Asheville Tai Chi and Qi Gong

I have been a tai chi student of Master Croley for many years now, and if you want to learn real internal martial arts, whether for health, for sport, or for self defense, White Oak is the place to find it.

I started practicing Tai Chi and Qigong with Derek Croley at White Oak in July 2024. I had just begun a year-long sabbatical from my job as a university professor, and was hoping to find some relief from the hip pain that had plagued me for over a decade. I had tried everything else - pain meds, cortisone shots, massage, acupuncture, myofascial release, integrated bio-mechanical therapy, and different styles of physical therapy via several practitioners. At the time, I had been practicing martial arts with Derek for about 3.5 years, so I was already aware of his extraordinary knowledge and skills in the martial arts, but until then my schedule had not allowed me to attend his twice-weekly Tai Chi/Qigong classes. What I gained through my practice was so much more than I anticipated. Over the past year plus, I have learned to pay attention to my body, to feel the subtle changes that happen when one moves through a series of forms. I have developed an awareness of the interconnectedness of my body’s systems, and formed a stronger connection between my mind and body, allowing me to focus and control my energy. Most importantly, I am learning to relax on a cellular level. As a trauma survivor, this has been key to my healing process. I have read Derek’s book, “The 6 Steps to Self Mastery: Develop an Internal Power Practice that will change your life” three times, and learned something to improve my practice each time. I feel fortunate to have found someone I consider to be one of the best martial arts mentors of all time, and I do not say this lightly. As a life-long educator, I recognize excellent teaching when I see it. Derek is able to take a complex system of movements and break them down into a series of smaller steps, making learning the movements both fun and easy. Further, his encyclopedic knowledge of martial arts systems around the globe enhances his instruction as he often uses examples to illustrate the evolution of each form’s utility over time. I cannot speak highly enough of Derek Croley, his superb skillset, and innate teaching abilities. If you are wanting to improve your physical health and mental well-being, White Oak Tai Chi is an excellent place to practice to help you achieve those goals. ❤️❤️❤️

Learning and practicing Tai Chi and internal martial arts has improved my health amazingly. My grandson is enthusiastic about his class as well.