Qigong

Qigong literally means the practice of cultivating life force energy. The word Qi is interpreted as energy or life force. Qi is the same as Universal energy, Prana in Hindi, and Ruach in Hebrew. Gong refers to working at something, or practicing something, which is then cultivated by that practice. The word Qigong is also found written as: Qi gong, Chi Kung or Chi Gung. Qigong is practiced traditionally in China for three different intentions:

• Qigong for martial arts training
• Spiritual Qigong
• Medical Qigong

Qigong for martial arts training builds concentration, force and the ability to manipulate qi.

Spiritual Qigong prepares a person for enlightenment. These practices are more internal.

Medical Qigong is practiced to prevent dis-ease, strengthen the organs, enhance protective qi, calm the mind and heal the body from dis-ease, bringing it into a state of balance. Medical Qigong is not only used for treatment of dis-harmony. It is also useful for longevity and prevention. Preventive treatment is often seen as more important in ancient Chinese philosophy. Traditional Chinese Medicine views health as a balanced state of yin and yang in the mind, body, and spirit, known as Shen.

Medical Qigong is employed to:

• Eliminate or balance excessive negative emotions like anger, grief, worry, and fear, which would harm the body if left untreated.
• Balance external pathogens coming from the environment, such as Cold, Heat, Dryness, and Dampness, to purify the human body.
• Balance a person’s Qi by either increasing their Qi or decreasing the influences of pathogens to counteract the imbalanced condition within the internal organs and channels.
• Regulate and balance the client’s Yin and Yang energy, bringing it back into harmony.
• Relieve pain
• Detoxification
• Correct internal organ dysfunctions
• Strengthen bodily resistance
• Promote circulation of Qi, Blood and Shen

Medical Qigong therapy includes different modalities:

Distance Healing requires the Qigong practitioner to manipulate a client’s Qi by focusing on the energetic properties of the client’s channels, collaterals, and points, as well as internal organs. This is done from a distance of several inches, several feet or even several miles away.

Self-Healing Qigong, also called Qigong Prescriptions and Client Homework, are Qigong exercises. They consist of postures, movements, sound vibrations, and visualizations. They are given to clients by a practitioner. Clients use these Qigong techniques to regulate their own health in support of the treatment, using various lying, sitting, moving and standing postures. The clients may also use meditation techniques or their own spiritual belief system as a healing tool.

Qigong Bodywork Therapy or Energy healing is a soft-tissue regulation technique. It differs from Anmo or Tuina, the Chinese External Bodywork Therapy, in that the practitioner’s hand skims the client’s energy body with a very light touch. The light skimming action is used to dredge the client’s external channel Qi, causing energy to be released from the internal channels themselves which serve as pathways for Qi transference.

Sound Resonation Therapy or sound healing, can be used in Medical Qigong for breaking up energetic stagnations. It requires the practitioner to project sound vibration deep into the client’s tissues. When the resonate sound penetrates the client’s body it causes massive chaotic vibrational patterns that disrupt the body’s normal energetic flow. This energetic disruption softens and liquefies the client’s stagnant Qi and is the primary reason why clients are given healing sound therapy homework prescriptions.

Invisible Needle Therapy involves the visualization of imaginary needles of light being inserted into specific points on the client’s body. This can also be achieved by inserting actual needles into a model of a human being at particular acupoints. This is done with the same intention that one would have in doing an actual acupuncture session on the person’s body. The actual needles or the needles of light are used to stimulate and direct the client’s Qi. Although this sounds very similar to a technique used in voodoo, invisible needle therapy is done to heal without any other confusing intentions.

Shen Gong Therapy offers patients a safe and effective way to rid themselves of years of painful toxic emotions that otherwise can cause mental and physical illness.

Dao Yin Therapy combines breathing techniques with physical movement, and creative visualization to improve the patient’s health. These specific energetic techniques use the knowledge of the body’s internal organ systems as well as internal and external energy fields to:

• Purge: Remove excess conditions, break up stagnations and remove toxins
• Tonify: Strengthen deficient conditions and weak organs
• Regulate: Balance and harmonize the body’s Jing, Qi, Blood, Body Fluids, and Shen

Medical Qigong is often combined with other techniques, such as acupuncture and herbal treatments. in addition, Medical Qigong can include counseling and consulting. Through the conversation, a Qigong practitioner works on clients with his tone, his voice and his energy.

The Medical Qigong classes include energetic anatomy and physiology, diagnosis and symptomology, energetic psychology, Qigong pathology, Medical Qigong therapy, as well as a survey of other related medical modalities. The other related modalities include a comprehensive understanding of herbal medicine, acupuncture therapy, Chinese massage, Asian dietary therapy, and Western Medicine anatomy and physiology.

Medical Qigong Massage

Depending on the strength and direction of hand, the power sinking into the body differs. Consequently some reach only the skin, some to the pulses, muscle and even marrow. The effects of medical Qigong massage have been affirmed by people who have experienced it. They report the relieving of the bones and muscles, detumescence, acesodyne, adjusting dislocation of the joints, and removal of muscle spasms.

Besides massages for healing the body, there are also massages for keeping fit. Kneading the acupoints around eyes can give you good eyesight. Massaging simply and exactly on the three acupoints of head can quickly relax yourself. Massaging the feet, known as reflexology in the west, can reflect the effects on all parts of the human body. The feet have a close relationship with the whole body and are known as the ‘second heart’.