Qigong – Benefits of Qigong Exercises
December 26, 2009 · Posted in Qigong Healing · Comment
peterhutch asked:
Qigong is an ancient Chinese system of exercise and meditation that makes the mind and spirit tranquil, improves performance in sports, and cultivates health, well-being, and long life. Thus, there are three major kinds of qigong: spiritual, sports, and healing. It is a spiritual discipline, inspired by ancient Chinese shamans, Taoists, and Buddhists, all of who sought harmony and peace in the solitude of nature.
One of the prime benefits of Qigong is stress reduction, and a main ingredient of practice is intention (i.e., Yi) that uses the mind to guide the Qi. While Qi itself has not been measured, multiple types of measurements demonstrate the effects of Qi on the body. For example, simultaneous measurements of the interaction between a Qigong master and receiver included respiration, EEG, vibrations, blood pressure, skin conductivity, and heart rate variability.
Qigong improves dexterity, reflexes, and prevents osteoporsis in clinical studies. Qigong opens arteries allowing greater brain-based microcirculation to prevent alzheimer’s disease.Qigong enhances mental accuity, focus, & concentration. The Qi draws the focus and trains the mind. Qigong helps us to calm down, relax, and become more peaceful. Qigong exercises provide oxygen to tissues and opens the pathways that carry energy and increases blood flow throughout the body.
Improve your metabolism, digestion, and elimination. Qigong is great for weight control, youthful appearance, and balanced energy. (Remember, Corrine Vahle has lost over 40 pounds since starting Qigong.)
Stimulate the lymph system. Qigong builds a stronger immune system so that you become less susceptible to flues and other viruses and recover faster if you do get sick.
General Benefits Qigong teaches inner strength, increases flexibility, and boosts our immune system. Practicing Qigong reduces stress, stores up energy, increases body awareness, and improves balance and coordination.
The breathing in Qi Gong is all-important. The breath should be relaxed, slow and deep, originating from the diaphragm. This type of breathing has a very calming and balancing effect on the mind, which is crucial in counter-acting the effects of worry and stress. Just a few minutes of Qi Gong whenever you start feeling stressed can really work wonders.
During the process of developing the exercises, strictly scientific research methods have been followed. Primary experiments took place under supervision of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Modern Medicine, Psychology, Athletic Science and other related subjects. The Four Health Qigong Exercises can be seen as the essences from the related Qigong in various schools, inherited and developed traditional Chinese national culture.
Physiological benefits Practitioners report less tension, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion and anxiety. They feel more vigorous, and generally, experience less mood disturbance.
These are just some of the benefits that you can experience in the early stages of practise. As you gradually become more and more aware of your body, you will start to feel some of the more subtle and refined effects of Qi Gong.
Although Qigong is widely accepted as a form of stress relief and relaxation, there is controversy as to whether Qigong can actually treat disease. Nevertheless, Qigong is often prescribed as a complementary treatment for certain illnesses.
Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress
Qigong is an ancient Chinese system of exercise and meditation that makes the mind and spirit tranquil, improves performance in sports, and cultivates health, well-being, and long life. Thus, there are three major kinds of qigong: spiritual, sports, and healing. It is a spiritual discipline, inspired by ancient Chinese shamans, Taoists, and Buddhists, all of who sought harmony and peace in the solitude of nature.
One of the prime benefits of Qigong is stress reduction, and a main ingredient of practice is intention (i.e., Yi) that uses the mind to guide the Qi. While Qi itself has not been measured, multiple types of measurements demonstrate the effects of Qi on the body. For example, simultaneous measurements of the interaction between a Qigong master and receiver included respiration, EEG, vibrations, blood pressure, skin conductivity, and heart rate variability.
Qigong improves dexterity, reflexes, and prevents osteoporsis in clinical studies. Qigong opens arteries allowing greater brain-based microcirculation to prevent alzheimer’s disease.Qigong enhances mental accuity, focus, & concentration. The Qi draws the focus and trains the mind. Qigong helps us to calm down, relax, and become more peaceful. Qigong exercises provide oxygen to tissues and opens the pathways that carry energy and increases blood flow throughout the body.
Improve your metabolism, digestion, and elimination. Qigong is great for weight control, youthful appearance, and balanced energy. (Remember, Corrine Vahle has lost over 40 pounds since starting Qigong.)
Stimulate the lymph system. Qigong builds a stronger immune system so that you become less susceptible to flues and other viruses and recover faster if you do get sick.
General Benefits Qigong teaches inner strength, increases flexibility, and boosts our immune system. Practicing Qigong reduces stress, stores up energy, increases body awareness, and improves balance and coordination.
The breathing in Qi Gong is all-important. The breath should be relaxed, slow and deep, originating from the diaphragm. This type of breathing has a very calming and balancing effect on the mind, which is crucial in counter-acting the effects of worry and stress. Just a few minutes of Qi Gong whenever you start feeling stressed can really work wonders.
During the process of developing the exercises, strictly scientific research methods have been followed. Primary experiments took place under supervision of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Modern Medicine, Psychology, Athletic Science and other related subjects. The Four Health Qigong Exercises can be seen as the essences from the related Qigong in various schools, inherited and developed traditional Chinese national culture.
