BYRON LIVING TAO CENTRE
Health & Martial Arts
TAIJI * QIGONG * HAPKIYUSUL * HAPKIDO

BYRON LIVING TAO Health & Martial Arts Centre was established in 1986 by Shirsha  Marie, Director and Senior Instructor. Located in the heart of Byron Bay. this thriving Martial Arts Centre offers training in the modalities of Taiji, Qigong, Hapkiyusul and Hapkido. Byron Living Tao provides a training environment that cultivates vital life energy, inner strength, a focused mind and deepened states of awareness- for health, fitness, personal development and spiritual cultivation. These Eastern traditions of martial arts, healing and meditation integrate mind, body and spirit, in harmony with life and all.

TAIJI
Soft Style Chinese Martial Art
MEDITATION IN MOTION

Taiji is an ancient, internal Chinese martial art based on principles of relaxation and meditation. Its gentle, flowing, circular movements express the underlying forms of energy and motion inherent in life. Taiji is a self-defense system whose soft, spiraling moves are employed to yield to, harmonize with, and return an opponent’s force. As a moving meditation, Taiji harmonizes body, breath and mind, deepening awareness and fostering inner knowledge, calmness, and strength. This school teaches the Yang Form, in the traditional lineage of Yang Chen-Fu, Cheng Man-Ch’ing and Huang Sheng-Shuan.

QIGONG
Gentle Chinese Exercise Art
RADIANT HEALTH & WELL-BEING

Qigong is an ancient Chinese self-healing practice that promotes radiant health and well-being. Its soft, flowing, circular moves calm the mind and improve all functions of the body. These gentle exercises benefit the health of the organs, joints and bones, digestive system, nervous system and immune system. Qigong is gentle and enjoyable. It includes self massage, light stretching and loosening moves, postural alignment techniques, deep breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and meditation.

HAPKIYUSUL
Traditional Korean Martial Art
INTERNAL STRENGTH AND VITALITY

Hapkiyusul is a traditional Korean Martial Art founded in Korea in 1945 by Choi Yong-Sul. The art evolved from Japanese Daito-Ryu-Aikijutsu, and was taught by Choi who returned to Korea after WWII, having lived in Japan and studied under Takeda Sokaku for 30 years. Hapkiyusul is comprised of strikes, kicks, joint controls, off-balancing moves, and throwing techniques, as well as deep breathing techniques, ‘Ki’ energy development, and meditation. Although a highly effective self-defence system, Hapkiyusul is primarily a comprehensive training program of physical, mental and spiritual cultivation which promotes superior health and improve one’s experience of daily life.

HAPKIDO
Dynamic Korean Martial Art
COMPREHENSIVE SELF DEFENCE

Hapkido is a Korean martial art considered to be ‘a complete art of self-defence’. Known as “The Art of Co-ordinated Power”, Hapkido integrates a comprehensive range of strikes, kicks, blocks, holds, joint-locks, pressure-point controls, sweeps, throws and weapons. It also includes circular, flowing techniques of yielding and harmonizing with an attack, leading the attack in a circle and off-balancing and taking control of the opponent’s centre. Hapkido’s dynamic training system incorporates ‘Ki’ energy cultivation and meditation for balance, harmony and personal development.