WTIA was founded with the goal of passing on both the martial and spiritual aspects of the "water method" of Taoism. Brought to America and the West by Master Bruce Kumar Frantzis the “water method” focuses on using relaxation and energy dissolving to release tension, heal the body and develop internal power.
Our basic program consists of three levels, healing, martial arts and spirituality, which can be achieved either through one discipline or a combination.
Nei Gong (also known as Chi Gung or Qi Kung) and Wu Style Tai Chi Short form teach the basic health and body structure techniques which are the basis for all the more advanced aspects of the training. Individuals with injuries are encouraged (but not required) to learn the health aspects first before moving on to the martial arts.
Xing Yi Quan (Hsing-i Chuan) offers an excellent starting point or bridge from external martial arts. Xingyi emphasizes efficient movement, effective martial technique and a extremely focused mind.
The Wu Style Long form expands on the core material in the Wu Short Form and contains a complete martial program.
Ba Gua Zhang (Pa Kua Chang) in addition to being an excellent health and martial system also has a deep meditation tradition based on monastic Taoism. Ba Gua is the most complex of the Internal Arts, it is know for the ability to fight multiple opponents, extremely sophisticated foot work, and flowing arm movements.
We believe that the internal martial arts can be used as an access route to begin the journey into spirituality and can cut through much of the fluff that is often attributed to true spiritual practices. So that even if one does not wish to become a monk, they may be able to find peace within even when there is chaos all around.
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