Why is qigong popular

There's no doubt that mindfulness and meditation have been proven over and over again to be beneficial for everything from stress relief to sleep. And there's a form of meditation that has been around for thousands of years that you may not be aware of yet, qi gong pronounced chee-gong.

Qi gong, or qigong, is an ancient Chinese practice that involves meditation, controlled breathing, and movement. Qi means energy, and Gong means cultivation or practice. Unlike traditional meditation where you sit still, qi gong involves stretching and some movements and poses that are closely related to Tai Chi. If you're familiar with acupuncture, you may also be familiar with qi, as acupuncture is another modality to balance and regulate the qi or flow of energy in the body.

That's why qi gong is often used in conjunction with other traditional Chinese medicine modalities. Qi gong can be practiced in a group setting or individually. There are classes held across the country although they're slightly more difficult to find than yoga classes you can search for certified teachers on the National Qigong Association website or you can practice at home. There are plenty of available videos and courses online to help you get started.

Most qi gong instructors will take the time to walk you through the simple movements and breathing techniques so you can catch on quickly. Wearing workout clothes or even loose clothing whichever is more comfortable is really the only thing you need to do to prepare for a class. In this internal form of the ancient Chinese healing technique, the aim is to achieve healing from within the body without the help of others. In other words, whenever you practice internal Qigong, you create energy that you channel into your own body to heal it.

External Qigong is a very ancient healing practice that has been used by many healers and masters for centuries. You do so by putting your hands on the person you want to heal. This form is very similar to the concept of Reiki.

Even today, external Qigong is still used in traditional Chinese medicine. By the way: it takes years to become a competent Qigong healer. From a scientific point of view, there is little to no evidence of the effectiveness and actual healing effect of external Qigong. Qigong is especially beneficial for elders, people with chronic illnesses or physical disabilities, or office workers and people in general who have little exercise in their daily lives. Also known as meridians.

In fact, you will find parallels with the chakra teachings. Besides the spiritual benefits, there are scientific sources that confirm a variant of benefits. No matter if you see the benefits of Qigong from a scientific or spiritual point of view: what matters, in the end, is that your mind and body heal and benefit from the practice.

Qigong can be used for the whole body as well as for individual organs. There are exercises and postures you can use to heal specific areas of your body or even focus on specific diseases. Among other things, there are poses that improve your cardiac function, support your liver or protect your lungs from diseases.

Qigong not only helps with injuries, it prevents them. It demonstrably improves your balance, stretches joints and muscles, relieves existing tensions and puts the entire body in a state of relaxation. Since tension and cramps can lead to injuries, Qigong is a good way to stretch and relax your muscles and banish tension.

Qigong also helps the immune system. Studies showed that it stimulates the formation of white blood cell types, which is beneficial for the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system, in turn, is an important component of a strong immune system, since the lymphatic vessels are key transport channels for the immune system, and filter stations for germs and toxins. There is much evidence that stress is harmful to your health.

Just the fact that Qigong is proven to help reduce stress here is the link to the study should be reason enough to practice it regularly. Although Qigong has far more advantages to offer, stress reduction is certainly one of the greatest. The gentle movements focused breathing and standing meditation create a state of relaxation and balance.

This slows down your brain waves and helps your brain relax and reduce stress. Much of the new literature shows that one of the biggest factors of stress is your emotions. Many do sport, which is a solid option for relieving stress, but not for the purpose of balancing your own emotions.

Exactly this is the ingenious thing about Qigong since it combines physical activity with meditation and is therefore not only demanding for the body but assists your mind, as well.

This makes it an ideal companion in the fight against stress. If you need more tips and tricks on how to combat stress, check out our anti-stress article. The natural movements of Qigong help your muscles and joints to improve their blood and oxygen supply.

In this way, they regain their natural flexibility and strength. Effortless strength, as the name implies, comes from within you and without effort. The already existing strength is only activated by natural and comfortable movements so to speak. Like meditation, Qigong helps you dealing with your thoughts. It was also shown to reduce stress, which is a factor that contributes to a better quality of sleep. Find further tips on sleeping here.

