Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Kovarovic.
Hi Sean, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story starts with the end of my military career. When I first got out of the Army, my knees were so bad, I had to crawl up and down the stairs in my own home. After about 6 months practicing Tai Chi, I could walk up the stairs again. This inspired me to keep training.
After years of training, I started teaching and wanted to give back to my community. I, like many other Americans, am frustrated with the way the healthcare system is ran. I was also inspired by an ancient Chinese custom, where they paid doctors every month, and once they became sick, they stopped paying until the issue was resolved. Today we make money off of people being sick.
The best type of medicine is preventative medicine. So I came up with the idea to create a one stop Holistic Health shop that included martial arts and alternative medicine, that would be affordable for everyone.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing about this road has been smooth so far.
Being raised in a poor family, and currently making just enough money to live, hasn’t left any funding opportunities on the table. I have been constantly denied for loans, grants, sponsorship, and barely make enough with donations to keep the nonprofit in business.
I was “lucky” in a sense, that when my mother passed away, she was able to leave a small inheritance to pay a lawyer to get my business established and to create the nonprofit for me.
I feel though once I get a stable location I will be able to make more than enough to grow the nonprofit and start to spread across the state.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Our nonprofit’s focus is on holistic healing, so we offer a lot of options, however; me personally, I focus primarily on the benefits of Tai Chi Chuan. I teach Yang Tai Chi Chuan, Wudang Sanfeng Pai Tai Chi Chuan, Wudang Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, Qigong, Meditation, and Daoism.
The three main reasons people train Tai Chi are Spirituality, Health, or Self Defense. All three are important.
Spirituality is a difficult concept. Tai Chi is not a religious practice. That means you can believe, or not believe in anything, and still practice it. There is no magic involved. A lot of people market it as magic, but that is not real. The Wudang Sanfeng Pai system is based off a system of Daoist beliefs. Daoism is the oldest religion in China, and cultivates a path of Oneness with yourself, nature, the world, and the universe. You do not need to be a Daoist to practice it, and Spirituality altogether can by skipped. However, if that is the interest, you can connect deeper with your chosen religion, and heighten your relationship and awareness of yourself and others by practicing Daoist Philosophy.
Health is something EVERYONE can benefit from. Tai Chi Chuan has numerous health benefits. For elderly, it can reduce falls, increase bone density, increase grey brain matter, may help with Alzheimer’s, increase focus, reduce blood pressure, help manage blood sugar levels, strengthen the legs, reduce or cure chronic pain, and much more. For the average adult it helps relax, reduce stress, anxiety, and PTSD, increase awareness, improve proprioception (spatial awareness), increase patience, and increase empathy among others. For younger adults and children, it helps with physical exercise, stretching, relaxation, physical outlet, focus, reduce anger, emotional awareness and control, helps with asthma, can help with ADHD, plus martial arts gives an opportunity to learn life lessons; like not opposing force with force, communication, socialization, listening, participation, self defense, confidence, situational awareness, and conflict resolution.
Self Defense is a set of skills everyone should know. It honestly should be taught in public schools again. The benefits are numerous. It helps restore confidence, situational awareness, survival, strength, proprioception, overall mental and physical wellbeing, and it helps build relationships and gives the practitioner the benefit of community as well. I also firmly believe that Tai Chi Chuan helps embody and ingrain the philosophy of Wu De, or Martial Morality. Humility, respect, righteousness, trust, loyalty, will, endurance, perseverance, patience and courage. The world needs so much more of it.
What am I most proud of? When I was teaching Tai Chi Chuan at a recreation center, we had a ninety-six year old lady that came into class everyday with her walker. She went to the same spot, got a chair, and either sat down, or stood with her walker and practiced, usually grabbing on to the walker for balance. One day, she walked in, setup her chair and walker, and walked across the room unassisted. The room fell silent. As she returned to her chair, the whole class cheered. She accredited her success to my teaching, which of course the glory was not mine as she done all the hard work.
What sets me apart from others is the services we offer. for a membership fee of $20 a month, ($10 for first responders) you have access to Martial Arts, Tai Chi, Meditation, Qigong, Therapeutic Exercise, Massage (1 free quarterly), Reiki, Yoga, Financial Coaching, Life Coaching, Relaxation and wellness.
What matters most to you?
What matters the most to me is helping others. This world is difficult to navigate and I want to embody the change I want to see in it. I want to be a success story that others can replicate to become their own change.
Pricing:
- 20 monthly membership
- 10 first responder membership
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wdhc.page
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wdhcTaijiquan
