ITMI
INTERNATIONAL TAOIST MEDITATION INSTITUTE
The most important meditation technique is being centered without falling asleep. It is not mantra. It is not sutra. It is not visualization. It is just to awaken. You keep the sense of awakening within; that is the best centering. In the Tao Teh Ching, that is called the mystical castle or the mystical point.
-- Om Ni
The International Taoist Meditation Institute (ITMI) serves to sustain and share the ancient meditation practices passed down through the ages in the Taoist tradition.
ITMI also trains teachers so that these sacred Taoist practices can be shared in their entirety, with integrity, & through thorough instruction.
Ancient meditations are more relevant than ever for sustaining balance in the modern world.
Our Level 1 Group Meditation Experience,
Optional Teacher Training
begins in March 2024
registration now open
begin by applying
CLICK HERE TO BE REDIRECTED TO AN APPLICATION
(meditation experience & certification is open to all who want
to deepen their practice,
becoming a teacher is optional)
WHAT IS
TAOIST MEDITATION?
Taoist meditation practices balance the body, mind, & spirit, deepening peace, personal power, and clarity. Supported by thousands of years of case studies and several decades of modern scientific evidence, Taoist meditation practice offers an unparalleled experience of oneself as not only the drop of water in the ocean, but also the ocean in the drop of water.
Taoist meditation philosophy is beautifully unique in its view of not only the human being in harmony, but the human being in harmony with all of existence.
Traditional Taoist meditation practice includes the universe, our environment, and our world in meditation, releasing the human being from egoic isolation and welcoming our symbiotic, harmonious co-evolution with all of creation.
WHAT IS A LIVING LINEAGE?
Books, videos, and apps are simply not enough to teach the true depth of meditation. A living lineage is of the utmost importance in Taoist meditation. Books are beautiful and helpful, however, when you feel confused, have a specific challenge, or need clarification, it's important that you have a living guide you can ask. This living lineage, passed down through generations for thousands of years, supplies the wisdom required to give a complete answer and thorough, specific clarification.
The Taoist tradition emphasizes dialogue with a living guide or teacher to be certain there is a complete, clear understanding of practices and philosophy. Through questioning, inquiries, navigation of challenges, and application of meditation practice to daily life, a living teacher confirms your thorough understanding, emboldening your life and meditation practice.
For meditation to truly live on, this tradition of a human, living relationship between teacher and student must be kept alive.
TRY A TAOIST MEDITATION NOW:
Daily meditation is highly recommended by doctors for your health, by employers for your productivity, creativity, & ingenuity, and by spiritual teachers who know world peace begins with peace within yourself.
INTERNATIONAL TAOIST MEDITATION INSTITUTE MASTER TEACHERS
MEET YOUR MEDITATION GUIDES:
Dr. Mao Shing Ni, L.Ac., D.O.M., Ph.D, ABAAHP, 72nd generation Taoist meditator and healer, oversees the sacred meditation teachings of his family with care. The living lineage of the Ni family is a thriving treasure of spiritual wisdom and depth. Sharing these practices with meditators is a gift to the individual, and also a gain to the world. Every living being benefits from inner & outer peace.
"Everyone you meet is a work in progress, including yourself." - Dr. Mao
Dr. Olivia Rosewood, Doctor of Divinity, facilitates the passage of these teachings to meditation students with the utmost integrity. A meditation guide for more than twenty years, under her careful guidance, maintaining the wholeness, beauty, eternal truth, and effectiveness of these ancient practices is achievable with every sincere meditator.
CERTIFICATION & OPTIONAL TEACHER TRAINING
Certification & Optional Teacher Training Intensives can help you deepen your practice with the guidance of a mentor, and it can also prepare you to become a teacher yourself.
Certification with I.T.M.I.
The International Taoist Meditation Institute offers the unique combination of an ancient origin and a living lineage through the Ni family. The credibility of Taoist meditation is unsurpassed, with thousands of years of history/case studies and modern science documenting its effectiveness. Certification offers a deepening of meditation practice, and allows for the guidance and support of a living mentor. There is nothing that can replace a living meditation guide in your world, of your world, and present in your process of deepening meditation.
Teacher Training with I.T.M.I.
