The Beginners Guide to Qigong

Qigong is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of exercise around the world. People are discovering that this ancient healing method leaves them feeling relaxed, renewed and restored even after just a few minutes of practice. The beginners guide to Qigong is an introduction to this ancient healing system.  

The day I stumbled upon Qigong was a pivotal moment in my life. It heralded the start of my journey back to health. (Link to about page) For many years I had been struggling with chronic ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel condition. Looking back I was in survival mode, living from day to day, never quite knowing when the next bout would appear. Exhaustion, pain and depression accompanied me wherever I went. 

So when I came across a beginners tai chi and qigong class for the very first time & having heard about its benefits, (https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/tai-chi-and-chi-gong) I eagerly decided to have a go.

Well there are moments in one's life which we never forget, and this was one of those moments! I was very fortunate in having my first lesson with an original student of the legendary Gerda Geddes who helped bring tai chi and qigong to the UK. I immediately felt at home with the gentle flowing movements and by the end of the class I was a different person, inside and out. From that moment I was hooked! I wanted more of this wonderful feeling that I was left with. 

Over the following months my body started to heal and I had more and more energy. Eventually the symptoms of colitis that I had lived with daily, disappeared completely. 

To wake up feeling on top of the world, brimming with energy and joy is something I will never take for granted. It is a true blessing. 

So what is Qigong and how can you get started?

Qigong is an ancient system of self healing through still postures or mindful movements. Its origins go back hundreds of years into the mists of Chinese history and aims to bring the body and mind back to balance and help the practitioner live a long and healthy life. Whilst performing the gentle flowing movements of Qigong it is a moment when the body, mind and breath all come together. We discover the beauty of living in the Present moment. The here and now. 

In today's society our minds are constantly bombarded by information, we put ourselves under constant strain to get more things done, we don’t just put in 100% we try to put 110% effort into our work. This inevitably leaves many people feeling completely frazzled, emotionally drained and opens us up to increasing health problems. 

The flowing movements of the qigong form transform us from the inside on every level. After 10 minutes of qigong exercise (https://youtu.be/JZIAzApfX8Q) you will discover a new you! Your mind will become expanded, your focus will become sharper, your body will become renewed and your spirit will be rested. 

By taking a few valuable moments in the day to go through some Qigong movements we bring ourselves back to balance, find our inner compass that will help us navigate through the complexities of modern day living with effortless ease. (wu wei)

Mindful movement

Qigong could be described as moving meditation in that one of the aims of the practice is to still the mind.  When our mind is encouraged to rest on some aspect of the body we are actually drawing the mind back to the present moment. Our bodies only exist in the here and now, and so when the mind and body align we enter the peace of the present moment. When we are present we are filled with a feeling of peace that relaxes both mind and body together. The more present we become the more consciousness we bring to the body. The more we are able to listen to the many messages it is sending us every second. When we are able to listen to those signals then we can do something about them. When tension and stress appear instead of it being left to its own devices we can release it out of our system so that it doesn't cause further problems later on. 

Breathing your way to health

Breathing is one of the most effective ways to tackle stress. Because we have  conscious control over how we breathe, we can transform it in order to release tension in the body immediately. With greater understanding of how we breathe we can deal with emotional challenges as they arise and process that emotional energy so that it does no harm to us. Within Taoist energy healing arts there are also quite specialised forms of breathing which have certain beneficial effects. One of these is called whole body breathing which encourages an expansion and release of one's body that provides a deep yet calming internal massage and is extremely beneficial for the internal organs and as a result boosts your general health and wellbeing in so many ways. As you progress within your practice of qigong, more advanced forms of breathing are introduced. 

Internal awareness - body, mind, emotions

It is very easy to become swept up with the general busyness of our everyday lives. We often find ourselves preoccupied with thoughts of the past or worries of the future. Our mind can be scattered and as a result our energy can be scattered. This is not conducive to a healing state of being. Our bodies and minds become conditioned to this heightened sense of alertness and we become numb to our internal state. It’s because of this that we forget our bodies until something goes wrong. It’s usually when we get a headache or migraine, backache or when we get very tired that we actually pay attention to our body. Of course by that time stress has built up so much that it's starting to interfere with our lives. 

