At Holden QiGong, we love learning about all of the ways in which students are nourished by Qi Gong. While each of our experiences have their own uniqueness, the practice also reveals our deep-seated similarities and connectedness with one another. As such, it’s no surprise that Qi Gong practitioners often feel a soothing sense of mutual understanding and gratitude, even if they’re complete strangers. By hearing each other's stories we can both celebrate our shared love of the practice, as well as appreciate its unique meaning for each individual.
Recently we connected with Mohini, a positive and inspiring woman who loves Qi Gong! Mohini works as a school teacher in the city of Sonipat, which is located in the state of Haryana in northern India.
Mohini has always considered herself to be an energetic person, but about ten years ago she discovered something that gave her a fresh boost of energy for both her personal and professional life. In 2009, she stumbled across one of Lee’s Qi Gong training videos on YouTube. She decided to hit the play button and give it a try.
Immediately, she could feel how powerful the practice was. She also really appreciated Lee’s personable and clear teaching style. Mohini decided to keep going with her newfound practice.
She continued to enjoy Qi Gong over the next several years. Although there were times when her consistency waned, she always returned to the practice and continued to gain more and more from it over time. Like many of us, she found it to be very helpful for balancing her energy and processing life’s experiences. As a school teacher, she’s continually facing a vast variety of different energies. Mohini recognizes that it’s important for her to be able to stay balanced and grounded in order to do her job well, and that is exactly what Qi Gong helps her to do.
Realizing the value of Qi Gong in her school environment, Mohini decided to share it with others. Among her responsibilities is counseling, and she has found Qi Gong to be a wonderful tool to use with both other teachers as well as students.
Members of her school staff have appreciated the opportunity to be introduced to Qi Gong. Its similarity to dancing made it easily relatable to her colleagues, and most of them embraced the practices she shared. Mohini points out that many adults in India already have an awareness of body energy, and that Qi Gong is a very natural and complementary activity for both herself and her colleagues.
Mohini also believes that Qi Gong is a wonderful practice to share with children. Any parent or teacher knows that
kids are full of energy, and getting them to focus can be a difficult task. For Mohini, Qi Gong is the perfect way to teach children how to work with the abundance of Qi that they are blessed with. In addition to helping kids stay more centered and directed in the classroom, the practice also enables them to start learning how to work skillfully with their emotions at an early age.
Although children don’t have the responsibilities that adults do, they still have challenges of their own that cause stress and anxiety. As Mohini puts it, “everyone has some kind of a burden on their mind, and therefore on their body. Qi Gong helps children have a more mature handling of their emotions.”
Many adults who work with kids have found that the movements in Qi Gong are especially valuable. Instead of telling a child to sit still (which can seem impossible), Qi Gong offers a way for children to work with their mind by also using their body. This creates a strong connection between mind and body that can stay with them for their entire life.
Thanks to Mohini, all twelve-hundred students at her school start each day with Lee’s ten-minute morning Qi Gong routine. The ages of her students range from three to seventeen. Additionally, one-hundred staff members at her school practice together in groups of about thirty. By doing Qi Gong each morning before beginning school lessons, Mohini and her colleagues create a more focussed, enriched, and positive classroom environment.
When asked about the impact of Qi Gong on her own personal life, Mohini responds with enthusiasm and joy. She talks about how the practice gives her a great big boost of energy and happiness for her to take with her into all aspects of her life. As she approaches age seventy, she can reflect on almost forty years of teaching. Not only does Qi Gong help her to let go of work-related stress, but it helps her to have a positive outlook on the process of aging.
Mohini believes that one’s beliefs about aging greatly influences the experience of it. Instead of viewing the process of growing older in a negative or fearful way, Qi Gong helps her to enjoy all of the lessons that each step brings. Even as she talks about her experiences as a teacher, she carries herself with a light-hearted and authentic presence that is warm and personable.
Moving forward, Mohini intends to continue learning and sharing Qi Gong with her school community. Although she already sees the benefits of the practices she has introduced, she believes that there is still a lot of room for expansion and growth for Qi Gong within her school. She also intends to continue learning from Lee, who has been her primary teacher throughout her Qi journey.
At Holden QiGong, it is a wonderful feeling to know that Mohini is flourishing with the practices that Lee offers. We also love knowing that she’s using her passion for Qi to help empower young minds for a bright future. We all have our path in life, and we feel grateful that ours has crossed with Mohini’s. From all of us here at Holden QiGong, we wish Mohini nothing but the best and look forward to watching her grow with Qi.
