FACULTY

Jampa Mackenzie Stewart, M.S.O.M., L.Ac., Dipl.Ac. is the founder and director of the Healing Tao Institute. 

Background
Born in Rochester, New York in 1951, Jampa began his training in Zen meditation at age 16. This inspired him to pursue extensive training in Tai Chi Chuan, Shaolin Kung Fu, and Qigong in 1972. In 1981 he was with the first U.S. Delegation to learn the original Chen Style of Tai Chi in China with the world's top masters. He also studied extensively with many other Tai Chi and Qigong masters and with Taoist masters of the Hua Shan and Chang Bai Shan lineages.

Later he trained with many Tibetan Buddhist masters of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages, and was ordained by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in 1986. He emphasizes that his principle teacher was Taoist Master Mantak Chia, who authorized him to teach and heal.

Jampa is a Senior Healing Tao Instructor, certified by the Universal Healing Tao, and is the co-founder of Healing Tao USA. Dr. Stewart also holds a Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College (SWAC) in Santa Fe and has taught Medical Qigong at both SWAC and the Academy of Oriental Medicine in Austin, Texas, where he now resides.

Jampa is also an AOBTA Certified Instructor in Medical Qigong Therapy and Chi Nei Tsang, and a Board Certified Diplomate in Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac. by the National Certification Committee for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Jampa has served as editor and contributing writer for Healing Tao books since 1989, and has collaborated with Chia on several books, including Awaken Healing Light of the Tao (1993) and The Inner Structure of Tai Chi (1996). Dr. Stewart has written several books of his own, including The Life of Gampopa (Snow Lion, 1995) and Foundations of Taoist Practice (1995). He has also written over 40 published articles that have appeared in magazines such as Tantra, Qigong Magazine, Internal Arts, Black Belt, and Tai Chi.

Jampa served as co-chairman of the National Qigong Association (NQA) Medical Qigong Committee and guided them in developing new national standards for Qigong professionals. He is currently on the NQA Board of Directors. He was also a board member of the Texas Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medical Association, founding board member of the Healing Tao Instructors Association and former co-chairman of their Certification Committee.

Articles by Jampa Mackenzie Stewart

Shanti Dechen, C.M.T., is the Director of Healing Tao Institute's Chi Nei Tsang Program.

Background
Shanti is a Certified Senior Chi Nei Tsang Instructor, personally trained by Taoist Master Mantak Chia. She is approved to teach and certify students in Chi Nei Tsang Levels 1-3 and Instructor Level.

A certified massage therapist and health practitioner since 1978, she has assisted Master Chia in Chi Nei Tsang Instructor and Practitioner Training Retreats since 1985. She also served as contributing writer for the book, Chi Nei Tsang: Internal Organs Chi Massage (Huntington: Healing Tao Books, 1990). Her extensive knowledge and background in bodywork and healing have helped to expand and shape the international Chi Nei Tsang curriculum.

Shanti is a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, with over 24 years and 15,000 hours of extensive clinical practice, training and certification in body/mind therapies. Her training and clinical practice includes many modalities of massage (including Deep Tissue), as well as Chi Nei Tsang, Visceral Rejuvenation, Pranic Healing (with Master Choa Kok Sui), Clinical Aroma therapy, Lymphatic Drainage, Acupressure, Craniosacral Therapy, Kinesiology, Polarity Therapy, Five Element Nutrition, Reflexology, Stress Management and meditation.

Shanti is also a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist (Canada), and is the author of a comprehensive distance learning course on Clinical Aromatherapy that is rapidly gaining international attention by both practitioners and schools.

Shanti has a university background in the sciences, and has lectured, written, taught and practiced Chi Nei Tsang and Clinical Aromatherapy throughout the U.S., Canada, Germany, and the Virgin Islands. She brings a warm personal touch to her teaching and clinical practice that, together with her expertise, has earned her the affection and respect of her many students and clients around the world.