Thinking About Quitting Life Purpose: Qigong Teacher

[Thought Art]

@Something Funny Thanks. Qi isn’t inherently airy fairy once studied and felt. But, concepts in it I think are. 

[Michael569]

Sounds like you have an integrity clash with some parts of the practices that you don't believe in and some parts that you do and so teaching it all is clashing with your values. 

Could you modernise the way you teach Qigong? Say , getting rid of some of the old traditional elements like the organ healing bit and opening the practice more to people who are stage Orange and Stage Blue (where most of the world's money sits) 

Could it be like its with the western yoga that most people looking for yoga don't necessarily care about all the woo woo elements like chanting and channeling breaths into chakras. Most people want to stretch their bodies and get a bit of a workout. 

Perhaps there is a way to revolutionise Qigong to be more that? Maybe you could approach small businesses with something like that to offer short classes for their employees in exchange for a retainer of, say 20 sessions for $2000 dollars or $5000 if you strike the right company. I used to work in a corpo that had yoga teacher come in few times a week, I bet she was earning crazy money. A lot of businesses are pushing "back to the office" model and facing employee pushback so they are looking for incentives and new benefits. Perhaps you could insert yourself into that model somehow. I'm also considering somethign of that sort with my practice to boost sales and be able to leave 9-5 so I can 100% focus on this. 

Sometimes things need to evolve. I myself have gone through a bit of an evolution in my practice. I started my nutrition company as a men's health practice and it didn't work and I knew it for years until I changed it. I recreated it to be more inclusive, I started changing how I talk to people, the way I write, worked on tone & voice, worked on branding. It isn't perfect but I've definitely had more interest from the market. I greatly struggle with social media as well, I think its an introvert thing or like seeing social media as a fun park for ego which can be deterring. At the same time maybe you focus too much on what others are doing and that's causing you pain. 

Maybe what you need to do is let go of old ways and modernise? And maybe the trajectory needs to change entirely. You're just 30, you are still young and have probably 60 years ahead of you. Plenty of time to figure stuff out

Edited March 13 by Michael569

[Grateful Dead]

16 hours ago, Thought Art said:

@Grateful Dead Hi thanks for your response. I think my issue is I’m thinking there is no emotions in organs. 
 

I’m a bit confused. Maybe, I just need to be honest with my audience? And I can develop the brand? Hmm

Yes, if that part doesn't align with your beliefs, then leave it out and teach it as you see it.

I don't think you have to be 100% behind the whole theory. And as you say, if someone asks you about it, be honest and authentic.

I can definitely tell you that Qigong has truly enriched my life, and I've recommended it to many people around me. Also usually I prefer to learn online but with Qigong it was really important for me to learn it in person from a teacher. So I think maybe you should focus more on this aspect, like try to put together a group that meet with you every week and slowly build from there.

[Thought Art]

@Grateful Dead It changed my life as well. 
 

I’m was teaching in person classes here this winter. I’m a seasonal worker for at least one more summer so in person isn’t an option until next fall. But, online has worked. I sold a high ticket offer this winter. My goal is to sell 5 this year. 
 

It takes a lot of work. That’s it. And, it won’t happen over night. Most yoga/ qigong teachers don’t make it full time. But, I can.

 

I want to develop a practical and grounded Qigong practice. This summer I am also taking a mindfulness coach certification and a breathwork certification. 

Edited March 13 by Thought Art

[Grateful Dead]

22 minutes ago, Thought Art said:

@Grateful Dead It changed my life as well. 
 

I’m was teaching in person classes here this winter. I’m a seasonal worker for at least one more summer so in person isn’t an option until next fall. But, online has worked. I sold a high ticket offer this winter. My goal is to sell 5 this year. 
 

It takes a lot of work. That’s it. And, it won’t happen over night. Most yoga/ qigong teachers don’t make it full time. But, I can.

 

I want to develop a practical and grounded Qigong practice. This summer I am also taking a mindfulness coach certification and a breathwork certification. 

I see, maybe I'll take one of your online courses in the future. My teacher moved away, and there's no one else near me.

Looks to me like you have a good plan. I hope everything works out for you, brother. All the best!!

[Thought Art]

Thanks again everyone. 
 

if you use Instagram you can check out my page @officialeffortlessqigong 

Would love feedback. I’m just getting it started and taking a Instagram marketing course from Rachel Pederson.

[Realms of Wonder]

@Thought Art

Hey Man, question for you.

If you YouTube channel/funnel was successful enough to pay your bills + more, would you be in this predicament? 
 

[Yimpa]

2 hours ago, Thought Art said:

Thanks again everyone. 
 

if you use Instagram you can check out my page @officialeffortlessqigong 

Would love feedback. I’m just getting it started and taking a Instagram marketing course from Rachel Pederson.

Followed! 

One feedback I have is to create a Linktree so that all your social medias are accessible in one place. It’s simple to create and you don’t need to pay anything!

