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.
 

• 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.  

• 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.

• 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.  

• 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.  

• 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.

•  Details are available here.  

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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: