Dan Miller is a martial artist, author, and for six years he was publisher of The Pa Kua Chang Journal, from 1990 to early 1997. In this interview, Ken talks with Dan about publishing the Journal, which was one of the best martial arts publications ever done (in Ken's opinion). They also talk about other issues related to Bagua Zhang, including the…

The Diamond episode of the Internal Fighting Arts Podcast -- number 75 -- features an interview with Tim Cartmell, a highly-respected internal martial artist who also has competed in and teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Ken Gullette first heard about Tim in the 1990s, when Tim wrote articles in Dan Miller's "Pa Kua Chang Journal." Tim has also written …

Yes. It is true. Through Baguazhang 八卦掌 journeying along the Taoist path, I am what I am: A real kungfu master and people like to call me Shifu 師傅 as a mark of respect. But… while it is a great honour, it comes with its own challenges like NOT abandoning this life for one of seclusion in the mountains like a lot of Taoists 道者. Or whether or not to …

Ken talks with Bill Bentley, who teaches Xingyi through daoistgatecenter.org, and privately he teaches Xingyi, Bagua, Wudang style sword, and self-defense. He is involved with the Daoist Arts Organization International (DAOI) and interviews martial artists for the DAOI podcast. Bill began his martial arts training at the age of 10 in a Shaolin-base…

On the one hand this episode could be another one about Mopai. But in the end I went back to what is really important: Baguazhang. It starts off with that age old question of how a person can measure qi? And the it goes somewhere else. Hey! It’s a Saturday and the garden path leads to where it wants to go. So sit back and relax into it. Enjoy ☺️…

Ken Gullette talks with Raphael Smith, an instructor of Song style Xingyiquan, Chen style Practical Method Taijiquan, and combat-related arts in the Sacramento, California area. He goes by Ralph and he is a disciple of Song style Xingyiquan master Li Yujie. Ralph's website is www.jingwupai.org. In this interview, Ralph talks about why he went to Ch…

Let’s get real: Are the 72 levels of Mopai achievable? And how do you you know you have achieved any one of those levels? 🧐 Hmmmm….. ☶

Now this is an important question: Is Mopai a martial art? It reads like one in the book. And it is the source of much of the “qualified” criticism about it. Of which… I answer the question. The problem most people have and don’t want to admit is that they are seeking something that blinds them to the obvious. Something which all the internal marti…

Recently I read the book ‘The Magus of Java’ by author Kosta Danaos. It is a book about Mopai and its then grandmaster John Chang a.k.a John Baharudin a.k.a. Dynamo Jack from Ring of Fire fame. In part 1, I give a basic description of the difference between Baguazhang and Mopai in how qi is cultivated. ☳…

Ken Gullette talks with instructor Gerald A. Sharp, who Ken first became aware of in the 1990s when he bought Gerald's "Five Fists of Power" VHS instructional tape. Gerald A. Sharp began studying martial arts at age 12. Later, he studied with several internal arts teachers, notably Wu Taiji with Master Ma Yueh Liang, and he studied Pa-Kua Chang, Hs…

While in Hong Kong I wanted to do a bit of exploring and eventually I got myself, sort of, lost. Well, not really in the larger scheme of things… but it made for an interesting day out and in the end I managed to score myself a nice new black jade pendant to assist me with my Qi 氣 cultivation while doing Baguazhang 八卦掌.So why black jade?Black jade …

Hello from Hong Kong 香港.In this episode I am recording from my wife’s home town and the birth place of Bruce Lee 李小龍.It’s been an interesting experience thus far doing Baguazhang 八卦掌 and focusing on cultivating my Yin 陰修.I know that most Taoist cultivation practices focus on Yang 陽. But that is for people who’s qi 氣 lacks inner strength.But Baguazh…

So recently I started my own personal journey of translating the Tao Te Ching 道德經 as part of my own Taoist experience because 1) I wanted to, and 2) because I have noticed discrepancies between what the typical English version says and what the Chinese version says. And it can get frustrating. But do not worry, I won’t be publishing it. But what wo…

Ok… So in this episode titled: How not to do Baguazhang 如何不做八卦掌, I’m letting you know about Neidan Master Damo Mitchell’s audio by the same name. Listen to it. It’s in-depth and worth its weight in gold. It’s about an hour long but if you try to rush it and skip sections, you will miss a great deal of important stuff that will either boost your pra…

Byron Jacobs published an excellent Xingyi Quan book in 2023 titled "Dragon Body, Tiger Spirit." In this book, Byron translates a collection of Xingyi Quan classics and provides commentary that will help anyone who studies and practices this powerful martial art. Byron lives in Beijing and has an extensive martial arts history. He has been a guest …

Question: What is it like to be a baguazhang Taoist?The answer to that question on the daily life of being a Taoist 道者 or a Baguazhang master 八卦掌大師 is… (drum roll, please) is this: You’re a fucking weirdo. Most people have no idea what you are. Or why you would bother chasing a goal that leads to nowhere. Maybe in Asia somewhere, with its exotic lo…

