Sifu Larry Parker of New York dedicated his life to serving others from a very young age. Despite life’s many trials—including the complete loss of his sight—he has never strayed from his mission. A healthcare and wellness professional, public speaker, and certified instructor of Tai Chi Easy and Universal Healing Tao, Sifu Parker has turned his life story into a path of healing and inspiration for others.
A Calling From Childhood
Born in Rochester, New York in 1948, Parker was fascinated early on by consciousness, physiology, and the human mind. A Latin phrase he discovered in a Leonardo da Vinci text—“una cosa mentale” (“a thing of the mind”)—struck a deep chord in him. His curiosity led him to study Professor Cheng Man-Ching’s Tai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate Exercise, and the writings of Dr. Lin Yutang and Michio Kushi, all of which opened the door to Eastern thought and healing practices.
In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War era, Parker became a conscientious objector and chose to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard, which falls under the Department of Transportation and is primarily tasked with search and Rescue and aids to navigation. From 1968 to 1975, he served as a dental technician and was cross-trained as a paramedic. He took great pride in this service, though he later discovered that mercury exposure during those years likely contributed to the gradual loss of his eyesight.
A Lifelong Student of Healing
After his military service, Parker returned to college, earning degrees in health education and community health. He studied yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, herbal medicine, biofeedback, dance, and movement therapies. His exploration of medical anthropology and body-centered healing eventually led him to New York City in 1984, where he pursued graduate studies and became a certified massage therapist and instructor at the Swedish Institute. He also trained as a transformational speaker and trainer.
A Life-Altering Loss
At 39, Parker lost vision in his left eye. At 64, his world went completely dark. Unlike the myth that other senses naturally sharpen to compensate for blindness, Parker describes the transition as a “multi-traumatic” experience—impacting him mentally, emotionally, physically, energetically, and spiritually. Emotionally he suffered panic attacks, anxiety, claustrophobia, as well as agoraphobia. Physically he endured a loss of balance (proprioception), spatial awareness, complete change in neuro-plasticity and overall neurological changes (CNS & PNS), and somatic awareness.
He had to rewire his entire nervous system and relearn life skills—from walking with a cane and using braille to navigating smartphones using 21 distinct hand gestures. He even learned echolocation, similar to sonar, to move independently. The journey was long and terrifying. What grounded him through it all was his training in meditation, Tai Chi, Qigong, integrated nutrition, and spiritual practices.
Embracing the Path of a Blind Healer
Before going completely blind, Parker trained in a blended Tai Chi system under Grandmaster Abdul Musawwir. He found deep spiritual awakening in the practice. But even after losing all sight, he never gave up. At age 69, he began training in Tai Chi Easy and Medical Qigong under Dr. Roger Jahnke’s IIQTC system. Despite the challenges, with the support of peers and instructors, he became a certified instructor.
Seeking greater physical discipline, Parker also pursued Aikido, though many instructors were unwilling to work with someone blind. Master Sharon Smith of Manhattan, however, welcomed him into the Universal Healing Tao system. Through intensive training, he mastered the Six Healing Sounds, Microcosmic Orbit, Iron Shirt Qigong, and Tai Chi 13 Movement Qigong—eventually becoming a certified instructor.
Learning Like a Child
So how does someone without sight learn a movement-based art like Tai Chi? Parker approached training with what he called his “four-year-old self”—open, curious, ego-free. He let go of any attitude, preconceived notions, and expectations and focused on deeply listening to instructions, relying on his inner senses and knowledge of the body.
Many of his classes were taught over Zoom. Through attentive listening and his deep understanding of anatomy and energy flow, Parker followed and performed movements successfully. He believes most people only use 10% of their perceptual capacity. True learning, he says, is not about sighting but visualization. It’s about listening with intention and sensing with the whole body.
Tai Chi: Both Internal and External Movements
Tai Chi, Parker explains, engages the entire body—inside and out. Movements begin at the feet, travel through the legs and hips, rise through the spine and torso, and extend outward through the arms, ultimately expressed by the hands. Though the external motions appear slow and graceful, a wave of internal energy flows throughout. Most people only notice the outer form, but true healing happens within. Sifu Parker emphasizes that Tai Chi practice integrates both external and internal movement, making it highly effective for improving health.
Living in Harmony With Energy
With a background in metaphysics, Parker sees everything—including people—as matter and energy. He lives by the universal laws: the Law of Attraction, Law of Polarity, Law of Rhythm, and Law of Yin and Yang. These principles interact and integrate with each other and guide his daily life and teaching.
His philosophy is grounded in virtues: kindness, honesty, respect, fairness, and patience. It does not matter which container that we are in, he reminds us that we all belong to one race—the human race. The most powerful force in the universe, he says, is love. Love is light. Once we choose to walk in that light, we align with a higher vibration and attract others doing the same.
Teaching in Darkness and Light
Today, Sifu Parker teaches both blind and sighted students. He was recently referred by Harlem Chi Community Acupuncture to Pillars, a Manhattan center that integrates holistic methods to help those recovering from addiction. His approach is inclusive and experiential, using clear verbal instruction to help blind students visualize movement while maintaining the same core teachings for all.
He is currently writing a book titled The Tao of Seeing in the Dark: Cultivating the Inner Light, which will accompany a series of experiential workshops for all abilities. These include “The Flow of Life,” “The Sacred Seven,” “The Circle of Light,” and “The Butterfly Series.” The forms are intentionally short and accessible, offering practical tools to help students unfold into their true selves at their own pace.