Taoism
Thirty years of practice
I began practising Tai Chi in my early twenties.
Three decades later, I keep returning to what the practice teaches me about attention, tension and steadiness.
Taoism is not a belief system I ask others to adopt. For me, it is a way of observing how life moves when we stop forcing it. Tai Chi makes that principle physical.
Lineage
I trained directly under Grandmaster Dr Lin Feng-Chao, a closed-door disciple of Cheng Man-Ching. This Short Form lineage emphasises relaxation, structural integrity, and internal coherence.
Through that training, I learned to notice how excess tension affects movement and attention, and to explore the strength available through relaxation.
Working with pressure
In demanding technology roles, I noticed how stress could narrow attention and make it harder for people to listen or respond clearly.
Tai Chi gives me a practical way to work with that pattern. It develops awareness of tension as it arises, strengthens the ability to relax without collapsing, and trains steadiness as conditions accelerate.
In everyday life
Tai Chi can help people practise:
- Recognising escalation earlier
- Softening defensive posture
- Slowing reactive speech
- Working with the breath under load
- Remaining present in difficult conversations
These are things to practise and observe in daily life.
Introduction sessions
I offer Tai Chi introduction sessions for people who want to experience this work directly.
In one hour, we explore simple principles of posture and breathing, with time to notice how they feel.
Contact me to enquire about upcoming sessions.
Books
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff offers a simple introduction to Taoist principles through story.
My own The Flow of Life, 365 Days with Tao is a daily reflection companion drawing from Taoist thought and the I Ching. Explore my books →