2023 Qigong Instructor Course

Once again instructors from around the world gathered to be recertified in the ancient art of Qigong. Cameras and computers prepped for action. For some it was the middle of the night, for others well into the day. Sun or rain, day or night, Northern or Southern Hemisphere – everyone was ready to join Grandmaster Tse online for this year’s course at 10:00 Greenwich Mean Time.

The first day and a half consisted of GM Tse demonstrating forms and answering questions, followed by going into separate online rooms to polish with a senior instructor. Here there was a free choice of room so you could polish whichever form was most relevant. GM Tse demonstrated Warm Up level 1, Healthy Living Gong 1 through 4 and the Wild Goose 1st and 2nd 64 forms. The demonstrations were very detailed and GM Tse made sure to show forms from two angles.

There were many questions – even to the degree that time was running short. GM Tse however emphasised that it was important that everyone was clear – this was the one time a year when the opportunity was there. If more mistakes could be corrected and the understanding of Qigong deepened then it would have a rub-off effect on all the students around the world. GM Tse likened mistakes to stains on a shirt – the longer you leave them the harder they are to wash out – once you have a bad habit it is hard to correct, so better change it as soon as possible.

The latter half of the second day and the third day were reserved for testing. There was a core of testers consisting of senior instructors. They were tested by GM Tse himself but also had to test the other instructors. It is always a puzzle to ensure that everyone can have their tests, as there are limits to the number of testers, time, and the fact that you cannot be tested and test someone else simultaneously. This planning was expertly handled by senior instructor and organiser Darryl Moy. Since the instructor courses have gone online this system has been oiled and fine-tuned to the purring engine it is today.

In between tests you could either polish corrections or prepare for the next test in a designated polishing room. Two senior instructors were ready to help with whichever form you needed or to set you up with other people working on the same form. This was also a chance to catch up with old acquaintances – or make some new ones. In this way the polishing room is important in maintaining the social aspect of the instructor course, despite it being online. The social aspect is part of the Tse Centre’s unique flavour and why to many it is like a second family.

At the conclusion of testing there was a general feeling of success – many had passed their forms or otherwise left with a treasure trove of corrections to work on for the coming year. Before saying goodbye, however, it was time for a Qigong Instructor quiz. This is where mind meets body and theory meets practice. The suspense was high as you never know which question GM Tse has chosen or who will be picked to answer.

There were questions that tested our memory – like what are the six healing sounds? What are the three gates on the back that need to be opened in order for the Xiao Zhou Tian to start forming? Who are the ancestors of the skill? Some of these questions had their answers in the Qigong Dao – others not.

There were also questions that forced us to think – questions that might not have a single answer – like why is it hard to make family and friends train Qigong? Why should we teach? The quiz inspires us to think deeper and understand the skill rather than just perform the movements. GM Tse once noted that this is one of the qualities that distinguish a Sifu from a normal practitioner.

The course came to an end, but the training and development continues with renewed strength. Students around the world will benefit and can look forward to another year of high quality instruction. We are all very blessed to be learning and propagating this exceptional skill. The skill is alive and well and we can thank it and the ancestors for the health, happiness and luck it provides us every day.

by Paul Hogg

Student Comments

Another Wild Goose Qigong Instructor Course draws to a close and we are all more clear and more confident with the skills we pass on. Having the opportunity to watch Tse Sigong demonstrate and answer questions makes attending the course invaluable. For me, the getting together of Instructors from all over the world is also a big a highlight Thank you so much Sifu, Sigong and Siba as well as the testers and polishers. When considering what is involved, it’s pretty special to experience how smoothly it all runs, it is very much appreciated.
Belinda (NZ)
 
Many thanks Sigong, Siba snd all the testers as nd polishers. The 2023 Instructors Course was really worth while. I enjoyed the demonstrations and everyone’s questions snd feedback from the testing is so valuable. Lovely to see everyone and lots of new ones coming through. Cynthia NZ
 
The 2023 instructor course was excellent. Much wonderful polishing, and the work of Sigong, Siba and the testers was greatly appreciated by me. Thank you for a great event. Susanne NZ
 
Dear Si Gong, Sitai, Sifu, Si Suk Gong
Thank you for organising a great 2023 Qi Gong Instructor course, it seemed to go particularly well this year, I learned a lot from the polishing, demonstrations and corrections from the testers, even the weather was much better than I expected from the forecast. It is quite a feet to organise everyone from all around the world to learn, test and chat like we were all in the same room, it was good to see some new and not so new faces too!
Richard Hall
Chester Class
 
