Hi, I’m Jennie.
I’m glad you’re here, and I’d love to share how qigong found me.
Movement has been part of my life for a long time: childhood ballet, belly dance, ecstatic dance, yoga. Each one teaches me something about presence in the body. Qigong entered in 2018, on an evening with my brother and a close friend. They were curious about qigong, and my brother shared a video of Mimi Kuo-Deemer’s Eight Brocades. That was enough. I was captivated.
At first, what drew me in was the craft: shapes, transitions, and expression that spoke to work I had already done in other disciplines. What kept me was different. Qigong asked me to meet myself in the moment, without performance. Over time, the forms settled in my body, and I began to feel qi moving through my system: an alive, focused quality that matched what folks describe as “flow.”
Qigong became a way of moving through the world, not just something I did during my personal practice. Teaching felt like a natural next step. At the end of 2021, I offered a weekly session for that same brother and friend. In 2022, I began Holden QiGong’s 200-hour Teacher Certification Program and completed Mimi Kuo-Deemer’s 30-hour training on Qigong and the Chinese Five Elements.
Today, I share these teachings with students online and in person. When someone describes their own experience of qi or how a practice shows up in daily life, I learn alongside them. That back-and-forth is part of what keeps me curious as a teacher.
My background in language education and learning design shapes how I structure classes. It also shows up in how I hold space for my fellow embodied-arts teachers through the Embodied Arts Teacher Circle (a monthly virtual gathering) and through curriculum and learning-design coaching for teachers who want their offerings to be clear, kind, and teachable.
Thank you for stopping by. I hope to see you in class.
I live…
…in the luscious Pacific Northwest, in the countryside outside of Portland, Oregon, US. My partner and I are joined by our doggy, kitty, bunny, and a collection of chickie personalities. When I’m not practicing ‘chicken qigong,’ I’m likely to be found poking around the garden, cooking something up in the kitchen, or continuously discovering the forest around me.
Qualifications
375+ hours of online & in-person qigong instruction
I have been privileged to lead online small group sessions on a weekly basis since January 2022. Beginning in 2024, I began collaborating with various studios, wellness centers, gyms, and natural spaces to bring this revitalizing practice to my local community. I have also had the pleasure of working 1-on-1 with private students in both online and studio settings.
Mimi Kuo-Deemer's 2024 Teacher Mentorship Program
Having followed Mimi since the beginning of my qigong journey, I was delighted to be accepted into her 2024 Teacher Mentorship Program. Participants receive guidance from Mimi each month and connect with their study groups between sessions. (I have been gifted with an amazing study group located across the west coast of the Americas.) Mimi’s (excellent) book Qigong and the Tai Chi Axi serves as the manual. Mimi’s Mentorship Program is certified through the International Guild of Complementary Therapists (IGCT).
Holden QiGong 200-hour Teacher Certification
5 Elements & 3 Treasures: Completed in January 2024
Between May 2022 and January 2024, I completed the 16-module core curriculum for Lee Holden’s Tier 1 Teacher Training, and met the certification requirements, passing both written and practical exams. The foundation of Tier 1 training is built on the 5 Elements with perspectives on Daoist cosmology and includes in-depth studies of the 3 dantians, the 3 forces, and the microcosmic orbit.
Mimi Kuo-Deemer's 30-hour Teacher Training Certificate
Qigong and the Chinese Five Elements: Completed in 2022
Mimi’s immersive course guided participants through the relationships among the Chinese 5 elements/phases, Daoist philosophy, basic anatomical mapping, and the somatic expression of specific qigong forms. In Mimi’s characteristic style, participants were equally nurtured and challenged while being invited to deepen personal practice and present concepts through teaching each other.
Study and mentorship with Rose Allen
Ongoing since early 2020
Seeking out in-person training opportunities, I came upon Rose’s beautiful practice. Having trained in the MogaDao lineage, Rose’s qigong forms have always provided visually robust metaphor and resonant energetic development. I am honored that Rose has made herself available to me when I have had specific questions or wished to dive deeply into her welcoming teaching style.
Online study with Marisa Cranfil’s Yoqi library
Ongoing since early 2019
Early in my qigong journey, I discovered the extensive video library created by Marisa Cranfil. I have found her online instruction to be a friendly companion throughout the seasons of my qigong development. She models strong online instruction characteristics in visually stunning settings.
Beyond Qigong
Study and student performances with Ashley Lopez
Belly dance & yoga (+ various fitness classes): 2007-2019
Rachel Brice’s 8 Elements Level 1 Intensive Belly Dance Training
Completed 2015
Personal Practice: Yoga & Belly Dance
Beginning in 1998
I have had the pleasure of studying with an array of inspiring teachers, including Shahravar, Sedona Soulfire, Vanessa Kuly, Esperanza Hempel, Beverly Bachoo, Heather Powers, and many other talented teachers who have crossed my path.
M.A. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
San Jose State University, completed 2014
B.A. Linguistics
San Jose State University, completed 2010
