Our System

The Tao Institute is a complete Internal Martial Arts system that contains both traditional and modern methods.  This system has been created, carefully curated and continuously refined by master martial artist, Sifu Frank J. Paolillo, over the course of nearly 5 decades.  It is a living system, still undergoing changes, evolutions, and further development.

The emphasis of the Tao Institute system is on Qigong (energy work) development, spiritual cultivation, creative energy, and personal transformation.  We believe that the internal martial arts are an invaluable framework to facilitate spiritual integration and nurture the clarity of our true mind.  Likewise, the internal martial arts offer profound fighting and self defense methods.  Based in Taoist cosmological principles, internal martial arts have a natural philosophy of movement that trains practitioners to harmonize with their environment, expand awareness, and build hidden power.

Our entire curriculum contains a wide range of practices that develop different aspects of the body & being.  Through it, students receive a well-rounded education of both energetic and martial technique and application.

What are Internal Martial Arts?

Internal martial arts are characterized by the focus on internal energy development.  Qigong, or energy work, is the essential and foundational component of the training and technique.  Internal martial arts movement is an embodied transmission of Taoist cosmological theory, and is designed to build integration of the body, mind and spirit both physically and energetically.

In internal martial arts training we learn to shape, align and move the body according to energetic principles.  From a martial arts perspective, the opening and alignment of the internal bodies with the physical body, as well as the building of “qi,” creates a consolidated strength and produces “internal power” — that is, a power beyond just muscular strength.  As an energetic practice, the martial art aspect helps build and develop several key elements essential to grounded energy work:  intention, awareness, rooting and integration.

Intention or “Yi” — “mind directed energy” — is the ability to direct the Qi.  Rooting grounds the energy and establishes whole body connection.  Awareness is a form of deepened sensitivity, energetic listening and observation.  Integration is the unification of all aspects of our being to move as coherent whole.  In this training, all of these skills are practiced through the framework of martial arts forms, Qigong exercises, and meditation.

This work uniquely empowers martial art practice, hones energetic and intuitive skill development, and catalyzes spiritual processes as the practitioner becomes more and more in tune with their own personal spirit, alignment, destiny, and relationship with the Tao — the universal force of everythingness and nothingness that exists beyond all time and space.

Internal martial arts are based on, and deeply cultivate, the ever evolving principle of yin & yang — within and without.  When to yield, when to take action, and how to harmonize, dissolve, and overcome obstacles, conflicts, and inner struggles.

At the highest level, the practice is also about returning to oneness and forming a relationship between our non-dual unmanifest form and our worldly, physical life.  In this interplay — we undergo a continuous process of self refinement and inner awareness that ultimately aids a sense of greater freedom & creativity in the body, mind & spirit, as well as in life’s possibilities.

The Tao Institute System

Our system incorporates traditional methods from Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan, Dragon Style Baguazhang and Northern Praying Mantis, as well as modern methods & forms created by Sifu Paolillo called Tao Style.

The combination of the modern and the ancient is an important concept in our system.  The wisdom of time-tested methods of the past is an essential foundation that must be established in each practitioner to properly build correct technique.  Likewise, change and transformation is a major component of what we practice — and for Sifu Paolillo, Tao Style is his natural expression of martial, spiritual, and alchemical methods as he has evolved with them throughout his life.

In establishing the system over many decades, it was important to Sifu Paolillo to gather and incorporate the highest possible calibre of traditional methods, forms, and styles.  These forms and styles have shaped and greatly influenced his own personal lifelong work with the Tao Style, and to this day, are formative learning for each and every student.

The Tao Institute system is a unique and well-rounded education in Taoist Internal Martial Arts practice, methods and theory.  Every class in our curriculum is geared towards different skillsets and training.  All training is interconnected and cumulative.

Traditional Styles

The traditional styles and forms in our system are all methods that have been passed down through lineage.  These forms and exercises were sought out by Sifu Paolillo to build a solid foundation of movement and technique in the Chinese martial arts.  Our traditional methods incorporate work from the Taoist Internal family styles of Tai Chi Ch’uan and Baguazhang, as well as the internal aspects of Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu & Shantung Weaponry.  Technique from these traditional styles are also incorporated into Sifu Paolillo’s Tao Style.

(Note: If you’d like to learn about our traditional lineage in more detail, please check out the History & Lineage page.)

