2021 Heralds the 1st ever NQA virtual mini conferences

January, February, and March

MARCH MINICONFERENCE

Saturday, March 13th, 1-4 PM – EST

Spring Forward:  An Equinox Workshop to Support Health, Vitality and Immunity

Master of Ceremonies: Solala Towler

Presenters: Robert Peng and Hedwige Kuepper

Enrichment: Percussion drumming with Ora Golden

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 Workshops Descriptions:

1. ROBERT PENG: The Gifts of Jieqi Qigong It is commonly accepted that there are four seasons in a year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Near the Equator, however, there are only two seasons: Rain Season, and Dry Season. Don’t be surprised when Robert teaches that each year has 24 seasons (a.k.a.“solar terms”) recognized in Chinese cosmology as “Jieqi”.

In ancient times, the Chinese discovered that when the sun advances by 15 degrees along its ecliptic longitude, it circles around the earth releasing a huge amount of energy to help all things grow in the Northern Hemisphere (the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere). Trees and crops are sensitive to these changes. Nature knows when to awaken, when to sprout and when to ripen. For vegetation, the start of spring is around February 3rd or 4th when it is still very cold in the Northern Hemisphere.

According to the Gregorian calendar, spring starts around March 21st when the Vernal Equinox is reached, nearly one and half months behind Nature. The ancient Chinese marked these natural changes with different Jieqi or mini seasons, with around 15 days in each mini season. As a result, there are 24 Jieqis during the entire year that guide farmers in their work, social and cultural activities. This practice continues to this day.

Through deep meditation and insight, the ancestors also discovered that during each Jieqi there is a special wave of universal energy released to benefit us human beings through one vertebra in the spine per Jieqi. A set of practices was devised to capture the release of this cosmic energy to empower the 24 vertebrae and strengthen the soft tissue around each vertebra. The combination of the exercises and meditations is named: ”Jieqi Qigong”.

By focusing on spinal well-being, Jieqi Qigong helps us stay mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy. As the year unfolds, Jieqi Qigong creates a connection between the changes in Nature and our body. It helps us to become aware of these changes. As we practice, we become more attuned to the seasonal cycle. And with each mini seasonal change of the year, we connect to Nature more deeply. You become a part of Nature, and align with the seasonal cycle.

Becoming one with Nature is the gift of Jieqi Qigong.
During this mini-conference, Robert will talk about Jieqi Qigong’s 24 mini seasons and a special Jieqi - the Vernal Equinox, its unique theme and spinal empowerment practice to support our health, vitality, and immunity.

ROBERT PENG: is the founder of Robert Peng Qigong and the author of The Master Key: Qigong Secrets of Wisdom, Love, and Vitality. Robert has been a regular presenter at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Esalen Institute, Integrative Health Symposium, and many other organizations and schools. When eight years old, Robert began a 13-year apprenticeship with the legendary monk, Xiao Yao. As part of his training, he underwent a hundred-day water fast in a dark, underground chamber. From this experience Robert developed extraordinary spiritual powers and healing abilities.

2. Hedwige Kuepper: Finding Joy in Senior Years

Having reached my 90th year of life, I intended to address myself to the elderly (and future elders). How to gratefully embrace every stage of life especially as we get older. How Qigong and yoga enhances our lives. Also, demonstrating alternate options to certain moves. 

HEDWIGE KUEPPER At the age of 85, Hedwige Kuepper decided to get out of retirement to teach Qigong. She had been a modern language teacher for 36 years on the University and High School levels.She began her first Qigong  studies in 2006 with Lamont Thomas whose enthusiasm led her to meet other teachers and Masters. She studied in Thailand with Daisy Lee and Francesco Garripoli, she also studied with Robert Peng, Ken Cohen, Luis Duarte, Solala Towler, Mark Reinhart, Michael Winn, Mington Gu and Lorelei Chang.A professional member of NQA, she holds certifications in Radiant Lotus Women’s Qigong from Radiant Lotus Qigong, Organ Cleansing Qigong from Kahuna Valley, Wudang Tai Chi from Luis Duarte and Robert Peng’s Qi Gong Healer Training. Now that she is in her 9th decade, her focus in life is to encourage other Seniors to discover the healing benefits of Qigong. 

3. Ora Goldin: Together in Rhythm

Ora Goldin of Living Rhythm will guide you in this 30 minute interactive, uplifting and engaging experience. We will explore drumming and rhythm as tools for mindfulness, connection and well being.

Ora is trained in an evidence based protocol called Health Rhythms. It is a scientific, peer reviewed study that showed:

*An increase in immune function and killer t-cells
*Improved mood states
*Fostered a sense of connection
*Reduced stress

Feel free to just receive or join with your own drum or found sounds from around your house. The kitchen is a great spot ( food containers with wooden spoons, cheese grater with chop sticks, garbage can turned upside down, books and we always have our natural born body drums!) Looking forward to celebrating Spring and making rhythm together virtually. Let’s celebrate community spirit through rhythm!

Ora Goldin has been leading wellness, team building and community circles with rhythm and drumming for over 18 years, through her company Living Rhythm.

One of her main missions is to help create a sacred space where people can feel brave enough to be present and honor themselves as they are while feeling the support and foundation of community. She also feels called to be a catalyst to help people create a relationship with their own vibrational medicine that is found within.

The pulse is our life force that celebrates our individual rhythms and simultaneously celebrates how all living beings are connected. Ora has vast experience in helping people harness the power of the pulse to enhance our well being and express ourselves. Ora has recreated this powerful in-person experience for an online and virtual realm and has found that there are no boundaries to building community and feeling connected.

She looks forward to making rhythm together soon!