Qi Gong Or Chi Kung: How Is It Practiced?
Qigong, also known as chi kung, is an art of Chinese origin that aims to know, apply and optimize the energy of the body, in the sense of traditional Chinese medicine. This is an ancient practice, dating back around 2000 years.
Qigong does with breathing, movement and visualization what traditional Chinese medicine does with acupuncture. This art considers that health goes hand in hand with abundant vital energy, which is called “chi” or “qi”.
This energy must circulate without stagnating or dispersing, while maintaining a balance. Qigong tends to remove any excess or deficit of chi in any part of the body. Only in this way can we achieve good physical and mental health.
The practice of qi gong
Anyone can practice qigong, regardless of age or condition. It is not necessary to be in good physical condition, as this art is based on static postures, dynamic movements, sitting positions, walking and sounds.
Unlike yoga, it is not necessary to have special skills to perform the aforementioned postures. It is also not necessary to have a permanent master to practice qi gong or chi kung. You can learn it and practice it yourself.
It is also governed by the principle of “little and regular”, that is to say a practice of short periods, but regular. Usually, 15 to 30 minutes per day should be spent.
The most common practice of this art begins with a self-massage, followed by joint relaxation. Then come a static pose, a dynamic movement and finally meditation. Most of the movements come from the Taoist tradition. Others are of Buddhist inspiration, and some were created recently.
The benefits of this practice
Qigong seeks to balance the energy of the body: it nourishes and strengthens it. The benefits of this practice become particularly noticeable after three months. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, chi kung:
- Reduces stress. Like tai chi, this practice has very positive effects on reducing stress and anxiety. Chinese medicine associates these emotions with digestive issues, so it will also promote better digestion.
- Strengthens the immune system. The immune system gets stronger when we balance energy, making the body less vulnerable to infections and more serious problems such as cancer. It also helps reduce the side effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
- Helps reduce chronic pain. The practice of Chi Kung helps reduce pain resulting from illnesses such as arthritis or rheumatism. It also relieves all kinds of muscle pain and prevents headaches.
- Strengthens muscle mass. The loss of muscle mass becomes very evident after 40 years. This practice therefore helps to minimize this loss, which is very important for preventing falls in people over 70 years of age.
Qi Gong and traditional Chinese medicine
The Chinese philosophical tradition, traditional medicine of this country, considers that all the phenomena of the universe can be classified into yin and yang. Yin corresponds to the feminine and is associated with cold, rest, enthronement, soft, receptive, fragile and other similar concepts.
Yang, for its part, is related to the masculine. It is associated with heat, movement, strength, active, hardness, etc. Traditional Chinese Medicine also considers that there is an essential energy called chi, which must flow through an energy system made up of a network of meridians.
The circulation of Chi is interrupted or dispersed when the latter is not flowing, that is to say when it stagnates, hence the appearance of a disease. Therefore this medicine aims to make c irculer correctly this energy.
Restoring energy to circulate allows you to find the balance between yin and yang. This is possible through acupuncture, massage, diet, herbal medicine and Qigong.
Our thoughts The concept of Yin and Yang refers to the duality that is present in all natural and human reality. Find out more with this …