[Thought Art]

@Realms of Wonder Probably not with regards to this part of my life. 
 

I still want to teach this movement practice in a truthful way, while honouring its ancient roots. 

Edited March 13 by Thought Art

[Jodistrict]

My suggestion is to continue to teach Qigong as a practice and not as theory.  Theory is always incomplete and by itself fairly useless.  I am leaning towards practice (sadhana) myself.  Too much conceptual clutter is unproductive.  For example, I am getting more deeply into Hatha Yoga.  This is often ridiculed by “spiritual” people as just exercise.  But I disagree.  The spirituality naturally arises by doing the asanas.  It is much more productive than theories and concepts which just trap you in your head.   Yes, “hot yoga” is real spirituality. 

[Thought Art]

@Jodistrict I think Hatha way yoga is a great. 
 

I grew up doing intense Ashtanga yoga which I love and want to get back into. 
 

In Qigong theory having a strong body healthy body is important for Qi cultivation and doing meditation. 
 

Body - Qi - Shen

We build a strong supple body

We cultivate and tonify our Qi

We purify and focus the mind 

Really, we have this one body. Qigong, Yoga, Breathwork, Dao Yin, etc are amazing to practice and explore for a life time. 
 

 

Edited March 13 by Thought Art

[aurum]

@Thought Art 

Hey brother. I may be able to offer you a perspective as someone who has also been involved in a lot of new age healing practices.

One of my biggest critiques was the lack of replicability and verifiability. It becomes very difficult to discern what's accurate and what isn't. Especially since many people in the new age field don't trust mainstream science and will frequently make claims that just blantantly go against it.

For that reason, I was drawn to reinvesting in my scientific education. It's been a welcome change of pace for me, and you may find similar benefits to bringing more science / empiricism into what you are doing.

Ultimately, if you are in the healthcare / wellness field, our work is pragmatic. Either people are going to get their desired results or not. One of the advantages of mainstream healthcare is the extreme amount of testing that it has undergone. To put it simply, things have to work. 

Looking forward to hearing about your next moves.

[Thought Art]

@aurum Qigong isn’t new age but yeah. It’s Tradtional Chinese medicine, Toaist and Buddhist. Has been practiced for 3000 years. It has been evolving like science for 3000 years too. I am the continuation of its evolution. One of the benefits of Qigong is that it survived for 3000 years because of the benefits it produces. There are studies on qigong and tonnes of testimonials of the practice. I get extremely positive feedback from classes. 
 

You raise a good point. I don’t like new age healing and that’s not what I’m doing. A lot of fine distinctions are being made with what I am doing. 
 

It has increasing support in western schools of treatment for stress, depression, addiction, insomnia, etc. 

 

What you are saying about modern health care also isn’t true. It doesn’t work 100%. It’s blatently false to say modern western medicine is this perfect system. But, it’s useful and important and I study it too. Science has strengths and limitations. Science also backs up a tonne of Qigong. But, not all of it. Obviously. 
 

I am not claiming to cure disease. Qigong is a health and wellness practice which reduces stress and improves energy, mental clarity and immune system. Studies have shown this very clearly. 

That being said, Qigong does aid in immune and the bodies natural healing by increasing digestion, breathing, circulation, immune system. It’s a holistic health practice and complentary self maintainence. It does not replace doctors. 

I am compiling studies on Qigong and TCM done by western methodology. There is a lot of strong evidence supporting the efficacy of Qigong for the desired results of which I teach.

 

Edited March 13 by Thought Art

[Thought Art]

@aurum Modern medicine is strong, but if you study the problems it’s facing in the west you could also see it’s vaste limitations and epistemic limitations. 
 

The trick is not to say “oh this system is best and ignore the rest” it’s to study what is available and take what works. 
 

Traditional Chinese Medicine has some concepts and ideas when applied with the best of western mind body medicine that I think are crucial to human well-being.  But, Chinese medicine is hard to understand and obviously I can’t explain it here.

And, it’s complicated 

Edited March 14 by Thought Art

[Realms of Wonder]

I have followed your YouTube channel and have for a while.

It doesn't seem like you are playing the 'game' of YouTube. You have a huge catalog, and a fanbase, but I feel like there is a lot of lost opportunity because of the Thumbnails, Titles, Structure, and lack of remarkability around your work.

It's obvious you care about it. I feel like your desire to go beyond the dated or inaccurate parts of qui gong could become part of your niche. Combining it with other modalities/forms of energy/body work.

Even videos on what you DONT agree with within Qui gong could be interesting. Most people, myself included know nothing about it, but I would he interested in hearing what "doesn't work" or is "outdated" or "wrong"

If you'd like I can share resources that have helped me on YouTube. It is quite a journey, I still have a long way to go.

Big picture it seems obvious that you are on the right track, you care about it, and are on the cusp of innovating in a way that will set you apart.

Keep it up!

 

Edited Sunday at 04:54 PM by Realms of Wonder