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Patient Information Center... Qi Gong
What Is Qi Gong?
Qigong (pronounced CHEE GONG) is a Chinese
system of physical training, philosophy,
and preventive and therapeutic health care. Qi literally means air, breath
or vital essence. Gong means work, self-discipline, achievement or mastery.
Qigong combines aerobic conditioning, isometrics, isotonic, mediation and
relaxation. Qigong is a discipline whose practice allows us to gain control
over the life force that courses throughout our body. Qigong practice is the
Chinese way of using posture, movement, breathing, meditation, visualization
and conscious intent to cleanse or purify the Qi. Qigong can be
viewed in two categories, internal and external. Internal Qigong is the
practice of Qigong to heal oneself. External Qigong the practitioner must
practice Qigong for several years to develop and store qi this is done for
the purpose of self-healing and healing others through qi emission.
The history of Chinese Qigong can be roughly divided into four periods. We know little about the first period, which is considered to have started when the “Yi Jing†(Book of Changes) was introduced sometime before 1122 B.C., and to have extended until the Han dynasty (206 B.C.) when Buddhism and its mediation methods were imported from India. This infusion brought Qigong practice and meditation into the second period, the religious Qigong era. This period lasted until the Liang dynasty (502-557 A.D.), when it was discovered that Qigong could be used for martial purposes. This was the begging in of the third period that of martial Qigong. Many different martial Qigong styles were created based on the theories and principles of Buddhist and Daoist Qigong. This period lasted until the overthrow o the Qing Dynasty in 1911; from that, point Chinese Qigong training was mixed with Qigong practices from India, Japan, and many other countries.
Internal Qigong is used to help heal your own body. It is a form of psycho-physiological self-regulation. Using Qigong in this way self regulates the Qi of the Body for the purposes of harmonizing our internal energy systems for health enhancement and disease prevention. Using certain movements of the body, the breath, visualizations and the mind, qi is gathered, circulated and stored in the body.
External Qigong, then, is the practice of projecting the practitioners Qi outside the body to another person usually for healing purposes. This method has other names also depending on ones training. It can be considered a form of non-contact therapeutic touch.
Medical Qigong (or External Qigong) is “ the cultivation and deliberate control of a higher form of vital energy.†(Dong & Esser 1990:xi). Medical Qigong involves breathing exercises in combination with meditation. The breathing exercises induce the state of mediation. One is aware of what is going on, but not too aware, fully relaxed but not in a trance.
HOW: In Qigong training the focus is replacing negative images with positive ones, increasing confidence and enhancing the spirit. Eventually, there will be no distractions, depressing thoughts or worries. Through the mediation, one gains feelings of happiness. This in turn stimulates circulation of blood and qi, or life force. If one is ill, over time the body’s functions are thus able to return to normal. If one is not ill, the existing sense of wellness and well-being increases. People of all ages can learn to practice qigong, and so develop and maintain internal vigor and good health. Qigong is least effective against acute illness or medical emergencies. It is more effective for disease prevention and treating chronic conditions or disabilities.
The Chinese have found qigong an effective way to treat substance abuse and obesity. This gentle art improves delivery of oxygen to the body’s cells, reduces stress and improves bowel functioning. Chinese doctors have applied qigong in hospitals and clinics to treat individuals suffering from a variety of ailments. These include allergies, arthritis, asthma, bowel problems, constipation, diabetes, gastritis, gout, headaches, heart disease and hypertension. The list goes on: chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lower back pain, Meniere’s diseases, myopia, obesity, neurasthenia, paralysis induced by external injury, retinopathy (deterioration of the back of the eye), rheumatism, sciatic neuralgia, sleeplessness, stress, torticollis, ulcers, and peripheral vascular disease. Qigong can successfully treat cancer and reduce or eliminate side effects from radiation and chemotherapy. It’s helpful in treating aphasia (loss or impairment of ability to speak), cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and post-stroke syndrome. It is especially useful in treating any kind of chronic pain, and chronic disorders of the digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Qigong increases strength, improves resistance to infectious diseases and premature senility, and helps assure a long life. Practicing qigong can greatly reduce the danger of stroke. It can improve blood sugar levels for diabetics. Because it normalizes the level of sex hormones, it can correct sexual impotence and frigidity. Its stress relieving effects improves one’s sex life, quality and quantity. Practice of Qigong can speed recovery from surgery, and from sports and other injures by up to 50% (McGee with Chow 1994:17-9).
The Chinese have found qigong an effective way to treat substance abuse and obesity. This gentle art improves delivery of oxygen to the body’s cells, reduces stress and improves bowel functioning. Chinese doctors have applied qigong in hospitals and clinics to treat individuals suffering from a variety of ailments. These include allergies, arthritis, asthma, bowel problems, constipation, diabetes, gastritis, gout, headaches, heart disease and hypertension. The list goes on: chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lower back pain, Meniere’s diseases, myopia, obesity, neurasthenia, paralysis induced by external injury, retinopathy (deterioration of the back of the eye), rheumatism, sciatic neuralgia, sleeplessness, stress, torticollis, ulcers, and peripheral vascular disease. Qigong can successfully treat cancer and reduce or eliminate side effects from radiation and chemotherapy. It’s helpful in treating aphasia (loss or impairment of ability to speak), cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and post-stroke syndrome. It is especially useful in treating any kind of chronic pain, and chronic disorders of the digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Qigong increases strength, improves resistance to infectious diseases and premature senility, and helps assure a long life. Practicing qigong can greatly reduce the danger of stroke. It can improve blood sugar levels for diabetics. Because it normalizes the level of sex hormones, it can correct sexual impotence and frigidity. Its stress relieving effects improves one’s sex life, quality and quantity. Practice of Qigong can speed recovery from surgery, and from sports and other injures by up to 50% (McGee with Chow 1994:17-9).
Don’t try to practice qigong completely on your own. Beginners need professional supervision. The patient must be an active partner in the health care process. Because qigong thins blood and increases circulation, women should not practice it during menstruation. If you have internal bleeding, or bleeding after tooth extraction or trauma, avoid qigong exercises until the condition disappears. Avoid exercising if you feel dizzy. Qigong is not for severely disturbed mental patients, pregnant women or people suffering from acute infectious diseases. Do not eat or drink within an hour and a half before a session. Especially avoid alcohol.
Frequently asked questions about Qi Gong... on this page
History
Internal Qigong
External Qigong
Medical Qigong
How it Works
Benefits of Qi Gong
Cautions