Meet The Teacher Janet Drake - Flow is Life
- taichiandlemons
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
I am really pleased to be launching a new monthly “Meet the Teacher” blog feature, where I
introduce the wonderful Tai Chi and Qigong teachers who are part of our wider community.
These articles are a way of sharing the people behind the practice. Finding out how they found Tai Chi and Qigong, what inspires them, and what they love most about teaching. It’s also a lovely way to help people find classes and teachers locally. I’m delighted that our very first Meet the Teacher feature is Janet Drake of Flow is Life.
About Janet
Hello, I’m Janet Drake. I teach Qigong and lead Forest Bathing sessions in and around Hadleigh, Suffolk.
Qigong and Forest Bathing are both time-honoured practices that invite you to slow down and deepen your connection with the natural world. By doing so, we allow Nature to guide and support our health and wellbeing as we move through life’s ups and downs, just as easily as a river flows from source to ocean.
What and Where Janet Teaches
Janet teaches a variety of Qigong styles and forms in regular weekly classes held in:
Raydon Mondays 6:15–7:30 pm Thursdays 9:15–10:30 am
Burstall Tuesdays 9:15–10:30 am
Sproughton Tuesdays 6:15–7:30 pm
Capel St Mary Thursdays 6:15–7:30 pm
In addition to her weekly classes, Janet also leads three Forest Bathing sessions each month in a beautiful private woodland near Hadleigh, Suffolk.
How did you first discover Qigong, and what drew you to it?
I fell in love with Qigong when I joined an online class at the start of the pandemic. I felt as if I had come home. Over the weeks and months of my own daily practice, I could feel changes in myself that were just so wonderful to accept. After years of learning and teaching dance, yoga, Pilates, and Somatics, I realised that Qigong gave me everything and more for physical, mental, and spiritual health and well-being. In today’s world of mixed messages and information, it also gave me the confidence to make decisions about my own health and life that are right for me.
What made you decide to start teaching rather than just practising?
I was so impressed by the ease and safety of Qigong that I decided to focus on teaching this beautiful practice, so others could enjoy accessing and maintaining their own wellbeing and gain the confidence to take back ownership of their health and lives too. To me, Qigong beautifully weaves together everything I’ve learned about nurturing the body, mind, and spirit. Adding Forest Bathing brings a new dimension to holistic self-care, suitable for everyone, regardless of age or ability.
What keeps you inspired to continue practising and teaching?
Apart from the continual improvements to my own health and life, just seeing the positive changes in my clients after a Qigong class or a Forest Bathing session fills me with so much joy. The downside is the frustration that not everyone does Qigong or Forest Bathing!
What would you say to someone who feels curious but unsure about starting?
We live in a world where there is so much choice around “attaining absolute health and wellbeing”; sadly, many approaches are not all they claim to be. Qigong (and Forest Bathing) is very different from what is considered the norm today, and it can be difficult to explain the how's and whys of the practice. While there are thousands of scientific studies supporting the benefits of Qigong, Tai Chi, and meditation, the only real way to understand these ancient and trusted practices is to experience them.
Join a class or session with an open mind and allow the experience to wash over you. And don’t be put off if the first class doesn’t quite feel right; it may take a few sessions or finding the right teacher or style to discover what truly resonates with you.
Find Out More
Janet Drake–Flow is Life 🌐 www.flowislife.co.uk 📧 janet@flowislife.co.uk 📞07506 350 455
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