It’s a soft, drizzly kind of afternoon here today in Melbourne. I am very thankful that I took Lola (my dog) and I for a walk early this morning when the sky was still blue, albeit incredibly windy. This afternoon though … it’s the kind of weather that invites you to slow down just a little. I’ve been sitting with my cup of freshly ground coffee, exploring, downloading and digesting the first gems of training material, and gently moving through some life admin … clearing space so I can really step into what begins on Monday.
I’m starting my Qigong Level 1 Teacher Training with Forest Rock Qigong … and it feels like the beginning of something incredibly significant.
My interest in Qigong began in my early 20s. I remember attending a meditation retreat, at a beautiful venue quite close to home, and one of the guest teachers, visiting from Sydney, introduced us to a simple Qigong practice. I can still picture the day .. out on the lawn, out in nature, with a little lake nearby. It was quite magical, and I was in that ‘retreat bubble’ where you have merged into a new time clock and the hours seem endless. This Qigong experience was serene and expansive.
So, I took one of those practices home with me and began weaving it into my meditation “settling” ritual. And over the years, it became something I would share with others too.
And, I always had this quiet curiosity … a sense that I wanted to go deeper with Qigong but, at the time, I could never find a teacher nearby. They may have been there .. but I could never find them (or the time perhaps was not right). So, my interest stayed in the background. Something I would return to occasionally, checking in, asking around, wondering if the next step would ever appear.
I also often bought books, and today I’ve retrieved one from my bookcase that was inspirational, and I am back reading and marking the pages .. ‘The Way of Qigong‘ by Kenneth S. Cohen. It’s a great book so if you are interested here is a link (no affiliate or connection) with Amazon Australia.
Rolling forward, the world began opening up online, and I then had access to teachers across the globe. I found many inspirational Qigong offerings, joined a few courses, and embraced whatever else was offered from afar. That’s when things began to shift. Until, I finally met a local teacher and began attending classes, eventually we even co-created some meditation and Qigong events in her beautiful space.
It was there I was introduced to one of my favourite practices – Zhan Zhuang or Standing Qigong (“standing like a tree”). So beautifully simple in appearance, but deeply challenging. Holding the body in stillness, arms gently rounded as if embracing a tree … and staying there. Week by week, a small group of us showed up. Step by step, building our strength of body and mind, until eventually we were holding the posture for 45 minutes. It so wasn’t easy – but I loved it. I still do. There’s something profoundly honest about that kind of practice.
And then, of course, there’s Bali.
I have been going to Bali for almost 20 years, every year heeding the islands call. So, it surprises and delights me that looking back, it was probably inevitable that I would eventually come across Forest Rock Qigong nestled in the spiritual heart of Ubud. If you’ve ever been to Bali you may have had a taste of this very special place, deeply rooted in the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, harmony with God, nature, and community, known for its ‘medicine’ roots, and a growing community offering healing through traditional Balinese healing (Balian), the sacred water purification rituals (Melukat), and yoga, set amongst the fragrant and wild jungle landscape.
For the last few years, I’ve been quietly learning from Master Peter Caughey from afar; joining his live YouTube classes, moving through an online Qigong Meditation course … and each year watching, the opening of the annual Teacher Training program held in Ubud. Dreaming. Wishing.
It has been on my vision board every year, and one year I even applied for a scholarship. I could imagine being there .. immersed in 24 days of practice, learning, and community. So, when I placed it on my 2026 vision board, I did it with a strong sense that June might be the time. But … as the year unfolded, it became clear that this wasn’t going to happen, at least not right now.
And then. The online Teacher Training program opened. Beginning in April.
Different … but also, somehow, exactly right. And here I am now, on the edge of it.
Excited at becoming a student again, and keen to dive deeper into the learning and the practice, but also uncover more of the magical union of meditation and qigong.
I have a feeling this is a new beginning.
Stay tuned.