A Shaolin master who has spent more than 30 years training in martial arts and Buddhist philosophy at a monastery in Germany will appear in Pasadena on Saturday to discuss his book on self-mastery, in what the event’s organizers describe as a rare Western public appearance.
Shi Heng Yi, the 35th-generation Shaolin master who founded Shaolin Temple Europe in Otterberg, Germany, will discuss “Shaolin Spirit: The Way to Self-Mastery” at a ticketed noon event at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, hosted by Vroman’s Bookstore. The U.S. hardcover edition, published by St. Martin’s Essentials, was released March 3 — four days before the Pasadena event. The book presents 12 core practices from the Shaolin tradition, rooted in Zen and Taoist philosophy, applied to modern concerns including sleep, mental clarity, and physical strength.
Born in Germany to Vietnamese refugee parents, Shi Heng Yi began training in Shaolin Kung Fu at the age of four, according to his speaker biography. He went on to earn an MBA but chose to live at the monastery in Otterberg, where he oversees the physical and mental development of students and disciples of the Buddhist order, according to his publisher.
His online following is substantial. His 2020 TEDx Talk at TEDxVitosha in Sofia, Bulgaria — “5 Hindrances to Self-Mastery” — has drawn more than 17 million views, according to CWG Speakers. His Instagram account has approximately one million followers. His publisher, St. Martin’s Press, describes the book as an “international bestseller.”
The Shaolin tradition, Shi Heng Yi has said, extends well beyond martial arts. “Shaolin is more than just a martial art — it is a way of life,” reads the book’s description on the Vroman’s event page. In an interview with The Creative Process, Shi Heng Yi described the philosophical core of the tradition: that mental freedom comes not from pursuing freedom directly but from confronting one’s own limitations.
The book, translated from German by Caroline Waight, covers what Shi Heng Yi’s publisher describes as 12 practices to improve sleep, relationships, decision-making, balance, flexibility, and strength. The practices draw from a contemplative tradition that the Shaolin Temple Europe’s website says has existed for more than 1,500 years.
Vroman’s Bookstore, founded in 1894, is the oldest and largest independent bookstore in Southern California, according to the store. The bookstore hosts more than 400 community events per year and has previously hosted authors including former presidents, novelists, and public figures. The event at Pasadena Presbyterian Church — the first church in Pasadena, established in 1875 — places the author at a historic Colorado Boulevard venue.
Tickets are $41.70 and include one entry and one signed copy of “Shaolin Spirit,” to be handed out at check-in. There will not be a public book signing for this program. Tickets are available through Eventbrite. For questions, contact Vroman’s at promo@vromansbookstore.com or (626) 449-5320.
Shi Heng Yi writes in the book’s opening chapter that his students sometimes want him to skip the philosophy. “My name is Shi Heng Yi, and my students are right, I do like to philosophize,” he writes, “although I’m not a writer or speaker by profession.” On Saturday, Pasadena audiences can decide for themselves.
Shi Heng Yi discusses Shaolin Spirit: The Way to Self-Mastery [TICKETED] Saturday, March 07, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Cost: $41.70. For more information call: 626-449-5320 Or click here: https://vromansbookstore.com/event/2026-03-07/ticketed-shi-heng-yi-discusses-shaolin-spirit-way-self-mastery
