National Qigong Association Conference

The National Qigong Association (NQA) would like to introduce the keynote speakers for this year’s conference: Qi=mc² Qigong: Playing With Universal Energy being held at the Oak Ridge Conference Center, Chaska, MN, August 20 through 22.

James O’Dea is a Fellow of the Institute of Noetic Sciences and was until recently its President, he also spent ten years as the Director of the Washington Office of Amnesty International, and spent five years as Executive Director of the Seva Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to international health & development issues in Latin America, Asia, and on American Indian reservations. James founded and co-led with Dr. Judith Thompson an international series of "Compassion and Social Healing" dialogues funded by The Fetzer Institute. Since 2008, James has been a member of the Evolutionary Leaders, a group convened by Deepak Chopra and Diane Williams to unify efforts in support of evolutionary changes in political, economic, ecological, scientific and health and healing arenas.

He lectures all over the world, is engaged in international social healing projects and a Washington-based global systems initiative. He has essays published in numerous magazines and books including KOSMOS ("Slouching Towards Global Transformation"), The Mystery of 2012 (Sounds True), Consciousness and Healing: An Integral Approach to Mind Body Medicine (Elsevier), and Earthrise: The Dawning of a New Civilization in the 21st Century (Goi). He is also working on a book due out Fall 2010 on Luminous Wisdom. Please visit his official website at www.jamesodea.com

Mark Johnson, Qigong (Chi Kung) healer and Tai Chi instructor, started his Chinese studies in 1970 when he joined the I Ching scholar, Khigh Dhiegh at the Taoist Sanctuary in Los Angeles. During his 4 year stay at the Sanctuary, he studied the I Ching, Taoism, Feng Shui, Yang style Tai Ji Chuan and the Chinese language.

In 1974 Mark relocated to Taiwan to study acupuncture. While in residence there, he studied with several famous Taoist Masters. After a year in Taiwan, Mark returned to Malibu, CA where he continued his Taoist training for 8 more years. During that time, he learned 3 Taoist styles of Qigong/Tai Chi, and the 8 Treasures. He also studied advanced I Ching, Feng Shui, and enhanced his natural healing abilities.

In 1982, Mark taught Tai Chi to Francis Ford Coppola and the cast and crew of the movie "The Outsiders." While with them, his Qigong healing abilities were recognized so he was asked to return to do healing for the cast and crew of “Rumble Fish". Mark's students included: Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, Mickey Rourke, and many others.

Since 1983, Mark has founded Integral Qigong Centers in Tulsa, OK, Taos, New Mexico; New York; Vancouver, Canada and in Cuba. He now resides and teaches in the San Francisco bay area. He has been teaching throughout North America for nearly 40 years in a variety of formats: private sessions, on-going community classes, weekend and week long seminars and workshops. He is a certified Tai Chi tournament judge and has worked over 55 tournaments in the past 15 years. He has produced three videos: Tai Chi for Healing, Tai Chi for Women, and Tai Chi for Seniors (the highest selling Tai Chi video in the country). His recently published book, Life Is Divine Play is an inspiring, informative and very funny account of Mark’s unique Qigong training.

He is one of the founders of the National Qigong Association and is presently on the Advisory Council. He lives in Sonoma County, California and is the proud father of his daughter Sita. In his "spare time" he is a pilot and amateur astronomer. For more info visit his website www.chi-kung.com

For complete NQA conference information, including full events schedule, presenter bios, and much, much more, please visit us on the web at www.nqa.org, or you may call 1-888-815-1893, or email info@nqa.org.