Mastering Tai Chi

Overview — Course No. 1918

Tai chi is more than just movement—it’s a blend of martial arts, health, longevity, harmony, and balance accessible to all, regardless of fitness level. In Mastering Tai Chi, International Master Tai Chi Instructor David-Dorian Ross leads you through 24 comprehensive lessons, focusing on the Yang-style 40-movement form. Develop greater strength, awareness, wisdom, and compassion as you step into a journey of mind and body mastery, achieving new levels of both mental and physical fitness.

Video Lessons

01: The Path toward Mastery

Begin your tai chi journey: understand the art’s roots, guiding philosophy, martial and health aspects, and practice foundational stances.

Duration: 37 min

02: Harmony Is the Ultimate Goal

Explore harmony and balance in body, mind, and life. Learn the first two movements: commencing and grasp the bird’s tail.

Duration: 32 min

03: Walking like a Cat

Practice mindful movement, grace, and attention. Learn single whip and step up and raise hands.

Duration: 32 min

04: Mind over Muscles

Feel how intention, rather than force, creates power in tai chi. Learn white crane spreads its wings and brush knee and twist step.

Duration: 28 min

05: Taming the Monkey Mind

Cultivate calm, focus, and energy—release tension and learn hands strum the pipa and parry and punch.

Duration: 31 min

06: The Bow and Arrow

Channel willpower and calm into action. Learn sealing and closing and diagonal flying.

Duration: 28 min

07: Practicing in a Small Space

Warm up with the 8 pieces of brocade qigong and discover how to practice tai chi anywhere. Review previous movements.

Duration: 31 min

08: Hips and Waist: The Center Is the Commander

Let your hips and waist guide smooth, connected motion. Practice punch under elbow and repulse the monkey.

Duration: 30 min

09: Feet: Separate Empty from Full

Understand weight distribution and perfect fair lady works at the shuttles and part the horse’s mane.

Duration: 31 min

10: Shoulders: Finding Reasons to Let Go

Release mental and physical resistance. Practice proper pivots, cloud hands, and relaxed alignment.

Duration: 31 min

11: Inside Reflects the Outside

Let clear intentions and inner energy guide all movement. Learn high pat on horse and kick with right heel.

Duration: 32 min

12: Chest, Posture, and the Natural Curve

Witness the power of relaxation and postural curves while learning box both ears and separate the left foot.

Duration: 30 min

13: Bring Out Your Flow

Unleash continuous harmonious motion and strengthen your connection with universal flow. Review form movements and see tai chi staff in action.

Duration: 30 min

14: Transitions as Smooth as Silk

Develop silk-reeling and silk-pulling techniques for smooth, connected transitions. Add turn body and kick with heel and needle at the bottom of the sea.

Duration: 32 min

15: Legs to Arms: Connecting Upper and Lower

Integrate upper and lower body in motion with the principle of connectedness. Practice open arms like a fan and snake stick.

Duration: 31 min

16: A Movable Meditation

Explore tranquility within movement; maintain meditative focus as you learn turn and pat the foot and ride the tiger.

Duration: 30 min

17: Bouncing Away Conflict

Apply tai chi’s eight original intentions to managing conflict. Practice snake creeps down and related stretches.

Duration: 33 min

18: The Peaceful Warrior

Deepen the art’s principles with insights from the Dao De Jing and the peaceful warrior mindset. Learn rooster stands on one leg and punch groin.

Duration: 32 min

19: Qigong Breathing

Flow through movements with qigong meditative breathing, building a vital link from mind to body.

Duration: 33 min

20: Partners: The Whole Body Is the Hand

Try pushing hands with a partner to develop sensitivity, awareness, and harmony in both practice and life.

Duration: 32 min

21: Five Stages of Mastery

Draw inspiration from great masters; learn about living and evolving art in practice, including the seven stars posture.

Duration: 31 min

22: Lotus Kick and Laughing Buddha

Embrace non-striving and playful attitude with meditation and movement. Practice step back to ride the tiger and the lotus kick.

Duration: 30 min

23: Conserve Your Energy

Refine energy cultivation and circulation for power and health.

Duration: 33 min

24: Another River to Cross

Complete the form: shoot the tiger, sealing and closing, cross hands, and closing form. Reflect on your tai chi journey and lifelong mastery.

Duration: 32 min