To truly understand something, there is value in seeking out its root, or origin, to see where it came from, and then tracing its development to understand why it takes the form that it does now. Qigong practice is so ancient, that its first origins are lost in the mists of time. It arose from a desire to understand and harness the vital living energy known as qi , that flows through all living things.
This concept of vital energy was common to many ancient cultures, with each developing their understanding and application of this concept in different ways.
The Chinese in particular developed a very rich and detailed understanding of the flow of living energy and how to work with it, which each of us can benefit from today. Some of the earliest qigong practices are said to have developed from the shamanistic dances of the common people in the Neolithic era. These Chinese villagers would work hard all day in the fields and rice paddies.
At the end of each day they would be cold, wet, and tired. Not surprisingly, this led to sickness and aches and pains of various sorts. They discovered that if when they came home they danced vigorously, copying the movements of the animals that they observed during the day, instead of just resting, they did not get sick as much. This became a tradition for them, to dance at the end of each day to ward of illness and disease.
As time progressed their understanding of this process grew more refined. They started to notice that certain movements were particularly good for helping with certain kinds of problems, and little by little their knowledge, and theory of the underlying mechanisms developed and became systematized. They started to recognize the way that moving and thinking in different ways directed the life force energy within them. The first known archeological evidence of this type of qigong practice is a piece of Neolithic pottery estimated to be between and years old, which shows a figure of a person in a qigong like posture.
One particularly interesting case is that of Bodhidharma ca. These exercises then went on to become very influential within the Chinese martial arts. Another famous martial artist in Qigong history was the General Yue Fei CE , reputed to have never lost a battle in his long military career, General Yue Fei also developed the Ba Duan Jin, which he used to keep his soldiers healthy and ready for combat.
The Ba Duan Jin is still one of the most famous sets of qigong exercises today — although it is hard to say how closely what is practiced today relates to the original exercises of Yue Fei, as there are very many different versions of this set, and some say that originally there were 12 exercises in the set, rather than the 8 which is common today and implied by the name. While there are many good historical written references documenting the influence the figures above, and many others, had on qigong as it developed over the millenia, much of the development actually occurred behind closed doors — in secret.
For a long time the Chinese practiced the oldest form of intellectual property protection. There were a number of reasons why qigong practices were often kept a secret. The Chinese doctor who had achieved a certain level of success through their use of qigong did not want other doctors to discover their secrets, or they might lose paying customers. The martial artist who had developed their skills to an extraordinary level did not want their opponents to learn their training methods, or their advantage in combat would be lost — and in those times that often meant their life was on the line.
At that point, meditation was imported from India and brought with it, specific standing meditation postures, some moving, some stationary. The blending of traditional Qigong and the practice of Chinese moving and standing meditation brought in the second period which focused on the religious practice and benefits of the art form.
This ended with the rise of the Liang dynasty. With the rise of the Liang dynasty, it was discovered that Qigong could be used for martial purposes. Many different styles flourished based on the theories and principles of Taoist Qigong. At the overthrow of the Qing dynasty in , Chinese Qigong blended with methods from India Prana Yama , Japan Reiki , and other countries to become the broad discipline that it is today. Non-Renewable: The life force energy that you are born with, this type of Qi is also called prenatal or original Qi.
Renewable: This life force energy comes from the food we eat, the air we breathe, nature, and even meditation or mindful exercise. Qigong works toward resetting the body to neutral by releasing blockages in the energy flow. A variety of techniques are used to achieve this.
Through all the different forms of Qigong, these elements are combined and used in different ways. Many times, a lot of our physical pains stem from or are aggravated by stress, both emotional and mental. Practicing qigong helps deal with managing anger, stress, anxiety, depression, and negative thoughts.
Qigong is a spiritual practice as well. The goal is the complete change of the mind, body, and spirit. Feeling and understanding the energy produced by our bodies makes it easier to better understand our thoughts and emotions. Supreme Science Qigong Center helps you become one with the Tao, cultivating the ultimate understanding.
A posture that is natural and relaxed while practicing Qigong is important to allow smooth breathing. It also helps to get the mind into a quiet, calm state.
The most common postures are standing firm in one place with gentle arm movements and breathing combined, conscious walking, moving the hands in time with breath, sitting in a chair upright, or standing. Regulating and being able to quiet the mind is an important discipline that will lead to success. The world will always be busy with many demands on the mind. Being able to settle inside and zone out of those thoughts is both a goal and a benefit of practicing Qigong.
Qigong is a perfect antidote to the effects of current lifestyle trends. This combination has a devastating effect on our bodies and has been shown in countless studies to lead to a plethora of chronic illnesses and mental health issues.
Practicing Qigong retrains the body and mind to truly relax … In this state of calm, the body can heal itself. Many other physical benefits follow the practice of Qigong as a lifestyle including increased strength, stamina, range of motion, and flexibility.
This form of Qigong is an excellent form of self-care for people seeking to live long and healthy lives. After all flowing water never grows stale. This method of Qigong can also teach us to bring Qi-energy to our hands.
This center of this method of Qigong is a straight-forward series of standing meditations. The goal of Yi Quan Qigong is to build Qi-energy in the body and promote a strong connection or root with the energy of the earth. The strong root that we develop through Yi Quan Qigong is what allows us to control our spirits and focus our minds. As acupuncturists, we are always working with energy. Since most of our patients have fallen ill due to a combination of counteractive energies and stagnations, there is a good chance that some of this negativity will be passed on to us.
This potential consequence is the reason why all T. Healing Sounds Qigong will keep our energies flowing so that we never grow stale. Further, the classic texts of ancient China all uphold that most of the skill involved in Acupuncture is related to controlling our spirit and applying our intention to our needling. With regular Yi Quan Qigong practice, we can project our intent more clearly during an acupuncture session.
In closing, the clear mind encouraged by Yi Quan Qigong and the nourished organs brought about by self-care methods like Healing Sounds Qigong will have benefits that extend well beyond our clinics.
After all, cultivating our practices also cultivates our lives. This program contains a concise modern scientific explanation of Qigong using physics and bioelectricity. For more information, please click here. Practitioner with the province of Ontario. He has been involved with Chinese Medicine and has been teaching Qigong for over 20 years.
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