Physiological benefits Practitioners report less tension, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion and anxiety. They feel more vigorous, and generally, experience less mood disturbance.
These are just some of the benefits that you can experience in the early stages of practise. As you gradually become more and more aware of your body, you will start to feel some of the more subtle and refined effects of Qi Gong.
Although Qigong is widely accepted as a form of stress relief and relaxation, there is controversy as to whether Qigong can actually treat disease. Nevertheless, Qigong is often prescribed as a complementary treatment for certain illnesses.
Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress
Reiki Healing for the Body, Mind and Soul
December 22, 2009 · Posted in Qigong Healing · Comment
Dawn Mellowship asked:
In our modern society people are increasingly taking their health into their own hands and making their own informed choices about what is best for them, rather than relying on Western medicine alone. The current trend for increased well-being is leading people to a mixture of Western and Eastern philosophies. We now more readily accept that physical conditions often have emotional causes, stress being one of the major factors in causing poor health. Reiki is a Japanese healing system that works on the body, mind and soul, creating a natural balance between all three.
Linking the Physical and Emotional
As Reiki healers we are trained to treat the person as a ‘whole’ meaning we look at the physical and emotional bodies and their interconnection.
We have seen through our healing work that certain events in people’s lives have often triggered their conditions. Major traumas in people’s lives will generally manifest as a physical illness eventually. Even seemingly inconsequential events will accumulate over time to create a physical problem. Ailments such as lower back pain, arthritis, stomach disorders (Crohn’s, Celiac, gut permeability etc) can be aggravated and in some cases caused by emotional trauma and stress.
The Main Offender – Stress
Recognising Stress
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below you may be suffering from the effects of stress: trouble sleeping, headaches, constipation, diarrhoea, irritability, lack of energy, lack of concentration, poor appetite or over eating, anger, sadness, higher risk of asthma and arthritis flare-ups, stomach cramping and bloating, skin problems, depression, weight gain or loss, heart problems, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, neck and/or back pain, decrease in sexual desire.
Causes of Stress
Stress begins from the moment you are born when you are first separated from your mother. You become stressed when are you are hungry, need changing, need a hug etc. As you grow up your interactions with other people cause you stress such as: gaining parents and peers approval, succeeding at school, forming relationships, relationship breakdowns, working, not working, commuting, environmental factors (external toxins, tobacco, pollution, alcohol, food), hormonal factors, exams, driving, shopping, having children, losing loved ones, moving house, money and lack of, to mention but a few! Stress attacks us from every direction, everyday, whether we recognise it or not. In some areas stress is perceived as being a positive attribute but in reality you are subjecting your entire body to a chemical attack, creating an imbalance in your normal healthy bodily functions. It is no wonder that so many of us are plagued with so many different illnesses. Any form of change or even imagined change is stressful.
We generally tend to live fast paced lives with ever increasing financial demands. We are brought up to be ambitious and high achievers, focusing on our careers and acquiring material possessions as the answer to our problems. We associate the accumulation of goods with success and well-being. We are always striving for a bigger house, better job, faster car, bigger TV and other status symbols that demonstrate our life’s achievements. We all feel the effects of the pressure and stress we put ourselves under. Many believe that by simply joining a gym or doing a few aerobics classes, they are balancing their physical and emotional needs. To create a balance we need to spend as much time and energy focusing on our emotional needs as we do on our physical needs.
Health and vitality is not about a few token gestures like joining a class or following faddy diets it is a life style issue. Every aspect of your life needs to be considered from your diet to the way you perform every task in your daily life and your interactions with people and circumstances. Everything you do needs to be with conscious awareness of the consequences on yourself and those around you.
“If man’s vitality and energy do not propel his own will, his disease cannot be cured’ (Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine). To achieve health and well -being requires you taking a pro-active approach the same as in any work environment. If you are not prepared to take the necessary steps then it is your health that will suffer.
It is important to look for the signs indicating that your health is waning and seek guidance as early as possible; “Coming to see a doctor when you are very sick is like waiting until you are thirsty to dig a well”. (Master Kwan, The Healing Art of Qi Gong, Master Hong Liu, 1997). Remember prevention is better than cure.
Methods For the Body, Mind and Soul
Breathe Deeply
Breathing is the essence of life. When you breathe in slowly and deeply you take in large amounts of oxygen from the environment. This oxygen is taken into your circulation where it binds to red blood cells. This oxygen then provides the “fuel” to produce energy. By exhaling fully you expel as much carbon dioxide and waste products as possible. Breathing is something we take for granted but this does not mean that we are doing it in the most efficient way.
Most of us use only 10-20% of our full breathing capacity. This leaves us lacking in energy as we accumulate more and more toxins in our body. Emotional distress causes our breathing to become increasingly erratic and shallow. Breathing in this way can cause many detrimental physiological reactions such as the accumulation of waste products like carbon dioxide and lactic acid in the body.
