Meet Reyna Lerma

Hi Reyna, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Through my Zhineng Qigong practice, I began to realize how much my thoughts were painting a stressful and anxiety-ridden picture of my life. As I went into meditation – practice by practice, day by day – I started to collect and re-discover the pieces of me that I didn’t even know I had lost. I slowly developed the inner awareness I needed to stay centered, which quieted my mind and revealed a deeper voice. I found that I could rely on that voice for moment-to-moment guidance and slowly began to trust myself more deeply, feeling more sure-footed in what I did and said. As this trust deepened, I began to replace the prime real estate previously taken up by the opinions of others with my own thoughts and beliefs. I saw the opportunity to look at myself anew. No longer did I feel reliant on the love of others to fulfill me. That love was now coming from the depths of my soul. I also noticed that I no longer felt the need to compare myself with others to determine if I was talented enough, attractive enough – to see if I was someone worth loving.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I share my passion for embracing our human potential through my business Present Moment Living®. This name acknowledges that the present moment is all we really have. The present moment contains a myriad of possibilities, and we have the power of choice to choose how to react to what is happening. But the present moment also contains the seed of our intention. And through the practice of Zhineng Qigong, that intention can blossom into reality creating a beautiful life experience regardless of who we are, where we live, and what our life circumstances are.

I was born in Tijuana, Mexico. When I was three months old, my parents immigrated to the United States. Growing up, my parents instilled in me a strong work ethic, discipline, and a deep and lasting appreciation of my Mexican heritage. However, as I entered my youth, I felt a subtle but persistent emptiness. Deep within me, there was discontent that interfered with my innate joy and happiness, and something told me there was more. When I discovered Qigong, everything fell into place. This practice opened me both energetically and physically to new dimensions of myself. The healing journey I experienced through my practice made me realize I had to share with others the techniques and theories that changed my life.

The practice I share is the ancient wisdom of Chinese medicine through the modern system of Qigong called Zhineng Qigong. I have been studying Zhineng Qigong since 2009, have over 5,000 personal practice hours, and have been in retreat with Master Teachers around the world for more than 1,500 hours. I have now shared Zhineng Qigong in the US and Europe and plan to expand my offerings to include additional classes and programs taught in Spanish.

The practice of Zhineng Qigong focuses on aligning the body, heart, and mind through the self-care practices of meditation, fluid movements, chanting/toning, self-massage, and developing focused intention. What moves me the most about this practice is that it is a system based on nature. Every aspect of it – from meditation to chanting to movement – is organically connected to the rhythm of the universe in any one moment. Through this practice, we learn to embody the rhythm of nature with its seasons and cycles through the movement and breath of our bodies, the love and compassion of our hearts, and the thoughts and intention of our minds. We learn that instead of having a knee-jerk reaction to a situation that presents itself, we can use the situation to become clearer about our intention to create the life we want. By aligning with our intention through practice, we strengthen our will, accessing not only the possibility of healing but exploring the power of our human potential.

It is with the intention of nourishing these abilities in others that I hold regular classes, workshops, and retreats as well as private sessions. These events are all available on the website: https://PresentMomentLiving.org.

Because I would like to share the healing and expansion available through Zhineng Qigong with as many people as possible, one of my top priorities has been to make the training affordable. A free 30-minute private session is available to any new student (online or in person). And with a Qi Team Membership, members receive two free online classes per month, and all additional classes are half price. Members also receive private sessions at a 20% discount. A video library is also available.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Discipline
2. Sense of Wonder
3. Bravery

Sense of Wonder. I learned to come to my practice like a child, as if it were the first time, every time. When we are in a state of wonder, we are open. We are easily in the flow, we are humble, and we believe in the possibility of magic! This paves the way to realizing in every moment that life is full of infinite possibilities, and we do not fall into the trap of becoming too analytical and skeptical.

I found that a sense of wonder engaged and opened my heart, and I experienced the childlike joy that came from exploring my world without needing to name, without needing to categorize, and from a place of discovery.

Bravery. As I went deeper into myself through the practice, I began to shed layers of my old self. I was then faced with a choice: cling to the familiar patterns or step into this new moment, this new me. Leaving what is familiar and comfortable, even when it is painful and has proven itself to be dysfunctional, is sometimes easier than living a life empowered.

In order to actually begin to embody this new vibration, to make it part of my life, I needed to come into a new relationship with my environment, with others, and with myself. I needed to jump into the unknown and trust. I needed to be brave. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to experience what my life could be like if I completely embraced the authentic, loving being that I knew I was becoming. Today, I continue to dissolve old patterns and habits that no longer serve me as I come into fuller alignment with myself.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I have worked with many teachers on my path, and for this, I am eternally grateful. From every one of them, I have gained additional insight and information. Working with my students continues to hone my ability to be an effective teacher and share the science of Zhineng Qigong with more and more clarity. The Zhineng Qigong community which spans the globe has been very supportive, and we work together to support this profound healing modality.

My primary teacher, Master Yuantong Liu, has provided me with a living example of the very essence of Zhineng Qigong. He has certainly taught me in the literal sense as I continue to participate in his workshops and retreats. But more importantly, he has modeled for me what it means to embody these core principles.

Master Liu specializes not only in teaching the techniques and theories but also in seeing clearly where you are energetically and how he can support you over time. Through his guidance, I have learned to dispel self-doubt and to trust in my own abilities. I continue to work with Master Liu and have access to his personal guidance – all leading toward exploring the principles and universal laws of living a conscious life. I am grateful.