Qigong is part of an ancient Chinese system designed to maximize your physical, emotional and spiritual health. Both a system of exercise and a treatment modality, qigong is a non-invasive form of healing that you can pursue at your own pace. It works as a complement to other alternative forms of healing and to traditional medical practices. Qigong is not a replacement for conventional medical therapies.
History
The study of qi (pronounced "chee"), or energy, in China began as a spiritual practice, according to Jwing-Ming Yang, qigong practitioner and teacher since 1962. In his book "The Essence of Taiji Qigong," Yang notes that the first mention of using qi for health appeared in Lao Zi's seminal study, "Tao Te Jing," written in the 6th century B.C. Various authors, including the Taoist philosopher Zhuang Zi, expanded on Lao Zi's advice on the use of breath to improve the flow of qi and thus health. (Reference 1, page 5)
Features
Today, qigong practitioners use this healing art both as a method of personal training and as a treatment modality to use on others. The second form of qigong is often called "medical" qigong. According to the website of the International Institute of Medical Qigong, practitioners use their ability to feel and manipulate energy to correct the electromagnetic field surrounding the body. (Reference 2) These changes precipitate changes in the physical body itself.
Self-Healing Through Practice
If you want to learn qigong exercises, the best form to practice is whatever is offered by a teacher in your local area. There is no replacement for the hands-on corrections and guidance a teacher can offer you in person. Most qigong instructors use their energy to enhance your workout and correct your qi as you learn, so you benefit in many ways from finding a teacher and studying under him.
Seeking Healing from Others
There are as many forms of medical qigong as there are practitioners. In the documentary "Qigong---Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century," directed by qigong instructor Francesco Garri Garripoli, Master Lao, a 93-year old Chinese "bone setter" manipulates her patients' spines and energy using a stick. (Reference 3) According to the International Institute of Medical Qigong, many practitioners work by moving energy with their hands about a foot away from the client's body. Other forms of energy work that derive from medical qigong include reiki, a Japanese modality, and B.O.S.,or biocomputer operating system, a more recently developed modality that involves energy manipulation similar to qigong. (Reference 4)
Theories/Speculation
According to the Steel Health Centre's online article on B.O.S., the body is surrounded by an electromagnetic energy field that is generated in a similar way to the induction field created when electricity passes through a wire. This field, called the "aura" in some systems and qi in others, has an organizing influence on living tissue. Disruptions in the field cause disruptions to the body's functioning. (Reference 4)
Benefits
Qigong might be of particular benefit to people suffering from chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes or hypertension. Stuart Guterman, director of the Office of Research, Development and Information Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made a statement in 2003 to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee On Health that was posted at the United States Department of Health & Human Services website, noting that patients with chronic illness often receive health care that is fragmented across multiple providers, resulting in confusing and ineffective treatment. (Reference 5) Because qigong teachers and healers work closely with you and your medical and personal histories to facilitate your healing process, qigong can provide you with much-needed continuity as you work with all your health care providers.
References
- "The Essence of Taiji Qigong: The Internal Foundation of Taijiquan;" Jwing-Ming Yang; 1998
- The International Institute of Medical Qigong: Qigong
- Wuji Productions: Qigong---Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century
- Steel Health Centre: What is B.O.S.
- United States Department of Health & Human Services: Testimony
Member Comments
runestone0 August 1
Qigong practice--mainly standing post meditation--helped me immensely in my successful battles with four bouts of supposedly terminal bone lymphoma cancer in the early nineties. It calmed my mind--taking me out of the fight-or-flight syndrome, which pumps adrenal hormones into the system that could interfere with healing. It energized my body at a time when I couldn't do Western exercise such as weight-lifting or jogging--the chemo was too fatiguing. And it empowered my will and reinforced it every day with regular practice. In other words, I contributed to the healing process, instead of just depending solely on the chemo and the doctors. Clear 14 years and still practicing!
Bob Ellal
Author, 'By These Things Live: Chronicles of a Four-Time Cancer Survivor'