What to look for in a Qigong Teacher
In the words of the 19th century politician, poet, playwright and novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton: ‘The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself.’ This rings particularly true when you consider Qigong.
Qigong is not a dance to be learned, it is a tool that helps us to discover and unlock our true nature. Of the many forms of Qigong that now exist you may be drawn to forms that focus on the medical application or perhaps prefer to spend time exploring the spiritual practice. You may gain more from concentrating on the accuracy of the movement or perhaps your preference is in understanding the intention of the movement.
The bottom line is that we should spend time with teachers and systems of Qigong that resonate with us the most while never losing sight of our own potential and ability. There are valuable lessons to be learned in all forms of Qigong and remaining open to other approaches can be highly beneficial. This is not to say that we should flit between teachers, but we should remain aware that we are all following a unique path, we are all learning, teachers and students alike and we should avoid becoming blinkered or limited in our views.
A good Qigong teacher encourages you on your journey of self discovery with grace and understanding, they use the tools at their disposal to expand horizons, not limit perspectives, they empower you to unlock your potential and they pass on a tradition of learning that dates back thousands of years.
