Mantak Chia is a Taoist master and teacher, and the creator of the Healing Tao and the Universal Healing Tao System. The author of more than 60 books on Taoist practices, translated into more than 40 languages, he is best known for bringing practices such as the Inner Smile and the Microcosmic Orbit to readers around the world. [1]
Who is Mantak Chia?
Mantak Chia was born in Thailand to Chinese parents in 1944. When he was six, Buddhist monks taught him to meditate. As a schoolboy he learned Thai boxing, and later Tai Chi Chuan from Master Lu, who also introduced him to Aikido, Yoga and advanced Tai Chi. [1]
As a student in Hong Kong, he was introduced to the Taoist master Yi Eng (I Yun), who taught him practices including the Microcosmic Orbit and the Fusion of the Five Elements, and authorised him to teach. He went on to study with other teachers, learning Kundalini and Taoist Yoga from Master Meugi in Singapore, Chi Nei Tsang abdominal massage from Dr. Mui Yim Wattana, and Bone Marrow Nei Kung from Cheng Yao-Lun. He also studied Western anatomy and medical science for two years. [1]
Chia founded the Natural Healing Center in Thailand and, five years later, moved to New York, where in 1979 he opened the Universal Healing Tao Center. [1] In his own words: “my students asked me to offer a structured healing system to make Taoist wisdom accessible to more people. Thus, the Universal Healing Tao System was conceived.” [1] His system grew worldwide as the Healing Tao, European Tao Yoga and the Universal Healing Tao. [2]
In 1990 the International Congress of Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong in San Francisco named him its first Qigong Master of the Year, and he received the award again in 2012. He moved back to Thailand in 1994, where he developed Tao Garden Health Spa & Resort near Chiang Mai as his teaching centre. His school says he has taught tens of thousands of students and certified more than 1,500 instructors and practitioners. In 2012, Mind Body Spirit magazine ranked him 18th on its list of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People. [1]
His practices in brief
- The Inner Smile. Smiling inwardly with gratitude and joy to each of the internal organs.
- The Microcosmic Orbit. Circulating chi up the spine and down the front of the body.
- The Six Healing Sounds. A sound and breath for each organ system to release tension.
- Chi Nei Tsang. Self-massage of the abdomen to relax and support the organs.
- Iron Shirt Chi Kung. Standing postures to store and circulate energy.
At a glance
Born: 1944, Thailand
Founded: Universal Healing Tao (New York, 1979)
Teaching centre: Tao Garden, Chiang Mai
Books: More than 60
Website: MantakChia.com
Good fit if
You are interested in qigong, Taoist meditation or energy practices, or you want simple daily routines such as the Inner Smile to relax body and mind.
Our take
One of the best-known teachers of Taoist practice in the West, with a clear, step-by-step style. Start with the short video on this page, then try the Inner Smile.
Mantak Chia’s key practices
Chia’s teaching is built on a small set of practices that build on one another. Tap a card to read more.
Universal Healing Tao
The Universal Healing Tao is the system of Taoist practices Chia developed from his training. His school describes it as divided into five healing arts: Living Tao energy cultivation, Chi Nei Tsang, Cosmic Healing, internal martial arts, and inner alchemy and Immortal Tao practices. [3]
At its heart are nine inner alchemy formulas, beginning with the Microcosmic Orbit and moving on to practices such as the Fusion of the Five Elements and the Kan and Li meditations. [3] The school says it has nearly 600 active certified instructors in 57 countries. [3]
The Inner Smile
The Inner Smile is often the first practice Chia teaches. His publisher describes it as “a practice that focuses gratitude and joy on the internal organs to resolve the physical and mental tensions that cause illness”. [4]
You begin by smiling gently, then direct that warm, smiling feeling to each of the organs in turn, with a sense of thanks. His book The Inner Smile includes both the Inner Smile meditation and the Microcosmic Orbit meditation. [4]
The Microcosmic Orbit
The Microcosmic Orbit is the first formula of the Universal Healing Tao. His school describes it as a practice in which students “learn to circulate their Chi, or Life Force, along the Meridians of the front and backside of the body, known as the Governor and Conception Meridians”. [3]
His publisher notes that “in 1983, Mantak Chia introduced the ‘Microcosmic Orbit’ to the West”, in the book now published as Healing Light of the Tao. [5] The Inner Smile and the Six Healing Sounds are taught alongside it “because they help the Microcosmic to flow”. [3] Read our full guide to the Microcosmic Orbit.
