The tao is so obvious it is easily missed, so ordinary it is difficult to
find.
It is the simple source from which thinkers create complicated thinking.
The way is broad and narrow, obvious and hidden, yielding and unforgiving.
The tao's way is not any way.
(Lao
Tzu)
What is qigong?
Qigong is an
umbrella term applied to any exercise that cultivates the flow of
energy
around the body.
Other spellings commonly used - qi gong or chi kung.
It is pronounced 'chee gung'.
Qigong is usually translated as 'breath work' or 'energy work'.
Qi?
The topic of 'qi' is a little controversial.
Although many exponents can demonstrate the effectiveness of qigong
exercises, there is little scientific evidence to explain exactly what
happens to the body when exercised in this way.
The lack of empirical research does not disprove anything. It simply means than our understanding of the phenomenon is limited.
Our school perceives qi as being the energy that fuels your body.
Health
People usually train qigong in order to improve their health.
A committed regime of ongoing qigong training usually transforms your health.
Your body becomes stronger, more mobile, balanced, flexible and supple.
Stamina and awareness improve significantly.
Energy levels are boosted.
Immune system
Your immune system grows stronger.
The common viruses, colds, flus and diseases that are making the rounds often
have little effect upon you.
Instead of a week in bed you have a sore throat and a runny nose for a couple of
days.
Students who train qigong every day seldom experience any of the 'bugs' that are
affecting everyone around them.
Their bodies are stronger and more resilient.
Everyone is different
The effects of qigong differ from person to person.
It depends what you eat, how often you exercise, how well you perform the
qigong.
If your health is bad to start with, you have a lot further to go than somebody
who is already fairly healthy.
Persevere.
General characteristics
Qigong practice usually follows certain guidelines:
Relax the muscles
Remain free in the joints
Use intention, not tension
Start gently, and build-up carefully
Move slowly and smoothly at all times
Do not exceed 70% of your range of motion
Do not close your eyes - remain in the present moment
Do not force a result - pay attention to the process, the means
Different kinds of qigong
Broadly speaking, qigong can be seen as being:
Standing
Moving
Soft
Hard
There are other potential ways of considering qigong but these categories
provide an overview.
Standing
The most common form of qigong is
standing.
This is often referred to as 'standing post', 'standing like a tree' or 'zhan
zhuang'.
Standing qigong simply involves adopting a specific posture and holding it for
an extended duration.
A person usually holds for at least 15 minutes.
Some practitioners may hold for 40 minutes or longer.
There are many variations of hand and foot positions and a wide variety of
stances.
The different postures are believed to affect different energy meridians within
the body.
Each posture exercises different muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments.
The barrier
Beginners sometimes adopt a standing qigong posture and hold it for an
extended period without apparent difficulty.
But they are not relaxed at all.
They are physically and mentally strong enough to endure, but they are not
actually doing qigong.
When you relax, your body will
shake.
This is not contrived or cultivated in any way.
It just occurs when you really relax into your qigong.
Relaxing enough to shake is a barrier that all beginners must pass through.
If a student does not shake, there are always two reasons:
They are not relaxed
They do not practice every day at home
Moving
Moving qigong exercises are straightforward movements designed to
mobilise the joints and build strength.
These exercises can be exceptionally mild. Other exercises can be significantly
demanding.
It is common to start gently and work towards the more powerful exercises.
A common example of moving qigong is 'ba duan jin'. This is widely practiced
throughout the world.
Tai chi could be seen as a form of moving qigong.
However, tai chi is far more than just qigong. It is a martial art and it
contains neigong.
How
Moving qigong utilises the body in a very different way to how we
normally use the body. The larger muscles of the torso and legs do most of the work.
This way of moving was designed to amplify the effect of your actions
whilst reducing the effort involved.
The network of connected body parts creates a relaxed framework of strength.
More...
Qigong 2
Page created 20 January 1998