Right from a very early age we become conditioned from many different sources such as our parents, school teachers and those responsible for taking care of us. We respond and adapt to the experiences and circumstances in our lives at the time. Responses and adaptions we develop as youngsters may not be the most useful when we reach adulthood especially if they were born out of trauma. Any unresolved emotional wounds will continue to play out in the present and interfere with every new experience. It is as though one looks through a filter based on one's past experiences. This is why the same experiences are repeated time and time again. 

Qigong allows us to break the bonds of the past through deepening the connection we have with our body. We develop a sensory awareness and discover an internal connection which will become the barometer of how we use the ‘Self.’ It will encourage you to become aware of stuck patterns within your body and mind and set you on the path to create new habits & as a result your life will unfold with increasing authenticity. You will discover your true self and what that means for you. 

Aligning the body to health

Imagine a builder setting up the scaffolding in a rather haphazard way, not taking care if the structure is upright, level and with a good solid foundation. Any pressure or slight wind could bring it down in a moment. Similarly with the body, if it is not correctly aligned with a solid base; the body, mind and energy; strain will build throughout the system and will eventually suffer from poor health in some way. Usually it's the joints that go or muscles easily pulled or strained, tiredness is commonplace, headaches are daily, millions suffer with backache, (  https://www.udemy.com/qigong-for-backache/), breathing becomes tricky, even bowel movement affected. Our mental functioning is also hampered through poor posture, as is ultimately our energy system 

One very common postural mistake we can observe in many people is the forward head position. The head is actually quite heavy! And if it is not well positioned on top then the neck structure is put under enormous pressure to keep the head up. This is why so many people later on in life suffer from neck pain and stiffness.

Poor posture can also interfere with the proper functioning of your internal organs. A collapsed structure means less internal space for your organs to exist in. Less space for your lungs means breathing becomes shallow for example. One way or another everything inside of you will struggle more to cope. 

When we are optimally aligned as nature intends, we become good conductors of the natural forces of the universe such as gravity. Conversely a natural force is discovered that rises through the body from the ground. This upward sense of unravelling upwards helps to lengthen the body and bring us into a natural upright position without unnecessary tension.

By aligning ourselves with these natural forces in our environment we harmonise with the natural laws of the universe. These laws of nature underpin all Taoist energy healing practices such as tai chi and qigong and lead to longevity and inner peace. 

Centredness - finding inner stability 

Encouraging your body into alignment is also an exploration into discovering your own ability to remain centred and grounded no matter whether you are still or moving. It is useful to note that not only do we have a physical centre but also a mental, emotional and energetic centre. One will affect the other. When we are physically unstable this will of course affect how we feel mentally/psychologically even if it’s on an unconscious level. Visa versa when we are feeling emotionally not together we can also feel physically out of sorts. 
By training our body and mind to develop a sense of being Centred this will have a huge impact on your overall health and wellbeing. 

Stillness and movement

When you watch a great musician or singer you’ll probably notice that they don’t just come on stage and immediately launch themselves into their performance. Generally they’ll pause and take a moment to prepare themselves. They enter a moment of silence within themselves and out of this deep connection comes their music. The music is born out of that inner silence or emptiness. Of looking inwards. 

Likewise in Qigong we prepare silently by looking inward and nurturing an inner connection with ourselves. We enter into silence and emptiness. The Great Void. We discover a sense of Nothingness. Movement is born out of emptiness. It is when we start to let go, release and listen that we discover a primal force that informs how we move our body. 

In today's highly pressured society we don’t give much value to taking the time to deeply connect with ourselves so we become numb to  our body. We spend so much time in our heads that we become desensitised to anything much below our head! Consequently awareness of this subtle force that runs through us gets squashed out of site. Our heads take over and take control. We think our minds know best. It imposes its will over our own innate body intelligence. When allowed through, this primal force, innate intelligence, Qi energy will naturally guide & inform your body movement. When this occurs natural balance is restored within you, you become your own healer. In order to achieve this we must encourage the Mind to take a well earned holiday! No easy feat!

