What You Will Learn

All students will receive hands-on corrections and feedback from Paul and/or his certified instructor teaching assistants, each with 20+ years training experience: senior instructor Jackie Smith, Jason Roberts and Mir Ali.

Group 1: Taoist Neigong — Heal, Strengthen, root

New and existing students are welcome to learn the form, structure and internal content of the four-part Taoist Neigong set:

Standing Qigong — Neutral and Hug-a-Tree postures
Cloud Hands — Beginning and intermediate levels of practice
Two Swings
Beginning Form.

These practices have been used in China for many generations to create vibrant health and well-being, keep the body young and flexible, and build a solid foundation for all more advanced neigong practice. The degree to which you embody foundational neigong determines how far and deep you can go in exploring the more profound aspects of Taoist arts.

Beginners will focus on learning the choreography with step-by-step instructions and guidance to help you initiate a truly internal practice that you can train with confidence on your own.
Existing students will focus on finding and rooting out their personal disconnects to allow the techniques to penetrate deeper and take their practice to the next level.

Group 2: Yang Style Tai Chi — the primary four energies

All students will study the Taoist Neigong set with Paul as the core of all Water Method arts training. New and existing students are also welcome to join the Yang Style Tai Chi Short Form group, which will include instruction on:

Choreography of the Yang Short Form — the container for all internal techniques; derived from the Yang Long Form, from Beginning Form up to Cross Hands, which serves as an efficient and effective Short Form.
Bend-and-Stretch Techniques — that which is responsible for generating an internal practice and igniting the body’s healing capacities.
Open-and-Close Techniques — which are responsible for increasing the depth of internal practice and which generate a soft, relaxed body and mind.
The Four Primary Energies — peng, ji, lu and an which produce the flavour, quality and effectiveness of tai chi.

Form and Internal Content

The Yang form Paul Cavel teaches is derived from that of Yang Cheng Fu, a direct descendant of the Yang family, as he considers it a superb balance between ease of learning and depth of internals, making it a practice well-suited to both new and existing students alike. The internal techniques conform to all the principles of the 16 neigong system as taught by his primary teacher, Tai Chi Master Bruce Frantzis. Paul is a senior student of Master Frantzis and has trained the Water Method with him in both private and public tuition since 1992.

“Paul is a gifted teacher who is able to embody the arts and break them down into easy-to-follow steps. I have seen him help others build extraordinary energetic foundations in their bodies”. — Taoist Lineage Holder Bruce Frantzis

Intensive with Instructor Certification

31 August-7 September 2024

Take a deep dive into Taoist neigong and tai chi with an option to test for qigong and tai chi instructor certification

8-day Taoist Neigong/Tai Chi INtensive

BOOKING INFO

Schedule

Saturday-Sunday, 31 August-1 September 2024

Registration
Saturday, 31 August:
9:10 am Registration Tai Chi (Group 2/Tai Chi)
10:30 am Registration Qigong (Group 1/Taoist Neigong only)

Morning Classes

9:30-11:00 am Group 2 (only)
Tai chi group instruction, practice and partner exercises led by Paul

11:00 am-1:00 pm Groups 1-2
Qigong instruction by Paul for both groups

Lunch

1:00-2:30 pm

Afternoon Classes

2:30-5:00 pm Groups 1-2
Paul will share his time between Groups 1-2, offering instruction and feedback; a teaching assistant will lead each group to facilitate learning, answer questions and oversee partner exercises.

Group 1 — will drill down into deeper neigong techniques and practices.
Group 2 — will move along in the form, going deeper into the internal content of tai chi.

9 hours: Group 1/Taoist Neigong
12 hours: Group 2/Taoist Neigong and Tai Chi