At the Jade Mountain Chi Nei Tsang internal organs seminar sponsored by the Philippine Academy of Acupuncture, Inc. It was held at the St. Joseph Convent in Quezon City. More than 30 participants attended the workshop, including 2 nuns. The weekend seminar was organized by the indefatigable Janet Paredes, an acupuncturist, officer of PAAI and head of NADA Philippines. She is a certified instructor of the NADA protocol. She graduated from the program at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, NY. She has taught in the US and Germany and is a recognized instructor internationally. She works actively with street kids. The first CNT seminar I taught in the Philippines was in 1998. It was sponsored by an NGO — Acupuncture Therapeutics Research Center (now called INAM). I have taught many seminars in Manila since then — Qigong/Taoyin, Microcosmic Orbit Meditation (with Inner Smile, 3 Breaths and 6 Healing Sounds), Zhan Zhuang, Tai chi and CNT. Many of my students work in disadvantaged urban and rural areas. My childhood friends Romy Liwanag, a minister of the United Methodist Church from Tarlac City, and Sonny Villa, former Philippine ambassador to Thailand and China, attended the seminars in CNT and Tai chi chuan as my guests. I also taught a special seminar for members of NADA Philippines. It is always a pleasure to teach in my country where they do not have many trained instructors like me. Next time I will write about Janet Paredes and her admirable work with street kids as the head of NADA Philippines. She was one of my first students in the Philippines.