Teaching others to navigate their own way to inner peace through meditation is one of the highest services any being can offer. A highly rewarding vocation, there is a growing need and curiosity for meditation in medical settings, businesses, schools, and within families. Inner peace leads to a fuller life, radiant health, and a lasting sense of unwavering inner bliss.
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Gaining certification & teaching credential through the International Taoist Meditation Institute sets a meditation teacher quite above the standard norm: I.T.M.I. uniquely integrates ancient tradition with modern relevance. Like a desert in need of water, there is a yet unquenched need for credible meditation instruction in our increasingly neurotic modern world.
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I.T.M.I. instructors also carry on the tradition of honorable behavior, respecting appropriate boundaries and vowing helpful benevolence in their work as meditation teachers.
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Whether you plan to teach professionally or just intend to deepen your own practice through certification, learning how to share meditation in a careful way is relevant. The glow of inner peace is attractive, and so you will likely encounter opportunities to teach. A Teaching Intensive will be available at the end of the certification, and it is optional. It covers important aspects of how to teach, and the logistics of teaching meditation. Certification must be competed satisfactorily.
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To sustain Teaching Credentials as well as certification, remote participation in an online workshop/retreat or joining one in-person retreat at least every other year is required to reinforce mastery and also to encourage & support spiritual development in oneself and others. Many choose to participate in the Teacher Training Seminar annually to both receive and offer support.
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In addition, all instructors certified through College of Tao (ITMI is one branch of the many institutes under the umbrella canopy of College of Tao), and information about sustaining your COT credential is here: More information can be explored by clicking here. Additionally, all those seeking to teach through College of Tao, including ITMI, are encouraged to complete the Introduction to Spiritual Cultivation course. It is an online, independent study course requiring the exploration & understanding a few books.
To Begin
Getting started requires first a very basic understanding of the foundational Taoist practices, as studied (1) in Taoist Meditation at Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or (2) through the International Taoist Meditation Institute (ITMI) online (see below).
Taoist Meditation has thousands of years of case studies documenting the health, wellness, and spiritual benefits of these practices. There are also numerous modern scientific studies showing the benefits in many areas.
Healing the Healer: a Strong Skill Companion for Doctors
In collaboration with Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taoist Meditation is ideal for all healers, acupuncturists in training, and licensed acupuncturists. Caring for others has many potential pitfalls including compassion fatigue, stress, pressure, burn out, and depression. From surgeons to nurses to home care aides, meditation is an effective self care tool for all who work in a field that requires their care for others.
Taoist Meditation is the seed from which blossomed the treasures of Traditional Chinese Medicine, including the modalities of acupuncture and herbology. Taoist Meditation is a wonderful skill set for acupuncturists, both for healing the healer's spirit, and also for assisting patients' healing. A perfect complimentary practice to be able to teach potential new patients, Taoist meditation can bring depth to your healing care to be able to guide current patients to also meditate as they heal, assisting with impulse control, effective self care, and positive prognosis results.
99% of all disease is either caused by or exacerbated by stress. Healthy stress management skills like meditation are an essential
Taoist Meditation Pillars
In the Foundational Practice level, meditation practitioners will learn fundamentals of Taoist meditation.
1. Symbiosis with Nature Meditation
2. Visualization Meditation
3. Contemplative Meditation
4. Healing Sounds Meditation
5. 念咒 Nian Zhou/ Invocation Meditation
6. Gratitude Practices
7. I Ching Meditation
8. Meridian Tracing Meditation
Once you have a solid and stable foundation in Taoist Meditation through the foundation practices, you can begin to build a palace of peaceful practice, also called "The Mystical Castle". As the meditator progresses from foundation practices onward to Levels 1, 2, & 3, daily meditation practices continue in these arenas, with increasing depth and power:
PRACTICE FOUNDATIONAL MEDITATIONS:
(YOU MAY USE THIS RECORDING TO FULFILL THE PREREQUISITE FOR APPLYING TO AND JOINING ITMI)
Here is a sampling of each of the 8 Foundation practices in a 10 phase meditation experience.
Each lesson/meditation lasts from 10-20 minutes, and it plays here for no charge:
ENTERING THE TAO:
LEVEL 1
I.T.M.I. CERTIFICATION
& OPTIONAL TEACHER TRAINING
Prerequisites:
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A statement expressing your interest, past spiritual journey, & current intent, and
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Thorough practice of the 8 Taoist Foundational meditations above or
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Complete Taoist Meditation Level 1 at Yo San University or
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Complete a 2 day intensive Taoist Expertise & Mastery Foundation retreat or
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Achieve certification in Taoist Meditation Level 1 through C.H.I.
