The ancient name for Qigong is Dao Yin. Many Chinese words have several meanings. And in this case Dao means to guide energy and Yin means to lead the lifeforce energy known as Qi (Chi). So practicing this ancient system of movement and healing is an action and a skill.
The movements and meditations of Qigong create a flow of energy that moves this lifeforce to create a connection with your body, heart mind, and spirit to both the material nature in the Earth and the cosmic energies of the Heavens and limitless Universe.
The learning of any skill does not come from reading books about the subject, or watching videos, or attending lectures by even the most knowledgeable masters. The learning is an experiential feeling journey, so the process is quite personal. The benefits are easily experienced in even the first lesson. The pleasant sensations create a feelings of well-being,, relaxation and peace of mind as the Qi circulates. And it can improve physical health as well.
Diseases and physical, mental, or emotional problems, and stress, both mental and physical can, over a period of time manifest as chronic problems or illness. Western medicine can treat these symptoms with drugs, removal or replacing the problem organ, and various other techniques that can cure the problem in a relatively short period of time.
Chinese medicine such as acupuncture, herbal remedies, massage and qigong work by cultivating qi and increasing the flow throughout the body to create balance throughout the organs and systems thereby maintaining good health. This can take time and regular practice to heal the damage or form new patterns of behavior to improve the condition.
Qigong is a practice and knowledge of how it works unfortunately does not guarantee or improve the chances of success. There is an old story about a tourist in New York City who was lost and asked a friendly looking woman on the street: “How can I get to Carnegie Hall?” Her response was: “Practice.”
The good news is that each time you practice it actually feels good and that positive reinforcement makes it a fun and healthy addition to your life rather than another task and responsibility. Why not treat yourself well? As they tell all passengers before every flight, “Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.”
And I want to announce a free weekly Qigong Class every Thursday at the Fairview Library 4:30-5:30pm during the month of January. For information email allen@ashevilleqigong.com.
Leave a Reply