When the Honeymoon Ends: The Steep Curve of Qigong

There’s a point in a student’s study and exploration of learning Qigong where they either really get it — or they crash and burn.

It’s the moment where the honeymoon ends.

When Students First Begin Learning Qigong

When this happens varies… for some students, it never does, their journey with Qigong envelops them like a deep love affair. They’re captured by the practice, the philosophy; they’re transformed and experience profound benefits — body, mind, and spirit — that make it a non-negotiable part of their life.

One of my students, for example, began practicing Qigong to ease the symptoms of fibromyalgia. She showed up consistently — attending workshops and trainings, and engaging in daily personal practice. Over time, she experienced remarkable changes, and now rarely experiences any symptoms of that dis-ease. Her experience is a beautiful illustration of the outcome of dedication and consistent practice.

Another inspiring example comes from one of my Qigong Teacher Training graduates, who is now teaching Qigong himself. He shared the story of a personal training client who, several months ago, went through breast cancer surgery and chemotherapy and wanted to regain strength, fitness, and vitality. As part of his approach, he integrated Qigong into the client’s program — as a warm-up, sprinkled throughout the main workout and to close the session. Over the past 3–4 months, the client and her husband have been doing a basic daily Qigong practice focused on building Qi, opening the body, and refining posture and breath. They now call it their “workout,” and the client says it has given her a new lease on life. Her energy levels have soared, her recent scans and tests have improved, even reversing bone density loss. In her words: “These daily workouts kept me going.” This story shows us how, when Qigong is integrated consistently and with understanding, it can transform energy, health, and daily vitality.

Beyond Casual Practice: Moving Toward True Energy Skill

For others, especially those who start their Qigong journey through Qigong online videos or YouTube classes, it can feel like they’re “doing Qigong.” But the truth is — they’re doing gentle movement. And while gentle movement absolutely has value, it’s not the same as cultivating Qi skill. These students will experience some benefits, especially if they practice regularly, and they might even fall in love with the art, but without depth, it stays on the surface.

For students who enter the Qigong Teacher Training path, the end of the honeymoon can hit like a truck. They’ve thought — yeah, Qigong is cool, I’d like to teach that, I’ll do a teacher training program.

These types of students often have many plates in the air — so to speak, and the number one thing that Qigong has to teach them is to slow down. They begin their journey of learning Qigong, but after a little while the movements no longer feel new or exciting, they receive feedback on refining their forms, and they realise there’s “work” to put in — time required, time they might not have or can’t prioritise. Progress slows, and the mind starts to question what it’s all for.

This is the testing ground — where curiosity, patience, and true dedication either deepen or dissolve.

The Steep Qigong Learning Curve

I often describe the process of learning Qigong as having a steep learning curve, and many of my students agree. Qigong appears simple from the outside — gentle, flowing, almost effortless — but the inner process is anything but. The art asks you to unlearn your habits of movement, release tension you didn’t know you were holding, and refine awareness in ways that don’t come naturally in a fast, distracted world.

Whether a student bows out or flourishes comes down to embodiment and detail, the intricate alignments, the precision, the internal differentiations. These are what open the energetic doorways. Without that refinement, the practice stays physical. Pleasant, maybe even calming, but not transformative. This is the steep part of the Qigong learning curve. It’s where form becomes more than choreography, it becomes a mirror. It shows you where you’re disconnected, where you rush, where you resist.

Why Guidance from a Qigong Teacher Matters

It’s for these reasons that the support and guidance of a Qigong teacher is so valuable. A teacher helps bridge the invisible gap, between looking like you’re doing Qigong, and actually being in the art.

They can see what you can’t feel. Small misalignments, tension you didn’t know you were holding, subtle habits of movement — these are invisible to you, but they shape how Qi moves. With guidance, you learn to refine posture, breath, and internal engagement in ways that transform a simple form into true energy skill.

A good teacher also helps you cultivate the skill of feeling Qi and feeling different frequencies— to notice where it’s moving, where it’s stuck, and how to let it flow naturally.

This is what turns gentle movement into a practice that actually cultivates and works with energy.

Beyond the physical, a teacher holds space for the mental and emotional side of the practice. The steep learning curve can be frustrating; progress can feel slow. Having someone to guide, encourage, and keep you on track makes all the difference.

With steady guidance, Qigong stops being something you copy, and starts becoming something you live. It moves from the surface into your body, your energy, and your everyday life. That’s when the practice truly transforms.

When Qigong Becomes Effortless

Over time, with steady guidance and dedicated practice, something shifts. The form begins to breathe you. Movement becomes effortless. The mind steadies. Qi flows of its own accord. The steep curve levels out, and practice becomes an ongoing rhythm of refinement, depth, and ease.

That’s when Qigong stops being something you do, and becomes something you are.

If you’re ready to explore Qigong in this way — beyond technique, into energy skill — I invite you to express your interest in my Small Group Online Qigong Mentorships for 2026. These groups are a space for dedicated students who want guidance, accountability, and direct feedback to refine their practice and deepen embodiment.

If this resonates, you can express your interest here.