What inspires Qi Gong students to pursue the path of teaching? Furthermore, how does Lee’s teacher training program really impact your journey as a Qi Gong practitioner? In the past, we’ve written a few different blog posts about the many wonderful lessons taught throughout the course. After all, there is certainly a lot to discover within the Five Elements and Three Treasures. However, this week we wanted to share the inspiring story of one of Lee’s students-turned-teacher. Through her eyes, we hope to show how transformative and empowering the process can be.
For Dr. Kate DeVarney, her interest in Qi Gong began when she realized that she needed something more in her healing journey.
In 2010, Kate was diagnosed with breast cancer. Like anyone in her position, she found the situation to be one of the most stressful and difficult experiences of her life. She quickly began treatment and spent the next year committed to her recovery. While Kate is a strong and resilient person, she saw that the western medical system was leaving her exhausted and depleted.
During treatment, Kate discovered Lee through a friend who shared his PBS special and started practicing Qi Gong with his popular course: Seven Minutes of Magic. Like many students, she was immediately inspired by how quickly the practice helped her to feel empowered in her own sense of well being. Through Qi Gong, she realized that she could be an important part of her healing process, not just a passive observer. Anyone who’s gone through a serious western medical treatment knows that it can often feel like something that’s happening “to you” rather than something you can participate in. Not only did Qi Gong allow Kate to become truly engaged in her own process of healing, but it also enabled her to heal in ways that western medicine couldn’t support.
After learning from Lee in “Seven Minutes of Magic,” Kate decided she wanted to continue growing with Qi Gong. She soon purchased Lee’s box set, which helped her to build a strong understanding of many of the foundational practices that Lee teaches. As her healing process continued, Qi Gong became a central part of regaining both her physical and emotional energy.
The more she practiced Qi Gong, the more she was able to really tap into her own gifts for self-healing and personal self-care. Not only did Qi Gong help her to overcome cancer, but it also taught her a new way of relating to herself and the world.
In the summer of 2014, Kate decided to enroll in one of Lee’s teacher training programs. Today, when asked about the experience, she recalls: “From the moment it started I was absolutely mesmerized.” She remembers Lee starting with a simple question: “What is Qi Gong?” For most students, there’s something really special about slowing down and examining the practice on a deep and spiritual level. As the course progressed, Kate continued to be inspired by the wisdom and effectiveness of the practices that Lee taught. She also loved the opportunity to connect with other practitioners and gained several friends throughout the course. By the end of the program, Kate was able to stand in front of a class and teach the same practices that she had been following along with from Lee.
Kate loved it so much that she continued on and got her tier two and tier three teacher certifications. Since then, she has also gone back and taken each immersion program several times over the last few years. At a certain point, she realized that others would be greatly benefited by the practices and knowledge that she had gained.
Although many people decide to take teacher training to enhance their own practice, there comes a time when it’s hard to hold back from sharing with others. At first, Kate started teaching through one-on-one lessons and pop-up classes. She really enjoys getting groups of people together to practice because she loves the collective sense of shared energy that Qi Gong can bring. She also loves seeing new students experience their first “AHAH” moment, just like she encountered with Lee. As Kate points out, “it’s just magical” to witness a new practitioner access their own inner power in a completely revolutionary way. Of course, any teacher knows how rewarding it is to see a student take flight with the knowledge you share, and with Qi Gong, there’s so much to inspire with.
Almost ten years after discovering the practice, Kate is now teaching other women how to use Qi Gong as an effective tool to help them cope with cancer. She knows from experience that western medicine can only do so much, and is dedicating herself to sharing her resources and knowledge. For her, it’s important to help others gain access to the same practices that allowed her to rebuild and grow during her own recovery experience.
So far, teaching Qi Gong has been a side project that she’s excited to grow with. Currently, she serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at a biotechnology company in South San Francisco, California. There, she has spent many years working in a high-energy business environment. Although there is a lot that she loves about her career as a neuroscientist, she is now excited to create a life that is focussed on sharing the practices that have had the greatest impact in her own healing journey. Kate is in the process of launching her Qi Gong and Wellness Coaching business called “Her Moxie” in which she works with clients 1:1 and in groups to help them discover and cultivate their innate healing powers and thrive throughout the continuum of cancer care. It’s a special thing to have the tools and resources to truly be able to help others, and being a Qi Gong teacher is an essential part of what she offers.
When asked if she has any advice for others considering taking Lee’s teacher training program, she immediately responds with confidence: “It’s potentially the most important investment you will ever make in yourself!” After spending years as a neuroscientist in the pharmaceutical industry and going through cancer treatment, she believes that nothing can replace the amazing gifts that can be cultivated within each of us. What started as a simple realization of her own inner power, has transformed into a passion for helping others to claim their own gifts for health, healing, and happiness. As a close friend of Lee and the Holden QiGong community, we’re excited to see Kate grow as she continues to inspire others and contribute to our shared vision of a more empowered world.
Click the banner below to find out more about Lee’s teacher training program. Also, if you’re interested in connecting with Kate, feel free to send her an email at [email protected].