My introduction to the world of qi began in 1983 with the martial art, “Aikido.” I trained in earnest with many of the world’s best Masters for over a decade. I moved over to qi gong following Aikido, and have been learning and practicing ZYQ with Grandmaster Mingtang Xu since 2002. In 2014 I became a “personal student” (basically, an apprentice), and in 2016 I became certified to teach Level 1. Along with instruction and guidance from Mingtang, I have also learned from several of his most senior students, as well as Masters of different schools.

My background also includes extensive study of mind, body, and spirit from a wide variety of perspectives: philosophy; psychology; religions, spirituality, meditation, and martial arts. For more than 35 years, I have read a great many books and attended countless lectures, conferences, seminars, and workshops. Pioneers in their fields such as Dr. Masaru Emoto, and his insights into water; Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, and her insights into end of life and near death experiences; Dr. Michael Harner, and his modern, Western, insights into shamanism; Joseph Chilton Pearce, and his insights into child rearing – are examples of people that have captured my attention.

I graduated from Washington State University, Magna Cum Laude, with a BA in Social Sciences.

I graduated from the Brian Utting School of Massage in 1988, and though I also passed the state board examination, I primarily took that training to learn about anatomy and physiology.

I consider world travel a big part of my education, and count Australia, France, and Netherlands as favorite destinations.

Of course, I have learned immeasurably from my family and all of the friends I have known. I am very grateful to all of them.

And my greatest teacher of all: Life itself.