Jonathan Molenar
I began studying traditional martial arts at the age of twelve and never stopped. Ok, I took breaks, but when I think about what I�ve been doing with my life the answer is martial arts. I�ve dedicated countless hours to practice, traveled and even moved across the world to study with various masters. That�s ultimately how I ended up in NYC. I had returned from living overseas and decided I wanted to live somewhere where I could find anything, where I could study anything.
I had read about a martial art called BaguaZhang decades before and had it in my mind that I would find it in NYC. I can thank the internet for making finding teachers much easier. I visited more than one but when I came to the Wu Tang I stopped looking. I can�t say I understood just how good a martial artist Master Frank Allen was when I started studying, but I could instantly tell that he was an amazing teacher.
Chinese martial arts are sophisticated and it takes time to even perceive many of the skills and concepts involved in their study, let alone to glimpse the depth of the arts. I have now been studying BaguaZhang and TaijiQuan for six years and my discipleship ceremony was a commitment to these arts, but more importantly it was a commitment to a teacher. I have never found a group of arts as profound and meaningful as the Taoist internal arts and I have never found a teacher I place as much confidence in as Frank Allen. I am honored to study with him as a disciple and I feel lucky to have him as a friend.