Thank you, Sigong, Siba, Sifu and all the testers and polishers for such a wonderful instructors course! It’s great to see the new faces and familiar ones too and help each other deepen our skills whilst getting to know one another better. Look forward to the next one! -Kay
 
Another great course! I’ve learned a lot of new details of the skill, learned more about qigong itself. The course itself was very well organised. Thank You Sifu and everyone else.
Saulius
 
I find that every Instructors course has a different feel to it. For me this time the course felt relaxed and smooth flowing. I know this is due to all the hard work from Sigong, my Sifu and all the testers and polishers over the weekend. The testing was challenging but fun as always, and finishing with the questions always leaves me with more to go away and think about. Thank you Sigong, Sifu and everyone who worked to make this another great instructors course
Malachy
 
Really good these instructor courses. Taking time to just focus and practice Qigong is so beneficial for our health. Practicing like this will make us super healthy. It is good to really pay attention to all the forms, often there are things that you see that make you think and analyse and practice things in more detail making things more exact and more relaxed. Thanks to Sigong, Sifu and all the polishers and testers for another great instructor course. The news about a possible Qigong instructor course in the UK is great news as well! Wouter
 
Another great instructor course! It is great to have the extra day to really go into the details of the forms with Sigong and with the polishers. A huge thanks to Darryl Siba for making it a seamless experience as usual. Thanks to Sigong and all the polishers and testers! Looking forward to incorporating all my learnings. Best, Tom Hogg.
 
Very good Zoom course. The Organising was great and the flow online getting better every year. Thank you all involved.
Learned a lot, specially details on the form I tested on. Great to get clearance and there by getting more understanding of the movements.
Q/A bit is also very enlightening. Makes you using your mind in a different way.
After lunch on sunday some of us came together in a chatting room where we discussed the Dao notes and compared our understanding of it and tryed to find out the how’s and why’s.
Enjoyed that very much.
In all a very enriching course which left me a little bit wiser and gaining more energy.
Thank you Sifu and all others involved on different levels.
Simo you were missed.
Greetings from Saskia, N-Norway.
 
I find it endlessly fascinating discovering new and subtle nuances to already familiar movements, with further corrections and adaptations continually evolving the energy and flow of my qigong forms over time. Every qigong instructor course gives us the opportunity to grow knowledge and skill together on our own personal journeys of discovery, and 2023 was no exception. The course has been another wonderful shared learning experience, “practising the spirit and life together” with our qigong family. For this I am extremely grateful. Thank you.
Oliver Lock
 
Many, many thanks for another great Qigong Instructors course. Many thanks and my gratitude to Tai Sigong for demonstrating the various forms and sharing his knowledge with us and answering our questions. Thanks also to Sigong Moy for the seemingly effortless organisation and all the testers and polishers who patiently coaxed me along, their help was so invaluable. I am fired up to learn more, improve, and looking forward to the next course! Allistair Lomax
 
A really good 2023 qigong instructor course. I find it such a focal point to my qigong practice, going back to the core forms and polishing them and the instructor input one receives always top quality – all the little (and often big) quirks and habits that one’s ego smooths over brought to the surface for me to deal with. Just so wonderful to spend time with such a wonderful group of qigong practitioners. Thank you Taisigong for organising this and thank you Sigong and all of the instructors for making it happen. Daniel
 
Enjoyed everything about the course. The in-depth studying and details of the moves. Tse Sigong explaining how important the hands should be so the Qi flows better to ones own practice getting ready for a test and being tested, you continue to learn.
Thank you to Sigong, Siba and all testers and polishers for making the course go so well.
Natasha
 
Sifu, thank you for a great Qigong Instructors course. Thanks too to Darryl and the testers for all their efforts. That fact things flow so smoothly is due to all the pre work and dedication.
This year was great. Felt I learnt a lot and really enjoyed myself.
Looking forward to an in person one, possibly?, at some point.
Thank you
Peter W
 
So great to participate in the Qigong Instructor Course again. It never ceases to amaze me how much can be gained over such a short time. So many details and so many insights! Many thanks to Darryl Siba for all the really smooth and efficient administration and great training tips, as well as to the seniors for all their help. Thank you Sigong – we are all so lucky to be learning this fantastic skill. Peter Hogg
 
