Baguazhang: A Journey into Root, Center & Change (Online)
| *Series one: Bagua Foundations & Rooting, The Eight Palms Stance, Basic Steps & Internal Integration Saturdays, 8am-9amET starting on Jan 9th to May 22 (No class on 2/13) *Series two: Introduction to Circle Walking, Turning & Palm Changes, Integration & Flow Saturdays, 8-9amET Starting on August 7 to December 18 (no class on 8/21, 11/27) Fee for currently registered students only: $564 per series, or $1064 for two series (save $64) For regular students: $646 per series, or $1228 for two series (save $64) |
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Early Birds, sign up before November 1, earn a piece of Chinese calligraphy painted by Lorelei Chang. Value $100, She will mail it to you.
Baguazhang is not simply about learning eight palms or becoming more agile in movement. Its deeper purpose is to cultivate a body and mind that can remain rooted, centered, adaptable, and responsive while constantly changing. Through standing, walking the circle, turning, spiraling, and changing direction, we learn to connect the feet to the ground, the legs to the center, and the whole body into one integrated structure. Root gives us stability; centering gives us inner calm; alignment allows Qi and movement to flow efficiently; balance teaches us to remain steady within change; and agility develops our ability to respond rather than resist. Ultimately, Baguazhang invites us to embody the principle of “change without losing our center”—to become grounded yet fluid, stable yet adaptable, strong yet soft, and increasingly aware of our relationship with ourselves, others, and the constantly changing world around us.
Baguazhang is much more than learning a sequence of movements or the famous eight palm changes. At its heart, it is a practice of learning how to remain rooted, centered, balanced, and responsive while moving through constant change. Through this year-long journey, we will gradually develop the body from the ground up—cultivating Root, Center, Alignment, Balance, Coordination, Spiral, Agility, and Adaptability.
A strong foundation takes time, the first six months will focus primarily on building the internal and structural foundation of Baguazhang. We will spend considerable time exploring the eight traditional palm postures, their stances, body alignment, weight distribution, basic stepping patterns, rooting, centering, and whole-body connection. Rather than rushing into extensive circle walking, students will learn to feel how the feet connect to the earth, different steps, how the legs support the center, how the pelvis and spine organize the body, and how the palms express movement from the center outward. We will cultivate stability without stiffness, strength without tension, and alignment that allows the body to remain open, connected, and alive.
During the second six months, we will gradually bring these foundations into movement through circle walking, turning, changing direction, and transitioning between the eight palms. The circle becomes a laboratory for discovering how to maintain our root and center while the body changes orientation. We will develop balance, agility, spatial awareness, coordination, spiral movement, and the ability to shift weight and direction without losing our internal connection.
Throughout the year, our practice will move from stillness into movement, from structure into flow, and from stability into adaptability. We will learn not only how to move around the circle, but how to remain present within ourselves while everything around us changes.
The deeper lesson of Baguazhang is beautifully simple: we can change without losing our center. We learn to be rooted without being fixed, centered without being rigid, soft without being weak, and agile without becoming scattered. In this way, Baguazhang becomes not only a martial art, but a practice of embodied awareness—a way of meeting life with greater stability, responsiveness, curiosity, and grace.