About
Sifu
Christine Barbier
One day at work a colleague sent an email asking if anybody was interested in trying out Qigong. This was Martin Hird who was an instructor for the Tse Qigong Centre. He had overheard a conversation between two ladies discussing their health problems and thought that Qigong may help them and so started a class for the work colleagues.
After the while the class moved away from work and others joined. I really did not know what Qigong was and I went along to see if it could help with my chronic stress symptoms. At the end of the first class my mind was very calm and I could remember the exercises to practice them during that first week. The Qigong skill appeared very different from anything else I had tried before. There was the individual attention during the class from Sifu (teacher) Martin. The exercises that he taught looked simple but felt powerful and made me feel better. Another difference from other type of exercises that I tried was the “centre” in Manchester to which the class was attached, the Chinese stories surrounding the exercises and the individual exercise names. This was no ordinary class.
At first I noticed the effects on my physical body:- calmer mind, less tension, more balanced and happier, and satisfaction to keep a long-term commitment without getting bored. Then later, reading the Qi Magazine and the books published by my Sigong (grand teacher), Michael Tse, I discovered the Chinese culture, values and traditions. It was like travelling to a far away country whilst staying at home. Then one day Sifu Martin said that he was moving away from the area and asked me if I would like to carry on our Qigong class. After a period of transition, I was kindly invited to attend an instructor’s course, where I met with more of the Qigong “family”. Teaching has added another dimension to my learning, with students encouraging the process through their questions. I hope that I can help others discover their true level of good health and happiness. In the meantime, I thank Sifu Martin and all in the Qigong family for their welcome, friendliness and support.