The 2023 Qigong instructors course flowed beautifully. It was easy to navigate the zoom rooms, instructions were really clear and everyone knew where to go when polishing and testing.
Coming together as a group from all over the world is such an important part of knowing the expanse of interest of this skill and how much it is loved. And it also heartwarming and strengthening to be surrounded by those who are enthusiastic and devoted to this skill.
To practice and polish with others, to follow Sigong and understand the movements more and then finally to get questioned and to be reminded of the effort the centre make in sharing information and to get back on track.
Thank you so much for this boost that was really needed and to see you all, having been a member for such a long time now it’s a real joy to come back again and again. So Harper Adams next year – would be marvellous.
Thank you to Sigong and Sitai for arranging, to Sifu Moy for his impeccable organising and patience, to all the testers and polishers and helpers thank you for your commitment to this journey like guiding the wild geese flock to better pastures.
Orla
 
Another wonderful Qigong Instructors course. Thank you Sigong. From participating in online classes, I think we have all learned to ask more questions and crave more clarity and detail which we receive in abundance. Gratitude also to Siba Darryl who keeps it all running so smoothly.
Lee M
 
This Qigong Instructor Course 2023 was different in that there was a deepness to it, there was a nitty-gritty detail searching barrage of questions that people asked the were looking for that quality and not about how many forms, everybody was looking at it from a ‘I want to get this right’ point of view, so that they can pass it on to their student even the seniors impressed me a lot because there were so many questions on the basic forms it was exciting it even delayed the other things Sigong wanted to demonstrate we took a lot of information and knowledge away from this course from our seniors and Sifu’s and Siba’s and of course Sigong and it goes back to what Sigong has said many times to build good skill it goes back to a good foundation. Thank you, Sigong for not only practical but also theory of our foundational skills that we will not forget.
earl
 
It’s really amazing to be able to watch Sigong go through every form in the first half of the course in the polishing section. Breaking out to practice and work on the details is immensely helpful in improving our own forms and always a revealing and humbling process. Thank you Sigong, and all the organisers and testers, for an excellent 2023 course. Sam
 
Thank you Sifu, Darryl, testers and all for the organisation, polishing and comradery. A great weekend of Qigong practice and learning. Many thanks again. Peadar
 
Every year is a great learning experience and deepening of the Qigong skill during the Instructor course. It is very useful to go through with so many other students and senior students to better understand the skill and our own level of it. Thank you Sifu, Moy Sihing and all senior students and testers for this great course!
-Radu
 
Thank you so much Sifu and Sihing for such a great instructor’s course. It is so good that we can do these courses online and that they work so well especially with the brilliant timetables that are updated so cleverly by you Sihing. It was nerve wracking but very rewarding to be asked to be a tester this year and I feel I have learnt very much from the experience. Great to see everyone as well. Many thanks again. Vanessa
 
Another fantastic instructor’s course, so much detail on the forms and plenty of opportunities to polish. An incredible opportunity to continue to develop this valuable skill. Thank you Tai Sigong, Sigong and all the testers and polishers for making it happen. Sarah
 
It is always good to get more detail and depth on the forms, and i appreciate the many opportunities to have questions answered.
It is a rare opportunity for me to see Sifu’s movement and energy on the earlier forms. Coming together at the end for Q&A is always stimulating and a good way to get to know others. Great to see old friends and many familiar faces. Thanks Sifu and Sihing for all your efforts and to the polishers and testers – Adam
 
Thank you Sigong, Sitai and Sifu for another amazing Qi Gong Instructor’s Course. The course was well organised and ran smoothly, which really helped us learn more. Thank you to to all the testers and polishers and to Sigong for demonstrating the forms with such detail. Was also great to see all our Brothers and Sisters from around the World I really appreciate everything I learned on the course. Trev
 
So happy and thankful to have been at the course. Polishing and testing, learning and improving. Good to see everybody and feel the shared interest and appreciation. Also love the last bit with the qigong dao questions and talks.
Really missed seeing Sitai!
Thank you Sigong and Siba Darryl!
Charlotte
 
Many thanks to Sigong and all of the seniors for a very good Qigong Instructors course.
It was great to see Sigong demonstrate the forms and answer our questions. Everything helps us to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the skill. Coming together also helps us appreciate what we have in the centre.
Thanks again.
Luke
 
Really enjoyed the 2023 Qigong instructors course. Sigong demonstrated all the basic forms, plus some extra, which is always good, as don’t see them very often. The questions were interesting and challenging as usual, always good to hear how Sigong answers them. Was good to see so many people on the course, with many first timers too. Many thanks to Sigong, and Sibas Darryl and Mike for a very smooth running course. Christine