Qigong for Health and Wellbeing
Qi (or chi) primarily means air, gas or breath but it is often translated as a metaphysical concept of ‘vital energy’, referring to an energy circulating through the body. A more general definition is universal energy. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts.
Gong (or kung) can be translated as cultivation or work, and other definitions might include practice, service, achievement, skill, mastery, merit, result, or accomplishment, and is often used to mean gongfu (kung fu) in the traditional sense of achievement through great effort. The two words are combined to describe systems to cultivate and balance life energy, especially for health and wellbeing.
The term qigong as currently used was promoted in the late 1940s through the 1950s to refer to a broad range of Chinese self-cultivation exercises, and to emphasize health and scientific approaches, while de-emphasizing spiritual practices, mysticism and elite lineages.
With roots in ancient Chinese culture dating back more than 4,000 years, a wide variety of qigong forms have developed within different segments of Chinese society in traditional Chinese medicine for preventive and curative functions. Traditionally, qigong was taught by master to students through training with an emphasis on meditative practice.
Today, millions of people around the world practice qigong and believe in the benefits of qigong to varying degrees. Those interested in qigong often come from diverse backgrounds and practice it for different reasons, including exercise, preventive medicine, self-healing, alternative medicine, meditation, recreation, relaxation, spirituality and martial arts training.
Qigong is made up of a diverse set of practices that coordinate body, breath, and mind based on Chinese philosophy. Practices include moving and still meditation, massage, chanting, sound meditation, and non-contact treatments, performed in a wide variety of body postures.
Qigong is commonly classified into two foundational categories: 1) dynamic or active qigong (dong gong), with slow flowing movement; and 2) meditative or passive qigong (jing gong), with still positions and inner movement of the breath.
From a therapeutic perspective, qigong can be classified into two systems: 1) internal qigong, which focuses on self-care and self-cultivation, and; 2) external qigong, which involves treatment by a therapist who directs or transmits qi.
As a moving meditation, qigong practice typically coordinates slow stylized movement, deep breathing, and calm mental focus, with visualization of guiding qi through the body. While implementation details vary, generally qigong forms can be characterized as a mix of four types of practice: dynamic, static, meditative, and activities requiring external aids.
- Dynamic practice involves fluid movement, usually carefully choreographed, coordinated with breath and awareness.
- Static practice involves holding postures for sustained periods of time. In some cases this bears resemblance to the practice of Yoga and its continuation in the Buddhist tradition.
- Meditative practice utilizes breath awareness, visualization, mantra, chanting, sound, and focus on philosophical concepts such as qi circulation, aesthetics, or moral values.
- Use of external agents. Many systems of qigong practice include the use of external agents such as ingestion of herbs, massage, physical manipulation, or interaction with other living organisms.
As you might have noticed, Qigong has gotten more popular over the years for it’s spiritual healing and meditative benefits. This is merely an overview for those who may not know what is involved in Qigong training. These days, you can find classes held in park settings as well as in a studio settings so you might want to check it out for yourself, try a class and see how it might benefit you on your personal path.
