About Shifu James Waters
Shifu Waters began his journey into martial arts & esoteric energy 25 years ago, studying a Korean family style martial art – Gu Fu – he became hooked, going on to study other traditional oriental martial arts such as Aikido and Wing Chun, as well as contemporary free style Karate and Kickboxing.
His quest for further knowledge led him to China where he studied Shaolin Kung Fu under 33rd Generation Shaolin Monk Shifu Shao MingLin and advanced styles of Tai Chi Plum Blossom and Praying Mantis Kung Fu under traditional Masters Shifu Xu & Shifu Qu. Through his devout studies, Shifu Waters began to develop a deeper understanding of internal Kung Fu and Qi (Life Force) energy.
Shifu Waters with his Master, Shifu Xu. China 2012
In 2012 Shifu Waters founded Wú Yǐng Quán School Of Kung Fu, a traditional Martial Arts School.
In 2022 Shifu Waters launched Five Elements Shaolin Martial Arts Academy, delivering both the physical and moral teachings of the Shaolin Temple and traditional Martial Arts. Five Elements Shaolin Martial Arts Academy offers adult Kung Fu classes, Tai Chi and Qi Gong Meditation classes, as well as workshops and retreats.
Having previously spent 10 years working in the UK’s private security sector as a nightclub bouncer and as a store detective, Shifu Waters brings practical, real life scenarios to the training studio.
While in China and studying under Shifu Qu, a Kung Fu Master and Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Shifu Waters learnt that a good Martial Artist should also know how to heal a person. From that point he diversified his studies into the field of traditional medicines, following Taoist medical beliefs that a person and their body should be treated as a whole entity, with perfect health being attained when the body is in balance.
Shifu Waters is a qualified Holistic Therapist and is pleased to offer a range of therapies, including reflexology, massage & Holistic Health sessions.
Always seeking to further his studies, in 2019 Shifu Waters met Shaman Jessica Vilches, a Latin American teacher of Ayurvedic health practices & Shamanic Breathwork. Having studied intensively under her, Shifu Waters now offers private and group Shamanic Breathwork Ceremonies for trauma release and journeying.
In 2016 Shifu Waters formed The Energy Collective, a group of energy & body workers, with whom he travels to various festivals and music events in the UK & Europe, with a mobile healing space and chill-out tent, providing healing therapies, workshops and stimulating talks.
In 2022 Shifu Waters launched Five Elements Events, fusing all the soul nourishing benefits of a healing retreat, with the vibrance and excitement of a music festival. You can find out more about Five Elements Events here: www.fiveelements.org.uk
Shifu Waters and Shaman Jessica Vilches, Goa 2020
“The study of traditional Martial Arts and esoteric energies has been one of my ultimate pleasures in life and I feel privileged to be able to share this knowledge and the life lessons it gives.
Although I now teach others, I will always consider myself a student of martial arts.
Thank you for visiting. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in contact.
Train hard with a pure heart“
Shifu J Waters