Breathing slowly and deeply can cause many positive reactions within the body. If you slow your breathing down to eight breaths a minute it induces a meditative state, six breaths per minute stimulates your pituitary gland (which boosts the endocrine system influencing almost every cell, organ and function of our bodies), four breaths per minute stimulates the pineal gland (which helps to regulate your sleeping pattern through the release of melatonin).
You Are What You Eat
It is important to have a nutritionally balanced healthy diet suited to individual needs. Symptoms such as excessive hunger can be caused by the body screaming out for nutrients, which it is not receiving. Western dieting techniques often focus on lowering cholesterol and weight loss whereas Eastern diets often focus on nourishing the organs to foster better physical and emotional health.
We all too often associate thin as being healthy but what is more important is that your body is obtaining the correct nutrients and is the right weight for you. Someone who has an apparently healthy and fit body may not necessarily have healthy organs. Too much emphasis is placed on physical appearance as an indicator of people’s success, health and well being, even if this is achieved through pain and damage to the body’s vital organs.
Be Yourself, By Yourself
Everybody needs time to themselves, away from the pressures of work, family and friends. Having quiet time by yourself creates a stillness of mind and body and establishes a healthy detachment from your everyday existence. This enables you to give yourself the respect and consideration you and all of us deserve and allows you to think in a more clear and focused way. If you find you are unable to spend quiet time with yourself without any distractions then it is very probable that you need emotional healing.
It is important to incorporate into your daily regime methods which help you to relax and encourage your body to activate it’s own healing responses. There are many sorts of classes you can participate in (Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong) that foster the individuals ability to self heal and consider their health, as well as direct healing methods such as Reiki.
The best way to maintain good health is to integrate into your life a regime that clears energy blockages and allows life force energy (universal energy and internal energy) to flow freely throughout your body. This nourishes your organs, muscles and joints as well as healing emotional traumas and giving you greater clarity of thought and insight. This enables you to lead a healthier life. By making these kind of lifestyle decisions you are empowering yourself by taking responsibility for your own well-being. We need to take responsibility for our actions before we can ever truly be happy and healed.
How Reiki Can Help You
Reiki is a form of non-intrusive energy healing originating in Japan. Reiki is used widely around the world and is offered in some hospitals in the US and the UK. Naturally occurring electromagnetic energy (universal energy) is channelled by an ‘attuned’ practitioner into the patient at the frequency of the condition being treated. The practitioner acts purely as a channel for the energy but in an active way using visualisation, intention and sacred Reiki symbols. Reiki can be used to treat yourself as well as others. Many people learn to use Reiki purely for their own self-development.
Reiki can be learned by anybody and everybody. It is not as is often claimed limited to those with a ‘spiritual’ or ‘healing’ gift. The only pre-requisite is an open mind and desire to learn how to help yourself and others. Students are attuned using a traditional method passed down from the original founder of Reiki, Mikao Usui. It cannot be learned from a book or by distance learning. The interaction between the teacher and the student is an integral part of becoming a Reiki practitioner.
What Are The Benefits of Reiki?
Reiki induces profound relaxation / meditative state which allows the patient to detach from their everyday existence and look in objectively on their lives, providing them with the sort of clarity needed to make positive, healthy decisions about their life.
Everyone picks up emotional trauma throughout their life whether they recognise it or not. Reiki heals the pain associated with past emotional traumas, which frees the patient from the constraints placed on their life by past events (e.g. bereavement, bullying, lack of parental affection etc).
Reiki also helps physical conditions by clearing energetic blockages to allow the body to self heal and by working directly on the condition using the frequency of energy required for that condition. It can be used to treat any condition but a clinical diagnosis is required. Some of the problems we have used Reiki to treat are: sports injuries, back pain, muscle damage, broken bones, allergies, addictions, cancer.
What Happens During a Reiki Treatment?
The patient lays fully clothed on a treatment couch with their eyes closed. The practitioner places their hands in various positions above the patient’s body.
Experiences of Reiki are individual but many people often comment of feeling at the very least intense relaxation, clarity and serenity. For others Reiki is a life-changing event. The treatment can last between 45 minutes and 2 hours depending on individual needs.
If You Want to Learn Reiki
Anybody can learn Reiki. It is a simple form of energy healing that requires no specific spiritual or religious beliefs. Reiki is for everyone and be wary of anybody who tells you otherwise. Ensure that the Reiki teacher belongs to an accredited association and teaches an accredited course.
Be careful of websites that offer distant attunements and treatments. These qualifications will not be recognised and you cannot guarantee the sort of treatment you will be getting. Make sure you go to a teacher who offers a certified course and gives post course support for free.
© Copyright Andrew Chrysostomou and Dawn Mellowship 2004.
Create a video blog…instantly.
In our modern society people are increasingly taking their health into their own hands and making their own informed choices about what is best for them, rather than relying on Western medicine alone. The current trend for increased well-being is leading people to a mixture of Western and Eastern philosophies. We now more readily accept that physical conditions often have emotional causes, stress being one of the major factors in causing poor health. Reiki is a Japanese healing system that works on the body, mind and soul, creating a natural balance between all three.
