Ana’s Journey

My Journey

In summer 2023, my taichiand qigong teacher, a practitioner of over 30 years, told me it was time to start teaching: "Your body has transformed. Teaching will take your practice deeper."

I started my practice during the 2020 lockdown with my traditional school's first online group. I was dealing with chronic pain and looking for something that actually worked. I didn’t realize the depth of my nervous system dysregulation, the root of all my problems. From the very beginning, this practice felt different from anything I'd tried before — choreographed dance, sports, yoga. Qigong was slower and more challenging in ways I didn't expect.

When my teacher suggested I teach in 2023, my life was in transition — separation, job loss. The practice that had helped with chronic pain proved equally effective for managing stress during major life changes. It has become my pillar.

I taught my first class in a park in August 2024. Now I run regular online sessions with a steady group joining from different countries several times a week. I also lead individual practitioners, including those recovering from complex PTSD.

In August 2025, I began studies as a Dance and Movement therapeutic practitioner at Campus Naturalis, the Berlin school for professional education in psychological health. I am now gradually implementing its core principles and techniques in my group and one-on-one sessions, exploring how I can better incorporate the therapeutic approach into my work.