The Six Healing Sounds
The Six Healing Sounds pair a sound, a breath and a posture with each of six organ systems. His publisher explains that “ancient Taoist masters discovered that a healthy organ vibrates at a particular frequency and identified six sounds to keep each organ healthy”. [6]
Chi Nei Tsang and Iron Shirt
Chi Nei Tsang is a form of abdominal massage that Chia learned from Dr. Mui Yim Wattana. [1] His publisher describes it as self-healing techniques that remove stagnation and detoxify and rejuvenate the vital organs. [7]
Iron Shirt Chi Kung uses standing postures and breathing to store and circulate energy, and is taught alongside the Microcosmic Orbit in the first formula of his system. [3]
Videos with Mantak Chia
Hand-picked and checked one by one, all from his official YouTube channel.
Start here
Chia in his own words
Articles about Mantak Chia
Books by Mantak Chia
Chia has written more than 60 books on Taoist practices, translated into more than 40 languages. [1] His first, Awaken Healing Energy Through the Tao, appeared in 1983. [12]
Courses and free resources
The Universal Healing Tao has nearly 600 active certified instructors in 57 countries, so many readers can find a teacher nearby. [3]
What the Research Shows
Chia’s practices belong to the wider family of qigong and meditation, which researchers continue to study.
- Qigong. The US National Institutes of Health describes qigong as practices that involve “the regulation of the mind, breath, and body’s movement and posture”. [9]
- Qigong and tai chi trials. A review of 77 randomised controlled trials found benefits in areas including bone health, heart and lung fitness, physical function, falls prevention, quality of life, self-efficacy and psychological symptoms. [10]
- Gratitude. Gratitude, at the heart of the Inner Smile, has been linked with higher wellbeing in experimental studies. [11]
For a closer look, see what the research shows about the Microcosmic Orbit.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mantak Chia?
A Taoist master and teacher, born in Thailand to Chinese parents in 1944, who created the Healing Tao and the Universal Healing Tao System and has written more than 60 books on Taoist practices.
What is the Universal Healing Tao?
The system of Taoist practices Chia founded, combining meditation, qigong, Chi Nei Tsang, internal martial arts and inner alchemy. He opened the Universal Healing Tao Center in New York in 1979.
What is the Inner Smile?
A practice that focuses gratitude and joy on the internal organs to relax the body and mind. It is often taught as a first step before the Microcosmic Orbit.
What is the Microcosmic Orbit?
A Taoist inner alchemy meditation that circulates chi, or attention, up the spine and down the front of the body. It is the first formula in Chia’s system.
What are Mantak Chia’s best-known books?
They include Healing Light of the Tao (first published as Awaken Healing Energy Through the Tao in 1983), The Inner Smile, The Six Healing Sounds, Chi Nei Tsang and The Multi-Orgasmic Man.
Where does Mantak Chia teach?
At Tao Garden Health Spa & Resort near Chiang Mai, Thailand, and through online courses and certified instructors around the world.
Has Mantak Chia received any awards?
In 1990 the International Congress of Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong named him its first Qigong Master of the Year, and he received the award again in 2012.
Sources
- Mantak Chia: About Qi Gong Master Mantak Chia
- Inner Traditions: Mantak Chia author page
- Universal Healing Tao: About Universal Healing Tao
- Inner Traditions: The Inner Smile by Mantak Chia
- Inner Traditions: Healing Light of the Tao by Mantak Chia
- Inner Traditions: The Six Healing Sounds by Mantak Chia
- Inner Traditions: Chi Nei Tsang by Mantak Chia
- Open Library: The Multi-Orgasmic Man by Mantak Chia and Douglas Abrams
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH): Qigong: What you need to know
- Jahnke et al., A comprehensive review of health benefits of qigong and tai chi, American Journal of Health Promotion 2010
- Emmons and McCullough, Counting blessings versus burdens, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Open Library: Awaken Healing Energy Through the Tao by Mantak Chia
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