Linking the Physical and Emotional
As Reiki healers we are trained to treat the person as a ‘whole’ meaning we look at the physical and emotional bodies and their interconnection.
We have seen through our healing work that certain events in people’s lives have often triggered their conditions. Major traumas in people’s lives will generally manifest as a physical illness eventually. Even seemingly inconsequential events will accumulate over time to create a physical problem. Ailments such as lower back pain, arthritis, stomach disorders (Crohn’s, Celiac, gut permeability etc) can be aggravated and in some cases caused by emotional trauma and stress.
The Main Offender – Stress
Recognising Stress
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below you may be suffering from the effects of stress: trouble sleeping, headaches, constipation, diarrhoea, irritability, lack of energy, lack of concentration, poor appetite or over eating, anger, sadness, higher risk of asthma and arthritis flare-ups, stomach cramping and bloating, skin problems, depression, weight gain or loss, heart problems, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, neck and/or back pain, decrease in sexual desire.
Causes of Stress
Stress begins from the moment you are born when you are first separated from your mother. You become stressed when are you are hungry, need changing, need a hug etc. As you grow up your interactions with other people cause you stress such as: gaining parents and peers approval, succeeding at school, forming relationships, relationship breakdowns, working, not working, commuting, environmental factors (external toxins, tobacco, pollution, alcohol, food), hormonal factors, exams, driving, shopping, having children, losing loved ones, moving house, money and lack of, to mention but a few! Stress attacks us from every direction, everyday, whether we recognise it or not. In some areas stress is perceived as being a positive attribute but in reality you are subjecting your entire body to a chemical attack, creating an imbalance in your normal healthy bodily functions. It is no wonder that so many of us are plagued with so many different illnesses. Any form of change or even imagined change is stressful.
We generally tend to live fast paced lives with ever increasing financial demands. We are brought up to be ambitious and high achievers, focusing on our careers and acquiring material possessions as the answer to our problems. We associate the accumulation of goods with success and well-being. We are always striving for a bigger house, better job, faster car, bigger TV and other status symbols that demonstrate our life’s achievements. We all feel the effects of the pressure and stress we put ourselves under. Many believe that by simply joining a gym or doing a few aerobics classes, they are balancing their physical and emotional needs. To create a balance we need to spend as much time and energy focusing on our emotional needs as we do on our physical needs.
Health and vitality is not about a few token gestures like joining a class or following faddy diets it is a life style issue. Every aspect of your life needs to be considered from your diet to the way you perform every task in your daily life and your interactions with people and circumstances. Everything you do needs to be with conscious awareness of the consequences on yourself and those around you.
“If man’s vitality and energy do not propel his own will, his disease cannot be cured’ (Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine). To achieve health and well -being requires you taking a pro-active approach the same as in any work environment. If you are not prepared to take the necessary steps then it is your health that will suffer.
It is important to look for the signs indicating that your health is waning and seek guidance as early as possible; “Coming to see a doctor when you are very sick is like waiting until you are thirsty to dig a well”. (Master Kwan, The Healing Art of Qi Gong, Master Hong Liu, 1997). Remember prevention is better than cure.
Methods For the Body, Mind and Soul
Breathe Deeply
Breathing is the essence of life. When you breathe in slowly and deeply you take in large amounts of oxygen from the environment. This oxygen is taken into your circulation where it binds to red blood cells. This oxygen then provides the “fuel” to produce energy. By exhaling fully you expel as much carbon dioxide and waste products as possible. Breathing is something we take for granted but this does not mean that we are doing it in the most efficient way.
Most of us use only 10-20% of our full breathing capacity. This leaves us lacking in energy as we accumulate more and more toxins in our body. Emotional distress causes our breathing to become increasingly erratic and shallow. Breathing in this way can cause many detrimental physiological reactions such as the accumulation of waste products like carbon dioxide and lactic acid in the body.
Breathing slowly and deeply can cause many positive reactions within the body. If you slow your breathing down to eight breaths a minute it induces a meditative state, six breaths per minute stimulates your pituitary gland (which boosts the endocrine system influencing almost every cell, organ and function of our bodies), four breaths per minute stimulates the pineal gland (which helps to regulate your sleeping pattern through the release of melatonin).
You Are What You Eat
It is important to have a nutritionally balanced healthy diet suited to individual needs. Symptoms such as excessive hunger can be caused by the body screaming out for nutrients, which it is not receiving. Western dieting techniques often focus on lowering cholesterol and weight loss whereas Eastern diets often focus on nourishing the organs to foster better physical and emotional health.
We all too often associate thin as being healthy but what is more important is that your body is obtaining the correct nutrients and is the right weight for you. Someone who has an apparently healthy and fit body may not necessarily have healthy organs. Too much emphasis is placed on physical appearance as an indicator of people’s success, health and well being, even if this is achieved through pain and damage to the body’s vital organs.
Be Yourself, By Yourself
Everybody needs time to themselves, away from the pressures of work, family and friends. Having quiet time by yourself creates a stillness of mind and body and establishes a healthy detachment from your everyday existence. This enables you to give yourself the respect and consideration you and all of us deserve and allows you to think in a more clear and focused way. If you find you are unable to spend quiet time with yourself without any distractions then it is very probable that you need emotional healing.
