Eight Directions Academy

Martial Arts + Fitness

Raleigh, NC

  • “Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it”

    -Laozi

Baguazhang

Baguazhang is another one of the Chinese “Internal” martial arts along with Xingyiquan. The name means “Eight Trigrams Palm” and is famous for its unique circle walking and spiraling movements.

Taijiquan

Taijiquan (also known as Tai Chi Chuan) is a branch of Daoist martial arts that became famous for its health benefits and slow flowing movements. It is based on the concept of polar opposites (Yin and Yang) and emphasizes physical relaxation with mindfulness.

Qigong

Qigong is a category of traditional Chinese exercises and practices that focus on the breath and internal state. “Qi” is often translated as life force or energy, and these practices date back thousands of years. Some of these include Zhuan Zhang standing meditation and the Eight Brocades exercises.

Muscle and Tendon Yoga

Hatha Yoga is the branch of yoga that focuses primarily on physical exercises and different poses (Asana) combined with breathing exercises. Combining these poses with hard Qigong style isometric tension and packing breath creates a potent exercise that can transform the mind body connection while activating tendons and fascia.

“When your body is not aligned [形不正],
The inner power will not come.
When you are not tranquil within [中不靜],
Your mind will not be well ordered.
Align your body, assist the inner power [正形攝德],
Then it will gradually come on its own.” (Verse 11, tr. Roth 1999: 66)

-Neiye (Inward Training) 350 BCE

Strength, Balance, Mobility, Focus

We are a Raleigh NC based organization dedicated to promoting health and well-being through practices that focus on linking the mind and body using the breath. Some of these practices include Hatha Yoga, Qigong, Taijiquan, and meditation. We use a holistic approach to addressing physical and mental health and believe that the two are closely tied together.