How did you discover Zhineng Qigong?
I wanted to improve my physical well-being, so I went to a therapist and received treatment. The sessions helped relieve the pain I was experiencing, but there weren’t many other benefits. The therapist mentioned another possibility that she thought might work for me; she recently returned from a trip to China where she had practiced Zhineng Qigong. She taught me the Lift Qi up Pour Qi down Method in her living room. I repeated the practice every day. At that time I had no background knowledge of qigong, but after a while, all of my complaints disappeared.

My partner frequently asked, “Have you been practicing today?” He felt that the method had brought more balance into my life. His observation motivated me to learn more about the background of Zhineng Qigong. I looked for opportunities to practice with a group and began with a one-day workshop. Eventually, I registered for teacher training at the Qing Bai Academy.

What has the training brought you?
The training brought about a major change in my life. I gained confidence and balance, then started teaching and began my own company. As a result of the training, I can guide people in their quest to improve their health and vitality, something I truly enjoy.

What is qigong for you?
Qigong is working with energy, life energy. This energy flows through our bodies. By practicing Zhineng Qigong we can consciously absorb and release energy (Qi). Through the practices, we can improve this exchange and the energy flow throughout the body.

What have you personally released by practicing Zhineng Qigong?
I had to let go of a lot, particularly in the past year. Our business premises burned down on February 10th. We have a kitchen specialist and supply custom kitchens. The site was completely destroyed by fire. It felt that the world was suddenly turned upside down. Fortunately, there were no casualties. It was “only” possessions and not our private home, but I felt a lot of grief. Suddenly we had to make a lot of arrangements. I carried on, yet I ended up getting tangled up within. Initially, I thought I could fix everything myself, but at one point I sought help from my manual therapist, who is also familiar with Zhineng Qigong. He reminded me that I have all the tools to work through this myself. I needed that confirmation for a while, and then I got down to work. I did the Relax Song Gong every day and consciously practiced letting go. I was able to release more and more.

Now I can focus on the future again and look forward to the new building with great pleasure. By letting go you make space for new things. I am grateful that I had already learned so much about Zhineng Qigong and myself, which helped me during this difficult time.

You are currently participating in the Medical Qigong course with Teacher Ning. Do you think that is a good addition?
I think the training is a very nice addition to the whole. It gives more background information because this Medical Qigong Masterclass is about the Qi flow between the organs. It also provides knowledge I can pass on to my students. I find the application of Qigong Therapy to others special. I did not think that I would be able to experience it so intensely. I now know that we can perceive more than we sometimes think.

What was one of your most significant experiences with Zhineng Qigong?
In a workshop with a Chinese teacher in Germany, we spent a long day meditating with the Three Centers Merge Method. I dreaded it every time because it took so long. In the end, I managed to transform the reluctance and because of that, I was able to experience the meditation more intensely. When the practice ended, I didn’t want to stop standing in the posture. It is wonderful that you can transform things that you initially dread into something beautiful.

What role does Zhineng Qigong play in your life?
Zhineng is my life – it connects in all areas and has become my lifestyle in recent years. I even practiced Zhineng Qigong with employees and partners during our last company outing to Tuscany in 2019. It took some time for them to get used to seeing me in the role of Zhineng Qigong teacher, but that quickly became normal. My co-workers enjoyed experiencing this side of me and found the background information to be interesting. Zhineng Qigong is very naturally integrated into all areas of my life.

What are your dreams for the future with Zhineng Qigong?
I have already realized one of my biggest dreams and that is having my classroom next to our house. We have turned an old barn into a beautiful space with its own ‘Zhineng Qigong garden’. That way I can also teach outside. I teach groups and in the future, I will also offer Personal Training.

Moving ahead, I also plan to organize Zhineng Qigong lessons for entrepreneurs, sharing methods for dealing with stress more easily. In these times, where so many factors limit the work of entrepreneurs, I think this is very important. I cannot improve their financial situation, but I can help relieve stress.

Also, I am writing a book in which Zhineng Qigong plays a major role. It is not a Zhineng Qigong book, but a book into which I will incorporate a lot of knowledge about qigong. The book is about dealing with stress and my personal experience with Zhineng Qigong. I had the dream of writing a book for a long time and the lock-down finally allowed it to happen. This time has offered many opportunities to do new things.

Hun Yuan Ling Tong!