It is rather hard to explain the process of learning Taoism and Tai chi chuan. A few important conceptual elements are involved in it:
Jing, a concentrated form of Qi (imagine a condensed juice or milk);
Qi;
Shen;
Ling;
Zhan Zhuang/stationary postures that are similar to Hindu yoga ;
Sexual practice/euphemistically called yin-yang relationship;
12 meridians and 8 Extraordinary Vessels;
Dantian breathing and
Fajing/Discharge.
Tai chi chuan is just one aspect of the different and varied healing arts of Taoism like herbs, massage, nutrition/dietetics, neidan/internal alchemy, meditation, qigong/taoyin, essential oils, stones and minerals, massage/tuina, Feng-shui, astrology, sexology, acupuncture and moxa.
Many people try to specialize in Tai chi chuan and it takes them decades to reach mastery, if at all. Where do you find an authentic master? is the first question. I found him in Gin Soon Chu who taught in Boston Chinatown. I studied with him when I was in the New England School of Acupuncture.
Traditional Yang Family Tai chi chuan, one of the 4 or 5 different styles, a lineage descended from Yang Sau-Chaung by way of his disciple Gin Soon Chu, has several aspects and forms one has to learn perhaps starting with Zhan Zhuang.
Then there are:
Tai chi walking;
Da Lu/Great Pulling;
108 fist solo form;
Staff (solo and paired);
Broadsword/dao (3 forms);
Straight sword/jian (2 forms);
Sanshou (2-man sparring set);
Tai chi chuan Chang Chuan/Long Fist;
Fajing;
and Push Hands (stationary and moving; one hand and 2 hands; “broken flowers”).
I’ve skipped the details. The curriculum is complicated. There are within the subsets variations: small frame, medium frame, large frame and crane, tiger and snake styles. Different masters cover different forms. GM Gin Soon taught the most complete curriculum I have seen anywhere. You cannot learn much of it from a book or a video.
Having said that, I do not know how long it takes to learn to teach. There is such a comprehensive curriculum. How much time do you need to cover it?
Other practitioners specialize in healing herbs, massage and acupuncture, others in neidan/internal alchemy. So which of the different aspects of Taoism are you going to pursue?
Mantak Chia’s curriculum covers different aspects too. Here below is the curriculum that I studied.
Microcosmic Orbit (Inner Smile and 6 Healing Sounds)
Tai chi Chi Kung 1 (Slow)
Tai chi Chi Kung 2 (Fast/Fajing)
Iron Shirt 1 (Zhan Zhuang)
Iron Shirt 2 (Tendon)
Iron Shirt 3 (Bone Marrow)
Chi Nei Tsang 1
Chi Nei Tsang 2
Buddha Palm Qigong
Five-Finger Kungfu
Fusion of the 5 Elements 1
Fusion of the 5 Elements 2
Fusion of the 5 Elements 3
Lesser Kan and Li
Greater Kan and Li
Greatest Kan and Li
Sealing of the 5 Senses