George Thompson: Taoism, Parts Work, and Balance for People & Planet

Summary: A conversation about using tai chi, Daoist practice, and inner parts work to transform anxiety, shame, and burnout into grounded presence. It also explores cosmic awe, shadow integration, and how spiritual practice can support compassionate action in a troubled world.

Questions This Interview Explores

• How can tai chi and Daoist training help calm anxiety and restore a sense of inner balance?
• What can internal family systems and shadow work reveal that meditation alone may not resolve?
• How do awe, humor, and a wider cosmic perspective change the way we meet suffering?
• Can spiritual practice support nonviolence, climate action, and meaningful social change without bypassing reality?

George Thompson is a filmmaker, teacher, and founder of Balance is Possible!— a 15-person team on a mission to inspire balance for people and planet. His films and teachings have touched over 25 million people and he is supported by renowned changemakers including Dr. Jane Goodall, Louie Schwartzberg, Tara Brach, Stephen Fry and many more.

Drawing from years of deep study in the Wudang Mountains of China, George blends ancient wisdom with modern science, translating it into fun, practical tools for overcoming the challenges of modern life.

Once plagued by anxiety and a sense of disconnection, George’s journey led him from pain to purpose. With playful kindness, George helps people to do the same: to awaken their potential.

• Website: Balance is Possible!
• YouTube Channel

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Transcript, summary, and key takeaways from this interview

Interview recorded January 6, 2026.

YouTube Video Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Introduction and George’s work  
• 00:03:40 – Anxiety, crisis, and journey to Wudang  
• 00:05:56 – Discovering tai chi and Daoism  
• 00:07:58 – Why tai chi is transformative  
• 00:10:14 – Form, improvisation, and “never the same move twice”  
• 00:13:40 – Qi cultivation vs. enlightenment  
• 00:19:13 – From atheism to embracing mystery  
• 00:23:39 – Cosmic perspective and awe  
• 00:27:28 – Humor, joy, and the “cosmic joke”  
• 00:32:46 – Sex, celibacy, and Taoist tantra  
• 00:35:42 – Daoism, Vedanta, and “sweetness of the vinegar”  
• 00:35:09 – Internal Family Systems and parts work  
• 00:41:17 – Spiritual bypassing and shadow  
• 00:49:39 – Social change, chaos, and phase transitions  
• 00:59:12 – Daily practice: “MMA – Move, Meditate, Affirm”  
• 01:01:02 – Breath, stillness, and effortless awareness  
• 01:08:00 – Climate, nonviolence, and activist spirituality  
• 01:14:14 – George’s offerings and closing