Most people who are familiar with the ancient Chinese martial art of taijiquan (tai chi), are used to the practice being taught “from the outside in”: one learns the movements and then, with years of practice, gradually discovers the internal power that makes it so effective. Rick Barrett, an “internal” martial arts teacher for more than 25 years, will teach a reversal of this common practice in his workshop Taichi Alchemy: Yang Cheng Fu’s 13 Original Postures,set for July 20 to 22 at Eastover Estate and Eco Village in Lenox, Massachusetts.

“The internal martial arts are distinct in that they derive power from the conscious control of one’s subjective state of being, and from the use of jin, or internal strength, as opposed to the more common use of muscular force or exertion,” Barrett says. “In Taichi Alchemy, I will teach students how to access this jinfrom the very beginning, and to inculcate it into each movement of a taijiquan form. I will include the Three Pillars, an ancient method of accessing a rooted, coherent and whole-body energetic connection at any time, even under duress.”

Barrett, the founder of Taichi Alchemy, has published two books, Taijiquan: Through the Western Gate and Finding You in a World of It.His investigations into the martial side of taijiquan led him to develop “love-based martial arts,” in which the martial artist is empowered by love and hindered by fear and anger.

For more information, visit Eastover.com or call 866-264-5139.