Qi is the body’s vital life force; it is the formless aspect of life which disappears at death. Often referred to simply as energy, Qi is really much more than our understanding of energy. It can also be perceived of as Light.

The concept of Qi is fundamental to Chinese medical thinking. In fact , ordinary members of Chinese society know and understand the idea of Qi. There is, however, no English word, phrase or even idea that can adequately capture it’s meaning. Although we use vital life force or energy to gain an impression of the Chinese perspective, it still does not fully convey the concept as the character for Qi would to a Chinese person [particularly one educated in classical Chinese]. The character is made of two parts: one part is the character for rice and the other, reflects the notion of steam rising from cooked rice; this combination gives the imagery of something light, etheric and potent coming from nourishing food.

Chinese see everything in the universe, organic and inorganic, as being composed of and defined by Qi. Therefore, everything in the universe is seen to be the result of the movement and changes in Qi. As stated by Ted Kaptchuk in his book “The Web That Has No Weaver”, “Chinese thought does not distinguish between matter and energy [Qi], but we can perhaps think of Qi as ….. energy at the point of materialising.”

Thus, Qi just is and always has been. It is perceived by what it does, and how it functions. Yin-Yang* are expressions of the Qi of anything. So Qi is always seen as being composed of two polarities, continuously moving and adjusting to remain in balance with one another.

*Yin-Yang like Qi cannot easily be explained, however if you think of positive and negative poles of a magnet or electric current you can gain an impression of what is understood by this term. Bear in mind that the original meaning of these words was: Yin – the shady side of a mountain; Yang – the sunny side of a mountain; and these always change according to the position of the sun. This will give you some comprehension of the movement of Qi as well. Nothing is contstant; it can only be defined by its reference to something else.

Western science, which is based primarily on the principles of Newtonian Physics, views energy as an inanimate and impersonal force. The traditional Chinese view is much more aligned with the modern theories of Quantum Physics. Both these systems know that Qi-energy cannot be studied without taking into account the mind’s influence over it. [Chinese Medical Qigong Theory, by Dr J. Johnson].

Now this last point is vitally important because it brings us into direct relationship with our own Qi-energy, and to the first most important rule or principle of Chinese medical philosophy, which is:

Qi controls the body and mind controls the Qi.

I have seen the video quoted here presented by Gregg Braden in Sydney a couple of years ago. The following description of this video taken from Gregg’s book, The Isiah Effect, came to me by email from Mary Robertson Reynolds ~ whose websites www.YouAreLoveMovie.com and www.YouAreLightMovie.com are like visual Qi Gong!!

Chapter 4 – Medicineless miracles

“The video tape we were learning from had been recorded at the Huaxia Zhineng Qigong clinic and Training Center, the “medicineless hospital” in the city of Qinhuangdao, China. The footage began by showing a female patient lying on her back in the clinical setting. She appeared to be fully awake and conscious, not anesthetized, and there were no indications that an anesthetic would be used. The woman was loosely clothed, and her shirt had been modestly drawn up to expose her lower abdomen. In the lights of the video and the hospital room, her stomach glistened with the preparatory gel that appeared shiny and wet. Seated to the patient’s right, the nurse practitioner moved an ultrasound wand across the taut, smooth surface of the woman’s stomach.

Directly behind the patient were three male practitioners. Dressed in white medical jackets, they were standing only inches from her side. The men appeared to be very focused standing quietly near her upper body. One of the men began a motion with his hands, silently moving them through the air above the woman’s face and chest.

The video next showed the ultrasound image, allowing us to peer into the woman’s bladder during the procedure. The lining and curvature were clearly present. In this image, something else began to appear, something that should not have been there. ‘You are looking at a bladder cancer,’ our instructor explained, ‘a tumor approximately three inches in diameter inside the woman’s bladder.’

We were seeing the tumor as it actually appeared in the moment, captured by the ultrasound wand. The camera zoomed in on the screen as we witnessed an event for which Western science has no explanation. Anticipating what was about to happen, our room became very still. Even the old folding chairs stopped squeaking while our group watched, in awe, as the miracle unfolded before our eyes.

While the nurse continued to monitor the event through the ultra sound, the three men standing behind the patient worked together. In unison, they participated in a mode of healing that has been known for centuries. The only sound that betrayed the process was coming from the men themselves. They repeated a single word again and again, a word that became louder and more intense as the healing progressed. Loosely translated into English, they were saying, ‘already gone, already accomplished.’

The shift began slowly, almost indiscernibly. The cancerous form began to quiver, as if responding to some unseen force. As the movement continued, with the rest of the image in perfect focus, the entire mass began to fade from view. Within seconds, the tumor appeared to melt before our eyes. In only two minutes and forty seconds, the tumor was gone. It had simply disappeared! A healing had occurred, one so complete that the ultrasound did not even indicate scarring in the tissue that the tumor had invaded. The patient, still awake and conscious, appeared to be relieved by what she heard in the room. The nurse and the three men conferred among themselves, then nodded in agreement; their process had been successful. Politely, each bowed from the waist and softly clapped his hands, acknowledging their accomplishment.

