Imagine a scholarship that supports women in Tai Chi. One that gives you time with real teachers, room to hone your craft, and a community of fellow students walking the same path. Not just a form to fill out, but genuine support to go deeper into your practice.<\/p>\n
That kind of scholarship actually exists. The Immortal Sisters of the Tao scholarship<\/a><\/strong> just wrapped its first round, with 13 women awarded funding to pursue their training in Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Taoist meditation.<\/p>\n I love that this exists. For years, across different teachers, different styles, and different cities, I\u2019ve noticed the same pattern: most of my teachers have been men, most of my fellow students have been women. So a place that actively supports women teaching and training in these arts speaks to my heart.<\/p>\n I first heard about the Immortal Sisters of the Tao (IST)<\/a> in 2017. It was initially a conference in the USA, when a handful of women came together to create a gathering devoted to women in Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Taoist practice. They named it after Thomas Cleary\u2019s book Immortal Sisters: Secret Teachings of Taoist Women*<\/a><\/em>, which tells of historical female Taoist adepts.<\/p>\n I remember considering flying over myself, even though I\u2019m in Germany. I never made it. But I hope that one day, I get to sit in a room with these women in person.<\/p>\n The Immortal Sisters scholarship works in three ways:<\/p>\n Applications are open from July 15th to September 15th, 2026. The Foundation is especially looking to support women from historically underrepresented communities, including Black, Latinx, and Indigenous women. If you want the full details, eligibility criteria, and the application form itself, the Foundation\u2019s scholarship page<\/a> has everything laid out.<\/p>\n So who is behind the Foundation? The scholarship is guided by this group of women:<\/p>\n What I love here is that this isn\u2019t some big organisation run by men from the top down. It\u2019s a group of friends who practiced and taught together for decades, and who let that friendship grow into something bigger: a real structure to make sure the next generation of Tai Chi women has it a little easier than they did.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a woman studying Tai Chi, Qi Gong, or Taoist meditation, consider applying for the Immortal Sisters scholarship yourself. And if you don\u2019t want to apply yourself, consider donating, so more women get the chance to train with the teachers who shaped this circle in the first place.<\/p>\nWhere the Immortal Sisters scholarship comes from<\/h2>\n
![\"Immortal](\"https:\/\/qialance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/immortal-sister-of-the-tao-300x300.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nWhat this Tai Chi scholarship actually offers<\/h2>\n
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![\"Immortal](\"https:\/\/qialance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Immortal-Sisters-scholarship-300x300.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nThe Council of Sisters behind it<\/h2>\n
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What you can do<\/h2>\n