Tai Chi Facts
What is Taoist tai chi?
This art can be traced back to the earliest
periods of Chinese history. From its beginnings,
Taoism has sought to return body and mind to
be in harmony with the natural order. As an
expression of this, physical arts have always
been an integral part of its teachings. As it
evolved over the centuries and millennia, Taoist
masters and practitioners continued to develop
these arts and worked to pass them onto their
students, enriching the tradition of physical
and spiritual cultivation.
What is the Taoist Tai Chi Society?
This volunteer nonprofit organization with
international affiliates includes more than 42,000
members with locations in 26 countries. It brings
together people of different languages and
cultures in a worldwide community focused on
following the aims and objectives established
by its founder, Master Moy Lin Shin.
Who was Master Moy Lin Shin?
Moy Lin Shin was a Taoist master who
dedicated his life to alleviating suffering by
helping others cultivate themselves through
the Taoist arts. Moy synthesized a powerful
system for cultivating body, mind and spirit
based on Taoist teachings as well as training
he received from respected teachers in China
and Hong Kong. In 1970, he immigrated to
Canada, where he immediately began teaching
Taoist tai chi arts.
Moy was careful to point out that these
teachings are more than a set of movements.
They are a form of spiritual cultivation and a
way of life. When he passed away in 1998, he
left a clear legacy for his students. In a spirit
of learning and working together, they have
continued to develop these teachings in order
to share them with others. As he envisioned,
these arts should continue to flourish for
generations to come.
What does the International Center
Florida do?
The new center in Dunedin is 14,000 square
feet and located next to the newly renovated
and reopened Fenway Hotel. The center will
host Taoist Tai Chi Society practitioners from
all over the world several times throughout
the year for various training seminars and
conventions. Local tai chi practitioners will also
use the facility for daily classes and workshops.
What are the health benefits of
Taoist tai chi?
In the Taoist tradition, a person’s well-being
depends on the harmony of body, mind and
spirit. Taoist training integrates these aspects,
leading to transformation of the whole person.
This is done through a series of 108 movements.
Pegoty Packman, president of Taoist Tai Chi Society of
the USA, and Allen Pearce greeted guests to the grand
opening ceremony of the society’s International Center
in Dunedin.
“In the Taoist
tradition, a
person’s wellbeing
60 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
depends
on the harmony
of body, mind
and spirit,” said
Sean Dennison,
executive director of the Taoist
Tai Chi Society of the USA. “Taoist
training integrates all these aspects,
leading to transformation of the
whole person. This can be done
through a series of movements
along with the other Taoist arts
such as chanting, meditation,
rituals and ceremonies.”
The late Moy Lin Shin, a
Taoist master and the founder
of the Fung Loy Kok Institute
of Taoism and the Taoist Tai Chi
Society of the USA, developed
the first International Centre in
Ontario, Canada in 1984. In the
1990s, Moy realized he would
need to open another center and
chose Florida for a location. The
society initially found a site in the
Clearwater area, where it had a
strong local participant base. It
eventually moved north into
Dunedin, finding a temporary
location that didn’t meet all its
needs. In 2013, Taoist Tai Chi
Society President
Pegoty Packman
came upon the
b o a r d e d - u p
and fenced-off
Fenway Hotel
while on a bike
ride. A sign
said that the building was in
foreclosure and for sale. Pegoty
felt this building was special and
should be brought back to life.
Through her efforts, the Taoist
Tai Chi Society purchased the
1920s era property in 2014. The
society partnered with Mainsail
Lodging & Development, which
took on the task of renovating and
rebuilding the historic building to
bring it back to its original glory
as the Fenway Hotel. Today,
International Center Florida sits
adjacent to the renovated Fenway
Hotel in Dunedin. Beginners
as well as experienced tai chi
devotees are invited to participate
in the classes and other activities
at the new tai chi facility.9
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more
information, visit taoisttaichi.org.
The International Center Florida
is at 280 Locklie St. in Dunedin,
(727) 734-0929.
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