Qigong is one aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In Chinese Qi means vitality, or life force, while Gong means to practice, cultivate, or refine.
So qigong is the practice of cultivating your life force or vital energy. It typically involves the use of gentle exercises that combine physical movements, deep breathing, and mental focus directed at certain parts of the body.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
When practicing qigong, you breathe deeply and direct attention to various parts of the body. The direction of attention is one of the most important aspects of qigong and is a characteristic that separates it from general exercise. This process increases the strength and energy in vital organs and the blood. It oxygenates tissues and opens up the body's meridians, the pathways that carry Qi throughout the body. It also balances yin and yang, which are the contracting and expanding energies within the body.
In the simplest qigong exercise, you sit in a relaxed but erect posture. You close your eyes, concentrate your mind on your abdomen, and consciously feel your breath flow in and out of your nostrils. This exercise stimulates the "Lower Dan Tian point," a potent center of healing energy in the body.
Some exercises involve moving the arms, while others are performed in a stationary position. The arm exercises stimulate and open the meridians-typically those affecting the lungs, large intestine, small intestine, and heart-that flow through these areas. This helps to increase and balance energy within these meridians, promoting vitality in these organs.
The best way to learn qigong is by working with a teacher, which allows you to actually see how the routines flow and progress. A teacher should be someone who has learned qigong from a "master" and who is practicing within a "lineage," a traditional school of qigong. One of the best clues is appearance: The teacher should appear to be balanced, calm, and full of energy and clarity. You can also learn from using a video but this is best as a supplement to guided instruction.
WHAT ARE ITS BENENIFITS?
Many exercises in qigong are specifically therapeutic-that is, they effect certain organs or parts of the body, such as the heart or the digestive, respiratory, or reproductive systems. Others are non-specific; they're designed to have an overall effect on the body, promoting health, rejuvenating energy and preventing illness.
SAFETY.
In general, qigong is very safe. If you are pregnant or have a chronic health problem of any kind, however, be sure to consult a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner or your doctor before doing the routines on your own. Also, you should always do qigong at your own pace. Never do an exercise that you feel is too strenuous.
Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright. The information on this website is not intended to replace a consultation with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of the authors. Healing Traditions encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
