form up in rows. It’s recommended that beginning students stand near the center, as there will be other students around them to follow as the form turns and faces in different directions.

​What should I wear?

Wear comfortable clothing that allows easy freedom of movement, including bending down and reaching your arms above your head.  

We practice in comfortable, flat shoes (tennis shoes or sneakers with non-marking soles are fine) or in socks. Especially in the winter, when the floor is cold, it's important to keep the feet warm. Keep this in mind when choosing footwear.

What if I'm late?

Arriving late to class is sometimes unavoidable. Please enter quietly if class is already in session. You are welcome to take a moment in the foyer to leave behind the rush of the outside world. Standing in meditation for a while before joining the class activity is often helpful.

Bowing

At the close of class, students bow to the teacher and the teacher bows to the students as a traditional form of mutual respect.

Parking

The Greenwood / Phinney Ridge neighborhood offers street parking, but please be mindful of the neighbors. Adhere to posted signs and do not block driveways.

When attending events on Sunday mornings, be mindful that we share parking with the Presbyterian church congregation. To preserve their access, consider parking a little further away.