The urban environment is a tough place to practice, cultivate and master Baguazhang 八卦掌. No matter what people say. And for the most part, it is a lonely path 😩. But here’s the thing: Are you ready to become a Living Tao 活道? Are you ready to become the living embodiment of your craft as it’s ultimate personification? Even if none of us truly knows …

The way of the Taoist Bagua master is one of resilience. It isn’t for everyone. It’s a lonely 😩 path filled with a lot of hardships. A lot of people think 🤔 that once they become a Taoist or a Baguazhang master, life will be enlightened bliss. Sadly, this not the case. But as my podcast reveals, sometimes while we are down, our trained body just sa…

I finally did it and talked about some weird shit involving Baguazhang - environmental cultivation (of the self). And no, I don’t care that to some people it’s total woo-woo! I know my shit and it’s grounded in experience.

This podcast features some of Ken Gullette's favorite clips from the first couple of years the Internal Fighting Arts podcast. It's a Greatest Hits featuring fascinating interviews with great internal martial artists including Michael Chritton, Stefan Berwick, Marin Spivack, Kimberly Ivy, Kent Howard, Byron Jacobs, and Jeet Kune Do instructor Tim T…

After cultivating 基 Ji, 精 Jing, 氣 Qi, 神 Shen and the 心 Xin (heart-mind) the next cultivation stage is 德 Te (inner power).With the Tao Te Ching 道德經 it is usually referred to as virtue but this a Confucian ideal. And when read as such, it leaves a lot of people confused 😕 ! Te 德 or inner power, as it is more commonly referred to in Taoist language, i…

Ken Gullette interviews instructor Tony Wong. His birth name was Wong Wai Yi and he grew up in Hong Kong before moving to the United States. He lives and teaches in the San Francisco area. Tony has trained with some outstanding teachers. He studied Wing Chun with Kenneth Chung, Wuji Qigong with Cai Song Fang, and he studied Chen Taijiquan with Zhan…

Do you want to be a baguazhang immortal?Do you want to be a baguazhang xian?1. 仙 2. 僊 3. 仚 4. 㒨 5. 僲 6. 屳 7. 佡Above are the 7 Chinese characters in which to write the word: Xian.Xian means immortal. And then so much more. In this podcast #288 I discuss their different “deeper” meanings in relation to the #taoist #internal_martial_art #cultivation p…

For those of you too impatient to listen to my #baguazhang #八卦掌 podcast, yi 意 is your will or intention. That’s it. For the rest of you, I finally delve deeper into the mystical side of baguazhang. This is a stage of Taoist cultivation that’s rarely openly discussed because it’s usually a very private and/or personal journey that a practitioner has…

Ken Gullette talks with Nabil Ranne almost three years after Nabil's first appearance on the podcast. Nabil is a disciple of Chen Yu (the son of Chen Zhaokui and grandson of Chen Fake). After he interviewed Nabil in 2020, Ken began studying with him. In this interview, Ken tries to get "into the weeds" with Nabil and discuss details that you don't …

My first episode on the Taoist Heart-Mind of Xin 心 (episode 281), doesn’t fair too well with listeners because it’s not the rosy blissful description that people want to hear or experience. But if you are a baguazhang 八卦掌 practitioners or cultivator, you’d be wise to listen because without facing certain experiential truths, it will be nigh impossi…

Tonight I’m keeping it short and discussing the mysteries of Wu 無 or nothingness. And in particular I will discuss this Taoist concept through the lens of baguazhang 八卦掌. While in this podcast I provide a few real life examples of what it looks like experientially, the sad fact is for most people those examples are what people try their darnedest t…

Again and again, it is a repeated comment that in order to cultivate the Taoist path, a practitioner of the way must have virtue or Te 德, or it is all for nought! But what is Te and how do I get some? Is it the same Te as in the Tao Te Ching 道德經？ Yes it is. And as a baguazhang 八卦掌 practitioner I will explain it to you in a way that the urban mind c…

Ken Gullette talks with Michael Dorgan, a disciple of the late Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang. Among Michael's other teachers are the late Master Zhang Xue Xin and his gongfu brother, Chen Xiang. Michael has a wonderful new book about his life in martial arts and in journalism. It's titled No Fight No Blame: A Journalist's Life in Martial Arts. The book…

True Baguazhang 八卦掌 cultivation can produce in the body, over time, trauma in the mind and body. The ritual of practicing Chazen 茶禪 is about more than just mindfulness. Without a way to cleanse ourselves and consolidate our “gains” we can get stuck in our progression in self-cultivation, especially if our Tao 道 is more or less locked into an urban …

Well, I’m finally doing it and I’m gonna talk about Baguazhang master Sun Lutang 孫祿堂 (1860 – 1933). Disciple of master Cheng Tinghua 程廷華. Master Sun is important because he was the first to produce baguazhang manuals (which are still available today):Baguaquan xue (A study of eight trigrams boxing) published 1916;Baguajian xue (A study of eight tri…

