Healthpreserving Retreat

30-Day Wudang Taoist Health Preservation Course Plan
I. Core Course Philosophy
Centered on Wudang Taoism’s core tenets of “following nature, balancing yin and yang, and unifying body and mind”, this course integrates Wudang Tai Chi, Daoyin exercises, breathing techniques, Taoist mental cultivation, and dietary regulation. Abandoning high-intensity training, it focuses on “nurturing” and “regulating” to help participants unblock meridians, harmonize qi and blood, calm the mind, establish healthy habits in line with natural laws, and achieve dual improvement in physical functions and mental state. The course caters to both beginners and those seeking in-depth health preservation, guiding participants to comprehend the essence of Taoist health preservation step by step.
II. Basic Course Information
•Course Duration: 30 days, 1.5 hours per day (morning session 7:00-8:30, aligning with Taoism’s natural rhythm of “working at sunrise”, or evening session 19:00-20:30, suitable for office workers’ schedules)
•Target Audience: High-pressure office workers, people with insomnia and anxiety, those with poor qi and blood circulation, individuals with stiff joints, and the general public who wish to develop healthy lifestyles and understand Taoist culture (no prior intense exercise experience required)
•Core Objectives: 1. Unblock meridians and improve sub-health issues such as cold hands and feet, and shoulder and neck soreness; 2. Master Taoist breathing techniques to enhance cardiopulmonary function and harmonize qi and blood; 3. Improve physical flexibility and core strength through Tai Chi and Daoyin exercises; 4. Learn mental cultivation methods to relieve anxiety and improve sleep quality; 5. Establish long-term sustainable Taoist health preservation habits.
III. Course Phases and Daily Schedule
The course is divided into three phases: Days 1-10 (Basic Introduction Phase), Days 11-20 (Advanced Deepening Phase), and Days 21-30 (Consolidation and Elevation Phase), with each phase focusing on different aspects and progressing incrementally.
Phase 1: Basic Introduction (Days 1-10) – Understand Taoist Health Preservation and Lay a Foundation
Core Tasks: Understand the basic principles of Wudang Taoist health preservation, master basic breathing techniques and simple Daoyin exercises, adjust body posture, develop regular work and rest habits, and lay the groundwork for subsequent learning.
Day 1: Course Introduction – Core of Taoist health preservation (following nature, balancing yin and yang), brief introduction to Wudang health preservation culture; basic posture adjustment (Taoist requirements for standing, sitting, and walking postures, such as “chest in, back straight, shoulders relaxed, elbows dropped”); introductory breathing technique (abdominal breathing: inhale to expand the abdomen, exhale to contract it, relax with mental focus for 10 minutes each time).
Day 2: Advanced Breathing – Progressive abdominal breathing (combining slow and fast rhythms: inhale for 4 seconds, hold breath for 2 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds); basic Taoist Daoyin exercises (knocking teeth, swallowing saliva, rubbing the face to unblock facial meridians and nourish zang-fu organs, repeating each movement 8-12 times).
Day 3: Body Activation – Simplified Wudang Eight-Section Brocade, selecting three movements: “Raising Hands to Regulate the Triple Burner”, “Drawing the Bow Like Shooting an Eagle”, and “Single Arm Lift to Regulate Spleen and Stomach”. Analyze the key points of each movement in detail and practice with breathing.
Day 4: Consolidate Eight-Section Brocade – Review the first three movements and correct posture deviations; add two new movements: “Looking Back to Relieve Five Strains and Seven Impairments” and “Shaking Head and Wagging Tail to Reduce Heart Fire”, focusing on shoulder and neck relaxation and mind calming.
Day 5: Meridian Cognition – Brief introduction to the core of Taoist meridian health preservation (conception vessel, governor vessel, and the corresponding relationship between the twelve meridians and zang-fu organs); additional Daoyin exercises: “Clenching Fists and Staring to Enhance Strength” and “Bending Down to Touch Feet to Strengthen Kidneys”, targeting liver and kidney regulation.
Day 6: Complete Eight-Section Brocade Practice – Integrate the six learned movements and practice continuously with breathing techniques; introductory mental cultivation (5-minute meditation, focusing on breathing to eliminate distractions).
Day 7: Eight-Section Brocade Completion and Review – Add “Clenching Fists and Staring to Enhance Strength” and “Heel Raising and Dropping to Cure All Diseases” to complete the full set of simplified Eight-Section Brocade; review weekly movement problems, adjust breathing rhythm; dietary advice (Taoist principle of light diet, avoiding spicy and greasy food, regular three meals a day with appropriate portions).