Health, Prevention & Longevity - Building inner strength and resilience

Since ancient times cultures have searched for ways to keep the body healthy and increase longevity. In China this quest, over hundreds of years, led them to delve into what became known as Internal alchemy. They refined their understanding of how the body and mind work and developed methods that would improve health and wellness, increase immunity & inner strength and restore emotional balance. 

Some systems took this even further and found ways to develop immense internal strength whilst keeping relaxed. Essentially all the different “internal systems” had the goal of improving one's health before anything else. 

Many of these systems were based on the same principles as found in Chinese medicine. A unique understanding of Qi or subtle energy and how it moves within the body underpins this ancient taoist healing wisdom. Many internal and external factors can disrupt the body's energy flow causing imbalance and illness. “Internal methods” such as neigong, daoyin and qigong aim to address these imbalances and through a variety of techniques restore balance so that good health returns. 

The Mind and Qi

There is a qigong saying - “The Mind leads the Qi, Qi leads the body.” 

When we first start training in qigong most people have very little connection with their body. So the first aim is to get to know one's body, our default postural & movement habits and start to make the body more conscious. We begin to feel the tension that has always been there, but hidden out of sight, because we don’t pay attention to it. This ‘not noticing’ becomes our normal way of being. It's no surprise that we become numb to many sensations in the body. Clues that trouble is brewing and that we should be listening and adjusting our lives accordingly to prevent things getting out of hand. 

Through proper training we become more sensitive and aware of more subtle changes within the body. As you become more relaxed and centred you’ll allow an innate force to move you. This force has always been there but just hidden by tension and lack of awareness and sensitivity. Gradually this force, Primal energy, or Qi energy will inform all your movements. Instead of your thinking mind being in charge this inner force will educate you and show you how to move. 

At a high level of refined sensitivity one can potentially lead this subtle energy with one's intent alone. 

Benefits of Qigong

When I first started Qigong I was in very poor health. I was struggling with an inflammatory bowel condition called ulcerative colitis. It affected me everyday for at least 20 years. By the time I started Qigong I had come to the end of my options and only surgery or a lifetime on medication were left. 

Although it took some time, gradually the symptoms got less and less until eventually my health completely returned. It was a real miracle. 

Millions of people around the world are now also discovering the amazing benefits of practicing Qigong. This low impact form of exercise is very effective at relieving stress and encouraging emotional balance, it gently stimulates the circulatory system and improves blood pressure, increases the lung capacity through specific breathing exercises, gently stretches the whole body relieving muscle tension, keeps joints healthy and strong, provides an internal massage to all the organs and tonifies the connective tissue that keeps these organs in place within the body. 

These are just a few of the ways that Qigong can help transform your health and bring you back to balance. 

Different types of Qigong

There is quite a choice when it comes to choosing a style of Qigong to learn. They range from methods which are seated to those which involve standing in certain postures and ones which are movement based. Something else to consider is what you want to get out of your training. There are qigong systems which focus on achieving better health, ones which strengthen and condition the body for martial arts training and those which have a more spiritual leaning. 

Generally they all have a similar base but emphasise a different aspect depending on their individual aim within the system. 

Qigong Forms

The most well known systems are The Eight Pieces of Brocade, Zhan Zhuang standing Qigong, 5 Animal Frolics, Liang gong & Yi Jin Jing. 

There are many not so well known systems such as Sha Family qigong, Wudang Neigong and many more. 

Are you ready to shift from poor health to wellness, from lethargy to a zest for life, from a slump to having a bounce in your step everyday? 

Then now is the time to invest in yourself. Since starting my Qigong journey many years ago I haven’t looked back. My health has continued to improve and I just love the feeling that I’m left with after training. I certainly notice a difference in my body and mind on the odd occasion that I don't manage to fit in a session in the day. I wouldn’t be without it now as the more I train the more I discover about this truly amazing method of inner health cultivation. 

So have a look around my site and catch up on the blogs. I love writing and sharing my experience but I also love hearing from you! Please stay in touch. Let me know about your journey and feel free to comment on the blog posts. It’s great to share experiences with like minded people and we can all learn from one another on this path. 

If you would like to take the first step towards better health and wellbeing then check out our online Qigong training courses. Do get in touch if you have any questions and I will get back to you very soon