Whether you are a traditional Taoist cultivator or you are ascending through the baguazhang path, there is a stage that must be confronted in order to truly grasp the true significance of what you are doing. And that is the stage of Xin 心. In Taoism it is traditionally referred to as the heart-mind or mind-heart, and is sometimes interchanged with …

Revision of the 5 baguazhang cultivation stages of Ji 基, Li 力, Qi 氣, Yi 意 and Shen 神. Actually there are other levels, but for most Baguazhang practitioners these are the most important and exist like a alternative path or version to the Taoist one. Here I discusss the similarities between the two…

Before a person even attempts to cultivate the three Taoist treasures of Jingqishen 精氣神, there is the beginning of Xing 形 or form/shape. The baguazhang equivalent is called Ji 基, and it is the foundation of all that is to come next. In this podcast I introduce the listener to this much neglected stepping stone.…

Taoism has its self cultivation path of the three treasures: Jing Qi Shen 精氣神. And sometimes they add a fourth level of Tao 道. The internal martial art of baguazhang 八卦掌 also has its parallel equivalents of Li, Qi, Yi and Shen 力氣意神. In this podcast I will be discussing (lightly) what they are and how they match up to the Taoist version of things.…

Ken Gullette talks with Scott M. Rodell, a Yang style Taijiquan instructor who is known for his swordsmanship. He is the founding director of the Great River Taoist Center in Annandale, Virginia. Scott's principal teacher was Wang Yen-Nien. From Wang, Scott learned the entire Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan system. Scott is known for his swordsmanship an…

For the final podcast episode of 2022, I ask this simple question: Is doing Xingyiquan the same as doing Baguazhang internal martial arts? Both styles are Taoist in origin and both styles fall under the category of internal martial arts, but are they the same? And the answer to both questions is NO! While FaJin 化勁 may be a Xingyiquan and Taichi con…

In this episode I answer the question: Must I be or do I need to be a Taoist to do or practice the internal martial art of baguazhang? Listen to it, to learn further on what you signed up for. Some of you already have your answer but for others it may be enlightening, even if only in a tiny hum-drum sort of way. 🙂…

If you are like a lot of martial artists, you dream about having your own bricks-and-mortar martial arts school. In this episode, Ken Gullette talks with Kimberly Ivy, who has had a Taijiquan school in Seattle for 30 years, and Michael Celeste, who has owned a school for six years teaching Yang Taiji and Wing Chun in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey. Mart…

What’s the difference between having rituals and having habits in Baguazhang? And does it affect my neigong practice?

Both are internal martial arts styles, but is doing baguazhang the same as doing taichi? And the answer is… NO! A lot of people, who don’t know any better, make this mistake all the time. If you are listening to this podcast, you probably already know the difference but it doesn’t hurt to go over it again.…

The biggest question I get asked repeatedly is: Is the story real or true? And that’s a good question to ask and it all depends on what you are actually wanting to experience. Let the Tao 道 be your guide.

Last night I finished reading the biography ‘The Chronicles of Tao’ by author Deng Ming-Dao. Whom, some of you on the spiritual Taoist path, would already be familiar with. This book is supposed to be a loose biography of his spiritual teacher Kwan Saihung.As a lesson in Taoist spirituality and in what the followers of the Huashan sect did to attai…

The proof is in the pudding. As they say. So you say I’m full of shit with my stories, even though the Genchitaofu Baguazhang was my proving ground as a baguazhang master. Rather than dismissing what I am about, I challenge others to go and have their own Baguazhang adventure and prove it to themselves what it means to be a master of this art. In t…

When’s the best time to learn baguazhang? Well, not 5 minutes before you to go out and fight. As a martial art it takes years to master it. It looks s unrealistic to think you can learn it over night.

We have all asked the question: When is the best time to practice baguazhang? And typically you’ll get an answer that the Shifu wants you to follow. But few people ask why, and fewer still know why.But it is important to know why if one truly wants to progress further. In this podcast you will hear my answer to this question. You may have heard it …

In a different kind of episode, Ken Gullette does a joint podcast with Graham Barlow, the martial artist behind "The Tai Chi Notebook" podcast. Graham is a former guest on Ken's podcast, and as friends, they realized they both are asked the same type of questions by people who are interested in the internal arts -- questions on subjects such as the…

Further baguazhang ramblings inspired by sifu Neil Ripski’s book: Secrets of Drunken Boxing in the Eight Shadow Style.

I strongly recommend this book to other internal baguazhang practitioners because 1) it’s good to sometimes walk a different path and gain new experiences. And 2) it contains baguazhang neigong exercises from the Ma Family style (馬家八卦掌) of baguazhang. Which I am sure some of you will be familiar with.This was the review I intended to post in Amazon…

In this episode I answer a qood question that I get asked a lot: Is a bagua master (八卦大師) the same thing as a baguazhang master (八卦掌師傅)? And the answer is a yes and a no, and it depends…