Day 8: Advanced Breathing Technique (reverse abdominal breathing: inhale to contract the abdomen, exhale to expand it, practice progressively to avoid holding breath); specialized Daoyin exercises for shoulder and neck relaxation (simplified versions of “Green Dragon Wagging Its Tail” and “White Crane Spreading Its Wings” to relieve shoulder and neck stiffness).
Day 9: Basic Wudang Tai Chi – Learn Tai Chi Opening Form and Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane, analyze posture and center of gravity shift in detail, emphasizing “guiding qi with intention and controlling form with qi”; meditation cultivation (extend to 8 minutes, focus on the mind).
Day 10: Phase 1 Review – Practice the full set of Eight-Section Brocade and the two basic Tai Chi movements, consolidate breathing techniques; share physical feelings, adjust practice rhythm; clarify learning priorities for the next phase.
Phase 2: Advanced Deepening (Days 11-20) – Strengthen Techniques and Harmonize Body and Mind
Core Tasks: Deepen Tai Chi movement learning, master Taoist Dantian breathing technique, target zang-fu organ regulation with Daoyin exercises, improve mental focus, and achieve coordinated harmony of qi, blood, and mind.
Day 11: Advanced Tai Chi – Learn White Crane Spreading Its Wings and Brush Knee and Twist Step, focus on movement continuity and center of gravity stability, practice with abdominal breathing to feel “qi flowing with movements”.
Day 12: Introductory Dantian Breathing – Explain the location of Dantian (lower Dantian, three inches below the navel), practice “sinking qi to Dantian”: inhale to gather qi at Dantian with intention, exhale to disperse qi throughout the body with intention, 15 minutes each time.
Day 13: Tai Chi Integration – Review the first four movements (Opening Form, Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane, White Crane Spreading Its Wings, Brush Knee and Twist Step) and practice continuously; specialized Daoyin exercises for waist regulation (such as “Waist Turning and Palm Pushing” and “Bending Forward to Touch Feet” to nourish the lumbar spine and kidneys).
Day 14: Advanced Mental Cultivation – 10-minute meditation using the “breath-counting method” (count from 1 to 100, restart counting when distracted) to calm distractions; share meditation feelings and adjust mental focus.
Day 15: New Tai Chi Movements – Learn Play the Lute and Roll Back, analyze the “soft strength” and “circular strength” in the movements, avoid stiff force application, and align with Taoism’s concept of “overcoming hardness with softness”.
Day 16: Integrate Dantian Breathing with Tai Chi – Deliberately guide qi to sink to Dantian during Tai Chi practice to achieve deep integration of movements and qi; Daoyin exercises for zang-fu organ regulation (such as “abdominal rubbing” and “acupoint pressing” on Zusanli and Zhongwan points to promote digestion).
Day 17: Continuous Tai Chi Practice (from Opening Form to Roll Back, six movements) with Dantian breathing, correct incoordination between movements and qi; meditation (incorporate Taoist “visualization”: imagine a warm qi ball in Dantian nourishing the whole body).
Day 18: Targeted Regulation – Add “sedative Daoyin exercises” (such as “Holding the Primordial Essence and Maintaining Oneness” and “rubbing the temples”) for people with insomnia and anxiety; strengthen breathing technique (extend Dantian breathing to 20 minutes to improve qi control).
Day 19: New Tai Chi Movements – Learn Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail (left and right), master the four core strengths of “ward-off, roll-back, press, and push”, and experience the essence of Taoism’s “following the flow”.
Day 20: Phase 2 Review – Practice the eight Tai Chi movements continuously with Dantian breathing and meditation; summarize physical and mental changes (such as sleep quality and shoulder-neck condition); adjust the advanced learning rhythm to lay the groundwork for the consolidation phase.
Phase 3: Consolidation and Elevation (Days 21-30) – Integrate and Develop Habits
Core Tasks: Integrate content from the previous two phases, proficiently master the full set of basic Tai Chi movements, Dantian breathing technique, and Daoyin exercises, deepen mental cultivation, and establish a long-term sustainable health preservation system combined with Taoist life wisdom.
Day 21: Closing Tai Chi Movements – Learn Single Whip and Cloud Hands to complete the full framework of 13 basic Wudang Tai Chi movements, analyze rhythm control during continuous practice.
Day 22: Continuous Practice of Full Tai Chi Set (13 movements) with Dantian breathing and mental guidance to achieve the unity of “form, qi, and intention”; integrate Daoyin exercises (full set of Eight-Section Brocade + specialized regulation movements to form a 15-minute Daoyin package).
