Long White Cloud Qigong Instructor Certification Program

Doing this course with John was one of the best decisions I have ever made – it truly is a life changing course. It is so well thought out – I loved the different formats with written text and clear videos as well as some audio practices to follow along with. If you have any questions John who has the most incredible knowledge on Qigong is there to answer whatever you want. Online working was really good for me as I was able to learn at a time that suited me. If there was a lot of information on one particular week then the week after was less, giving you a chance to catch up. The online community is very helpful too as are the weekly Q and A’s. If you are not able to make them live you can catch up with them at a later time as well as the brilliant zoom practice sessions with Cathryn and Miguel which I loved. You could really feel the energy of the group even though we were all over the world.

One of the best decision I made in my life was to get my Small Universe qigong using John as a mentor. The class is extermely well laid out and it is clear what you need to be working on each week. The weekly synchronous meetings provide a sense of community as well as opportunity to ask questions and share experiences with others. John is so knowledgable and passionate about qigong, which intensified my own motivations and enthusiam. But the most profoud thing for me were the significant changes that I experienced throughout the completion of the course . The motivation behind starting with qigong was to improve my wellness and help my body deal with an autoimmune disorder. However, in the process of the practicing I have noticed not only physical, but also emotional and mental benefits. Physically, qigong allows me to make my body more flexible and improve range of motion. I also have improved overall vitality, where I do not experience much tiredness on a daily basis. Emotionally, qigong has given me a way to deal with anxiety and being not only more aware of what emotions I am experiencing but also regulating them. Mentally, I feel much more focused in all areas of my life.

Physically Qigong has helped with my breathing; the many breath practices have given me greater breath control and enabled me to use my breath better during practice and in everyday life. It has also made me more aware of my breath when doing everyday chores enabling me to breathe more efficiently and more effectively. I can see this being a tool to help me overcome both physical and mental challenges. Through my practice my posture has improved leading to better balance. I have and I am sure will continue to change how I move, making movements more fluid and considered. Realising I need not make the greatest expression of a movement but that I only need the movement to fulfil the purpose for which I am performing it. Through all of this it has and will continue to improve my mobility and flexibility gently working into areas that have been restricted, damaged or misaligned for years, perhaps decades.

I have had the best experience on my online qigong instructor training course with John. Initially it was just going to be a course for me to enjoy but I am now definately going to be teaching it, how can I not?!  The course was so well organised, the content was detailed, clear and you have both the video and written work to learn from. The workload was doable roughly an hour a day but I found myself wanting to do more. Qigong makes so much sense to me and will compliment everything else I do. I just can't wait to share it and feel so well equipped to do this thanks to Jon at long white cloud.  The online program worked perfectly for me as I could pick it up and put it down as I passed, both on my smartphone and laptop and even now, if I need to look back, I can much more easily than carrying around a huge manual with me!

I can honestly say that my Qigong practice has allowed me to experience life, as a whole, at a higher dimension. The Breathing exercises  have awakened my own internal and external energy, and helped me improve my relationship with myself and with the external world in a more calm and peaceful manner. After a few weeks into the program, I started to notice not only the physical changes in my body like flexibility and strength , but also the emotional changes and responses in my personal interactions with family members, friends  and participants in my classes. I am convinced that John’s program has made a great impact in my life! Who would believe that could be possible when I’m almost 73? Above all, John’s deep knowledge and experience in Chinese Medicine and Martial Arts, his accountability, reliability, great demeanor, personality and authenticity will make you fall in love with Qigong. I did!!

The course has been transformative for me on a number of levels. Through John’s well- paced teaching and gradual layering of technique and theory, I’ve come to be far more attuned to energy within and around myself, even if this is still quite a subtle experience. My capacities for awareness and observation have sharpened, and I’ve also grown more skilled in using my mind, body and breath to direct my energy with conscious intention. If all of this sounds a bit abstract, here are some of the practical changes that have happened for me over four months. First, the regular practice of Waking the Qi in particular has helped me to ease my chronically grumpy lower back, and some helpful feedback from John during our Q&A times also gave me other ideas for moving stuck energy in that area of my body. Second, through our organ meditation work and learning about the organ meridians in theory and through the practice of Twelve Rivers, I’ve become more attuned to actual sensations in or around my organs and how these relate to emotions, and I can more readily process and move through some emotions I found difficult previously, like anger.