It is important to incorporate into your daily regime methods which help you to relax and encourage your body to activate it’s own healing responses. There are many sorts of classes you can participate in (Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong) that foster the individuals ability to self heal and consider their health, as well as direct healing methods such as Reiki.
The best way to maintain good health is to integrate into your life a regime that clears energy blockages and allows life force energy (universal energy and internal energy) to flow freely throughout your body. This nourishes your organs, muscles and joints as well as healing emotional traumas and giving you greater clarity of thought and insight. This enables you to lead a healthier life. By making these kind of lifestyle decisions you are empowering yourself by taking responsibility for your own well-being. We need to take responsibility for our actions before we can ever truly be happy and healed.
How Reiki Can Help You
Reiki is a form of non-intrusive energy healing originating in Japan. Reiki is used widely around the world and is offered in some hospitals in the US and the UK. Naturally occurring electromagnetic energy (universal energy) is channelled by an ‘attuned’ practitioner into the patient at the frequency of the condition being treated. The practitioner acts purely as a channel for the energy but in an active way using visualisation, intention and sacred Reiki symbols. Reiki can be used to treat yourself as well as others. Many people learn to use Reiki purely for their own self-development.
Reiki can be learned by anybody and everybody. It is not as is often claimed limited to those with a ‘spiritual’ or ‘healing’ gift. The only pre-requisite is an open mind and desire to learn how to help yourself and others. Students are attuned using a traditional method passed down from the original founder of Reiki, Mikao Usui. It cannot be learned from a book or by distance learning. The interaction between the teacher and the student is an integral part of becoming a Reiki practitioner.
What Are The Benefits of Reiki?
Reiki induces profound relaxation / meditative state which allows the patient to detach from their everyday existence and look in objectively on their lives, providing them with the sort of clarity needed to make positive, healthy decisions about their life.
Everyone picks up emotional trauma throughout their life whether they recognise it or not. Reiki heals the pain associated with past emotional traumas, which frees the patient from the constraints placed on their life by past events (e.g. bereavement, bullying, lack of parental affection etc).
Reiki also helps physical conditions by clearing energetic blockages to allow the body to self heal and by working directly on the condition using the frequency of energy required for that condition. It can be used to treat any condition but a clinical diagnosis is required. Some of the problems we have used Reiki to treat are: sports injuries, back pain, muscle damage, broken bones, allergies, addictions, cancer.
What Happens During a Reiki Treatment?
The patient lays fully clothed on a treatment couch with their eyes closed. The practitioner places their hands in various positions above the patient’s body.
Experiences of Reiki are individual but many people often comment of feeling at the very least intense relaxation, clarity and serenity. For others Reiki is a life-changing event. The treatment can last between 45 minutes and 2 hours depending on individual needs.
If You Want to Learn Reiki
Anybody can learn Reiki. It is a simple form of energy healing that requires no specific spiritual or religious beliefs. Reiki is for everyone and be wary of anybody who tells you otherwise. Ensure that the Reiki teacher belongs to an accredited association and teaches an accredited course.
Be careful of websites that offer distant attunements and treatments. These qualifications will not be recognised and you cannot guarantee the sort of treatment you will be getting. Make sure you go to a teacher who offers a certified course and gives post course support for free.
© Copyright Andrew Chrysostomou and Dawn Mellowship 2004.
Create a video blog…instantly.
What is Qigong?
December 21, 2009 · Posted in Qigong Healing · Comment
Is strenuous exercise necessary for health?
No. Good physical condition is required for competing athletes and does not insure good health. A trained athlete can have cancer and die from a heart attack. Arnold Schwarzenegger needs to have a heart valve replaced. Strenuous exercise produces toxins and free radicals, which can harm the body. Most people do not have enough time to train properly and so rapid movements can injure muscles and joints. Repetitive strain can lead to chronic injuries and disease. Slow, nonstrenuous Qigong can improve your health.
What is Qigong?
The main divisions of modern Qigong (Chi Kung) are: Spiritual, Medical, Martial and Athletic depending on the main goal of the practioner. However, there is an overlap between these branches.
Medical Qigong is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Qi can be translated as life energy. TCM postulates that health is the result of smooth Qi circulation, without accumulation or deficiency in any part of the body, while disease is the result of poor Qi circulation. Once the flow of Qi is balanced, the body tends to heal itself.
In Chinese “Gong” means work or hard task. Qigong is the task of learning to control the flow of Qi through your body by using breath, movement and meditation. Since you will be taught genuine Qigong, passed down from master to disciple, the only requirement for success is dedication and practice.
Why study Qigong?
Some reasons for studying Qigong are: stress relief, relaxation, mental improvement, preventing and self-healing of diseases, spiritual enlightenment, harmony with nature and developing esoteric powers. It is the key to inner power, stamina and resistance to injury in Chinese Martial Arts. Chinese athletes use it to reach peak performance levels. Qigong can increase longevity and improve the quality of life as one ages.
