Be Present

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in Taoist Internal Arts and Tibetan Mind training practices. I invite you to join me on a journey of exploration, learning, and discovery within these profound traditions. Since 1995, I have dedicated my time to teaching and researching these arts. I began visiting China in 2004 to investigate these practices firsthand via active lineages in Tai Chi, Ba Gua, Hsing-I, and Qi Gong.

Over a 50-plus-year time frame, I have trained with masters in various fields of expertise. I began with Wado Ryu Karate Do in 1973 and later studied at the legendary Earlham Street Dojo under Steve Morris in 1979/80. Later, I studied Classical Ballet at Rambert School and became a founding member of the Central School of Ballet member with Christopher Gable. In Contemporary Dance, Graham technique, I was fortunate to train with a significant principle of the Martha Graham Company, the inspirational William Louther. This diverse background has given me a unique perspective on movement, mind-body connection, and discipline. As a student, you will benefit from my integrative teaching approach, which draws from both Eastern and Western traditions to help you develop a well-rounded understanding and practice. You can expect classes that are informed by deep experience, creative insight, and a commitment to fostering both physical skill and personal growth.

I hold lineages in Tai Chi Chuan, Cheng Ba Gua Zhang, Hsing-I, and Hun Yuan Qi Gong. In traditional internal arts, holding a recognized lineage means that teachings have been passed directly from master to student through established generations, ensuring that the methods remain authentic and true to their origins. For students, this guarantees a high standard of practice and access to refined techniques and knowledge that have been carefully preserved and often not available to the public. Being an indoor student of the late Grandmaster Tian Ying Jia provided me many insights into the Yang family Tai Chi Chuan practices that are not in the public domain, which I later supplemented by private study with Master Robert Boyd, the second Disciple of the late Grandmaster Ip Tai Tak.

I broadened my research to include studies with Master Practitioners of Western bodywork. In the 1980s, Chris studied and taught Pilates in London. I also studied Thomas Myers’s groundbreaking myofascial Bodywork, dissection studies with Gil Headly, and Hypnoanalysis with Neil French.

I studied with several Tibetan Buddhist Rinpoches over the past 20 years, and my principal teacher was Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. I graduated in 2018 from the Martsang Kagyu Lam Rim (Mind Training) after five years of private study with HH Gangri Karma Rinpoche. Tibetan mind training, or Lojong, is a practice focused on cultivating mindfulness, compassion, and stability of mind through a series of contemplative exercises and guided meditations. In my classes, elements of Tibetan mind training are woven into the curriculum to help students develop greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, and mental clarity. These practices support personal growth by encouraging a compassionate mindset and equipping students with tools to work skillfully with thoughts and emotions, fostering both inner balance and well-being.

In the past, I have worked professionally and extensively in film and theatre as an actor, dancer, choreographer, and fight director. This performance background enriches my teaching by helping students develop greater confidence, expressiveness, and creativity in their movement. Drawing from my experience on stage and screen, I encourage students to explore new ways of embodying movement and expressing themselves, which fosters both technical skill and personal growth. My exposure to performance disciplines also allows me to share unique insights into presence, poise, and adaptability, equipping students with tools to become not only skilled practitioners but also more confident individuals.

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