National Qigong Association ~ Level III Advanced Qigong Instructor
World Ki Gong Club ~ Level IV Advanced Ki Gong Instructor
Usui Reiki Ryoho ~ Master Practitioner & Teacher
Usui Shiki Ryoho ~ Master Practitioner & Teacher
World Tang Soo Do Association ~ Second Degree Black Belt
South West Institute of Healing Arts ~ Certified Toe Reader
Reflexologist, teacher, healer & Ordained Minister
John began his martial arts training in the spring of 2000 after moving to the United States from Germany. He began a Tai Chi course at Elmhurst Park District, as means to improve his overall health and sense of balance. He found his first classes very rewarding and hugely beneficial.
In November 2001 John began training in the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do. He trained hard for his first test, and was promoted directly to Orange Belt, a proud moment for him. He began assisting with the childrens class the day after that promotion, and slowly moved into teaching as his knowledge and rank grew. Taking advantage of an amazing opportunity, in the spring of 2002 he spent a month backpacking round China. During that trip he had the opportunity to practise Tai Chi and Qi Gong in the parks with the locals, and gain some advice from them, he also took formal lessons at a gym in Shanghai. In the fall of 2004 John tested for and was awarded the rank of First Degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do karate.
Attending the third World Ki Gong Club clinic in Myrtle Beach, SC in early 2005, John received over 22 hours of practise and instruction over two and a half days. While there he was certified as World Ki Gong Club Level III - Intermediate Instructor on Grandmaster Jae C. Shin’s personal recommendation.
The World Ki Gong Club clinic in 2006 was held in Santa Cruz, California. At the end of the clinic John was promoted to World Ki Gong Club Level IV - Advanced Instructor.
At the World Ki Gong Club clinic in Monterey in 2007 John presented his Chinese Health Balls class as a part of the clinic schedule. In the spring testing cycle of 2007 John tested for and was awarded the rank of Second Degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do karate.
Later in 2007 he was a member of The World Tang Soo Do delegation travelling to China and South Korea. Whilst there they visited Beijing Sports University to meet Master Zhang Guangde, head of the Qi Gong department and to see demonstrations of his students. In Xi'an the team visited one of the largest 'Wu Shu' schools in China, whilst there they witnessed demonstrations by some of China's finest students, then demonstrated their skills for the Wu Shu students. After the demonstrations they took some time to learn from, and teach the students. The highlight of the trip was a visit to the Chen village, the birthplace of Tai Chi. There the team visited the Chen Temple and a number of the Tai Chi schools in the area; including that of Chen, Er Hu a 20th generation disciple of Chen style Tai Chi. He and his students demonstrated the many aspects of Tai Chi, from the simpler open hand forms through to the complex twin sword forms.
John has found his teaching has helped develop his understanding of the martial arts, their true depths, and the connection between martial arts, qi gong, accupressure, accupuncture, reflexology, Reiki, traditional Chinese medicine and the I Ching. To truly undertsand martial arts he has found you need to understand all these aspects, to learn how to heal as well as defend.
In September 2010 he was awarded Level III ~ Advanced Qigong Instructor certification by the National Qigong Association.
John is an Ordained Minister; and as such is available for weddings, marriages, commitment ceremonies, vow renewals, handfastings, house blessings and dedications, wellness blessings, rites of passage, living funerals, funerals and memorial rememberances. To learn more visit Holistic Ceremonies.
Seven Stars Martial Arts ~ Certified Tai Chi for Health Instructor
Seven Stars Martial Arts ~ Certified Tai Chi Qi Gong Shibashi Instructor
World Ki Gong Club ~ Level I Ki Gong Beginner
Kathy had a long career working in corporate America, mostly as a Human Resources manager, before becoming a Tai Chi instructor. She began taking Tai Chi classes hoping to combat the physical effects of stress from caring for elderly parents and working for a failing corporation, and found that the benefits far exceeded her expectations.
Within a few weeks she began to notice improvements in balance, breathing and posture; greater flexibility and strength; and a reduction in the pain caused by long hours using a computer.
Best of all, each class was like a mini-vacation – a time to focus only on Tai Chi and put aside the pressures and responsibilities of daily life, resulting in a quieter mind.
Kathy enjoyed teaching during her experience with corporate training and as a volunteer English-language tutor, so she was delighted when the opportunity to teach Tai Chi came along. She now enjoys sharing Tai Chi with students who seek to improve their health, manage stress, or simply enjoy a beautiful, relaxing form of exercise.
Simona has been a contemporary dancer since the age of 16 and during her 34 years of stage and television career has performed with numerous dance companies in Italy, England and Hong Kong.
Her interest in Martial Arts started during her four years residence in China in 1991, where every morning, on her way to the dance school, she would observe Chinese people of all age practicing Tai Chi in the parks, beaches and balconies of an otherwise ecthnic and cosmopolitan Hong Kong. She learnt her first few Tai Chi and Qi Gong moves from the Chinese dancers of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and soon enough found herself practicing Qi Gong on her own balcony.
In 1995, she moved to England, and was convinced by a friend to start Kick Boxing, which she found surprisingly invigorating and mood enhancing. Less than two years later she was promoted to black belt by UK Kick Boxing Association. Curiosity for different martial art disciplines developed and she began taking Tai Chi classes with Master Jesse Tsao, in Basingstoke, UK.
When she became fitness studio co-ordinator of Beechdown Health & Fitness Club in 1998, she met Monica Lindford, creator of the ChiBall method, during a fitness seminar in London. Monica encouraged Simona to become a certified ChiBall instructor and was her mentor for many years. Simona was the first to pioneer ChiBall exercise programme in the South of England, making headlines, teaching classes, running workshops and seminars to adults and children.
Parallel to ChiBall, Simona also taught regular classes of Pilates, Khai Bo, Power ChiYoga and dance, and became a regular Free Flow Vinyasa yoga practitioner, finding her inspiration in it's improvisational, creative sessions. She soon went from yoga's moving meditation practices to Vipassana meditation, according to Shinzen Young's teaching, where she found her personal link between movement and spirituality.
In 2003 Simona moved with her husband and two children to the USA and began practicing Hap Ki Do with Grandmaster Gedo Chang, who granted her the award of best student of the year in 2005. She studied Tang Soo Do Karate with Master Inoshita where she lead the school demonstration team and assisted in children classes. In 2007 she was awarded her second black belt by World Tang Soo Do Association.
Simona finds a great pleasure and satisfaction in teaching group classes, aiding students toward de-stressing and approaching life with a sense of peace and possibility. A great promoter of fit-for-life, Simona believes in dancing with life's changes, relying on dynamism and creativity to navigate life's challenges with grace, joy and confidence.
Life is movement: if we can learn to master movement, then we can fulfill the requirement of the soul.