At first, our conference room was silent. Then I heard sighs that gave way to gasps and cheers for what we had witnessed. What had just happened? How had a cancerous tumor, three inches in diameter, disappeared from inside the woman’s body without even the tell-tale scars of such a condition, in a matter of minutes?”

The thing to understand about this apparent miracle is that it only occurred because the group’s focus was on feeling and envisioning healthy cells and being unattached to the outcome [~ collectively holding the vision of healthy bladder cells whilst directing Qi from their hands over her abdomen in the vicinity of the tumor]. I witnessed similar treatments in Hangzhou at the Zhejiang TCM Research Institute [without the ultrasound] and without the intensity of focus, as usually it was only one practitioner and many patients! Nonetheless it was impressive. One Qi Going doctor told us that his treatments worked because his Qi was very strong [he trained Qi Gong 4 hours every day] and his patients’ Qi was very weak and therefore more easily able to be regulated by his. He only worked 4 hours a day too.

This is the essence of Qi Gong Mind-Body balance ~ that anything not in harmony with natural balance simply disintegrates or is transformed into pure Qi. For this to be able to occur it is necessary for your mind to be able to single-mindedly focus while your heart and feeling centre unconditionally release attachment to a particular outcome.

Again, doing your Qi Gong program every day serves to focus your mind while at the same time develop your Qi so that it has more strength both for your own health and healing as well as for your ability to apply it to whatever you are focusing on. Whether making dinner, doing the washing or giving healing it makes no difference ~ mental focus and the power of your Qi will keep you in the flow and your task will also flow.

Begin by standing as above with your tongue on the roof of your mouth and your arms by your sides. Turn your hands so that the palms face in toward the body and breathe slowly and deeply. Now think about how a pendulum swings – it moves through an arc, swinging effortlessly. Your arms are the pendulums; begin to let them swing back and forward, keeping elbows straight but not locked tight. Allow your arms to swing forward and back an equal distance feeling the rhythm and momentum of the swing take on its own life without you really having to make your arms move.

Having achieved this, keep the momentum going and just think about your hands. The Chinese say “put your mind in your hands”. This is important as it helps free up your mind and your shoulders, because where your mind goes your Qi flows. So putting your mind in your hands draws any stuck or blocked energy around your shoulders, neck and head down your arms and into your hands. You can even imagine that this energy is flowing out of your fingers if you wish.

Continue this for five minutes. Then imagining how a pendulum slows down to stop simply allow the movement of your arms to slow down, all the while still keeping your mind in your hands. Notice how your hands are feeling – they may be pulsing, feel big or tingle, whatever you feel, this is your Qi. When the movement seems to have completely stopped bring your hands to the lower abdomen as before and feel the Qi from your hands merge with your lower abdomen. This area is the key Qi storage centre in the body, so allow yourself some time to stand and let the Qi settle.

This Qi Gong exercise helps free the neck and shoulder area from stress and tension. It stills the mind and is good to do before going to bed if you are having difficulty sleeping. It activates the Qi of the lungs, heart, liver and spleen, generally helping to improve the function of these organs.

Together these Qi Gong exercises, when done regularly, will help your body and mind to come back to or maintain a state of balance.

Have you ever watched a baby breathing – their belly rises and falls as they breathe in and out. This is what the Chinese consider to be our natural breath and this is how we breathe in Qi Gong.

While standing as above place your hands over your lower abdomen just below your belly button – women place right hand over left and men opposite. Begin to breathe in while expanding your lower abdomen, feel your hands being pushed outwards, then as you breathe out let your abdomen relax and gently contract inwards. Breathe in and out through your nose; do not force your breath keep it natural. Continue to breathe in this fashion throughout the whole exercise.

Connecting the Small Heavenly Cycle

While standing and breathing as above, place your tongue onto the roof of your mouth, just wherever it feels comfortable. This action acts like a switch to connect two meridians: Ren Mai [Conception Vessel] which travels from the base of the body up the centre-line to the bottom lip; and Du Mai [Governing Vessel] which emerges from the same point at the base of the body and travels up the spine, over the head and ends at the top lip. During the practise of QI Gong you will activate the movement of Qi through these meridians and cause these two meridians to merge and flow as a cycle around the body.

Holding the Ball to Strengthen the Body and Cultivate Qi

This first exercise is very powerful and while it may seem quite simple, just try to do it for 5 minutes and then think about how simple it is! There is a saying in Taoist philosophy, “Do nothing and everything is done”. In this exercise apparently you are doing nothing, but as you will soon discover there is a lot going on – inside!

Part 1: Begin by standing and breathing as above, with your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Now slightly bend your knees, as if you are resting your bottom on the edge of a bench. Your knees must be in line with your toes; tilt your hips slightly back and your bottom slightly forward. This should cause your lower back to relax. Your back is straight and your head upright.

Part 2: Gently raise your arms up in front of you as if they are holding a big ball that fits between your hands and chest. The palms of your hands face your chest and your elbows are dropped down slightly. Your arms and shoulders must be completely relaxed. If it helps you may imagine that your elbows are resting on big balloons and that your arms are being held up by helium-filled balloons, also that you are sitting on a big ball.

