- I knew it at the time, but it took many years to understand why. Having learned taiji (aka Tai Chi- "supreme ultimate") from Paul Pitchford, I was never able to find another teacher the equal of him. And that is saying something since I subsequently studied taiji for seven years with a grandmaster living in Portland that is famous throughout China. (But that is another story.)#
- Paul is best known as the author of the classic book,
Healing with Whole Foods | Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition. I met Paul years before he wrote his classic, when he was teaching taiji in Moscow Idaho, and leading healing retreats in the mountains of Northern Idaho. I would make the short drive from Pullman Washington (where I was studying Architecture) to Moscow every Tuesday and Thursday evening for a class with Paul. # 
Like many people my age, I was introduced to martial arts by the TV show Kung Fu starring David Carradine. A trip to the library led me to a little book about taiji, from which I learned the simple exercise of "walking on rice paper." Years later when a college roomate said someone was teaching taiji in Moscow, I jumped on the opportunity- and was not dissapointed. #- Paul was a western Caucasian, but he learned and taught in the tradition of Taoism. He was not only skilled at taijichuan, but also a practitioner of eastern medicine; blending Chinese 5 element theory with Japanese shiatsu while reading our pulse and teaching us about the macrobiotic diet. More importantly, in addition to the long and short solo forms of traditional Yang style taiji, we also taijichuan (aka Tai Chi Chuan, or “supreme ultimate boxing”) by practicing the two person training forms of push hands and sanshou. Paul taught the martial taoist first principle of selfdefense- which is a responsibility to teach and heal your duaifang (aka your "opposite" in battle, better thought of as your partner, rather than your opponent.)#
- Now 44 years after first learning from Paul, my practice of taiji is still inspired by him. As I learned from John Denver's bodyguard, taijichuan is truly the best martial art for older peolple. It remains and excels as a functional martial art as we age, and is a tremendous means to extend vitality into old age, as taught by the imortal Taoist masters of Ancient China. Tai Chi as it is taught today, has largely become a Performing Art- not a martial art. I was lucky to learn taijichuan as a Taoist martial art, and owe it all to Paul Pitchford.#
- I knew it at the time, but it took many years to understand why. Having learned taiji (aka Tai Chi- "supreme ultimate") from Paul Pitchford, I was never able to find another teacher the equal of him. And that is saying something since I subsequently studied taiji for seven years with a grandmaster living in Portland that is famous throughout China. (But that is another story.)#
- Paul is best known as the author of the classic book, Healing with Whole Foods | Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition. I met Paul years before he wrote his classic, when he was teaching taiji in Moscow Idaho, and leading healing retreats in the mountains of Northern Idaho. I would make the short drive from Pullman Washington (where I was studying Architecture) to Moscow every Tuesday and Thursday evening for a class with Paul. #
- Like many people my age, I was introduced to martial arts by the TV show Kung Fu starring David Carradine. A trip to the library led me to a little book about taiji, from which I learned the simple exercise of "walking on rice paper." Years later when a college roomate said someone was teaching taiji in Moscow, I jumped on the opportunity- and was not dissapointed. #
- Paul was a western Caucasian, but he learned and taught in the tradition of Taoism. He was not only skilled at taijichuan, but also a practitioner of eastern medicine; blending Chinese 5 element theory with Japanese shiatsu while reading our pulse and teaching us about the macrobiotic diet. More importantly, in addition to the long and short solo forms of traditional Yang style taiji, we also taijichuan (aka Tai Chi Chuan, or “supreme ultimate boxing”) by practicing the two person training forms of push hands and sanshou. Paul taught the martial taoist first principle of selfdefense- which is a responsibility to teach and heal your duaifang (aka your "opposite" in battle, better thought of as your partner, rather than your opponent.)#
- Now 44 years after first learning from Paul, my practice of taiji is still inspired by him. As I learned from John Denver's bodyguard, taijichuan is truly the best martial art for older peolple. It remains and excels as a functional martial art as we age, and is a tremendous means to extend vitality into old age, as taught by the imortal Taoist masters of Ancient China. Tai Chi as it is taught today, has largely become a Performing Art- not a martial art. I was lucky to learn taijichuan as a Taoist martial art, and owe it all to Paul Pitchford.#