Marisa Cranfill

Marisa Cranfill is the founder of YOQI yoga + qigong. Frequent trips to Asia as a child inspired Marisa to study academically and work there for over 15 years. While living in China and Thailand she received direct transmission from Qigong masters, nuns and healers in both the Buddhist and Taoist traditions. Marisa developed YOQI over years of teaching Yoga and Qigong at meditation retreats. She found that both practices contained key principles and techniques that enhanced the student’s stamina and sensitivity to energy during the long seated meditation sessions. The routines reduced physical pain and gave them more focus and quality of awareness. This became the catalyst to extract a clear and effective program of mindful movement, accessible to everyone, that maintains the integrity of the ancient Yoga and Qigong traditions.

Gene Ching

Gene Ching is a staff writer for YMAA Publication Center. He is a 32nd generation layman disciple of the original Shaolin Temple of China and was the publisher of Kung Fu Tai Chi magazine until it ceased in May 2020. Gene has been writing professionally since 1991, has authored hundreds of martial arts articles. Additionally, he has written over a hundred scripts for martial arts instructional videos.  Gene represented the U.S.A. on the AAU A Team at … More »