Serendipity

A Continuing
Tai Chi Learning Circle

A fortunate meeting of people, timing, and intention.

Sometimes, the right people come together at just the right time.

Serendipity is a small, continuing Tai Chi learning community for people who have completed their foundational training and wish to develop their practice slowly, thoughtfully, and consistently alongside others.

Is Serendipity Right for You?

Serendipity may be
a good fit if you:

Have completed at least six hours of foundational Tai Chi training.
Enjoy learning slowly, revisiting details, and refining the fundamentals.
Prefer practicing with the same teacher and fellow students in a stable learning environment.
Want to develop a sustainable personal practice through regular participation.
Are willing to make a long-term commitment to learning and practicing together.

Group Size: 3–6 students

Schedule:

First, second, and third Thursdays of each active month

Time: 3:30–4:30 PM

Program Period:

February–October 2027

One designated month will be reserved for independent home practice, without in-person classes.

The month will be announced in advance.

Small Group Training Program

Training in a consistent small group creates a supportive learning environment where students can grow together, encourage one another, and develop their Tai Chi practice over time. As groups become more established, tuition is reduced to reward long-term commitment and regular participation.

Tuition at a Glance

Tuition is organized in six-class cycles.

Initial Six-Class Cycle

2 students: $270 per person
3 students: $220 per person
4 students: $180 per person
5 students: $160 per person
6 students: $140 per person

Continuing Member Rate

After completing the initial six-class cycle, each student qualifies for a preferred continuing rate:

2 students: $230 per person
3 students: $187 per person
4 students: $150 per person
5 students: $120 per person
6 students: $93 per person

Students who continue their training maintain their preferred rate for all future six-class cycles. The goal is to support steady progress, lasting friendships, and a dedicated learning community rather than short-term participation.

New members are welcome when space becomes available. Joining begins with a conversation to ensure that the student's interests, goals, and commitment are a good fit for the group.

A Quick Note Before You Continue

If you are mainly looking for the practical information about Serendipity, everything above is enough to help you decide whether this group may be right for you.

You can stop reading here whenever you feel ready.

There is no need to read the entire page before contacting the teacher or considering whether you would like to join.

The sections below are completely optional. They are for those who enjoy understanding more about the learning approach, the principles of Tai Chi, and the philosophy behind this particular group.

Take what you need. Continue whenever you feel curious.

For Those Who Enjoy Reading More

Why Serendipity?

Some learning opportunities are carefully planned.

Others emerge naturally when people, timing, and intention come together.

Serendipity began with a simple conversation. One student wondered whether others might be interested in continuing their Tai Chi learning together.

Within a short time, three people discovered that they shared a similar interest, a compatible schedule, and a willingness to commit to regular practice.

What began as an unexpected meeting became an opportunity to build something meaningful together.

At Tao Tai Chi Studio, I value these moments.

I believe learning becomes especially meaningful when people choose to be present, not because they are required to attend, but because they genuinely wish to continue.

Serendipity is an invitation to develop that kind of learning relationship.

It is not simply another scheduled class. It is a small learning community built around shared intention, continuity, and mutual encouragement.

- Jing Shuai

What Makes This Group Different?

Serendipity is different from both an open group class and a privately organized family or friends group.

In a privately organized group, participants usually come together because they already know one another and wish to arrange their own learning experience.

In Serendipity, the teacher helps connect students who share a similar learning intention.

The group then develops through:

A consistent meeting schedule.
A shared commitment to continued learning.
A stable learning environment.
Individual attention within a small group.
Mutual encouragement without pressure or competition.

The purpose is not to learn as much as possible in the shortest time.

It is to create the conditions in which meaningful progress can develop naturally.

What We Practice

Our learning focuses on three interconnected areas.

1. Tai Chi Fundamentals

We continually return to the essential principles of Tai Chi:

Natural posture and structural alignment.
Relaxation without losing stability.
Weight shifting and balanced stepping.
Coordination of the whole body.
The relationship between movement, breath, and awareness.

These fundamentals are not simply introductory exercises to be completed and left behind.

They remain the foundation of deeper Tai Chi practice.

2. Tai Chi Form

We continue developing the Tai Chi sequence through careful repetition and refinement.

Rather than rushing to learn more movements, we take time to understand the principles within each movement.

Students are encouraged to recognize how posture, weight distribution, coordination, and relaxation work together.

3. Complementary Qigong Practice

We explore one complementary Qigong practice, bringing together gentle movement, breath, awareness, and internal coordination.

The intention is to help students understand the relationship between Tai Chi and Qigong through direct experience.

Learning Through Repetition and Understanding

Refinement Through Repetition. Understanding Through Practice.

One of the most important principles in Tai Chi is that understanding a movement intellectually is not the same as being able to perform it naturally.

A movement may appear simple, yet its underlying principles can take considerable time to understand.

For example:

How does the body shift its weight without unnecessary tension?
How do the feet, legs, waist, and upper body coordinate as one connected structure?
How can movement become both relaxed and stable?
How does awareness change the quality of a movement?

These details cannot be fully understood by simply watching or memorizing a sequence.

They require repeated practice, observation, adjustment, and time.

For this reason, Serendipity places considerable emphasis on foundational exercises and detailed movement refinement.

