A question I often receive from people interested in my Qigong Teacher Training programs is: will I be accredited to teach Qigong classes once I complete the training?

The answer is yes. But, did you know that there isn’t a requirement in Australia (or in many other places) for Qigong teachers to be accredited or certified? So, like I did back in 2014, you could learn some Qigong off the internet and then go out and teach it to others.

I do not recommend that!

The Three Treasures in the tradition of Qigong relate to our most precious resources within… our Jing, our Qi and our Shen.

It is said that when Jing and Qi are strong and abundant, Shen will be joyful, balanced, and inspired. However, if Jing and Qi are depleted, Shen will suffer, leading to states of depression, anxiety, mania, or spiritual disconnection.

Shen Gong is an ancient Chinese Daoist practice that focuses on cultivating the spirit and energy within oneself, in a way that can be hugely healing and personally transformative.

Shen Gong practices combine Qigong forms and movements with breathwork, meditation and reflective, contemplative study.

Together, this creates a deeply connective mind-body practice.

Over the years as a Qigong Teacher trainer, I've guided hundreds of students on their journey to becoming proficient Qigong instructors. Through mentoring emerging teachers, I've noticed some common pitfalls and mistakes to avoid in the early days of teaching Qigong.

This brings me to some things NOT to do when starting on the teaching path.

In a nutshell, becoming a Qigong Teacher involves mastering the form, internalizing its intricacies, delving into foundational theory, grasping the associated vocabulary and language, honing the ability to perceive and guide energy, and cultivating presence and awareness.

But why would one aspire to teach Qigong in the first place?

After a month of a summer sabbatical and an amazing adventure exploring southern India, I've got to be honest – getting back into the groove of everyday life was initially a bit of a challenge. Are you feeling it too?

How do you respond when someone speaks to you with aggression and spite? What is the correct response? What is the kind response? How can we stay emotionally regulated at times like this? How can we not take it personally?

It’s pretty challenging, right.

There's a few fundamental things that keep people from living the life they really want, they’re the same few things keep people from learning and practicing Qigong.

In a nutshell they're priority, habit and doing hard things…

Recently, I experienced a powerful reminder of the need for a modern approach to practicing Qigong. It was during a live online program where I led my students through a revitalizing 30-minute Qigong practice to kickstart their day. However, the unexpected occurred.

While there’s many different reasons that people seek out Qigong, I’ve found these typically fall into two broad categories; health & wellbeing and spiritualism.