Chen Style Tai Chi Ch’uan

Our Chen Style training includes Hun Yuan Silk Reeling Spiral Power Qigong, and the Chen Style first & second forms.  Chen Style Tai Chi is considered the mother of the major Tai Chi styles, and has been passed down through the Chen family since the 16th century.  Our Chen Style first form is a unique Old Frame Chen from Chen Yanxi.  Our second form (Pao Choi), as well as the Hun Yuan Silk Reeling Spiral Power Qigong exercises come through the lineage of Chen Yanxi’s son, Chen Fake, a master famous for incorporating and popularizing the explosive, spiraling power that Chen Tai Chi Ch’uan is now known for.

Dragon Style Baguazhang

Baguazhang (“8 Trigram Palm”) is a unique style in the world of martial arts.  The techniques are believed to have been originally passed down by Taoists monks and then formalized into a martial art by a master named Dong Haichuan.  Dong Haichuan’s students were already master martial artists, and he taught them the methods and principles of Baguazhang in accordance with their individual background.  Thus, there are now countless styles of Baguazhang that have emerged through a few main lineages.

Baguazhang is an art of principles.  Using the Taoist theory of the 8 directions and 64 changes, Baguazhang is characterized by evasive, circular footwork and continuous movements.  The foundation training of circle walking, 8 mother palms, and palm changes are the core concepts taught in all Baguazhang styles.

Our traditional Baguazhang training comes through the lineage of Cheng Ting Hua.  Baguazhang in this lineage typically contains more grappling technique, and displays a strong flavor of Xingyi Chuan.  The Dragon Baguazhang traditional form in our system is a 64 movement continuous form, which contains all 64 palm changes — represented by 8 techniques for each of the 8 mother palms.  Coiling, spiraling, twisting, and circling — Baguazhang is a style of change and transformation that develops great agility and flexibility of mind.

Northern Praying Mantis & Shantung Weaponry

Northern Praying Mantis and Shantung Weaponry come through Sifu’s traditional Kung Fu training with Grandmaster Chan Pui.  In our system, we internalize the soft aspects of the Praying Mantis style.  Emerging from the Shaolin temple, and passed on to the Shantung Temple in Northern China, Praying Mantis is an exotic Kung Fu style that contains technique from 17 other styles.  Our curriculum includes a unique Tai Chi-like Praying Mantis form called Soft Praying Mantis, as well as other traditional and Tao style forms incorporating Mantis technique.

The Shantung Weaponry training was native to the Shantung Temple.  This training is the basis for all of the weaponry work throughout our curriculum.  Sifu teaches traditional Shantung Weapons forms privately at the Mountain Sanctuary as a part of our overall education in weapon training.

All Praying Mantis and Weaponry work is practiced incorporating internal principles:  Tai Chi Principle & Silk Reeling.

Tao Style

Tao Style is Sifu Paolillo’s personally developed style of Internal Kung Fu.  Tao Style combines all of Sifu’s fighting skills, traditional training, study, and personal transmissions into a unique set of forms and methods that are incorporated into our curriculum at every level.

Tao Style is the essence of the Tao Institute system.  It features fluid, natural movement with continuous circularity and connected, free flowing techniques.  Tao Style represents Sifu Paolillo’s continued refinement in his creative cultivation of the martial arts, and every form is designed according to the energetic principles of the Tao.  He considers his work to fall under the category of “Martial Qigong” — as it always incorporates detailed and complex fighting application, as well as energetic methods.

Tao style forms serve several different purposes in the curriculum.

Short Forms:  These forms catalogue techniques relevant to different styles and weapons.  These simple yet intricately crafted short forms distill the essential components of each style in a compact, yet easy to grasp format.  These forms are usually taught as introductory material, to help orient students in the technique of a particular method before moving on to longer and more complex forms.

Method Forms:  These forms tend to present more complex methods for training energetic skills and martial application.  These include work with apparatus/weapons, posts, and wooden dummy work.

Advanced Qigong Forms:  The most advanced Tao Style forms connect with the mystical and cosmic aspects of our energy work and cultivation.  These forms are about cosmic energy integration and work with more complex concepts such as the 9 palaces, and formless energetic technique.

Throughout the system there are also many training exercises and meditation techniques that Sifu has created and curated through his study, training and research.  

To read more about Tao Style, you can check out this blog post from the Tao Institute 45th Anniversary:  In Honor of Tao Style:  A Method of Lightboxing