About QiGong

What is QiGong?

QiGong is a body-mind discipline which main focus is to cultivate and harmonize Qi as it affects mind (心), body (身), and spirit (靈).

Qi has many meanings. It stands for gas, air, breath, smell, weather, manner, spirit and more.

In general, the Chinese word “Qi” (“chi”), is identical in meaning to the Sanskrit word “prana,” and means vital energy or natural force that fills the Universe.

Gong is practice, workout, achievement, merit and skill that requires time and effort to accomplish.

QiGong can be translated as “working with energy”.

Usually we either use energy for our daily tasks and physical activities or fill up depleted energy and recharge it by eating food, relaxing or sleeping. But we rarely “work” with our energy in a conscious and aware state. And why should we be working with something that is hard to see, hear, taste, touch or feel? Well, the answer to this question is because you don’t have to, but… When a fish swims in the ocean, it doesn’t think of how the ocean “works” and is not aware at all of what humans call “water”, but it does its best to stay alive and accomplish its inherited program. A child plays and uses its abundant energy resources and its parents care and is not aware of them until the care and the resources are insufficient for living, similar to a fish which becomes aware of the water only when there is less or no water. The same is true for the majority of people. We “swim” in the invisible ocean of Qi, but we are not aware of it. We enjoy our lives like children. We play. We use the resources of Qi without awareness, until there is not enough. The growing up begins when our resources become insufficient, and we get drained and unhappy. Most of the world is unsatisfied and unhappy now. We are in crisis. We seek a way out. We look for understanding of why things are not working well for us and for others while we work so hard. Should we be more aware and conscious of the “Qi-ocean” we are swimming in?

QiGong comes with explanations and helpful solutions.

In Chinese philosophy, we are all connected to the unlimited source of Qi because we are born in it and “swimming” in it every day. But even though we share the same “Qi ocean”, and all belong to the same species as human beings, we are still unique and stand out individually. When we are in sync with our natural rhythm of Qi flow, we feel stable, healthy, peaceful and safe. We are productive and beneficial for others and self. When we pick an occupation or activities or relationships that our bodies and minds not designed to do, we go against the flow and ourselves. Awareness of the Self is the key for coming back to your natural state of being, and QiGong is the practice that boosts that.

The Qi we use for life is inherited from our parents and daily charged from sunlight, water, food and interaction with the environment, nature, animals, plants and people.

A person is believed to become ill or die when the natural flow of Qi in the body weakens, the Qi becomes diminished or unbalanced. The common causes for the imbalance are negative thinking, stress, trauma, injuries, over-working, sleep-deprivation, poor diet, pollution, weather change, time change and inherited generative problems and etc.

Early signs and symptoms of the blocked Qi include breathing problems, anxiety, body tension, fatigue, headaches, sleep problems, hair loss, hypertension, cold hands and feet, panic attacks, immune system suppression, skin problems and etc.

QiGong practice is focused on bringing Qi back into balance.

You can not bring to balance something you are not aware of. QiGong exercises stimulate your brain in a way that you become perceptive of Qi. When your perception heightens, your awareness of your breathing patterns and lifestyle habits increases. With better awareness, the process of change toward harmony and balance starts.

The History of QiGong is long and interesting.

QiGong exercises were developed more than 4000 years ago and are still working for hundreds of millions of people often creating miraculous natural healings when conventional medicine fails.

QiGong masters cultivated their knowledge of Qi based on thorough observations of nature, its cycles, animals and humans and their relation to a healthy living. The sacred knowledge has been passed from generation to generation.

The traditional QiGong practice involves

Slow or vigorous movements with breathing techniques static QiGong poses and meditations to cleanse, strengthen, circulate, balance and accumulate the life force energy. There are hundreds of forms and styles of QiGong, Chinese, Korean and Japanese (Kiko). QiGong is the basis for deeper and stronger trainings like Tai-Chi(Taiji), Kongfu, DahnMudo, and other forms of Martial Arts.

Medical QiGong is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

It includes gentle energy workouts and healing massage techniques developed to address various ailments or health concerns, mental, physical or emotional. People report on getting relief for aches and chronic pain, anxiety and depression, high blood pressure and migraines. Medical QiGong is uniquely suited to relieving stress, boosting the immune system, and increasing the body’s innate healing abilities. The most dedicated practitioners of QiGong develop an ability to direct Qi with the mind, the hands, or an object, and use it for restoring Qi in the body to address the problem. Some of them have become incredible healers like John Crang with his unique ability to set a fire with bare hands. Medical QiGong is getting more and more popular in the US. It is a way for many to get their own health restored, slow down aging and also to help others. I highly recommend my teacher, Dr. Aihan Kuhn, as a trainer of Medical QiGong. Check her website http://draihankuhn.com/ for certification programs and retreats. If you are interested in supporting QiGong growth in the US, please visit her non-profit organization website Tai Chi Healing and QiGong Institute for Promoting Natural Healing and Prevention. You can learn about the upcoming international events there and maybe give a donation. If you are interested in starting QiGong practice, please visit QiGong. FAQ. page.