Another reason is to become a Qigong therapist. Diseases can be treated in two ways. The therapist can prescribe Qigong exercise for a particular disease or he can inject his Qi to treat the disease. In Chinese Qigong hospitals both methods are used simultaneously. A therapist should learn several different Qigong methods in order to treat different diseases and to accommodate patients.
Can athletes, couch potatoes or handicapped people benefit from Qigong?
Yes. They are easy to learn requiring very little coordination. They are suitable for the young, old, strong, weak, and infirm, because they can be practiced standing, seated or lying. No equipment, special clothing or partners are required. There is no restriction on the place or time of their performance.
There are dynamic Qigong exercises that will satisfy the most robust people. Athletes can use Qigong not only to improve their peak performance, but also to speed recovery from strenuous training and ameliorate deleterious effects such as lactic acid build up, free radicals etc.
Individual programs can be constructed to aid recovery from illness or injury. It is has been shown that Qigong plus other forms of therapy (western or TCM) works better than Qigong or therapy alone.
Is Qigong scientific?
Conferences on the scientific study of Qigong have been held in the U.S. and China. Qigong has been shown to improve respiration, induce the relaxation response, cause favorable changes in blood chemistry, and produce changes in EEG indicating improved mental states.
Clinical trials have shown the efficacy of Qigong in reducing stress, delaying aging effects, prolonging life, preventing illness and curing many chronic diseases including paralysis and cancer.
Does Qigong Have Anti-Aging Effects?
Yes. For example, one survey of aged practitioners revealed that they were in good health and appeared younger than a second group of non-practitioners. Their average blood pressure was normal and 93% had normal hearing and good memories. The non-practicing elders had a higher average blood pressure, 25% had hypertension, 50% had vision problems, 76% had hearing problems and 35% had lost their ability to work. After doing Qigong for 5 months, 52% of them recovered some of their working ability and made other physiological improvements.
When being treated by external Qi does the patient have to move or feel it to be cured?
No. Some people feel the effects of the Qi or move. Others do not feel anything and do not move. Both classes of people can benefit. Studies have shown that there is no correlation between the movements of the therapist and the patient.
Can a “Master” inject Qi and open all of your channels to give you powers or permanently improve your health?
Be suspicious of such a claim especially if the “Master” asks for a large sum of money. If you get a bowl of rice today you will feel good, but tomorrow you will feel hungry. The “gong” in Qigong stands for hard work. There is no royal road to learning. A standard recommendation is that you must practice 100 days in a row to obtain some benefit. If you miss one day you must start over, even if that day was the 99th.
How many forms of Qigong are there?
There are about 3000 different forms of Qigong. The different styles can be divided into three classes: medical, martial, and spiritual. These divisions overlap. However, to really become proficient in one branch you must specialize in that type of Qigong. For example, a spiritual practitioner can have developed tremendous amounts of Qi but can still be mediocre in applications to the martial arts.
Is Tai Chi a form of Qigong?
Yes. In the beginning Tai Chi seems to be a physical exercise. Later, with proper instruction, you will realize it is a form of Qigong. Each posture affects certain organs and can be used to heal diseases. After a long time you can feel the effects of your Qi during movements. There are also martial applications of Qi, since Tai Chi is a martial as well as as a healing art. Tai Chi is a very difficult form of Qigong to learn.
Can Qigong endanger your life?
Some hospitals have so-called Qigong classes for patients with serious illnesses, such as cancer. Patients are encouraged to drop in to these classes, when they come for treatment. Such programs are useless. Patients are not told that this is not enough time to spend or even the right type of Qigong for their problem. In China, patients treated with Qigong practice 3 to 6 hours daily.
Is strenuous exercise necessary for health?
No. Good physical condition is required for competing athletes and does not insure good health. A trained athlete can have cancer and die from a heart attack. Arnold Schwarzenegger needs to have a heart valve replaced. Strenuous exercise produces toxins and free radicals, which can harm the body. Most people do not have enough time to train properly and so rapid movements can injure muscles and joints. Repetitive strain can lead to chronic injuries and disease. Slow, nonstrenuous Qigong can improve your health.
What is Qigong?
The main divisions of modern Qigong (Chi Kung) are: Spiritual, Medical, Martial and Athletic depending on the main goal of the practioner. However, there is an overlap between these branches.
Medical Qigong is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Qi can be translated as life energy. TCM postulates that health is the result of smooth Qi circulation, without accumulation or deficiency in any part of the body, while disease is the result of poor Qi circulation. Once the flow of Qi is balanced, the body tends to heal itself.
In Chinese “Gong” means work or hard task. Qigong is the task of learning to control the flow of Qi through your body by using breath, movement and meditation. Since you will be taught genuine Qigong, passed down from master to disciple, the only requirement for success is dedication and practice.
Why study Qigong?
Some reasons for studying Qigong are: stress relief, relaxation, mental improvement, preventing and self-healing of diseases, spiritual enlightenment, harmony with nature and developing esoteric powers. It is the key to inner power, stamina and resistance to injury in Chinese Martial Arts. Chinese athletes use it to reach peak performance levels. Qigong can increase longevity and improve the quality of life as one ages.