This approach reflects an important aspect of traditional Tai Chi training: returning to the fundamentals again and again, discovering more each time.

In this way, practice gradually becomes more than learning movements. It becomes a process of developing awareness, coordination, balance, and a deeper understanding of one’s own body.

Developing Your Own Practice

An important goal of Serendipity is to help students become increasingly comfortable practicing independently outside the classroom.

Class time provides instruction, observation, correction, and opportunities to explore details.

Practice between classes allows those lessons to become part of everyday experience.

Rather than depending entirely on the teacher for every repetition, students gradually learn how to recognize what to practice, how to approach it, and how to refine their own movements.

This ability to continue learning independently is an essential part of long-term Tai Chi development.

A Note About Partner Practice

Partner exercises are not a central component of this program.

Occasionally, students with an interest in martial arts may have an opportunity to explore introductory partner exercises.

These experiences are intended to help students understand movement principles and the relationship between Tai Chi and Qigong.

The primary focus remains individual practice, foundational development, and the ability to carry the learning into daily life.

Tuition & The Philosophy

Behind It

Serendipity has its own tuition arrangement because it represents a different kind of learning relationship.

At Tao Tai Chi Studio, privately organized groups typically consist of family members, friends, or colleagues who already know one another and wish to begin learning together.

Those groups follow the standard Private Group tuition structure, with rates determined by group size and the studio’s regular continuing-learning requirements.

Serendipity is different.

The students come together through a shared willingness to continue learning. The teacher helps connect people with compatible intentions and supports the development of a stable learning community.

I believe this kind of initiative deserves encouragement.

Rather than requiring students to complete the longer training period normally associated with the standard continuing-group arrangement, Serendipity offers its preferred continuing rate after each student’s initial six hours of training.

This is an intentional way of supporting people who choose to learn and grow together.

Six-Class Tuition Structure

Each payment cycle covers six one-hour classes.

A Continuing Rate That Rewards Commitment

Each student completes their own initial six hours of training at the applicable initial rate.

After completing those six hours, the student qualifies for the continuing rate applicable to the group’s current size.

As long as the student remains part of the Serendipity learning group, the continuing rate applies to every subsequent six-class cycle.

There is no need to pay the initial rate again when beginning a new payment cycle.

This applies to every continuing member, regardless of how long they have been with the group.

We want students to feel encouraged to maintain their practice and continue growing together, rather than having to repeatedly re-establish their eligibility for the preferred rate.

When Group Size Changes

A learning group may naturally change as people’s circumstances and commitments evolve.

If the number of students changes, tuition for the next six-class cycle will be adjusted according to the number of students continuing together.

Existing members retain their continuing-rate status and simply follow the continuing rate corresponding to the new group size.

New students joining an established group will begin with their own initial six-class tuition, based on the group’s current size.

After completing their first six hours, they will also qualify for the continuing rate.

For example, if an established three-person group welcomes a fourth student:

The three existing members receive the four-person continuing rate of $150 each for the next six-class cycle.
The new student begins at the four-person initial rate of $180.
After completing their first six hours, the new student also receives the four-person continuing rate.

This arrangement recognizes both the commitment of existing members and the willingness of new members to become part of the learning community.

Please speak with the teacher before joining a new learning cycle to confirm the applicable group size and tuition.

Missed Classes & Make-Up Opportunities

Life does not always follow a predictable schedule.

If you are unable to attend a class for any reason, you are welcome to contact the teacher during your current six-class cycle to ask whether you may occasionally join another group for a practice experience.

This opportunity is entirely voluntary and depends on the availability and suitability of another class.

There is no requirement to make up missed classes.

The teacher will never pressure students to attend additional sessions simply because they have missed a class.

The intention is to support a sustainable learning rhythm, not to create pressure around attendance.

A Shared Commitment, Not an Occasional Class

Serendipity is designed for people who appreciate the value of continuity.

Students are not expected to attend only when convenient or to decide their participation one class at a time.

Instead, the group develops through a shared willingness to maintain a regular learning rhythm.

New students who have completed the required foundational training may be considered when space is available.

Before joining, prospective members are invited to speak with the teacher about their experience, interests, schedule, and expectations.

This conversation helps ensure that both the student and the group feel comfortable with the arrangement.

If you prefer complete flexibility in deciding when to attend, or are not yet sure how long you wish to continue, private instruction or a privately organized group may be a more suitable option.

There is no single way to learn Tai Chi. The important thing is to find the learning arrangement that genuinely supports your needs and intentions.

Growing Together, One Practice at a Time

In Taoist philosophy, the natural way is not always to push harder or move faster.

Sometimes, the right action is to wait, observe, and allow things to develop when the conditions are appropriate.

Tai Chi reflects this understanding through balance, timing, relaxation, and the relationship between movement and stillness.

The same wisdom can be found in the way people learn together.

A meaningful learning community cannot be created simply by placing people in the same room.

It develops through shared intention, mutual respect, consistent practice, and the willingness to return.

At Tao Tai Chi Studio, I believe that some of the most valuable learning experiences happen in precisely this way.

People meet.

They discover a shared interest.

They make room in their lives for practice.

And gradually, something meaningful takes shape.

The right people. The right time. The willingness to grow together.

That is Serendipity.