Cliched as it might sound, the LWC Small Universe Qigong course completed Feb.-May 2021 really was life changing for me! Managing a chronic condition and having recently been diagnosed with Covid and been very unwell, I almost didn’t start the course! But the early breathing exercises cleared my lungs and very quickly raised my blood oxygen levels from 90% to 100%. Slowly I was able to complete the daily practices and enjoy the two weekly practice sessions with senior instructors, as well as engage in the morning and evening Sunday Q&A sessions. As well as being more body and posture aware, I am now stronger, more flexible, relaxed but also energised. And I am becoming more aware of people’s postural habits. I’ve had emotional shifts too throughout the 15 weeks, such as visiting my Dad’s grave for the first time in 11 years and wasn’t engulfed in sadness, thanks to the rhythm of the universe breathing. I also seem to be more focused and am more aware of nature and grateful for the beautiful nature around me.

As an older than average  participant (70), I initially had some concerns about my ability to complete the practices to a sufficiently high standard. Many of those taking part in my group were younger, looked fitter and some were either Yoga or Movement teachers already. Nevertheless, I found that as the weeks passed I began to lose any feelings of not being fit or strong enough to fully immerse myself in the  practices. I was constantly reassured throughout the course that with steady practice, understanding of the underlying principles of each movement and patience, I was more than capable of  completing the course. And so it proved to be the case. This has improved my appreciation of my body's capabilities and renewed my appreciation and gratitude for the gift of discovering Qi Gong at this point in my life. So, my message is that the SUQC, as taught by Long White Cloud QiGong is suitable for ALL ages and I am so happy to have found it.

I found this life changing course practical, challenging and surprisingly personal. It enriched virtually every area of my life. The material is well presented and suitable for all learning styles and ages. John is professional, yet approachable, a master in his field yet humble and respectful – basically a living Qi gong encyclopaedia! Take it for your own wellbeing or as a practical therapeutic tool. I highly recommend this amazing ‘energizing’ course. I loved it!

Qigong, in particular Johns Small Universe Instructor Course, has been life-changing for me. I am so grateful. The course is better than I ever could have imagined. John really has thought of everything! The way the whole course and weeks are laid out is absolutely perfect. Every week John builds on your knowledge of each practice in a gentle and supportive way. There are videos, text and audio files to help with your practice. Our weekly live practice sessions with Cathryn and Miguel were so amazing and the sense of practicing all together on zoom was fantastic. If you can’t make the Morning or Evening practices, they are available to watch later or again if you would like to. The 1:1 sessions with Senior Instructors Clayton, Helene and Miguel were brilliant and really helped with individual feedback and advice. The weekly Q and As with John are invaluable. It gives you the chance to ask any questions directly to John, hear other students queries and discuss everything all together. Again, these are available to watch at a later time. John and Tihana are always available by email for any queries you may have. Also, there is the Community forum that you can share experiences or questions with your fellow course-mates and John is always checking for any questions that need answering.  The main benefits of the course for me, are both physical and mental.  I feel my body is stronger and more balanced.  I also feel a greater sense of connection to my body and mind.  Mentally, the practices help me to stay positive, motivated and yet relaxed at the same time. Starting my day with Waking the Qi really sets me up for the day ahead. I could not imagine life without my Qigong practice now! Thank you John for making this wonderful Instructor course available around the world and for bringing us all together in our love of Qigong. I would definitely recommend this amazing course to everyone, even if you don’t intend to teach. You will learn so much about Qigong and yourself. You will be stronger and more relaxed. What are you waiting for?!  Please enrol in this course. You will be so happy that you did!