In the simplest form, Qi means energy and Gong means work. Qi Gong is the art of cultivating energy.
It's primarily a set of exercises which have the aim to increase the amount of energy in the body, mind and spirit.
This energy powers up all living parts, enhancing their functioning. This increased energy will further help to process food and air more effectively to help create more blood and nutrients to nourish and protect our physical bodies and calm and stimulate our minds. It will help to preserve cells, slow down ageing and increase general health and well-being.
It's primarily a set of exercises which have the aim to increase the amount of energy in the body, mind and spirit.
This energy powers up all living parts, enhancing their functioning. This increased energy will further help to process food and air more effectively to help create more blood and nutrients to nourish and protect our physical bodies and calm and stimulate our minds. It will help to preserve cells, slow down ageing and increase general health and well-being.
Qi Gong is thousands of years old and forms part of the roots and foundations of Chinese Medicine. One version of its exercises is said to have been brought by Bodhidharma to the Shaolin Monastery in China to strengthen the monks there. Who by sitting still for long hours in meditation in the cold weather, had developed health problems from poor circulation.
The standing and moving postures of Qi Gong alleviated any problems that may have come from seated meditations. It gave them superior energy and allowed them to live longer and have more time to generate spiritual wisdom and energies.
Qi Gong is historically used for three main areas, they are healing, martial arts and spiritual progression.
In medicine it is used to build, heal and manipulate internal energies which control the physical body and mental and emotional welfare.
In martial arts it is used to create power, speed, skill, agility, alertness and strength for combat. It also provides lots of power for superior ability to recuperate from any injuries.
In spirituality it is used to gain control of the mind and then to flood it and the soul with energy to attain wisdom and enlightenment.
The standing and moving postures of Qi Gong alleviated any problems that may have come from seated meditations. It gave them superior energy and allowed them to live longer and have more time to generate spiritual wisdom and energies.
Qi Gong is historically used for three main areas, they are healing, martial arts and spiritual progression.
In medicine it is used to build, heal and manipulate internal energies which control the physical body and mental and emotional welfare.
In martial arts it is used to create power, speed, skill, agility, alertness and strength for combat. It also provides lots of power for superior ability to recuperate from any injuries.
In spirituality it is used to gain control of the mind and then to flood it and the soul with energy to attain wisdom and enlightenment.
In China, it is estimated that up to 160 million Chinese people practice Qi Gong exercises every day. They are usually seen in parks first thing in the morning, before going off to work for the day.
There are many thousands of Qi Gong routines, such as Zhan Zhuang, a group of still postures used to gather energy and also for Shen Gong. Shen Gong is spirit and mind work which is practiced during Qi gong. It is used in areas such as retraining the subconscious mind into more positive and life affirming beliefs. There are also moving postures such as the Ba Duan Jin, which help to stimulate and circulate energy through specific organs and pathways in the body.
By boosting and increasing energy, every single part of the body and mind are enhanced. With more energy, it is easier to think clearly and creatively. Mental capabilities such as concentration, memory, sharpness, thought processing and alertness are all improved. With a calmer, clearer and more stable mind, wisdom and awareness start to flourish. The ego is naturally reduced and the soul begins to take its true position as commander of the human vessel.
Its physical effects are numerous. With extra power in the organs, many weaknesses are brought back to strong activity, thus creating the power to help heal any existing illnesses and problems. As cells are kept healthy and filled with energy, their natural deterioration slows down, which helps in preserving them and slowing down aging.
With stronger organs and more steady blood, nutrients, energy and oxygen reaching the mind, the mood too is stabilized and lifted. Producing a less stressful, calmer and happier life.
In general, Qi Gong simply makes life easier and a whole lot more enjoyable and worth living.
There are many thousands of Qi Gong routines, such as Zhan Zhuang, a group of still postures used to gather energy and also for Shen Gong. Shen Gong is spirit and mind work which is practiced during Qi gong. It is used in areas such as retraining the subconscious mind into more positive and life affirming beliefs. There are also moving postures such as the Ba Duan Jin, which help to stimulate and circulate energy through specific organs and pathways in the body.
By boosting and increasing energy, every single part of the body and mind are enhanced. With more energy, it is easier to think clearly and creatively. Mental capabilities such as concentration, memory, sharpness, thought processing and alertness are all improved. With a calmer, clearer and more stable mind, wisdom and awareness start to flourish. The ego is naturally reduced and the soul begins to take its true position as commander of the human vessel.
Its physical effects are numerous. With extra power in the organs, many weaknesses are brought back to strong activity, thus creating the power to help heal any existing illnesses and problems. As cells are kept healthy and filled with energy, their natural deterioration slows down, which helps in preserving them and slowing down aging.
With stronger organs and more steady blood, nutrients, energy and oxygen reaching the mind, the mood too is stabilized and lifted. Producing a less stressful, calmer and happier life.
In general, Qi Gong simply makes life easier and a whole lot more enjoyable and worth living.
How it works...
Qi Gong charges and generates energy in our bodies through many different ways.
1) For starters there is the breathing technique used while practicing. It is of course complete breathing, using both the lungs and abdomen to inhale, hold and push oxygen through our systems.
Oxygen is energy and as it floods through our bodies and minds, it invigorates every living cell. It additionally allows our bodies to pull extra electrons through the air into them which further encourages and builds a healthy charge in our systems.
