Meet George
I'm George Thompson, a filmmaker, storyteller and educator. Drawing from my extensive studies in the Wudang Mountains of China, I have dedicated my life to translating ancient wisdom into fun, practical tools for overcoming the challenges of modern life—from anxiety, meaninglessness to disconnection.
From Pain to Purpose
Like many, my journey began in pain. After completing education, I was consumed by anxiety and a sense of meaninglessness. In search of answers, I ventured to the Wudang Mountains of China to study Tai Chi and Daoism under Master Gu. There, I immersed myself in practices that opened my eyes to the principles of balance, harmony, and flow.
These ancient practices transformed my life and taught me that to hurt is to be human—and yet, within that pain lies the potential for profound transformation. This realisation became the foundation of my life's work.
George’s Mission
Today, I am humbled that my organisation Balance is Possible! has grown into a thriving team of 15 people from 12 countries. Together, we run the world’s most popular Tai Chi school, produce films that have inspired millions, and host transformational events across the globe. Through playfulness and joy, our mission is to guide people towards clarity, purpose, and lasting balance.
Balance is Possible!
Change your story. Change the world.
400k+
subscribers
22mil+
views
15
team members
70k+
course students
George’s Teachers & Lineage
I see myself as a translator.
Across history and cultures, humanity has discovered profound insights into peace, balance, and joy. These truths are not new. So the question that drives me is simple:
If we already know so much about how to live well — why isn't there more peace?
To me, this is not a knowledge problem.
It's a communication problem.
My work is to take these timeless teachings and translate them into 🎬 films and 🧘♂️ practices — so you can feel them, not just understand them intellectually.
What follows is the lineage I stand on.
I feel deep gratitude for these teachers and traditions — I am humbled to contribute, in my own way, to our collective potential: balance is possible!
2017
Master Gu & the Wudang Mountains — Joyful Lineage
My meditation journey began in 2017, when I was 22.
Anxious and confused — I stumbled across a small Tai Chi school in the Wudang Mountains.
By chance, Master Gu was the only English-speaking teacher across the entire mountain range.
What struck me wasn’t just his philosophy.
It was his joy.
His big, open smile.
His childlike curiosity.
There was something unmistakable —
a lightness, a presence, a way of being that didn’t need explaining.
I stayed.
And that decision changed the course of my life.
I became his disciple, a 16th-generation lineage holder in the San Fung Pai Tai Chi tradition, with Master Gu as the 15th generation.
What he gave me was not intellectual understanding, but something far more foundational:
- how to enter the body
- how to train consistently
- how to feel rather than think
And perhaps most importantly:
he showed me that spiritual practice could be joyful.
The Wudang Mountains themselves were also a teacher.
Walking through misty mountain paths, passing monkeys, sitting in silence among ancient temples — I felt the depth and guidance of thousands of years of Taoist practice.
This is a place where people have come, for centuries, to cultivate energy, clarity, and harmony with the Dao.
To be connected to this lineage is a profound privilege.
2023
Jack Kornfield & Tara Brach — Compassion
In 2023, I trained with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach.
Up until this point, my training had been strong in discipline and embodiment — but they helped me bring in emotional maturity and taught me the core teachings of compassion.
This helped me balance awareness with care.
2024
Chungliang Al Huang — Play & Flow
“George Thompson is brilliant.He is championing the next generation of consciousness expansion”
— Chungliang Al Huang
Founder of Living Tao Foundation
Co-author with Alan Watts of
“Tao: The Watercourse Way"
In 2024, I met Chungliang Al Huang, my second Tai Chi master.
Where Master Gu’s teaching was more martial and structured,
Chungliang’s was playful, expressive, almost like a dance.
From this inspiration, I created Ecstatic Tai Chi — bringing together:
- music
- movement
- presence
- play
This has become a core part of my teaching.
2025
Rupert Spira — Clarity
Alongside this, I studied Rupert Spira. Where Adyashanti points directly, Rupert articulates with precision.
He refined:
- my understanding of awareness
- how to speak about non-duality clearly
- the relationship between experience and being
This strengthened the intellectual clarity of what I already felt.
A Living Lineage — And Your Path
One of my greatest teachers is the collective wisdom of humanity.
We live in an extraordinary time —
👉 the world’s wisdom is at our fingertips.
Every book is a teacher and an opportunity.
Wherever you are on your path, I hope you fall in love with learning —
and seek guidance along the way.
Balance is Possible!
