Qi Gong

What is Qi Gong?

Chi-gung (qi-gong) is a Chinese practice consisting of many systems of exercise designed to free up the flow of internal energy (chi) in the body. The balance of this energy is the basis of Chinese medicine. The exercises range from being still postures to simple movements to more vigorous exercises such as "zookinesis" (a modern translation of "animal exercises"), which also increases flexibility, mobility of the joints and improves breathing."

Why do Qi Gong?

Qi Gong is a great practice that can increase your longevity, help lose weight, and increase the flow of internal energy in your body thus making it stronger. It improves balance, stamina and flexibility. It has positive effects on the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, immune and central nervous systems. It tends to create smooth skin, and a pleasant feeling of deep warmth within the body. It increases sexual vitality, and allows our sleep-time to be more deep and restorative. Over time, Qi gong practice can reduce or eliminate chronic pain. It also has the power to reverse the aging process, and restore youthfulness.

The abundance of clarified energy and mental stillness generated by Qi gong practice supports great mental clarity, and nourishes both intuition and creativity.

As our intelligence becomes rooted in a connection to the inner body, it widens and deepens in increasingly wonderful ways.

As we deepen in our Qi gong practice, our channels – such as the third-eye – gradually open. We become aware of more subtle realms of Being, and begin to experience, directly, our interconnectedness with All-That-Is.

Basic concepts of Qi Gong

The literal meaning of "Qi gong" is life-force ("Qi") cultivation ("gong"). This term includes a wide variety of Taoist practices which aim to nourish, cultivate, balance and increase our awareness of Qi (also spelled "chi") -- the energy aspect of our body and mind. Some practices include physical movement; others are more exclusively internal - using breath, attention, sound and/or visualization to activate the experience of flowing energy, i.e. "Qi."Here is a short exercise called Buddhist Breathing we have provided for you.

Buddhist breathing

Start out with three or seven long in-and-out breaths, thinking bud- with the in-breath and dho with the out. Keep the meditation syllable as long as the breath. Be clearly aware of each in-and-out breath during this meditation.

Observe the breath as it goes in and out, noticing whether it's comfortable or uncomfortable, broad or narrow, obstructed or free-flowing, fast or slow, short or long, warm or cool. If the breath doesn't feel comfortable, change it until it does. For instance, if breathing in long and out long is uncomfortable, try breathing in short and out short. As soon as you find that your breathing feels comfortable, let this comfortable breath sensation spread to the different parts of the body.

To begin with, inhale the breath sensation at the base of the skull and let it flow all the way down the spine. Then, if you are male, let it spread down your right leg to the sole of your foot, to the ends of your toes, and out into the air. Inhale the breath sensation at the base of the skull again and let it spread down your spine, down your left leg to the ends of your toes and out into the air. (If you are female, begin with the left side first, because the male and female nervous systems are different.)

Then let the breath from the base of the skull spread down over both shoulders, past your elbows and wrists, to the tips of your fingers and out into the air. 

Let the breath at the base of the throat spread down the central nerve at the front of the body, past the lungs and liver, all the way down to the bladder and colon.

Inhale the breath right at the middle of the chest and let it go all the way down to your intestines.

Let all these breath sensations spread so that they connect and flow together, and you'll feel a greatly improved sense of well-being.

Now after you have completed this you are ready for the real deal! Here are two beginner exercises

Beginner Exercises

 Coming soon.......