2) By using the long strong exhale in our Qi Gong breathing we are also cleansing toxins and carbon from our blood stream, this allows more energy to gather, as less power is required to push nutrients through and carry out functioning in an unpolluted less burdened system.
3) With the right posture, both energy and nutrients can also move and perform more effectively, thus again saving them from being needlessly used up and squandered.
With Qi Gong postures, we are talking about opening up the circulatory system, the lymph system, the nervous system and also the energetic system, throughout the body and particularly along and around the spine.
Qi Gong charges and generates energy in our bodies through many different ways.
1) For starters there is the breathing technique used while practicing. It is of course complete breathing, using both the lungs and abdomen to inhale, hold and push oxygen through our systems.
Oxygen is energy and as it floods through our bodies and minds, it invigorates every living cell. It additionally allows our bodies to pull extra electrons through the air into them which further encourages and builds a healthy charge in our systems.
2) By using the long strong exhale in our Qi Gong breathing we are also cleansing toxins and carbon from our blood stream, this allows more energy to gather, as less power is required to push nutrients through and carry out functioning in an unpolluted less burdened system.
3) With the right posture, both energy and nutrients can also move and perform more effectively, thus again saving them from being needlessly used up and squandered.
With Qi Gong postures, we are talking about opening up the circulatory system, the lymph system, the nervous system and also the energetic system, throughout the body and particularly along and around the spine.
4) Next up, we generate energy through a slight amount of tension as we hold our Qi Gong stance. This is the right amount of resistance to stimulate, strengthen and move our energy, but is not enough to start using it up and weakening it.
When we do normal exercises we start to feel hot as we increase our energy levels to perform whatever workout or activity we are attempting. Unfortunately, by the time the exercise is finished we have pushed ourselves too far and have used up all the energy that was created. This usually ends up leaving us feeling tired and depleted.
However, every time we have a Qi Gong session, we generate a smaller amount of energy, but in this case we keep it. And it slowly over repeated practice starts to accumulate in our bodies. After a time, we have built up enough energy to easily perform all our daily requirements and then also to have a back-up reserve of energy, which can be used anytime we are threatened by external events, such as accidents, attacks by virus and bacteria, stressful situations, or even a particularly hard day’s work and so forth.
5) In yet another way, Qi Gong generates extra energy through controlling the mind and the emotions more efficiently. When our minds are quiet, relaxed and at peace, then the chattering monkey of your subconscious consumes far less energy. Freeing it up and letting the power flow out of the mind and into the body, where it can prop up your organs, allowing them to function more effectively and smoothly.
The more anxious and wound up your mind is, then the more uncontrolled thoughts flow back and forth from the subconscious and more energy will be wasted and burnt up. Particularly damaging are negative emotions which can easily eat up your power and drain you of life. Think of how tired and weak you feel after a shock or after an argument.
By using Qi Gong to quiet the mind and strengthen its ability to control emotions, you will find you have plenty of energy left for it to run better and also to increase health and strength in the rest of the body.
When we do normal exercises we start to feel hot as we increase our energy levels to perform whatever workout or activity we are attempting. Unfortunately, by the time the exercise is finished we have pushed ourselves too far and have used up all the energy that was created. This usually ends up leaving us feeling tired and depleted.
However, every time we have a Qi Gong session, we generate a smaller amount of energy, but in this case we keep it. And it slowly over repeated practice starts to accumulate in our bodies. After a time, we have built up enough energy to easily perform all our daily requirements and then also to have a back-up reserve of energy, which can be used anytime we are threatened by external events, such as accidents, attacks by virus and bacteria, stressful situations, or even a particularly hard day’s work and so forth.
5) In yet another way, Qi Gong generates extra energy through controlling the mind and the emotions more efficiently. When our minds are quiet, relaxed and at peace, then the chattering monkey of your subconscious consumes far less energy. Freeing it up and letting the power flow out of the mind and into the body, where it can prop up your organs, allowing them to function more effectively and smoothly.
The more anxious and wound up your mind is, then the more uncontrolled thoughts flow back and forth from the subconscious and more energy will be wasted and burnt up. Particularly damaging are negative emotions which can easily eat up your power and drain you of life. Think of how tired and weak you feel after a shock or after an argument.
By using Qi Gong to quiet the mind and strengthen its ability to control emotions, you will find you have plenty of energy left for it to run better and also to increase health and strength in the rest of the body.
6) Finally, by removing those negative emotions and using meditations to replace them with positive ones, this will also give you a big energy boost. Think of how brimming with life and energy you are, when you feel happy and things are going well for you. Through Qi Gong you can manipulate the mind to induce this state at all times.
Qi Gong is not difficult to learn, but it does require consistent daily practice for it to work well and for you to achieve all the benefits of it. If you can find a good Qi Gong instructor then it is well worth the effort and is probably one of the best things you can do to not just keep yourself healthy but to also enhance your life and make it much happier.
A search on the internet will probably help you to find a class near where you live, but if you cannot find one then buy some books and instructional videos on learning Qi Gong exercises to get you started.
Qi Gong is not difficult to learn, but it does require consistent daily practice for it to work well and for you to achieve all the benefits of it. If you can find a good Qi Gong instructor then it is well worth the effort and is probably one of the best things you can do to not just keep yourself healthy but to also enhance your life and make it much happier.
A search on the internet will probably help you to find a class near where you live, but if you cannot find one then buy some books and instructional videos on learning Qi Gong exercises to get you started.