There are people for whom it is more difficult to do sports due to their age, physical injuries or limitations. Being bedridden or restricted in movement weakens the muscles and organs after a while. Injuries that are only partially resolved can progressively weaken other parts of the body and set up conditions for major problems in uninjured areas, immediately or over time. Qigong is the basis of the power of the Chinese martial arts, whether kung fu, or the more subtle internal forms, such as tai chi, hsing-i, and ba gua.

This capability is basically derived from the practice of qigong, which develops chi and internal power. Much of the new literature on stress indicates that one of the largest factors in determining stress levels is the emotions. Most physical exercise is at least somewhat useful for relieving anger, but one need only look at the behavior of some top athletes to see that typical physical activity does not necessarily balance the emotions.

The clearing process in chi gung can be used on strongly repressed, as well as on spontaneously over-expressed emotions. Stress-related problems in our society are worsening, so it is urgent to gain the ability to convert the energy of negative and destructive emotions to those that are more positive in nature. The ability to release stress directly through control of the central nervous system is a method par excellence for dealing with burnout.

Sitting too long can weaken your body. This strains your nervous system, which lessens the ability of your mind to remain fully awake and concentrate on meditation or prayers. He found that the monks would easily become distracted and would even fall asleep during meditation. He realized that their sincerity was genuine but their energy was not always up to the task.

Chan Buddhism was later taken to Japan and became the foundation for Zen Buddhism. The purpose of teaching monks chi gung was to provide them with a stable internal body and energy structure to keep them physically comfortable and mentally alert. In the same way, these exercises will help anyone in a sedentary job to be better able to concentrate and stay comfortable when sitting at a desk or computer for hours at a time. Qigong Improves Cardio-pulmonary Function Most people think that aerobic exercise is necessary to strengthen the heart and lungs.

Qigong Improves Vascular Function Western aerobics increase circulation by exercising the heart. The next day I woke up and felt 95 percent healed. My fever was gone. I had so much energy that I went outside after a snow storm to shovel out my car in an attempt to go back to work since I felt great. Another benefit is that due my current living situation I have to stay awake till 2am. So by 11pm when I usually do my evening qigong session I am pooped.

But after I do the qigong I no longer feel that tiredness and I can enjoy the remaining few hours of the night without the previous fatigue. I find from my experience that Sifu Anthony is actually educating people about the benefits of qigong in order to promote this healing art to the level that it deserves to be at in any society or nation. Sifu Anthony writes from his experience with qigong and I recognize the truth of his statements from the results of my qigong practice. For me, yoga was work, qigong is joy.

I havent practiced Qi gong for long only a few weeks to be more exact , while I have been practicing yoga for 13 years. The reason I did not keep going with Qi gong is the lack of physical exercise. With yoga, I feel like I am doing 2 good things in one practice, getting mind and body better. With Qi gong it was only mind.

Correct me if I am wrong, because I would like to try Qi gong again if I can see a way of joining these 2 aspects. I admit I am not the most disciplined person, so having a practice that gives me the best of both worlds means that I only need to force myself to do one thing yoga , instead of two Qi gong and some type of physical exercise. If I remember correctly, you only did the intro class, plus maybe a few classes in my old studio? In any case, yes, there are LOTS of options for your goals.

There are plenty of qigong exercises that count as physical exercise as well. Send me an email if you want to talk privately about options for this. I have an older online program that is no longer available to the public, but might be good for you. Well, Canadians are slow to pick up a new trend. Yoga any type is now in full bloom. The practice of Yoga , as I see it, is for body image.

There is also the attraction of the chakras work with the colourful image of the body with the circles. Classes are full. Where is Qi gong in all this? Also ,may I quote you? People come to try one class Qigong. And do not come back….