Another reason is to become a Qigong therapist. Diseases can be treated in two ways. The therapist can prescribe Qigong exercise for a particular disease or he can inject his Qi to treat the disease. In Chinese Qigong hospitals both methods are used simultaneously. A therapist should learn several different Qigong methods in order to treat different diseases and to accommodate patients.
Can athletes, couch potatoes or handicapped people benefit from Qigong?
Yes. They are easy to learn requiring very little coordination. They are suitable for the young, old, strong, weak, and infirm, because they can be practiced standing, seated or lying. No equipment, special clothing or partners are required. There is no restriction on the place or time of their performance.
There are dynamic Qigong exercises that will satisfy the most robust people. Athletes can use Qigong not only to improve their peak performance, but also to speed recovery from strenuous training and ameliorate deleterious effects such as lactic acid build up, free radicals etc.
Individual programs can be constructed to aid recovery from illness or injury. It is has been shown that Qigong plus other forms of therapy (western or TCM) works better than Qigong or therapy alone.
Is Qigong scientific?
Conferences on the scientific study of Qigong have been held in the U.S. and China. Qigong has been shown to improve respiration, induce the relaxation response, cause favorable changes in blood chemistry, and produce changes in EEG indicating improved mental states.
Clinical trials have shown the efficacy of Qigong in reducing stress, delaying aging effects, prolonging life, preventing illness and curing many chronic diseases including paralysis and cancer.
Does Qigong Have Anti-Aging Effects?
Yes. For example, one survey of aged practitioners revealed that they were in good health and appeared younger than a second group of non-practitioners. Their average blood pressure was normal and 93% had normal hearing and good memories. The non-practicing elders had a higher average blood pressure, 25% had hypertension, 50% had vision problems, 76% had hearing problems and 35% had lost their ability to work. After doing Qigong for 5 months, 52% of them recovered some of their working ability and made other physiological improvements.
When being treated by external Qi does the patient have to move or feel it to be cured?
No. Some people feel the effects of the Qi or move. Others do not feel anything and do not move. Both classes of people can benefit. Studies have shown that there is no correlation between the movements of the therapist and the patient.
Can a “Master” inject Qi and open all of your channels to give you powers or permanently improve your health?
Be suspicious of such a claim especially if the “Master” asks for a large sum of money. If you get a bowl of rice today you will feel good, but tomorrow you will feel hungry. The “gong” in Qigong stands for hard work. There is no royal road to learning. A standard recommendation is that you must practice 100 days in a row to obtain some benefit. If you miss one day you must start over, even if that day was the 99th.
How many forms of Qigong are there?
There are about 3000 different forms of Qigong. The different styles can be divided into three classes: medical, martial, and spiritual. These divisions overlap. However, to really become proficient in one branch you must specialize in that type of Qigong. For example, a spiritual practitioner can have developed tremendous amounts of Qi but can still be mediocre in applications to the martial arts.
Is Tai Chi a form of Qigong?
Yes. In the beginning Tai Chi seems to be a physical exercise. Later, with proper instruction, you will realize it is a form of Qigong. Each posture affects certain organs and can be used to heal diseases. After a long time you can feel the effects of your Qi during movements. There are also martial applications of Qi, since Tai Chi is a martial as well as as a healing art. Tai Chi is a very difficult form of Qigong to learn.
By: Martin Eisen
About the Author:
Dr. Eisen was a university Professor specializing in constructing mathematical models used for studying medical problems such as those in cancer chemotherapy and epilepsy.
Dr. Eisen was the founder and chief-instructor of the Shotokan Karate Clubs at Carnegie-Mellon and Dusquene Universities and the University of Pittsburgh
He became a Disciple of Master Mark and teaches Praying Mantis, Qigong and Tai Chi at the Cherry Hill branch of Master Mark’s school.
He was honored by the University of Pittsburgh in 2001, on the 35th anniversary of the introduction of Shotokan Karate, as the founder, for contributing to its growth, popularity and also to students’ character development. He was selected as one of the coaches for a world competition of the U.S. Wu Shu team in 2001. Dr. Eisen received meritorious awards from Temple University National Youth Sports program in 1980 and from Camden County College for participation in a student sport program in 1979.
Arm Rotations and Neck Stretches
December 17, 2009 · Posted in Medical Qigong · Comment
Natural Health Center: Living Well and Learning
December 11, 2009 · Posted in Qigong Healing · Comment
CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd asked:
Find Natural Health Center(s) in the United States and Canada. At a natural health center, individuals can receive natural healing treatments and can also acquire knowledge about the various natural medicines available today. Whether you’re making your initial trip to a natural health center, or you’ve come back to learn more about innovative healthcare remedies, you are sure to be awed by some of the ancient and latest complementary medicines offered.
For instance, a natural health center is one that promotes preventive medicine and wellness through natural healthcare. Some of the many healing arts services and products that are provided at a natural health center include naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, herbal medicine, essential oils and supplements, Bach Flower remedies, chiropractic, and massage therapy, among other related modalities.
