QIGONG
Qigong is the ancient Chinese art of meditation and physical exercise to promote health, mental well being, martial arts skills and spiritual development. Qigong has been used for centuries as a daily health practice for disease prevention and the improvement and maintenance of health conditions. There are thousands of different types of Qigong systems. Most Qigong systems consist mainly of breathing techniques, moving exercises, massage techniques, still postures and mental training. Qigong is most known for promoting internal energy, healing, stress reduction and extending longevity.
Qigong is an ancient treasure of Chinese Culture. This art has been developed over a 4000-year period. It has all the best features of Chinese Philosophy.
Qigong is very much a technique driven art. One must have discipline and quality instruction in order to maximize results. Qigong must be practiced daily in order to experience benefits. The effects of Qigong are accumulative and one can quickly regress without practicing. One can realize substantial benefits from practicing 20 to 40 minutes a day. However, higher levels of development require much more dedication and effort.
Qigong is a practice, an exercise and a way of life. The way of life associated with Qigong is a combination of effort at bringing mind, body and life forces together to help the practitioner. The training starts with a person’s intention of mind working with their body. This intention is a motivational force that activates all organs and physiological activities of the body to work together for one goal - accumulation of life energy, which we call Qi. By accumulation of Qi, human beings can live longer and their minds can be fully utilized. Perception can then be expanded to other levels, which will enable one to better understand his or her relationship with Heaven and Earth.
In order to do Qigong, we should follow certain guidelines that will enhance the quicker and safer development of Qi.
1. Regulating Consciousness (which the Chinese call Heart).
2. Regulating Qi.
3. Regulating one's body.
Definitions: Regulating means controlling, adjusting, tuning or mixing.
Heart means the total consciousness of the human being.
1. Regulating the Heart is the foundation of Qigong. The regulation of heart (consciousness) means relaxing all awareness without any thinking activities happening inside the mind. Because the thinking process is so natural to us, anything that happens inside our mind means nothing more then just being alive. So, sometimes when we are tense and frustrated, we think of nothing but the frustration and tension and their causes. Instead we should allow our minds to take control. In order to relax our mind, it is essential to have nothing dwell there except one thing - the replacing of all thought with emptiness. This will allow us to relax.
2. Regulating Qi: Usually, when our mind is relaxed, our breathing is also relaxed. However, since we have been living in a conditioned way, sometimes it is hard for us to realize when our breathing is relaxed. Therefore, it is essential for us to have a way to check whether or not our breathing is relaxed. At the same time, if we are not able to relax our minds then relaxing the breath will influence the mind to relax. The way to check breathing is simple. Make sure the breathing is long, gentle and natural while still being comfortable. Sometimes when we are unable to concentrate on the quality of emptiness the best thing to do is to count cycles of inhales and exhales. Count the breath cycles up to ten and then count them down from ten. Do the counting continuously. This will direct the mind into a simple level of consciousness. Once a simple feeling of just existing is achieved then slowly cease counting.
By performing steps 1 and 2 we are already practicing Qigong. However, in order to have the better effect of experiencing Qigong we have to emphasize the form of the body. Therefore step 3 is required.
3. Regulating the body: The physical body is the observable form of human existence. Having the right form is better because it is natural and being natural is always the right form. In other words, during the practice of Qigong, our body is functioning in accordance with nature. The body is relaxed and without tension. During the exercise of Qigong, we should constantly check ourselves. Our mind, body, and Qi should be attuned into one harmonic piece free of tension. Is this relaxation and sense of harmony a natural state, free of ego? If the answer is yes, then we are already in the state of Qigong.
The core skills of Qigong are:
BREATHING TECHNIQUES
Watch a little baby breathe. Notice how their abdomen moves. This is how we want to breathe when practicing Qigong, like a little baby. When inhaling allow the diaphragm muscle to drop fully thereby creating room for the expanding lungs. When exhaling draw the diaphragm muscle upward thereby compressing the lungs. It is very important that you isolate and use only the diaphragm muscles. Do not force the breathing by using the external muscles of the abdomen. The outer movement of the abdomen is an allowing process and not a direct volition. Always breathe through the nose. The breathing should be soft, gentle, even, long, deep, full, light and balanced. Take the same amount of time to inhale as exhale. When exhaling never force the air out. We are not blowing out candles.
EXERCISE ONE
Sit on a stool or edge of a chair. Have only the buttocks in contact with the seat and have the back of the legs exposed. The thighs should be parallel with the floor and the calves should be perpendicular. The back should be straight up and down with the head held high. The chin should be lowered just a bit in order to flatten the back of the neck. Gently touch the tip of the tong to the roof of the mouth. Interlace the thumbs with the back of one hand inside the palm of the other. Lightly place the hands flatly against the area just below the navel. Now practice your deep breathing. Tune into the abdomen. Become aware of its movement when you breathe.
EXERCISE TWO
Remain sitting as in step one. Pull the hands apart and slide them around to the back over the kidney area below the rib cage. Spread the finger with the thumbs pointed downward and the fingertips pointing toward or touching the spine. Open the hands wide and have all the surface of the palms and fingers touching the lower back. Lean forwards a few inches. Now breathe deeply. Tune into the movement of the lower back. Imagine your hands are on a balloon while it is being filled with air. As the balloon expands it stretches across your hand. When the air is released from the balloon it contracts across the hands. This is what you should feel as the skin of your back moves across the hands.
EXERCISE THREE
Sit as described in exercise one. Slide one hand up to the area of the sternum. Leave the other hand at the area just below the navel. Palms flat against torso. Start deep breathing with the breath starting low in the abdomen and expanding upward. At the start of the inhalation allow the area of the abdomen to expand and continue to expand the whole chest cavity. The expansion should move like a wave starting low and rising upward. With your hands, tune into the expansion of the chest cavity. When exhaling contract starting high in the chest and continuing downward to the area just below the navel.
EXERCISE FOUR
Remain sitting as previously described. Place hands flat on the upper chest area with the fingertips on the sternum. Start deep breathing low in the abdomen and expand up to the chest area. Exhale contracting at the top of the chest and continuing downward. With the hands, tune into the expansion and contraction of the chest.
EXERCISE FIVE
This is the most advance exercise. Do not spend time on this one until you have succeeded in expanding the whole chest area while deep breathing. Remain sitting as previously described. Bring both hands up and place the palms pressed flat over the ears. Place the fingertips on the muscle just below the occipital bone of the cranium. Begin deep breathing as taught earlier. You should be able to hear your breathing much more loudly. There are thirteen moveable joints in the cranium. Those joints should move slightly with every breath cycle. With the hands, tune into the expansion and contraction of the cranium.
BASIC SITTING MEDITATION
BASIC MOVING MEDITATION
The purpose of moving Qigong meditation is to promote the free flow of Qi and blood circulation in the body. By understanding how to move in soft and relaxed manner we can become aware of how to release stress and tension in the body. The most important part of moving meditation is to breathe deeply into the movements. Understanding how to properly breathe into the movements is vital in order to maximize benefit. Many moving Qigong meditations are designed to stimulate and nourish specific meridians and organs. Proper technique is required so that unwanted restrictions are avoided while magnifying desired circulation. The intentionality of the mind is used to guide the Qi in conjunction with the movements.
Moving Qigong Exercise: