Water Method Blog

Following the path of least resistance is the way of water.

After finishing a qigong, tai chi or bagua practice, you want to spend a few minutes banking the qi you have generated. You can use this qi at a later time, when you need it.

Join this medical qigong retreat with TTC Instructor Anna Price:

13-15 February 2026
The Quadrangle, Kent, UK

Learn more and book at AnnaQigong.com

Tung Hai Chuan, known as the modern progenitor of bagua, taught each of his disciples differently, depending on their specific talents and needs. This is the basis of the main bagua lines and schools that have followed.

Liu Hung Chieh, my teacher Bruce Frantzis' teacher, had the honour of attending...

Taoists say you already have everything you need inside of you. It's just that traumas of the physical, energetic, emotional, mental and/or spiritual nature prevent you from realising your full potential.

By Paul Cavel

Fascia is the connective tissue that contains and encompasses the body's soft tissues and structures, linking together the entirety of the physical body.

Healthy, hydrated and elasticated fascia fibres, essentially a web of liquid-filled tubes which envelopes the body, supports and und...

By Paul Cavel

Everywhere I turn, I keep hearing, "You become what you think”. But if all we had to do is *think* our way through life, for a start, everybody would be super fit, rich and happy!

The Taoist sage Liu Hung Chieh said, "You become what you practise”.

Exercise the body, become stronger

By Paul Cavel

"Consistency without desire". Of all the wisdom shared within the Tao Te Ching, this line finds its way back to me time and again.

Students often share with me their goals for training. I can relate to the honest intent that underscores these aspirations, especially in regards to heali...

Follow along to this qigong exercise to tune in to the Water Element. Release stress and anxiety, and become grounded.

Follow along to this two-minute breathing exercise to ground, relax and let go.

By Krystle Menendez

If you’re like many people, you are interested in and desperate for wellness, but don’t have a clear idea where to start on your path to achieving it. Western culture doesn’t exactly lend itself to this idea, after all–most of us have to work long weeks, take care of children ...

Taoist Lineage Holder Bruce Frantzis:

"This book showcases Paul Cavel's dedication to the Taoist Energy Arts — a commitment I've witnessed firsthand since encouraging him to teach in 1995. Years of earnest practice are infused in the writing, and his desire to share the philosophy and extraord...

By Paul Cavel

A hallmark of Taoist studies is a focus on living in accordance with universal flows and the natural cycles of Heaven and Earth, such as the four seasons, day and night, and the phases of the moon. Following The Path is about tuning into and following these rhythms as humanity and a...

(Photo of Jackie Smith by Jub Davis, Scotland, 2021)

The Ultimate Healing Journey

By Paul Cavel

See Part 2

In the world we live in, we never know what is coming around the corner — or out of the sky — as I was reminded back in 2011. I returned home after a teaching tour in Germany to learn tha...

(My teacher and me in the early days of my training, 1995)

How to Build Mind-Body Trust

By Paul Cavel

See Part 1

My own journey to overcome a serious injury and the associated pain with internal arts training was in direct contrast to the fast relief experienced by the previous case. While pra...

How to Grow Your State of Health and Well-being

By Paul Cavel

Internal arts are practised the world over because, above all else, they have a proven track record of health and healing results. If you ask the average practitioner about the mechanisms that drive these beneficial outcomes, anecdote...

By Paul Cavel

This article covers:

• How to start a personal practice
• My five-year curriculum

How to Learn Taoist Energy Arts

Many people are surprised to learn that beginners learn almost exactly the same material as experienced practitioners. This may sound counterintuitive, but con...

Foreword by Dr. Michael Mettner

“Metaphors, images and symbols are the language of our subconscious minds. They help to convey meaning to our consciousness and hence store in the memory quite easily and naturally. If they are chosen well, they are able to penetrate the deeper layers of our con...

By Paul Cavel

The many threads and layers of neigong that can be activated and integrated in the Marriage of Heaven and Earth Qigong give practitioners a taste of what is possible from ongoing study of Taoist arts — without the complex choreography associated with other qigong sets, tai chi or ba...

In this talk with Chris Cinnamon of Chicago Tai Chi, I discuss how to start a qigong and tai chi practice.

I discuss in-depth the 16 neigong and how Heaven and Earth Qigong bridges beginning to advanced training in the Water Method.

Start with Part 1

In this talk with Chris Cinnamon of Chicago Tai Chi, I discuss the Taoist Water Method, including how to:

* Develop your qi

* Open up and balance your body

* Avoid injury and maintain your practice over long periods of time.

I also discuss the difference between qigong and the 16 neigong as a...

Both the I Ching and the 5 Elements talk about Water, Fire and Earth energies, but they are not the same! The Five Elements are applicable to the manifest realm, here on Earth, whereas the Eight Trigrams are the templates for manifestation, applicable to our realm and beyond.

Stop lifting weights to tone your body! You can tone your muscles through the relaxation-based movement of qigong, tai chi and Circle Walking.

There is a battle raging on for your attention, your mind. We've lost the state of just being. Take back your sovereignty, and train your mind to be more present, aware and awake! In this video, Acupuncturist Cameron Crumpler of One Pulse Wellness and I discuss the body factor, why meditation is ...