Nick Loffree: Courses & Retreats

Nick grew up near Toronto, Canada, where as a kid he chased snakes, newts, and turtles in forests and along lakes. He dreamed of becoming a Biologist and sharing his passion for nature by traveling the world filming documentary TV shows. His passion for movement and fitness began at age 12. Motivated by being scrawny, picked on, and terrible at sports, Nick began to pursue kickboxing, strength training, and sports conditioning. Nick's mom, a personal trainer, pilates instructor, and yoga teacher, and ever the encourager, became his first and biggest supporter in these endeavors. His curiosity about eastern philosophy then began in High School, sparked by several mystical experiences brought on by psychedelics . Unfortunately, these substances proved to be a double edged sword, especially when paired with poor nutrition, concussions, social anxiety, depression, and a downwards spiral into other drugs and alcohol. At 17 he was checked into a mental hospital for psychosis, and spent 2 years on anti-psychotic medications. During that time he began to intensely explore the healing potential of meditation, yoga, prayer, and shamanic practices. These explorations gradually gave him the ability to wean off anti-psychotic medications. However, much damage had already been done, and a long list of mental and physical side effects had already become entrenched chronic illnesses. This led him to explore a more physiologic approach to healing, incorporating yoga, nutrition, Chinese herbal medicine, and Qigong. In 2012, at age 22, Nick became a certified Vinyasa Yoga teacher through Eoin Finn's "Blissology Yoga" school in British Columbia. In 2014 he moved to Santa Cruz, California to study with Qigong Master and Chinese Medicine Practitioner Lee Holden. This study turned into a 3 year internship, where Nick was able to shadow Lee both in the classroom and the clinic. He was also fortunate enough to study alongside Lee under visiting Qigong masters from around the world. For the following 3 years, Nick was able to study under many of the world's most renowned Qigong Teachers, such as Robert Peng and Roger Janke, via his teaching position at the 1440 Multiversity campus in the Santa Cruz Mountains. During those years in Santa Cruz, Nick found so much of the healing he was looking for. He discovered in particular the incredible healing potential of traditional Chinese medicine practices, which he synthesized with his continued study and experimentation in modern nutritional and alternative medicine therapies. Eventually, he was able to heal his many chronic health conditions, including eczema, cystic acne, brain fog, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and anxiety, as well as improving his athleticism, mental function, and many other great side benefits to enhancing the energetic potential of the body. Nick went on to become one of the leading Qigong teachers in California. He taught at corporate retreats for almost every major tech company. He taught at mental hospitals, nursing homes, churches, community centers, gyms, yoga studios, sports team conditioning centers, music festivals, and correctional facilities. He co-led retreats for PTSD treatment and prevention for firefighters, law enforcement, and military. Finally, when covid-19 shut down in-person events in 2020, Nick tried his hand at teaching online. Since then, Nick has brought his message of hope and healing to millions of people via YouTube, TikTok, and Podcasting. He has certified hundreds of instructors through his teacher training program, and taught and filmed around the world from Scotland, to Australia, to Japan. Since going online, Nick moved his home base to Boise, Idaho. There he met his wife, Charity, and together they have brought their daughter Meadow Mei into the world. When not editing videos, teaching, or chasing his kiddo around, Nick loves to spend time in the mountains above Boise, snowboarding, snowshoeing, trekking, camping, hot spring dipping, swimming, white water rafting, or in prayer and meditation.