Many of us have heard of QiGong (chi gung) as a form of ancient movement practice and mastery of the self. It is a very broad description when you get inside this ancient health practice that was used by monks, warriors, wellness practitioners and the population in general to harness health, vitality and a quality of life. Like all ancient forms of practice, it is heavily steeped in philosophy and health applications, harnessing the healthy body and mind. A practice that over time can get interpreted, specialised, reapplied and even bastardised in so many ways.
Essentially this ancient practice is a harnessing of postural movement, breathing and mediation that helps to cultivate healthy 'QI’ the life essence at the heart of every individual. This is not some magical concept but is heavily rooted inside ancient classical Chinese Medicine and martial arts as that which gives us life, our energy and the essence from which we are able to think, act and be. It’s a big concept. It is a philosophical doctrine that many westerners struggle to grasp in our scientific and evidence based life approach and many dismiss as hocus pocus or anecdotal.
As we see global increase in wellness, health and longevity, more interest in how we can harness better life experience is seeing many people turn to other forms of what we might call exercise and others might call practice. QiGong is one of those ancient forms (such as yoga) that is re-discovering a prominence as we begin to yearn for better, happier and more rounded lifestyles.
There is no denying that we are investing more in our well being and our contentment. UN General Assembly adopted resolution 65/309 Happiness: Towards a Holistic Definition of Development in 2011 and numerous indexes, studies and reports have been issued and discussed at this highest level of diplomacy as a world index for well being and contentment amongst the global population. We are spending more on well being and happiness than we ever have before ($4.7 trillion in 2017 - >50% of global health expenditure) and in this search we are harkening back to age old practices that promote restorative balance, well being and advanced health.
Like Yoga and also its closely related form Tai Chi, QiGong is an ages old form of physical postures and movements that not only provide benefits to the muscles, bones and connective tissue, but also for our mental health, promoting a meditative state that narrows focus, hones our breathing and has a myriad of benefits that promote respiratory, digestive and immune balance.
A Comprehensive Review of Health Benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi published in the US National Library of Medicine states the benefits of QiGong “identified numerous outcomes … including bone health, cardiopulmonary fitness and related biomarkers, physical function, falls prevention and balance, general quality of life and patient reported outcomes, immunity, and psychological factors such as anxiety, depression and self-efficacy.”
There are so many varied forms of the practice that has eluded a definitive singular practice from being the one true form of Qi Gong. In this way it resembles the yogic practice with different schools of the practice aiming to cater for varying purposes of the practice. To briefly summarise, there are 4 main areas of PRACTICE:
Dynamic - a choreographed sequence of postures and positions
Static - held, sustained postures
Meditative - breath awareness, meditation, visualisation and chanting.
External - the use of massage, herbs, digestives to assist in manipiulate qi
Within Practice there are also several FORMS of Qi Gong that have been promoted in both traditional (75) and contemporary (56) practice. These FORMS can be loosely grouped into 5 Chief Forms:
MEDICAL
MARTIAL
SPIRITUAL
INTELLECTUAL
LIFE NOURISHING
Traditionally Qi Gong was passed down through oral means, going from master to student in a lineage of contact. During the 1940’s and 50’s texts were complied in the post Cultural Revolution and Great Leap Forward of Communist China and standardised practices of the regime were introduced as mandatory to the Chinese populace as the recommended form of exercise for health and longevity.
The practicing of Qi Gong has developed from martial arts styles that have widely influenced the concepts of movement and stylistic influences. The Five Animals imagery that is consistent throughout many of the southern styles of martial arts (Tiger, Crane, Leopard, Snake, Dragon) give much of the aesthetic of the Dynamic QI Gong practice. Harnessing physical exertion and execution of movements that challenge the strength of muscles, tensing and loosening them and then in combination of movements being executed wi the breath. This is the active and flowing movement that is so often associated with Qi Gong when seen being practiced.
However this should not outshine the benefits of the meditative practice that focuses on mental focus, meditation and imagery with visualisation. Focusing on harnessing the Qi of the body, centring it and moving to a specific part of the body, or focusing on breathing patterns, sounds, specific ideas, images and concepts. Primarily, it has the purpose of mind-body integration, bringing together emotional and spiritual fulfilment and Qi cultivation as a way to healing. This healing can be self directed or externally directed to another person. In this way it does resemble the practice of REIKI which is a similar concept of healing by harnessing the life energy of one and giving it to another. It is also an effective way to relax the mind and the body.
Likewise the Medical focus of Qi Gong works with Qi and the energy for those who are chronically ill and the general population to promote healing and restorative processes. These movements are usually slower and more gentle in order to restore balance and NOURISH the internal Qi. It is also interesting to note that the medical application of the concept again mirrors other modalities in the transference of qi from one person to another via touch or contact.
The forms are several movements that are practised individually and then repeated, from 3 - 9 times, harnessing and replenishing the Qi in any single one form. Then once this has been achieved you move onto the next form. The number of forms can range from 5 to as many as 64 different forms with as much repetition as needed. In this way practices can vary in time and individual approach as we team these forms with the meditative breathing practice and Qi focus.
When looking at Qi Gong in comparison to other well being health practices there are many subtle differences that should be noted. Next to Tai Chi, Qi Gong appears to be very similar. One of the most subtle differences to note is that the forms (movements and physicality) are not as strict as what they are in Tai Chi. Two practitioners standing next to each other and practicing the same form may not look identical as Qi Gong forms are more flexible in their execution. They cater for an individuals idiosyncratic movement patterns and can even be carried out seated, standing or within a persons movement challenges. In this way it can be very much applied to those who may be incapacitated and struggling with finding a form of practice that they can indeed practice.
Qi Gong and Yoga are very similar in approach and application and both work intrinsically with harnessing the body and mind in synergy and working with life energy to cultivate complete health. Possibly the most obvious difference between the two is the flow of Qi Gong. It does not hold postures for long and indeed focuses on the flow and movement between each form as opposed to holding an 'asana for a period of time to build strength in a single position. QI Gong is not as perhaps as physically challenging as yoga (in certain applications) and the degree of athleticism required is more subdued.
One of the explanations I like in regards to this is that Qi Gong works on the resiliency (combining both strength and flexibility) as part of the one concept. A very subtle difference in the philosophical standpoint of the form. It is worth noting that the Yoga and Qi Gong were developed within the same timeframes (4-5,000 years) and whilst many of the concepts of Ayurvedic (classical Indian) and Chinese Medicine (classical Chinese) were developed independently of each other, there was a lot of crossover between scholars and masters of both forms with sages and yogis travelling to each others regions and partaking in transference of information.
Essentially Qi Gong is directly aimed at that rejuvenating form of exercise that is so vital as part of our balanced approach to health and well being. It can be done in any location and is a very flexible and applicable practice that can overcome those who are perhaps incapacitated or challenged in their physical approach to fitness. As we move towards more integrated physical and mental approaches to our well being, this ancient practice, whilst still burgeoning in the western world will be a valuable adjunct to our health approaches globally.
For more information on Qi Gong in Sydney, visit these websites for more information
https://choyleefut.org/australia/sydney/qigong-beginner-classes
