Bruce Kumar Frantzis (born April 1949) is a Taoist educator who studied Taoism in China.

Beginning as a young karate champion, he engaged in a multi-decade journey leading him throughout Asia and the Eastern energetic traditions.^[1][2] Choosing to forgo an ivy league education in favor of pursuing Japanese martial arts at their original source, he moved to Japan to attend Sophia University at the age of eighteen.^[3] There, he obtained multiple black belts and trained with Aikido’s founder Morihei Ueshiba.^[4] He soon branched out to Taiwan and China and studied in increasing depth under internal martial arts masters.^[5][6]

In 1973, attempting to locate the original source of meditation, Bruce traveled to India where he underwent rigorous daily training in Pranayama, Hatha yoga, Raja yoga and Tantra with many Gurus, experiencing what in the east is known as “Kundalini Shakti”.^[7]

Returning to China in the mid 1970s, he became the first Westerner to be given insider access to the closely guarded Taoist Fire tradition (unverified tradition) and its priesthood.^[8] After completing seven years of training he became priest in the Fire tradition.^[9] Then by a fortunate set of events Bruce was accepted as the direct disciple of one of the few remaining stewards of the Water tradition (unverified tradition), the Taoist Immortal (Fully Realized Person) Liu Hung-Chieh.^[10] Through Liu Hung-Chieh he was introduced to Jiang Jia Hua the Vice President of the All-China Scientific Qigong Association. This connection gave Bruce access to Chinese cancer clinics where he completed his training as Medical Qigong doctor.^[11]

Bruce inherited the Taoist Water tradition lineages shortly before Liu-Hung Chieh’s passing in 1986. On his teacher’s wishes he has spent the last 25 years imparting the healing, meditative and martial aspects of Taoism to the West.^[12] He primarily teaches the Energy Arts qigong System, Wu-style tai chi, bagua, Taoist yoga and Taoist meditation. He has authored numerous works (including The Power of the Internal Martial Arts and Chi, Tao of Letting Go, Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong, and Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body) on Taoist energetic practices^[13] and taught over 20,000 students many of whom have gone on to become active certified instructors.^[14]

• Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body: Chi Gung for Lifelong Health ISBN 978-1583941461
• The Power of Internal Martial Arts and Chi: Combat and Energy Secrets of Ba Gua, Tai Chi and Hsing-I ISBN 978-1583941904
• Relaxing into Your Being: The Taoist Meditation Tradition of Lao Tse, Volume 1 ISBN 978-1556434075
• The Great Stillness: The Water Method of Taoist Meditation Series, Volume 2 ISBN 978-1556434082
• Tai Chi: Health for Life ISBN 978-1583941447
• The CHI Revolution: Harnessing the Healing Power of Your Life Force ISBN 978-1583941935
• TAO of Letting Go: Meditation for Modern Living ISBN 978-1556438080
• Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong, Volume 1: Develop Health and Energy in 7 Simple Movements ISBN 978-1556439216
• Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong, Volume 2: Qi Cultivation Principles and Exercises ISBN 978-1583946619
• Bagua and Tai Chi: Exploring the Potential of Chi, Martial Arts, Meditation and the I Ching ISBN 978-1583943595
• Taoist Sexual Meditation: Connecting Love, Energy and Spirit ISBN 978-1583944950

Additionally, he is a regular participant in the Tibetan Buddhist community, a process that began with his training under Dudjom Rinpoche in 1976. He is an active student of Dzogchen, an advanced tradition he considers to share a common origin with the Taoist water tradition. Currently Bruce’s teaching focus has shifted towards healing and meditation in accordance with his late teacher’s final wishes.^[15][16]