Qi gong (pronounced chee gung, as in lung), is an ancient Asian method of building and balancing energy. Some call it “meditation in motion.” Its origin is generally believed to be 5,000 years old, but the written history of Qi gong began almost 3,000 years ago in China with the introduction of the "I Ching, the Book of Changes," in which the principles of yin and yang, the female and male energies, are laid out for the first time. Qi gong has as its foundation the merging of those two energies.
Principles
Qi gong seeks to develop the “three treasures of life”: jing (essence), qi (energy) and shen (spirit). If qi gong is practiced correctly and over a long period of time, it becomes a spiritual practice with the very real possibility of building and balancing energy. Each of these three treasures come in two forms, inherited and acquired. Inherited jing is the genetic potential of your physical body. It corresponds to sexual energy. Acquired jing comes from the nutrients we eat and the oxygen we breathe. The goal of practicing qi gong is to conserve jing--to not squander it--and convert this essence into qi.
Breath
Training your breath is one of the most fundamental paths to increased well-being. Qi is sometimes translated as “vital breath.” How we inhale and exhale determines how we think, feel, relate and process information. Therefore, regulating breath is part of the foundation of qi gong, as well as all meditative practices. Considering that your lungs exchange more than 10,000 gallons a day, it becomes apparent that the way you breathe has a significant impact on your quality of life. Chronic fatigue, both physical and mental, is only one effect of shallow breathing. Upper chest breathing signals to the brain to produce fight or flight hormones, and being in a constant state of what essentially is panic has serious health repercussions.
Qi Gong Breathing
The keys to breath regulations, according to the ancient masters, are summarized in three words: slender, silent, and deep. "Slender" means drawing in the breath in a slender, thread-like stream through the nasal passages. "Silent" means the breathing should be soft and easy. Breathing in this way automatically slows the breathing rate (ideally no more than eight breaths per minute) and cultivates a meditative state of tranquility. "Deep" refers to the breath taken way down deep into the abdomen. Concentrating on slowing and deepening will make you into an abdominal breather.
Benefits
The effects of qi gong have been studied at length, and it has been found that blood pressure, blood viscosity, bone density, endocrine gland function, asthma, immune function, a reduction of strokes and more are all among the benefits associated with its practice. In China, qi gong exercises are even prescribed in hospitals. And everybody can do qi gong, including children and the elderly.
Potential
Someone who regularly practices qi gong and wants to experience the full benefit of it will also want to acquire one more skill: the art of mindfulness. Mindfulness is the heart of Buddhist meditation, but according to Dr. Stanley Wilson, Ph.D., author of "Qi Gong for Beginners," you don't need to become a Buddhist to practice it. Mindfulness is a way of waking up to what is really going on inside your own head. It is an awakening without which you will continue to be controlled by emotions, judgments, disturbing thoughts, and fantasies--all consequences of an untrained mind. Regulating the mind with the help of qi gong puts you on the path toward physical and emotional well-being that can become a way of life.
References
- "Qi Gong For Beginners"; Stanley D. Wilson, Ph.D.; 1997
- Dao Clinic: Qi Gong Facts
