Instructor
Learning Tai Chi Qi Gong is an internal journey, where others can only point you in the right direction. There are many paths, and everyone has their own speed and method of moving forward.
A good teacher will be able to encourage you with this and make the path a little clearer.
Here is a little more information about myself as an instructor and person.
I have been training in LAMAS Tai Chi Qigong since 1997, when I came across it almost by coincidence (a friend invited me to attend a class with her, but what really convinced me was her offer of making dinner after). The rest is history - I enjoyed it so much I became a regular student, and finally an assistant instructor working under the guidance of my teacher, during his classes.
My main instructors in LAMAS Tai Chi Qi Gong are Senior Instructor Richard Williams (Swindon, UK) and Grandmaster Adrian Lowe (UK and USA), the lineage holder and heir of the style, which goes back to Su Wu, a deputy commander of the imperial guards, diplomat and political envoy who was imprisonned for many years by his enemies and survived by practicing Qi Gong.
In June 2011, I was awarded Master Grade in LAMAS Qigong, completed the instructor training course, and for over fifteen years I have now been teaching regular classes, courses, workshops and private sessions in Tai Chi and Qi Gong.
Picture of Isabelle demonstrating White Crane Brushes Knee
Picture of part of the Great Wall of China, 2018
To further my professional development, I attend regular yearly in-person workshops:
- week-long workshops with Bruce Frantzis (Energy Arts, USA) after training with his student Gio Maschio (UK) to develop the more internal aspects of qigong, neigong and meditation practice (Heaven and Earth form, outer and inner dissolving)
- intensive week-long training courses with He Jinbao (Beijing, China) in Yin Style Bagua Zhang, to focus on the soft internal martial arts, and the twisting and turning aspects of movement and energy (Dragon, Rooster, Bear, Snake, Monkey, Bagua Sword), after regular training with Phil Smith and James Bishop in London
- intensive week-long training with Chen Bing (Vienna, Austria) in Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan after regular training in the UK with Phil Muil and Emma Westlake and in Vienna with Paris Lineas (Laojia Yilu, Single Sabre and Double Sabre), all Chen Bing's direct disciples.
I do not teach any of these styles to date, but have been greatly inspired by all my instructors.
One World Day workshop at Brookes University
Tea Forests in Yunnan, China, 2025
I have made several training and cultural trips to China.
In 2018, I trained at Chen Village in Chen style Tai Chi and standing practice, and visited friends, toured Beijing's Forbidden City, the terracotta army in Xi'An, and Suzhou's famous gardens, including the Humble Administrator's garden.
In 2025, I trained in Huairou, Beijing in Yin Style Bagua including Bagua Sword, and visited friends, Beijing's Summer Palace, and tea forests in Yunnan in the south of China around the area of Pu'er City (after which pu'er tea is named), at the start of the Tea Horse Road.
Bagua Sword - final day photo
Chen Village - the new museum stone laying event
I have also taught at Brookes One World Day, school China Days, given short courses at Queen's and Somerville College, a talk for the Women's Institute, and at a company welfare session, have taught or demonstrated at various Chinese New Year events and country fetes.
Recently, I have been studying the Dao De Jing with Bruce Francis (online course) to further my understanding of some of the theory and practice of Daoist approach to Tai Chi and Qi Gong.
Picture of kung fu students posing
I also teach Tiger Style Kung Fu, which I trained for twenty years. Tiger Kung Fu is an external martial art, and it links in with the five animals taught in LAMAS Qi Gong for internal wellbeing. All these five animals unify into dragon, becoming the yin and yang of the style through the tiger and the dragon.
Generally, the martial aspect of the internal art is only taught as a point of interest in Tai Chi Qi Gong classes. Several students therefore study both the internal Tai Chi Qi Gong, and the external Tiger Kung fu. (To link to Classic Tiger Kung Fu, click here.)
"I've been suffering with both golfer's elbow and tennis elbow for a few months and at times it has been very painful and debilitating in spite of following NHS exercises.
After just one class with Isabelle both my elbows were hugely better and I was again able to do things that I had been struggling with, like picking up a book. Three weeks later and with just a little practice at home my elbows feel almost 100% better. Thank you Isabelle!"
Tennis Ellbow/ Golfer's Elbow (2022)