Post requisite:
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To sustain certification, remote participation in an online workshop/retreat or joining one in-person retreat at least every other year is required to reinforce mastery and also to encourage & support spiritual development in oneself and others.
To deepen Taoist meditation practice, the ground floor must be stable and strong. Level 1 includes creating a traditional altar, Feng Shui, energetic regulation during meditation, posture, and hand positions.
Each month, meditators will master one meditation in each of the 8 Taoist Meditation Pillars deepens and fortifies meditation practice to a level of mastery in each of the following 8 Taoist Meditation Pillars:
1. Symbiosis with Nature Meditation
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Solar, Lunar, & all of Nature
2. Visualization Meditation
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Clear, Nourish, Shield
3. Contemplative Meditation
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Tien Yin Tzu or Wu Tao
4. Healing Sounds Meditation
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6 Healing Sounds with 手印 shou yin (hand positions & postures)
5. 念咒 Nian Zhou/ Invocation Meditation
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Dao In Invocations 1 - 21
6. Gratitude Practices
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Renewal
7. I Ching Meditation
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Consultation with the Divine Elements of I Ching
8. Meridian Tracing Meditation
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Microcosmic Orbit
Foundations/Level 1 Logistics: The 8 month certification program is primarily independent practice, using Insight Timer for accountability of practice time. Daily practice of at least 20 minutes is required to complete the program. Daily journaling and reflection will also be required for completion. There will be monthly lectures delivered live via Zoom, with time for questions, conversation, and group practice. Ongoing support is available with your meditation guide.
Whether you plan to teach professionally or just intend to deepen your own practice through certification, learning how to share meditation in a careful way is relevant. The glow of inner peace is attractive, and so you will likely encounter opportunities to teach.
A Teaching Intensive will be available at the end of the certification, and it is optional. It covers important aspects of how to teach, and the logistics of teaching meditation. Certification must be completed satisfactorily.
We will typically meet on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 1 PM PST for the lesson and meditation practice.
We will meet again typically on the last Saturday of the month from 2:30-4 PM PST to practice and respond to questions.
Lessons will be recorded and available to watch or listen to, allowing you to keep pace with the group should a live session be missed.
March 27 & 30, 2024
April 24 & 27, 2024
May 22 & 25, 2024
June 26 & June 29, 2024
July 24 & 27, 2024
August 22 & 31, 2024
September 25 & 28, 2024
October 23 & 26, 2024
Teaching Intensive & Certification
TBA
300 hours
cost: $640. paid in full or in 8 monthly payments of $80. each.
If you find this course is not for you, you may cancel at anytime.
Once complete, you may enroll in the Teacher Training Intensive ($80, in person or via webcast) for teaching guidance and certification. Teacher Certification may require a final examination, both written and practical.
For more information, contact us.
BUILDING YOUR PRACTICE:
LEVEL 2
I.T.M.I. CERTIFICATION
& OPTIONAL TEACHER TRAINING
Level 2 continues to build on the Foundational Meditation and Level 1 Practices, offering the meditator deeper practices in all 8 Pillars of Taoist Meditation, and it is an entrance into the realm of ethereal, esoteric Taoist meditation practice.
1. Symbiosis with Nature Meditation
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Nature of Trees
2. Visualization Meditation
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Opening Energy Channels
3. Contemplative Meditation
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Tien Yin Tzu
4. Healing Sounds Meditation
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6 Healing Sounds with hand positions, postures, & color
5. 念咒 Nian Zhou / Invocation Meditation
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Dao In Invocations 1 - 21 with 手印 shou yin (hand positions)
6. Gratitude Practice
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Inner View Meditation, Body, Mind & Emotion
7. I Ching Meditation
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Meditation & Consultation with the Divine Elements of I Ching
8. Meridian Tracing Meditation
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Microcosmic, Macrocosmic, & Extraordinary Orbit
This program involves daily home practice, monthly webinars as new practices are introduced, discussed, and taught in detail. The line of communication will be open for contact with your meditation guide for clarification. Level 2 Teacher Training is moving closer to mastery:
Those who successfully completed the Teaching Intensive will have the opportunity to be connected to an incoming Level 1 meditation student as a meditation guide (this is optional).