By this time, if this is new to you, your thighs should be starting to ache and if not then you are not bending them enough, so sit down a little further. This is the most important part of this exercise as it is this posture that actually helps to generate Qi. You may also be starting to sweat slightly and you should be feeling your heart and pulse rate increase. Now your arms will start to ache too and here comes the next most important part of the exercise – ignore the pain and keep breathing slowly and deeply, at least for a couple of minutes because you see this is where you also get to train your mind.

If you give in to your mind saying “this is too hard”, “I’m in pain”, “this hurts” and you stop, then you will never cultivate your Qi. Given that you have no physical disability that prevents you from doing these movements [or postures] then in time the pain will decrease just like any sport or exercise as your muscles gets used to it. Begin with just a minute or two a day, slowly building it up to 10 minutes and eventually to 20 minutes. Try to do it without any external distraction, like music or tv or radio. Simply focus on your breathing and the benefit you are giving your body.

To finish, gently lower your arms and slowly straighten your legs, place your hands over your lower abdomen as above, continue to breathe slowly and deeply while mentally scanning your body for areas of tension. Keep your mind on those areas for a few moments while breathing and imagine them relaxing.

As simple and straightforward as this may seem, this is one of the most powerful Qi Gong exercises you can do. It generates Qi as well as allows the Qi to flow harmoniously throughout the body. The next exercise is less strenuous yet equally beneficial.

Qi Gong is a Chinese way to health, fitness, beautiful skin and hair, weight loss, longevity, a calm mind and high energy.

Do you think it is possible to achieve all this while standing still? It is, when you stand in a very special way. In this article I would like to introduce you to the art of Qi Gong. You will be able to learn this exercise [not that you do much moving!] and if you practice it patiently each day, in time you will be rewarded with improved health and fitness. As you continue to practise your body adjusts internally and externally. You feel better and you look better – and it makes no difference whether you are young or old, fit or unfit, overweight or underweight – you will look better but most importantly, you will feel better than when you began.

How can I be so confident? For over 30 years now I have included Qi Gong in my exercise program and I reap the rewards of all the above-named benefits. Not only that I have seen it transform others as well and I know it can benefit you too. I believe that incorporating Qi Gong into one’s life is a form of health insurance, because it helps your internal organs and your glands to function properly. So long as you also put good, fresh and natural fuel into body, your regular dose of Qi Gong will facilitate slowing the ageing process of your cells.

Breath and breathing are an integral and important part of Qi Gong training, much like it is in Yoga and Tai Ji Quan [which is an elaborate form of Qi Gong]. We take long, slow deep breaths, which calm the mind and connect mind and body – an essential part of the process. Slow, deep breathing coupled with specific postures and movements helps to oxygenate the cells, which in turn means the cells are better nourished with both blood and oxygen. This helps in removing toxins and replenishing cells with fresh blood, air and Qi.

So, what is Qi Gong?

Let us begin with defining these two oft-misunderstood terms. Qi, which is pronounced ‘chee’, as in ‘cheese’ and sometimes written as chi, is Chinese for the life force energy that permeates all living things, including Mother Earth. Gong means hard work or achievement through disciplined activity such as exercise. Qi Gong is a healing art using a series of gentle focused exercises for body and mind.

It is a well-known fact in China, that the regular and consistent practise of certain Qi Gong exercises has the potential to slow the ageing process. People of the Orient are well known for their youthful appearance into old age. While there are many and varied reasons for this, the Chinese have known for several thousand years that the best way to maintain one’s youthful looks and vigour is to take care of one’s Qi.

This is where Qi Gong comes in, as it is an excellent way to generate Qi and to keep it moving throughout the body. In traditional Chinese medicine [TCM] the continuous flow and movement of Qi through the meridians [energy pathways] of the body is what is considered essential in keeping the body healthy and warding off disease. Both Qi Gong and TCM operate from the quantum perspective that Qi controls or rules the body. Thus whatever is going on at the physical level is a direct reflection of what is going on with your Qi. It also tells a lot about your thoughts and beliefs, because what you think about yourself informs your Qi of what to do [or not do] with your body.

As a practitioner of TCM for over 20 years it is my opinion that the most effective way of maintaining health and vitality and warding off disease is by cultivating your Qi, and that the practice of Qi Gong is the most effective way to achieve that.

Qi Gong Exercises

There are a large variety of Qi Gong exercises, some have quite dynamic movements, others are static; some are meditations others visualisations; but they all have a basic foundation and that is what I am going to teach you here. If you master these two postures and can do them for around 20 minutes a day, you will begin to notice some of the abovementioned benefits. Before we begin the exercises we need to learn how to stand and breathe correctly, according to Qi Gong.

Standing

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel; your arms by your sides with palms slightly facing the back; your head is upright and your chin tucked in a little so that the crown of your head is uppermost. Feel or imagine that a string connected to your crown point is supporting you from above.

Now allow your weight to rock forward slightly on to the ball of your foot – keep you heels on the ground. Then rock back so that more weight is on your heels with your toes still on the floor. Move back and forward a few times to get a sense of the different feelings, then find your centre – your weight should be neither too far forward nor too far back. This is your Qi Gong standing position.