Who is the teapotmOnk?

“My imagination is a monastery, and I am its monk” ― John Keats

Once upon a time you didn't get to choose...

the style, the venue nor the instructor
you just went to the class nearest to where you lived or worked.
you never chose the times of the class, the day of the class or the frequency. You just hoped it wouldn't clash with work or family commitments.
you never chose what you were taught, it was chosen for you: Form, qigong, balance-work, energy exercises, history, culture, applications.
you never chose the pace of learning: one posture a day, one a week or one a month? What would be best for you?

Now, things have changed. You get to choose.

Looking at the Bigger Picture

I began teaching Tai Chi in the late 1980s and started writing about the art online in 2007, releasing the classic Manual of Bean Curd Boxing in 2010.

The book got rave reviews and has been updated every few years, the latest version (5th) was released in the Autumn of 2024 and featured a complete new presentation.

Find out more about teapotmonk tai chi books here

The teapotmonk tai chi series focuses on why we learn Tai Chi and asks what questions does this art answer for a 21st century practitioner? Instead of offering confusing diagrams or endless posture images, the series tells stories. Because stories stay with us.

In a post-Bean Curd World, people asked if the ideas in the book were just metaphors or could they relate to real practices?

And so I began to think about...

Another Way of Teaching

Teaching Tai Chi in Spanish (I lived in Spain for 20 years) taught me something about communication: Keep it simple, keep it safe and make it entertaining.

I believe it is important to bring our whole being into the art, not just movements but all our senses. For this reason I created courses that employ gifs for repeated moves, mirrored postures, audio stories, 360 degree angles, Q&As, PDFs, webinars, teaching resources, and a host of other tools to make the learning experience unique.

As I created each course I began Podcasting and working on musical collaborations as well as writing. Finally I brought everything together in 3 dynamic courses: the Complete Tai Chi Course, the popular Beginners Sword Course and now the Tai Chi From course 37 Step Tai Chi.

How I teach Tai Chi

I teach Tai Chi as a 21st century art. Whether it's health you seek, martial curiosity, peace of mind or simply to move with greater elegance and ease. All my courses are aimed at helping you find what works for you.

My books and courses aim to train the mind and body in sensory awareness and coordination that can be applied in work and in play. I use exercises of Balance to teach about staying upright as well as staying healthy. I teach about about the importance of Deep Breath - so as to tap into our inner resources, so we can stay calm when all else around us is in chaos.

And nothing is exclusive. I encourage you to work with different teachers (I know I don't have all the answers). I encourage you to read other books (not just mine) for learning is at the heart of staying relevant and useful in life.

Finally...

There is a lot of non-sense out there. No-one knows it all. We need to learn from everywhere and from one another.

I like to do this with a sense of play, not study. This is out playground. For in play we relax and explore. We have fewer postures to defend, and we are more likely to laugh than frown.

I can't guarantee to make you a "Tai chi master" but I can guarantee you will learn in a guru-free, 21st century freshly-brewed environment that will adapt to you and the person you wish to be.