A natural health center that offers chiropractic medicine will commonly help patients to learn about and understand the various aspects of the treatment. A normal visit to a chiropractic natural health center entails a brief summary about what chiropractic is; its philosophy, and case-taking of the patient’s health history. Most chiropractic doctors (D.C.) in a natural health center will educate the patient on assorted terms including “dis-ease,” and “subluxation.” In addition to taking an X-ray to assist DCs in locating subluxations of the spine, patients are frequently welcomed back to the natural health center for public education classes to learn more about chiropractic medicine. Sometimes, chiropractic natural health centers offer other services like massage therapy, and natural nutrition consultations.
A natural health center that strictly provides wellness services like massage therapy, aromatherapy and esthetics is appealing to day spa goers who want to look and feel younger and healthier. Massage therapy services at a natural health center and day spa are often combined with essential oils and aromatherapy, herbal wraps and facials. Individuals who frequent natural health centers like this will often find several natural healthcare and skincare products like herbal medicine, vitamins, supplements, lotions and oils.
In an Oriental medicine natural health center, patients will learn about the various techniques and philosophies of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), how acupuncture works, and may be counseled in Chinese herbal medicine nutrition. In some cases, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine may treat patients with moxibustion, cupping, Tai Chi, Tuina (Chinese medical massage), and Qi gong; among other associated methods.
Iridologists and herbalists often work closely together in a natural health center where they provide a health analysis through the study of the eye, Ph balance, and kinesiology. Clients quickly learn how certain indicators and markers on the iris may sometimes indicate health disorders and conditions. Herbal and supplemental prescriptions are often advised for therapeutic relief.
While there is a wide assortment of holistic healing and wellness clinics throughout the United States and in Canada, one can be certain that a trip to the natural health center will be both noninvasive and educational. In most cases, patients and clients who have visited a natural health center find a sense of overall wellbeing and better understanding to these sometimes misunderstood fields of integrative medicine.
If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding natural health center(s) and natural healing schools, let professional training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.
Natural Health Center: Living Well and Learning
© Copyright 2007
The CollegeBound Network
All Rights Reserved
NOTICE: Article(s) may be republished free of charge to relevant websites, as long as Copyright and Author Resource Box are included; and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN intact and active.
Create a video blog…instantly.
Find Natural Health Center(s) in the United States and Canada. At a natural health center, individuals can receive natural healing treatments and can also acquire knowledge about the various natural medicines available today. Whether you’re making your initial trip to a natural health center, or you’ve come back to learn more about innovative healthcare remedies, you are sure to be awed by some of the ancient and latest complementary medicines offered.
For instance, a natural health center is one that promotes preventive medicine and wellness through natural healthcare. Some of the many healing arts services and products that are provided at a natural health center include naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, herbal medicine, essential oils and supplements, Bach Flower remedies, chiropractic, and massage therapy, among other related modalities.
A natural health center that offers chiropractic medicine will commonly help patients to learn about and understand the various aspects of the treatment. A normal visit to a chiropractic natural health center entails a brief summary about what chiropractic is; its philosophy, and case-taking of the patient’s health history. Most chiropractic doctors (D.C.) in a natural health center will educate the patient on assorted terms including “dis-ease,” and “subluxation.” In addition to taking an X-ray to assist DCs in locating subluxations of the spine, patients are frequently welcomed back to the natural health center for public education classes to learn more about chiropractic medicine. Sometimes, chiropractic natural health centers offer other services like massage therapy, and natural nutrition consultations.
A natural health center that strictly provides wellness services like massage therapy, aromatherapy and esthetics is appealing to day spa goers who want to look and feel younger and healthier. Massage therapy services at a natural health center and day spa are often combined with essential oils and aromatherapy, herbal wraps and facials. Individuals who frequent natural health centers like this will often find several natural healthcare and skincare products like herbal medicine, vitamins, supplements, lotions and oils.
In an Oriental medicine natural health center, patients will learn about the various techniques and philosophies of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), how acupuncture works, and may be counseled in Chinese herbal medicine nutrition. In some cases, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine may treat patients with moxibustion, cupping, Tai Chi, Tuina (Chinese medical massage), and Qi gong; among other associated methods.
Iridologists and herbalists often work closely together in a natural health center where they provide a health analysis through the study of the eye, Ph balance, and kinesiology. Clients quickly learn how certain indicators and markers on the iris may sometimes indicate health disorders and conditions. Herbal and supplemental prescriptions are often advised for therapeutic relief.
While there is a wide assortment of holistic healing and wellness clinics throughout the United States and in Canada, one can be certain that a trip to the natural health center will be both noninvasive and educational. In most cases, patients and clients who have visited a natural health center find a sense of overall wellbeing and better understanding to these sometimes misunderstood fields of integrative medicine.
If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding natural health center(s) and natural healing schools, let professional training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.
Natural Health Center: Living Well and Learning
© Copyright 2007
The CollegeBound Network
All Rights Reserved
NOTICE: Article(s) may be republished free of charge to relevant websites, as long as Copyright and Author Resource Box are included; and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN intact and active.
Create a video blog…instantly.
