What is Qigong?

Qigong is one of the five main branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

• Acupuncture
• Herbs + Moxibustion
• Nutrition
• Qigong
• Tui Na Massage

What does Qigong mean?  
Qigong is made up of two different words; Qi (pronounced chee or chi) means life force energy and flow. Gong (pronounced gung) means skill. So Qigong is the skillful practice of gathering, circulating, and applying life force energy. 

What does Qigong include?

• Physical exercise
• Meditation and visualization
• Breathing exercises

What are the types of Qigong?
There are three main types of Qigong 

• Martial arts Qigong, using and directing Qi for defensive purposes
• Spiritual Qigong, using and directing Qi for enlightenment and alchemy
• Medical Qigong, using and directing Qi for health and wellness

All of these branches work to balance the internal and external energy fields. They also balance and harmonize human energy with the earthly and heavenly energy.

What are the types of Medical Qigong? 

• Exercises - dynamic,such as incorporating stretching, movements, guiding qi with a focus on posture, breath, and intention
• Meditation - static Qigong, traditional and meditative, breathing, concentration, visualization techniques

• Medical healing treatments -  using self regulation therapy (such as prescriptive exercises and meditations), energetic point therapy or ShizHen needle stimulation, and energetic pattern adjustments for tonifying, purging, and circulating qi

What are the goals of Medical Qigong?
The goal of Qigong is to influence and control the energetic flow in the body, to improve immunity, to rid the body of illness, to tonify the internal organ systems.The healing objectives of Qigong are to

• Eliminate the pathogenic factors, such as accumulation of emotions, or external factors from the environment such as invasion of cold, damp, heat, dryness
• Increase or decrease a person’s Qi to counteract the deficient or excess conditions in the body
• Regulate and balance yin and yang energy and bring the body back into internal harmony

What is the history of Qigong? 
Qigong has been around for a long time. In 1980 a 7,000 year old potter vessel was found with the image of a Daoist priest in a meditative qigong posture called the Wuji posture, which may indicate Qigong has been around for 7,000 years. Also, since 168 BCE, the Daoyin Tu or gymnastic charts have been used which shows 44 movement, commentaries, and their therapeutic features. This tells us that Qigong has been around a long, long time.

Is Qigong right for you?

• Qigong is not affiliated with any religious belief system, nor does it conflict with any religious beliefs. It is for everyone and can be done in any position; standing, sitting, laying down,
• Practicing just 10 minutes a day of Qigong will have an immediate and measurable positive effect on your body and mind. It can help everyone and for every age.

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