Qigong with Michael Brennan

My approach in teaching Qigong

I believe that with right instruction, anyone can benefit from a regular practice of Qigong.

With a calm and patient approach, I present the course in a welcoming, non-judgmental learning environment. I teach the eight movements in a way that is free of stress or strain on the body.

My focus is on the student, what they experience, and what they sense. Along with the mechanics of each movement I show how to recognize the flow of energy (Chi) in each of the movements.

The ongoing Qigong learning and practice

I have been studying and practicing Tai Chi and Qigong for more than 6 years now. I have taken advanced training to become a certified Qigong instructor so I may offer this practice to others.

I practice Qigong and meditation daily. This allows me to experience the benefits that a regular practice of Qigong offers.

My personal experience with Qigong

I remember how after the very first Qigong class with Lucy Bartimole I was walking into the night air  experiencing a greater level of awareness, sensing, what I have come to recognize as Chi, flowing through my body. I remember the sense of calm while feeling very alive. I felt that I had come home to myself.

Now, after six years of study and practice, I have a deeper awareness of the benefits of the practice. My body is pain free for the first time in decades. I have greater mental focus, more energy, and more balanced emotions. I have a greater sense of overall well-being.

Vision

After seeing how simple yet profound these eight movements are, and witnessing for myself their benefits, I would like to teach Qigong to individuals that are in prisons and jails. I would also like to teach people that have limited mobility.

Really, I would like to teach Qigong to anyone interested. The young and the old. Those in good health and those that are not.

Broader background

I graduated from The Central Ohio School of Massage Therapy in 1982. I recognize massage therapy as a blending of Eastern and Western approaches to health. I use the knowledge I gained from massage school in teaching new students. How the body moves and the bodies physiology are important components I employ while teaching Qigong.

My principal teacher is Lucy Bartimole. I have also studied with Dr. Diane Brogan-Habash who is with Ohio State University Integrated Medicine. Dr. Yijin Sun and Dr.David Bole (Lama Losang). I am currently taking courses with Lucy Bartimole and Dr. Bole on the principals of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to further my understanding.

After years of practicing meditation, I became a Buddhist Practitioner when I took the Refuge Vow with HH Dalai Lama in 1999. I have also taken the Refuge Vow with the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and have learned from very wise Lamas including Lama Kathy Wesley who is the resident teacher of Karma Thegsum Choling Buddhist Center in Columbus, Ohio where I had the honor of serving on the board and as the director of the center.