Learning Qigong online has many benefits and may fit your needs perfectly. First, it’s important to note that if you have access to live Qigong classes- you should attend them in person! There is a shared energy in the room when you practice Qigong with others. However, it can be hard to find good, local …
Real Qigong is not complex. There are very few rules, if any. There are no chants to remember and no special level of knowledge or achievement needed. Real Qigong involves the following three things: Relaxation – of the mind, body and spirit. Let go of thoughts, worries, and concepts. Relax. Breathing – Slow, comfortable breathes, long slow …
In our Nei Shi system of Qigong (Art of Looking Inward), we say that Qigong practice is three things: breathing, relaxing and moving. Let’s take a look at relaxing and how to actually accomplish it. First, you can’t actively be part of the relaxing process.
We all love the gentle movements of Qigong. Not only does it provide gentle stretching for our muscles and tendons, but it circulates vital Qi and blood to all areas of the body, re-energizing every cell. In the beginning, the external movements are the easiest to see, and we can sometimes mistakenly think these movements …
I’m sure you have all heard me talk about how important it is to practice Qigong daily. Most Chinese masters will tell you that you must practice a movement or set every day for 100 days (without skipping a single day) in order to begin to obtain the benefits of the practice. While I certainly believe great things happen when …
Qigong is a practice. By definition, a practice is something that you do over and over again to fully understand and master it. Qigong is certainly a practice, in that the more you do it, the more you get in touch with the subtle aspects of your existence. There are some common misunderstandings – very …
How To Properly “Practice” Qigong And Obtain Benefits Read More »
This soup below is like your Qigong practice. The ingredients are simple, common. When the ingredients are high quality, the soup is very high quality. The soup, like your practice,
This is a great question, because Western society does not teach us about Qi growing up, so naturally it is a foreign concept to us. However, if you grew up in Asia, you would understand this concept since Traditional Chinese Medicine uses Qi in it’s proven system of healing and prevention. So, how does one …
This line of thinking will get you in a lot of trouble. What is easy? What is hard? They are really just comparisons, dualistic thoughts that support each other. It’s seemingly a way we can gauge the difficulty level of something, yet, it sets up limits.
“As you become more sensitive to Qi in your Qigong practice, you will become more sensitive to Qi in your everyday life.” Qigong can be translated many ways, but the typical translation is “Energy Cultivation”. When we practice Qigong,
Oftentimes in life, we look to teachers to bestow knowledge upon us. This might work for static knowledge, like history or a language, but Qigong is different. Qigong, being a subtle art, is difficult to teach directly. You must learn the essence of the practice and then work with it yourself to really figure it …
It’s tempting to mistake Qigong Theory for actual practice. There is no substitute for actual practice. In fact, there really is no theory when there is real practice. What’s the secret?
There are many definitions for the practice commonly known as “Qigong”. Actually the term “Qigong” is less than a century old. Throughout it’s long history it has taken on many different Chinese names. Regardless of the name, the core practice has always been the same. Every great book on the subject has addressed in some way what the practice is. …
What is Qigong (and why you should practice it!) Read More »
Qigong is really meant to be practiced with no goal or expectation in mind, after all, when we have expectations, we can become disappointed. Daoism teaches us to release all expectations and to surrender to “The Dao” or the natural flow of things. In reality though, most of us become interested in Qigong because of …
I attended a Daoist gathering a few weeks back and talked with some incredible people. I wanted to share one of the great moments of the event. A Daoist Priest named Liu Ming from Oakland was speaking on the roots of Daoism and methods of Daoist meditation (actually, Daoist meditation is simply sitting and forgetting, …
The subject has come up recently regarding “What results can I expect from consistent practice?”. This is a popular question, and there are many answers to the question.
Qigong is more than just the outward forms that are usually associated with the practice. Real Qigong practice happens inside the body, and involves proper breathing, proper mind state (detached from expectations and results) and the ability to truly relax. The benefits of Qigong are many, but the general practice with the inclusion of specific techniques …
How Does Qigong Facilitate Weight Loss and Digestion? Read More »
What is Qigong? Let’s break down the Chinese word into it’s 2 parts, Qi and Gong. The concept of Qi (pronounced “Chee”) is a Chinese concept that predates written history. It is translated into “life energy” and is present in all things in the universe. Chinese scholars and doctors have had the longest history researching Qi, and have …
The Qigong forms and movements, like martial arts forms, are designed as a framework to teach you how your body’s energy (Qi) works and circulates. In addition, the movements stimulate certain acupuncture points on your body, enhancing Qi flow and removing blockages. These forms can be practiced for the rest of your life and are wonderful …
Ideas of results from our Qigong practice get in the way of real practice. Desires engage the mind and distract us. Let go of those thoughts and simply practice. Now, I know what you might think. “Why practice Qigong if you’re not looking to gain something from it? Isn’t that the point of practicing, to …
Let Go and Forget About “Attaining Something” in practice Read More »
Learning Qigong is a process where simultaneously relax, breathe and do simple movements to circulate energy. Learning to relax is a core part of the practice, and without the relaxation component, Qigong is much less effective. When you relax, you allow energy, blood and other fluids in the body to flow freely. When you are …
I created a technique called “The One Breath”, and it’s something I discovered by exploring Qigong many years ago. At anything in life, you might have a hard time “getting started”. Sometimes tasks overwhelm us, or we are just not in the right mind state to accomplish whatever it is we’re trying to do.
After practicing Qigong, people report they are in a “good state of balance”. It’s more of a feeling than it is something you can describe, but I’ll explain how that actually works, and give you one simple exercise to practice to feel this “coming to balance” that you strive to experience during your practice.
Sometimes when I am having trouble motivating myself for practice, I practice this exercise below. I might be tired mentally or physically, or not have a lot of time, distractions, etc…but still want to get my practice in. This practice is so simple, you literally have no excuse not to practice it.
There are some movements in Qigong that are timeless. These movements appear throughout many different styles of Qigong, and are essential to the practice. When we discover these movements, they are true treasures. Simple, basic, and at the root of all Qigong practice that has ever been created. Your first Qigong movement should be this …
Your First Qigong Movement – The ONE BREATH Technique Read More »
Qigong practice, like all arts, is improved and enhanced through repetition. All art forms have ways of making these repetitive actions fun or interesting to promote further practice. In Qigong, every practice session is different for a number of reasons.
When learning Qigong, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the details of “what moves should I learn”, “am I doing this right”, and “what benefits am I getting”. However, those thoughts all lead you down the wrong path. This is called “goal-oriented practice” and keeps you at a superficial level. You must simplify to …
Many people I talk to are interested in Qigong because they want to reduce the amount of stress in their lives and be more relaxed. And you have good reason to want to reduce your stress – research has shown that 60% – 90% of all illnesses are stress related. Reducing stress not only leads to a happier …