Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sara Bright. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sara, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I found my purpose through following the things that light me up and move me. Through this process of allowing myself to be guided I’ve come to a place where I understand that my path in this life is one of uplifting and inspiring others, of teaching and guiding. I’ve come to feel it’s my purpose to hold the light, to help others discover and grow their own light, and to create artwork that inspires and moves people. I am a bit of a torchbearer, as it turns out. I would never have imagined this is the direction my life would take. I think that when we are searching for ourselves, we have to let ourselves be surprised.
I’m an artist, and I’ve always been interested in exploring the unseen dimensions of things, and I’ve also always been interested in East Asian culture, language, and spiritual practices. Qigong is a profound intersection of all of this. Qigong first came into my awareness when I was a teenager studying abroad in China, but it wasn’t until my early 30s, seeking relief from a severe injury, that I was led back to the gentle self-healing practice. The injury turned out to be a gift, as Qigong was the missing piece that connected all of my passions and set me on a path of exploring energy both through artwork and movement.
As I began diving into practicing Qigong and learning about the concept of Qi I literally felt something stirring in my body and heart that I knew I needed to follow. I truly love the practice, and it’s this love that has led me along the path. There have been many signs along the way. The first time I witnessed a master demonstrate a Qigong form there was an extraordinary arising of emotion, and it was so strong I knew this was something I needed to explore. It felt like something I was already familiar with–like meeting someone who you know immediately will be a friend.
Similarly, when I was in Japan, I had a powerful experience witnessing a master calligrapher give a Shodo performance at a temple outside of Kyoto, where I was teaching and participating at a Taiji retreat. (Shodo is the meditative practice of calligraphy as a path to realization.) I was overcome with the exquisite beauty of the performance. I was witnessing an incredible painter effortlessly coordinating body, breath and mind and allowing the inspired calligraphy to flow out of him and onto a huge sheet of paper. You could see this extraordinary degree of presence. I felt guided again in that moment—in my heart, I felt the gift of the experience. I learned after the performance that this painter teaches calligraphy, and now I study with him.
The thing is, many of us experience moments of strong connection and an expansive depth of feeling, but we don’t always know to trust and follow them. I want to encourage everyone to listen, softly, inwardly. It’s interesting, in Qigong the quality of attention we aim to cultivate is one of “listening”—not necessarily with the ears, but an inner listening. When we are able to tune in and listen to what is there, we are able to be guided. So, I encourage people to find whatever activity or place invites their own unique sensibility into a state of listening, of open awareness. For me that is Qigong and Taiji, but it’s possible to find this kind of state in other activities that invite creativity, calmness, curiosity, and awareness. If we can just quiet ourselves enough to listen we can tune into guidance.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an Artist and a Taiji and Qigong teacher, and those practices are interwoven and supportive of one another. With both my artwork and my movement practice I explore the expression and transmission of energy and share and participate with others. I guide people in Taiji and Qigong, and I hope that my artwork can also be a kind of beacon to people. We all need a little more light and inspiration. I’m not sure where the world would be without art—thank goodness it’s here. I also find my place in the order of things, which is always being both teacher and student. Teaching helps us deepen our understanding, and I don’t think there is an end to what we can learn in this life. Part of what I love so much about Taiji is how endlessly expansive it is. It will be there for you, no matter what. It’s deeper than the ocean, I always say.
My artwork lately is very much about this process of being guided. I’ve been sculpting these kind of “Guide” figures out of clay and then painting them with expressive brushstrokes. I am both guided and making guides. The brushstrokes themselves carry and transmit energy. When I work it’s very process oriented. I just begin and allow something to unfold that feels like it is already there. I’m also sculpting ceramic cairns—like stacks of rocks that show us the way on trails, often constructed and left, as a gift, by others who have walked that path before us.
I recently started teaching regular Qigong and Taiji classes in Griffith Park, in Los Angeles. I was invited by my primary Taiji teacher here in LA, Tenzan Hirakawa, who is a Japanese Grandmaster, to open a branch of his school on the east side of LA. I am honored to teach the practices he has shared with me and continue this very profound lineage of light and internal martial arts. I welcome students of all levels, and we currently meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings outdoors in the park. More information can be found at TaoRiverTaiji.com
I am also available for private sessions, and I love teaching workshops, including Creative Taiji workshops in the spirit of another master teacher, Chugliang Huang, who wrote the Taiji Classic Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain. I hope to have more workshops on the calendar for 2025.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Follow Good Feelings and Set Yourself in Motion
Spend Time in Nature
Connect With Others
I’ll explain a bit more. Guidance is always there, but how do we access it? To begin with, we have to put ourselves into motion. The universe is constantly in motion, so we can connect to universal support so much more easily when we are also in motion. One way to determine which direction to move in is to allow yourself to follow good feelings. Follow the things that really light you up and make you feel good. If you love to surf, make time to get in the water. If you love dancing, make time to dance. It will leave you with more space, energy and clarity. If you’re not sure what your interests are, get out there and try things. Play, explore, and see what lights you up. Follow that.
It’s also so helpful to spend time in nature. Qigong and Taiji teaches us that the Tao guides us. The Tao, which we could also call the way of nature, is always there and we can always connect with it—we just have to soften, align, let go, and listen. When we connect with a natural environment, we come into greater harmony with the flow of nature, which includes us. We are nature too. When we spend time in nature we can relax and release into the flow, and we become more clear on our direction in life.
The third thing I recommend is connecting with others who share your interests. We exist in community, and having a fulfilling and creative life means participating with others. Make an effort to find community around your interests. Your community can help support and reinforce your vision of who you are.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.taorivertaiji.com
- Instagram: @brite-bright
