Meet Stuart Alve Olson

For over forty years, Stuart has been studying Taoism and practicing meditation, Qigong, Tai Chi, Praying Mantis Kung Fu, and Internal Alchemy.

While following his own spiritual path, Stuart has also been translating and writing about Taoism, conducting lectures and retreats, and teaching all over the world.

One day, while perusing a local bookstore, Stuart saw The Sutra in 42 Sections by Chan Master Hsuan Hua on the bookshelf and it piqued his interest.

Stuart read through the whole Sutra that night, and by 11:00 am the next morning he knew he needed to go study with Master Hsuan Hua. Two days later he was on a bus to California.

On Christmas Day, 1979, Stuart took refuge as a disciple of Master Hsuan Hua. He received the disciple name of Kuo Ao (果 奧).  He then resided at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in 1979 and 1980. 

Group photo from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas with Master Hsuan Hua in the middle. Stuart is kneeling in the front row on the far left. 

In 1981, Stuart moved back to Minnesota and participated in the meditation sessions and Sutra lectures given by Dainin Katagiri Roshi at the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center.

Stuart with founder and teacher of the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center, Katagiri Roshi and his wife Tomoe Katagiri.

Around that time, Stuart met Master T.T. Liang and began learning Tai Chi, Taoism, Praying Mantis Kung Fu, and Chinese language under his tutelage.

In 1982, Stuart started a two-year Buddhist bowing pilgrimage of “Nine Steps One Bow” from the Minnesota Zen Center in Minneapolis to the border of Nebraska.

After Stuart’s pilgrimage, he resided with Master Liang in his home in St. Cloud, Minnesota for the next six years and continued studying with him.

An excerpt from an interview with Stuart on his time with Master Liang

Learn more about Master Liang here.

Master Liang and Stuart then started traveling and teaching Tai Chi together throughout the United States. They continued to do so for nearly a decade.

T.T. demonstrating Tai Chi applications on Stuart

In 1986, Stuart published his first four books on Tai Chi, including this one:

Imagination Becomes Reality, the Teachings of Master T.T. Liang

In 1987, Stuart made his first of several trips to China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

On subsequent trips, he studied massage and Internal Alchemy practices in Taipei.

In 1989, he and Master Liang moved to Los Angeles, where Stuart studied Chinese and continued his Tai Chi studies.

In 1992, Stuart furthered his studies of Praying Mantis Kung Fu with Master Kong Wei (恭 衛 功 夫 師) in Indonesia, learning the Plum Blossom Praying Mantis style from him. 

Many people in Indonesia had read Imagination Becomes Reality and knew Stuart was a close student of Master Liang’s, so they wanted to learn Tai Chi from him and discuss Master Liang’s teachings while he was there. 

Left to right: Mrs. Ingsan, Stuart, Wei Sheng, Patrick Gross, Tai Chi Master Song Luwei, and Mr. Ingsan, after a Tai Chi gathering. Photo taken in 1997 during Stuart’s second trip to Indonesia, on which Patrick joined him and his family.

In 1993, Master Liang and Stuart began teaching together in St. Paul, Minnesota after both of them had moved back there from California. 

Stuart demonstrating Tai Chi staff

In 2005, Stuart was featured in the British Tai Chi documentary Embracing the Tiger.

In 2010, Stuart co-founded the publishing company Valley Spirit Arts with long-time student Patrick Gross.

Stuart and Patrick drinking tea at Seven Cups Teahouse in Tucson, Arizona, 2021. See list of Stuart’s books from Valley Spirit Arts below. 

Also in 2010, Stuart, Patrick, and Lily founded the Sanctuary of Tao, a non-profit educational organization, to pass on the Taoist teachings Stuart spent his lifetime learning and cultivating.

Lantern Festival celebration held by the Sanctuary of Tao around the time of the founding of the organization.

In the following commentary on a Taoist poem, Stuart talks about nourishing yourself through Taoism.