Qigong
Qigong (or ‘life-energy cultivation’) has been around in one form or another for over 4,000 years. It encorporates gentle, flowing movements, body-posture, breathing and visualization and is used for increasing health, vitality, and longevity. When comparing Qigong to Tai Chi Chuan, Qigong has been around a lot longer and is used primarily to promote health and to facilitate the movement of Chi throughout the body. While this is true for Tai Chi, this much younger practice was originally created as a method of self defense and all its’ movements contain fighting applications. All Tai Chi is Qigong, but not all Qigong is Tai Chi! Tai Chi is a specific sub-catagory of the larger Qigong practice. Usually Qigong utilizes a series of very gentle, fluid movements that are repeated several times, allowing for the interplay between body, breath and mind.
When teaching, I encorporate a number of Qigong forms, styles and breath techniques. The moves may look simple but when used with the right posture and breath they can be powerful tools for lowering anxiety and building inner strength, confidence and peace.
All Qigong involves three aspects:
1. A posture
2. A breathing technique
3. Mental focus / attention.
There are two catagories of Qigong practice:
1. Active: slow moving movement (known as Wai Dan)
2. Passive (meditative): standing postures and inner movement of the breath. (known as Nei Dan)
What is Qi and what can it be compared to?
Qi (or Chi) is our life force, or vital energy that keeps us alive and moving, without it we would just be a lifeless corpse. It is the thing that gives life to all things wether animal, vegetable or microbial. Throughout history there have been countless names given to it; from Chi, Prana, Ki, Ka, Sahala, Mana, Pneuma, to Wakan, Eloptic Radiation, Para Electricity, Psionic Energy and The Force! Wether seen in a strictly scientific sense as the bodies’ electrical circuitary or on some deeply metaphysical one, in essense we are all talking about the same thing.
While Qi is beyond any concise description there are some examples found in nature that can might help us understand its form and function:
Qi is energy: In the same way that all energy cannot simply originate out of thin air, Qi is created through the transformation and conversion of matter. All Qi is derived from something else.
Qi is like electricity: Electricity moves thru a circuit in a very similar way that Qi moves thru the human body (and indeed all life). It has been long established that the body operates thru a myriad of electric impulses and circulation. We are basically walking batteries with a constant firing of positive and negative electrodes, whether in the muscle or all the way down to the cellular and neurological level.
It is important to realize that while heat may be created thru electricity, that heat is not the electricity itself but merely a side-effect of electricity running thru the system and encountering resistance. In the same way many Qigong practitioners often experience sensations of warmth and heat but this is not actually Qi itself but a byproduct of the Qi being created and flowing thru our system.
Qi is like Water: Water is one of the oldest and greatest symbols of Qi. The circulatory Qi channels within the human body are often compared to the flow of rivers, and reservoirs. When a river becomes blocked its flow will be reduced and will eventually stop all together and become stagnant. Turn off the pump to your fishtank for a few days and you’ll see how quickly it starts to get stinky! Likewise if Qi flow is blocked within our bodies, it will soon become trapped and stagnate, creating sickness, unease and pain.
Like water Qi flows from higher to lower areas of potential. It will always follow the path of least resistance and will tend to try and balance itself out whenever given the opportunity.
When muddy water is allowed to settle, the dirty sediment will eventually move down to the bottom and the clean, clear water will remain on top. If agitated however the mud will once again obscure the clarity of the water. Likewise if Qi is guided and mastered by the mind it will flow smoothly and efficiently. If the mind is agitated the Qi will be disturbed and flow will be obstructed.