We will typically meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1 PM PST for the lesson and meditation practice.
We will meet again on the last Saturday of the month from 2:30-4 PM PST to practice and respond to questions.
Lessons will be recorded and available to watch or listen to, allowing you to keep pace with the group should a live session be missed.
March 20 & 30, 2024
April 17 & 27, 2024
May 15 & 25, 2024
June 19 & July 29, 2024
July 17 & 27, 2024
August 15 & 31, 2024
September 18 & 28, 2024
October 16 & 26, 2024
300 hours
cost: $640. paid in full or in 8 monthly payments of $80. each.
If you find this course is not for you, you may cancel at anytime.
Once complete, you may enroll in the Teacher Training Intensive ($80, in person or via webcast) for teaching guidance and certification. Teacher Training Certification may require a final examination, both written and practical.
300 hours
LIVING IN TAO
REFINEMENT & MASTERY: Level 3 I.T.M.I. CERTIFICATION
& OPTIONAL TEACHER TRAINING
Level 3 Teacher Training/Mastery builds on the the previous 8 pillars of Taoist meditation, deepening practices, wisdom, and esoteric awareness. After completion of Level 3 Teacher Training/Mastery, one may be invited to participate in the
Advanced Traditional Practices (ATP).
Also, upon completion of Level 3 Teacher Training/Mastery, one may organize their own certification/teacher training program or retreats anywhere in the world once credentialed as a satellite of I.T.M.I. More information about the credential process is forthcoming. The privilege to certify meditation instructors will come with International Taoist Meditation Institute oversight, listing of certified instructors, and online support.
This one year program involves daily home practice, monthly online meetings as new practices are introduced, discussed, and taught in detail. The line of communication will be open for contact with your meditation guide for clarification Level 3 Teacher Training moves into the deeper, more esoteric awareness.
We will typically meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 1 PM PST for the lesson and meditation practice.
We will meet again on the last Saturday of the month from 2:30-4 PM PST to practice and respond to questions.
Lessons will be recorded and available to watch or listen to, allowing you to keep pace with the group should a live session be missed.
March 13 & 30, 2024
April 10 & 27, 2024
May 8 & 25, 2024
June 12 & June 29, 2024
July 10 & 27, 2024
August 8 & 31, 2024
September 11 & 28, 2024
October 9 & 26, 2024
Teaching Intensive & Certification
TBA
300 hours
cost: $640. paid in full or in 8 monthly payments of $80. each.
If you find this course is not for you, you may cancel at anytime.
Once complete, you may enroll in the February Teacher Training Intensive ($80, in person or via webcast) for teaching guidance and certification. Teacher Certification may require a final examination, both written and practical.
1. Symbiosis with Nature Meditation
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Advanced Balancing Yin & Yang energies with Sun & Moon
2. Visualization Meditation
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Ultimate 5 Rings
3. Contemplative Meditation
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Wu Wo Gui Yi & sleeping cultivations
4. Healing Sounds Meditation
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Quan Yin
5. 念咒 Nian Zhou /Invocation Meditation
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9th Heaven Invocation
6. Gratitude Practice
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Enrichment for All Elements
7. I Ching Meditation
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Medical I Ching Divination
8. Meridian Tracing Meditation
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Fire & Water Super Cosmic Orbit
For more information or to apply, click here to contact us.
DEEPENING TAO
ELEVATION: LEVEL 4
& OPTIONAL TEACHER TRAINING
We will typically meet on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 1 PM PST for the lesson and meditation practice. We will meet again on the last Saturday of the month from 2:30-4 PM PST to practice and respond to questions. Lessons will be recorded and available to watch or listen to, allowing you to keep pace with the group should a live session be missed.
March 4 & 30, 2024
April 3 & 27, 2024
May 1 & 25, 2024
June 5 & June 29, 2024
July 3 & 27, 2024
August 1 & 31, 2024
September 4 & 28, 2024
October 2 & 26, 2024
Teaching Intensive & Certification
TBA
300 hours
cost: $640. paid in full or in 8 monthly payments of $80. each.
If you find this course is not for you, you may cancel at anytime.
