The Taoist Studies Institute is an organization headquartered in Seattle, Washington that advances Taoist culture through teaching philosophy, hosting performing artists, and sponsoring retreats. The Taoist Studies Institute operates the Xuan Xiu Gong Taoist Sanctuary in Snohomish, Washington. ¹

The Taoist Studies Institute provides classes on movement, meditation, martial arts, Chinese medicine, proper nutrition, and other components of Taoist Cultivation. The Seattle headquarters teaches classes, has a research library, and hosts special events. The Sanctuary is used for retreats and special classes. ²

History

The Taoist Studies Institute was founded in 1991 to foster Taoist culture and provide educational programs. ¹ The curriculum of the program has expanded to include all facets of Taoism and Taoist Cultivation including meditation, philosophy, ritual, martial arts, traditional medicine, and the arts. ¹ The Taoist Studies Institute owns and operates the Xuan Xiu Gong Taoist Sanctuary in Snohomish, Washington for retreats to teach additional classes outside of Seattle. ²

Education

The Taoist Studies Institute offers ongoing classes in Taijiquan (tai chi), Qigong (a form of exercise within Chinese traditional medicine), and Bagua (a component of Feng shui), as well as monthly workshops and lectures. ³ The Institute offers special academic series focusing on different forms of movement and methods, meditation, Taoist studies, and more. ³ The Taoist Studies Institute maintains six faculty members and two adjunct faculty on Tao teachings and movements and Chinese medicine. ⁴ The Taoist Studies Institute sponsors and participates in national and regional scholastic trips as well as coordinating educational trips to China. ⁵

The Institute provides classes on Yang Sheng, a study of nourishing life that focuses on diet but includes sleep, meditation, and living with the cycles of nature. ⁶ Curriculum includes qigong classes on movement, exercises to optimize energy, and body posture and Taijiquan that incorporates qigong with martial arts. ⁷ The Institute provides classes on Taoism and Cultivation including beliefs, practices, and proper techniques. ⁸

The Taoist Studies Institute conducts lectures to the local community on Taoism, hosts musical artists at the Institute, has an annual open house to coincide with the Phinney-Greenwood art walk, and coordinates monthly retreats for members. ⁹

The Institute

The Taoist Studies Institute is located in the Phinney Ridge, a neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, and the Taoist Studies Institute building is part of the Woodland Park Presbyterian Church. ¹⁰ The Taoist Studies Institute consists of a main room, three shrines, a bookstore, and a research library with books on Taoism, Taijiquan, Qigong, cooking, Chinese herbs, philosophy, and other topics. ¹¹

Membership to the Taoist Studies Institute costs $50 per individual or $75 for a family, with student/senior rates at $30. ¹² The Institute offers supporting annual memberships of $150 per individual and $200 for families. ¹³ Corporate memberships are available beginning at $1,500 with public recognition for the corporation for sponsorship. ¹⁴

Class fees vary by the number of classes per week and membership status. ¹⁵ A monthly fee of $60 is charged for members and $70 for non-members for one class. Fees increase by roughly $25 per month for each additional class. ¹⁵

Finances

In 2023, the Taoist Studies Institute had net assets of $1,235,057. ¹⁶ That year, the Taoist Studies Institute recorded $236,637 in revenue and had $183,352 in expenses. ¹⁶ In 2022, the Taoist Studies Institute raised $156,010 in revenue and had $154,233 in expenses. ¹⁷

Leadership

Harrison Moretz (Mo Zhicheng) has been the founder and director of the Taoist Studies Institute since its inception in 1991. ¹⁸ Moretz, who has been practicing and teaching Taoist Cultivation for over 40 years, is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and teaches internal martial arts and the Tao to students at the Taoist Studies Institute. ¹⁹

1. “About.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/about.html.
2. “Xuan Xiu Gong Sanctuary.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/xuan-xiu-gong-sanctuary.html; “Foundations of Practice III.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.flipcause.com/secure/event_step2/MjA1OTc4/261862.
3. “Curriculum.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/curriculum.html.
4. “Faculty.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/faculty.html.
5. “Building Community.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/building-community.html.
6.  “Yang Sheng.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/yang-sheng.html.
7. “Movement and Energy Practices.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/movement–qi-practices.html.
8. “Taoism and Cultivation.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/taoism–cultivation.html.
9. “Building Community.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/building-community.html; “Taoist Studies Institute.” Facebook. Accessed May 20, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068257705701.
10. Partners.” Woodland Park Presbyterian Church. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.wppcseattle.org/partners; “Tour.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/tour.html.
11. “Tour.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/tour.html.
12. “General Annual Membership.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/general-annual-membership.html.
13.  “Supporting Annual Membership.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/supporting-annual-membership.html.
14. “Corporate Annual Memberships.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/corporate-annual-membership.html.
15. “Class Tuition.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/class-tuition.html.
16. Taoist Studies Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2023.
17.  Taoist Studies Institute, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2022.
18. “Harrison Moretz.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrison-moretz-7434ba8/; “Harrison Moretz.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/harrison-moretz.html.
19. “Harrison Moretz.” Matthew Peters Sieradski Acupuncturist. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://matthewsieradski.com/harrison-moretz/; “Faculty.” Taoist Studies Institute. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.taoiststudiesinstitute.org/faculty.html.