Eight Week Qigong Class with Don Leathers, N.D..  Class held on Thursday nights 5:30-7pm at the Moab ARts and REcreation Center.

Sheng Zhen means heavenly gift or unconditional love.  Wuji describes the time before creation, before polar opposites that we have now.  Yuan means original.  This name reflects that this Qigong carries the original esscense of the universe, love.

This is a Qigong class that helps to open the heart and pineal gland.  It is good for the physical body and general health, good for the mind and emotions, and good for the spirit.  These classes cover nine different forms including lying down, sitting, and standing Qigong.  One starts by learning the physical movements, slowly synchronizing the body.  Then one goes deeper by learning the messages of awareness to integrate the mind with the body.  And last, one is guided into a Qigong state.

These classes are open to all ages, beginners as well as advanced.  They are designed to help ease stress, open the heart and help change one's attitude to a positive, joyful expression.  Classes are 1.5 hours lonjg and run in eight week sessions.  There is usually one week off between sessions and classes run through the whole year.  Please visit Phoenix Rising Center Moab http://wwwphoenixrisingmoab.com for more information of Qigong, and internal form of yoga.

Dr. Donald Leathers was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He had an interest in physical health, well being, and sports since the age of twelve. At eighteen years old he started studying martial arts and at twenty three years old he entered into formal study. He started by studying Issynrhu karate (three years), then Hapkido where he obtained his first black belt (five years), then Taiqi, Baqua, Shing-I, and Qigong for four years.

In 186 Don left his career as a mining engineer and went back to school to study naturopathic medicine at National College of naturopathic medicine in Portland, Oregon. During his time at College he continued his study of the internal arts. He spent five years studying Aikido with the Ki Society, started studying Qigong with Dr. Lilly Siou, and later met Master Ron Lew.

Don spent four years studying with Dr. Lilly Siou learning qigong from the Tai Shuan Monastery system of Qigong in China and hands on healing Qigong. He has spent 16 years studying with Master Ron Lew learning a Tibetan form of Qigong, later formulated into the TiAiki system by Master Lew, Steve Frison and Don Leathers.

After graduating from naturopathic college, Don settled into practicing naturopathic medicine and teaching Qigong, Taiqi, and martial arts. In continuing his studies, he obtained a second degree black belt in Hapkido and a fifth degree black sash in the TiAiki system of internal arts.

In 1998 Don met Teacher Li Jun Feng and started to study the Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong form of Qigong. After three years of practice he became involved with the International Sheng Zhen Society by becoming a certified teacher and assisting in setting up an international teacher's training program.

Don has been practicing medicine for fourteen years and teaching for 20 years. He presently resides in Moab, Utah and has co-founded the Phoenix Rising Center with his wife, Catherine Shank. The Phoenix Rising Center offers health and healing services as well as classes in Taiqi, Qigong, martial arts, and teacher training.

http://www.phoenixrisingmoab.com