Day 23: Advanced Mental Cultivation – 15-minute meditation using the “non-thought method” (no deliberate breath counting or visualization, follow nature, perceive distractions without entanglement); share Taoist health preservation wisdom (work-rest principle of “working at sunrise and resting at sunset”, seasonal health preservation points).
Day 24: Polish Tai Chi Techniques – Strengthen weak movements (such as Roll Back and Cloud Hands) in a targeted manner, adjust movement details to improve softness and continuity; flexible application of breathing techniques (switch between abdominal, reverse abdominal, and Dantian breathing according to physical conditions).
Day 25: Comprehensive Health Preservation Practice – Full set of Eight-Section Brocade (10 minutes) + 13 Tai Chi movements (20 minutes) + Dantian breathing (15 minutes) + meditation (15 minutes), fully connecting daily practice content.
Day 26: Optimize Taoist Diet and Work-Rest – Share Taoist vegetarian diet and seasonal dietary advice (such as tonic in autumn and winter, clearing in spring and summer); guide participants to formulate personalized work-rest schedules in line with natural rhythms (such as sleeping before 23:00, corresponding to Taoism’s “nurturing yin” principle).
Day 27: Integrate and Innovate Tai Chi and Daoyin Exercises – Adjust movement range and rhythm according to personal physical conditions to form a long-term sustainable personal practice plan; share mental cultivation experiences (participants exchange 30-day meditation feelings and solve common meditation problems).
Day 28: Simulate Daily Health Preservation Scenarios – Guide participants to practice in fragmented time (such as simple Daoyin exercises during work breaks, 5-minute meditation before bed, 10-minute breathing practice in the morning) to ensure health preservation habits integrate into daily life.
Day 29: Full-Process Comprehensive Drill – Complete the full set of health preservation practice according to the optimized personal plan; participants share 30-day physical and mental changes (such as improved physical fitness, emotional regulation, and better sleep quality) and exchange experiences with each other.
Day 30: Course Summary and Long-Term Planning – Review 30-day learning content and sort out core techniques and health preservation principles; guide participants to formulate a 3-month post-course health preservation plan (phased goals, practice frequency, adjustment directions); issue course completion certificates, establish a participant health preservation exchange community, and provide continuous guidance.
IV. Supporting Services and Precautions
(I) Supporting Services
Material Support: Provide course materials (Taoist health preservation concepts, movement diagrams, breathing technique points, dietary and work-rest advice) and movement demonstration videos (for after-class review).
One-on-One Guidance: Reserve 15 minutes each day for one-on-one correction and answers to participants’ movement deviations, physical discomfort, and meditation difficulties.
Community Services: Establish a participant community to share daily health preservation tips and seasonal regulation plans; participants can exchange practice feelings, and teachers provide regular Q&A.
After-Course Follow-Up: Provide 2 online review guidance sessions within 1 month after the course to help participants consolidate health preservation habits and adjust practice plans.
(II) Precautions
Wear loose and comfortable clothes and soft-soled shoes during practice to avoid being restricted by tight clothing; practice in a flat, well-ventilated area away from noisy environments.
Follow the principle of “progressing step by step”, do not pursue movement difficulty, adjust range and duration according to personal physical conditions, and avoid injury caused by excessive force (such as reducing bending and twisting movements for those with joint discomfort).
Adhere to the Taoist principle of light diet strictly; avoid being overfull or on an empty stomach 1 hour before and after practice; women during menstruation can reduce intense movements and focus on breathing and meditation.
Maintain a peaceful mind; Taoist health preservation focuses on “nurturing”, do not rush for results, respect the body’s natural reactions, and gradually improve physical and mental states.
Those with severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, joint diseases, or mental illnesses must inform the teacher in advance and adjust practice content according to professional advice; pregnant women and people in the post-operative recovery period are not suitable for participation temporarily.
V. Expected Course Effects
Physical Level: Unblocked meridians, significant improvement in sub-health issues such as shoulder and neck soreness and cold hands and feet; enhanced physical flexibility and core strength; improved cardiopulmonary function, harmonized qi and blood, and significantly better sleep quality.
Mental Level: Reduced negative emotions such as anxiety and irritability, more peaceful and focused mind; improved stress tolerance, able to cope with daily work and life with a calm attitude.
Habit Level: Master a set of sustainable Tai Chi, breathing, and Daoyin techniques; establish dietary and work-rest habits in line with Taoist natural concepts, forming a personalized health preservation system.
Cognitive Level: In-depth understanding of Wudang Taoist health preservation culture and wisdom, establishing a health concept of “following nature and unifying body and mind”, realizing the transformation from “passive regulation” to “active health preservation”.