What is Qigong?

Qi
The Qi of Qigong

Qigong (pronounced chee-gung) is an ancient system of health promotion and health maintenance which has been in existence for thousands of years. Its origins in China spread back to the beginnings of history before written records were invented.

Health Promoting Qigong
Health Promoting Qigong, also known as Qigong for Health and Well-being, is part of Chinese therapeutic exercises. This Qigong is a harmonious blend of meditative and movement-based practice. At the introductory level it includes simple physical exercises, basic breathing exercises and meditative practices to calm the mind and spirit.

These are simple methods (“Gong Fa”) which people can practice on their own at home.

What are the benefits of learning and doing Qigong?

It is uniquely empowering on all levels and provides benefits

• physically, by strengthening and toning the body
• psychologically, by stabilising and calming the emotions
• mentally, by clearing and sharpening the mind and
• on a higher plain, by expanding one’s deeper insights and capabilities, bringing one, step by step closer in awareness to one’s original, primordial state.

It enables you to be more relaxed, calm and integrated and more fulfilled on all levels.

With regular practice the body becomes stronger, more supple and better balanced and the mind and emotions are calmer yet more “switched-on”. In this way, one is better able to resist illness and to fight disease.

Moreover, it is safe. It is effective. It is easy to learn and easy to do. And most of all, it is enjoyable.

In a word, Qigong is a remarkable treasure from ancient China that is now made available to modern people who wish to expand their health, increase their sense of purpose and boost their inner resources to more effectively, calmly and enjoyably meet the many challenges of everyday living in the contemporary world.

Qigong and Medical Qigong

Qigong is sometimes called Chi Gung or Chi Kung and is related to, but is not identical to, Tai Ji Quan (Tai Qi or Tai Ji) and to some aspects of the Chinese Martial Arts.

It is often said that Qigong can be performed or practiced for three main reasons:

• Medicine
• Meditation
• Martial (Arts)

While Health Promoting Qigong – practising Qigong to improve one’s own health – is related to Medicine we do not refer to it as “Medical” Qigong. Medical Qigong is the direct use of refined Qi by a fully trained TCM Medical Qigong Practitioner to effect a treatment on another person.

To join one of our weekend Qigong workshops and learn some Health Promoting Qigong go to the Qigong Booking form and Dates

OR
You can go directly to the Medical Qigong page .