I am up against a thick wall of resistance and skepticism even I have students that follow me for years already… Yes, it will take a long time for Qi gong to get popular, but as a large population becomes older and ailing Qi gong maybe the answer. And I do have a problem with some teachers who teach free classes of Qi gong resembling Hard practices and people come away with injuries thinking Qi Gong is just another martial art.

Who are these people teaching qigong like a martial art? I live in Vancouver Canada. She was told it was supposed to be easy. Sadly, there are a lot of poorly trained teachers out there. The same thing happens in yoga, karate, and dance. This is why I believe in having high standards for teacher training.

But one of the most important things I learned from my taichi Sifu David Lau , was the clearing and draining downward into the earth of any tension we might feel. Please tell me your opinion. I value it very much. Hi Vera. The Horse Stance is a traditional way to start qigong. This is how teachers used to weed out the unmotivated students. I think it really depends on the Qigong or Yoga teacher really.

I used to do a variety of tai chi,qigong, and yoga using videos alone for 7 months. When I started practicing Qigong with a master with 30 years of experience I felt like I did not need any of the videos any more. The videos just did not make any sense for any art and if I continued I probably would of ended up injuring myself. Most American Yoga instructors I feel are not authentic to traditional yoga but I believe there are more experienced practitioners in the art.

In this regard I think both arts are equal but a good teacher is required to understand either art. But with the over industrialization of yoga I think true authentic yoga is harder to find than Qigong because I think it is harder to tell apart a good teacher from a bad one.

I practice Yoga and have tried Qigong which I love! Nevertheless, one of the most beautiful things about qigong is that it is meant to be practiced outside. In urban parks around the world, Chinese communities gather early in the morning to practice.

I would love to see Americans embrace this practice. To the person who said she finds yoga easier to do than qigong, I just want to say that might be true for someone who is double jointed, LOL. A chiropractor showed me that I was born with my bottom vertebrae only partially formed and I blame this on never being able to touch my toes when I bend over in spite of having done yoga daily for over 30 years.

I found yoga to be an effort, but qigong to be close to effortless. Of course, in the West we have changed the intention of the Vedic culture where yoga comes from. It was never meant to be used as a stand alone exercise. To do yoga without then meditating seems to me like taking a bath but not using soap. Sifu, to substantiate what you said, here in Vancouver, many malls open their doors 6 am — 9 am?

In the mall closest to where I live, it is jam packed every weekend morning. One has to walk carefully in order to not to bump into exercisers. Please contact me at [email address deleted for safety] I am convinced from effects and benefitis from qui gong, I do have trouble in walking like a ordinary person and speaking , writing is also distubed , Sir kindly let me know that what I have to do to get healed from these deciciencies caused due to Multiple Sclerosis , though progression of the disease has already been stopped Thanks to qui gong moring 7 mintue exercise by Lee Holden and Diet therapy of Natural life style.

Hi Rajinder. I deleted your email address for safety. My students with MS have also seen good results. Both have much to offer. Yoga has in a sense been a victim of its own success.

It has brilliant teachers, and also some who should not be teaching. Yoga is a very diverse modality, and accessible to all, including the old and the ill. Therapeutic yoga, in the right hands, is very effective. In its authentic form yoga is highly spiritual, and postures are but a small aspect of the total picture, which includes breathing, meditation and behavioral codes. Some teachers mix yoga and qi gong principles for a more fluid, energy based practice which also retains the benefits of the classical postures and movements.

To me, this is the most exciting prospect — the best of both worlds. The best fruits of two great civilizations, Indian and Chinese. If so, can you please show me where this message appears in the article?

I would like to edit it to be clearer. People can, and do, practice both arts, including my wife. As for fusion between the arts, my only concern is that the artists doing the fusion are well trained in both arts. For example, I have only dabbled in yoga, and would never presume to start fusing it with qigong. Yes Sifu, in response to your question the article to me appears to be saying here are 16 reasons why qi gong is better than yoga presumably it will be more popular in 16 years because it is more effective?