Once complete, you may enroll in the February Teacher Training Intensive ($80, in person or via webcast) for teaching guidance and certification. Teacher Certification may require a final examination, both written and practical.
For more information, contact us.
REFLECTIONS FROM OUR MEDITATION PARTICIPANTS:
With this meditation practice life becomes more peaceful. - PS, Switzerland, Level 3
Peace comes faster, my mind can select and hold a focus point better, or move it at will. - JJ, Denmark, Level 3
I feel that I’ve created a safe space and sanctuary within that I can access any time to recharge and cultivate. - NG, Level 2
Yes. As a result of the meditation workshop, I seem to have more clarity and calm. It has also opened up my creative channels and I’m back writing again. Thank you and Blessings - RG, Level 2
What I learned most now is that I feel what I miss when I don't have enough time to meditate in a constructive way. I'm really happy I do have the time now. - IS, Netherlands, Level 3
There is a sense of all pieces (different practices) coming together to support complete development as all aspect of being. Thank you. - CC, Switzerland, Level 3
Up to this point in my life, I hadn't focused on meditation and the course gave me a very good direction and structure for my first sustained meditation practice. I feel I've become more aware of myself and others, and have slowly begun to open my heart. I feel more balanced, more grounded. It has been a wonderful course and very much appreciate the teaching and support. - RB, North Carolina, Level 2
These past 8 months have brought me much closer to myself, contributing to confidence (an inner knowing) on a level I had not previously known. Thank you! - CC, Massachusetts, Level 3
One of the things I enjoyed in my professional life as a museum educator was evaluating programs and making small refinements to make them better each year. I have this same feel as we go deeper into the meditative process. Thank you! - LL, California, Level 3
An amazing opportunity to learn meditation from teachers that literally have priceless experience + teaching ability and generosity (& love!). The best meditation course I have taken - I highly recommend it for both beginners and advanced students alike. -MJ, California, Level 3
Yes. As a result of participating in this meditation program, I can enter a meditative state much more quickly - almost instantly on some days. On a practical level, I'm seeing some advantageous life benefits. I work in a high paced stress environment where little things are constantly going wrong. The increased self-awareness of our meditation practice has enabled me to step back and think about solutions instead of focusing anger on those unexpected obstacles. -WC, Florida, Level 3
Even though I’ve had a lot of meditation experience this course made a profound impression on me and I gained new depth and results in all my meditation practices.
The ITMI has been a deeply profound experience for me. I’ve been a meditator in the Buddhist tradition for more than 25 years but studying with Dr. Mao and Olivia has been life changing. I feel that I am home. -PB, Colorado, Level 3
I have greatly benefited from getting to know and practice meditation within the Taoist tradition. It has also allowed me to pinpoint places of rigidity or pain in my spiritual journey. - KC, Level 2
I had not previously practiced mediation on a regular basis, and the Level 1 training was my first exposure, I was looking for a systematic holistic approach to meditation. The Tao Level 1 training certainly meets that objective. I have gained appreciation for Tao meditation as a way to combine universal spirituality, physical self, and emotional self. I feel more balanced and calm after meditation with a greater sense of self-perspective. And, I have learned that like so many things, meditation rewards in proportion to effort. The greater frequency that I meditate, the greater the benefit. - SL, Level 2
This intensive has given me a framework to achieve consistency in my practice and also variety, as I have learned so many new methods of meditation. This commitment to myself has led to many positive changes in my life. I am grateful for every moment spent on this program. - AC, Level 2
Depth, frequency, variety. I have a much greater understanding of my place with a lineage that provides a very deep context. I have a clear feeling for what I am doing, and why, and a deepened acceptance and embrace of myself and the world around me. - MJ, Level 2
I felt supported and the meditations gave me a deeper connection to spirit. - ES, Level 2
It is helping to tear down the barriers to what is most important in life. Thank you for this golden opportunity. - SS, Level 2
My meditation practice has definitely deepened and developed from participating in Level 1. Being committed to meditate everyday had grounded me, and given me a lightness that I am enjoying. - MM, Level 2
Yes. I enrolled in this series to learn about different Taoist forms of meditation. It was quite illuminating. It added significantly to my meditation practice and encouraged me to introduce others to them. In particular, the emphasis on the North Star is deeply engrained in me. The format by which the program was delivered was excellent as well. - MB, Level 2