Which to me reinforced the idea of comparing the two and concluding that one was overall superior. On the other hand, it is possible to incorporate some of the basic practices of qi gong into a yoga routine, not quite fusion but a more focussed use of fluid movement and breathing. The article does, however, argue that qigong is better than yoga for SOME people. And vice versa.

I just want them to get remarkable results. Why not just practice qigong in the morning and yoga in the evening? You should never combine different types of yoga, let alone different arts. This at best produces nonsense, at worst damages the practitioner. When students are doing yoga, they should do yoga. When they are doing quigong, they should do quigong.

The idea that each type of yoga however defined is completely separate is just wrong. It is more accurate to say there is one yoga with a variety of different styles and emphases to suit the particular needs of the practitioner. Many of the best teachers draw from and synthesise different styles. It is surprising that you would dismiss their work as nonsense. The idea that there cannot be cross fertilisation between yoga and qi gong also seems rigidly dogmatic.

By way of example, qi yoga is not fusion, but has developed organically in Japan utilising principles of both. I have only been practising Qigong for some 4 years now and my entire being and sensing has changed dramatically.

From a deep, profound inner feeling I think Qigong could be beneficial even to those who cannot understand nor deeply connect to their inner core. And my standard reply is: do you know about yoga or Tai chi? Well something like that. I thoroughly agree; Qigong will change the course of this world, all in time. Do you mean a developmental or intellectual disability? Generally speaking, I think what matters most is that the teacher is well trained.

A well-trained teacher can handle a wide variety of different situations. Hello Marcel, I am not sure what you mean by mentally disabled. If that means mental retardation or mental illness?

In either case, I can tell you that as a psychologist in a 16 bed unit for the severely mentally ill which also included a few people who also had mental retardation, we taught them qigong 7 days a week and many of them did the forms quite well and gave positive feedback. Early research using Spring Forest Qigong with people with mental illness showed that it decreased their symptoms of depression and anxiety beyond what the researchers were hoping for.

I used to use their progress in qigong as one of the measures for readiness for their discharge back into the community since the before and after behaviors in the qigong group were often amazing to witness.

Dear Sifu, thanks for your reply. What I actually meant was that my clients are born with these disabilities and their grades of disorders vary strongly. Do you have any insight on that? Hi Marcel. Basically, this is an inherited form of energy. Qigong will be a great help, and so will acupuncture and herbal medicine. But you must understand that issues like this are deep, and are thus more challenging to overcome.

Sifu, I am aware that the relaxation you teach is similar to the draining technique I first learned. Qigong is already undergoing the same fate as Yoga and is being taught for amusement and profit or in a useless manner at many drop in centers at hospitals.

Seriously ill people are not told that they must practice for hours daily. I agree that qigong has some challenges ahead of it. In my opinion, practicing hours per day is not always necessary, nor is it even advisable. I see far better results when students focus on quality rather than quantity. Rather than practice qigong for hours, I encourage extremely sick patients to practice 3x per day for about minutes per session — and to keep the quality HIGH. On top of that, they should be getting acupuncture, taking Chinese herbs, or getting other forms of complementary care.

I can recommend it to everybody. However when somebody promisses quick results without defining them you should be warned… Also qigong requires persistance and practice to become proficient!

When using it for specific health issues, find a certified teacher with knowledge on TCM, otherwise there is a chance to do more damage then healing. Best way killing a fine art is hyping it. Did you read my original article here? Or are you commenting on the stolen and bastardized version on the other website? I am a lifetime practitioner and instructor of both. I understand what you intend to mean but I am not sure if this is a suitable saying.

Tai Chi is very high grade and refined Qigong format. If you master Tai Chi you already master the top level Qigong. It wouldnt be called Tai Chi otherwise. They know a bunch of tai chi forms, and little else. Unfortunately, I think this is the norm, at least in America. Can taijiquan be used to cultivate qi? Of course. Also, there are some semantics issues here. I would call that qigong, especially since similar postures are found in several other martial arts.

Thanks for sharing your Qigong knowledge.