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An Introduction to Qigong
by Solala Towler
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As Hua Ching Ni says: "How can the universe be alive? Because it is the
continual transformation of primal chi, the pivotal energy and living soul of
the universe. By understanding that all things in the universe are just different
expressions of chi, one can see why the sages have always said, 'All things
are one, and on is all things.'"
Qi can be thought of as basic life force. Ted Kaptchuck calls it "matter on the verge of becoming energy or energy on the pint of materializing." Mantak Chia describes it as "the glue between our body, mind, and spirit, the link between our perception of the inner and outer worlds." Qi may also be thought of as electricity. It can't be seen, yet it can most certainly be felt.
In some ways, it is the very stuff of life. It is what animates us, what gives us life in the energetic sense. It warms us, keep our organs in their places, and directs all of our movements.
There are different kinds of qi with different jobs to do. There is protective qi , or wei qi , the Chinese version of the immune system. It lies like an invisible electrical shield between the skin and the muscles. Its job is to keep out invading pathogens. When our wei qi is low, our resistance to colds, flus and more serious viral invasions is weakened.
Another type of qi is organ qi . This type of qi is responsible for maintaining the strength and integrity of each organ in our body. When this type of qi is weakened, our organ functions suffer and we are likely to have trouble breathing, digesting our food or sleeping. We may also feel a general feeling of fatigue.
Yet another type of qi is meridian qi , which travels the pathways (called meridians or channels) throughout our bodies, linking organs with each other and to organ systems and helping the blood move and stay within its channels. Meridian qi is what acupuncturists tap into when they insert their needles.
The human body is in reality an energy system. You can even think of the body's meridians as an electrical system, complete with junctions, fuse boxes and miles of wiring, all connecting up in one great multi-dimensional energy circuit.
Since the entire universe itself is made of the very same qi of which we are made, we can utilize the energy of the universe in our own healing work. This is the premise of qigong , the ancient Taoist art of energy work. By tracking and building up our own internal energy and then mixing it with the "heavenly" energy as well as the "earthly" energy, we can become more vital, more healthy and more spiritually realized beings.
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of different qigong exercises. Many of these are integrated into a whole system, usually called by an evocative and poetic name such as Soaring Crane Qigong, Wild Goose Qigong etc. But all involve some sort of special breathing, specific movements and an inner visualization of where the energy is focused or moving.
Through qigong , as Bob Flaws says: "we can manufacture qi more efficiently, store qi more effectively, and circulate our qi more smoothly. In addition, we can circulate our qi to particular places or organs in our body to bath those areas in healing, revitalizing energy."
Qigong can be done in a moving form, such as in Taiji Quan, or by sitting or even lying down. There was a famous qigong master in China in the 800's named Chen Tuan who perfected a sort of sleeping qigong . He was said to be able to sleep for months at a time, neither eating nor drinking, then awaken perfectly refreshed and energized!
An important facet of qigong is that while there are often outer movements, at least 75% of what is going on is on the inside. Visualizing the energy flow, meditating on certain energy centers or spiritual centers (such as tien mu , the third eye or bai hui, the crown chakra or dan tein , in the lower abdomen) is just as important, if not more so, than doing outer movements. In the beginning the practitioner guides the qi with his or her mind in a relaxed, non-forceful manner. It is said that qi follows yi , or that energy will follow the mind. (Western medicine is discovering this also as the relatively new branch of medicine called phsyconeuroimmunology.) Eventually, the qi will move on its own without the practitioner needing to guide it.
Until very recently in modern China,
qigong was very popular, with millions of people practicing it
daily, but mainly for health benefits. Only recently has the spiritual aspects
of qigong been taught, although traditionally qigong has always
been used for both physical and spiritual growth. Here in the West people are,
of course, interested in both. But traditional Taoist wisdom teaches that it
is very difficult for one to do intense spiritual work when one's energy or
health is compromised. There is simply not enough qi to do practices
or even to read and understand inspiring books. Therefore, the first step is
to do qigong to raise the energy level in order to become a healthier,
more vital person. Then one can begin deeper self cultivation practices.
Standing with my feet rooted to the earth and my head in heaven, I am relaxed and natural, like the pine tree. I am at one with the universe. I am a channel between heaven and earth.
So begins my practice of Essence Qigong, an extremely simple yet sublimely powerful form. As I slowly relax-my muscles, my nervous system, my thought forms, my breath-I feel myself enter deeply into the qi state, a state of complete peacefulness and harmony. It is a state that I will go in and out of over the next forty five minutes of my practice, as I am more and less successful at letting go of thoughts, conceptions and emotions and instead flow gracefully and deeply into the qi state.
Slowly my palms come up in front of me, holding an invisible yet very real qi ball. They come together over my head, at my bai hui point and down the front of my body then up the back-smoothing, combing and energizing the qi channels there. Then they come out to two sides, like the wings of a great bird, come together again over bai hui and then descend down the back and up the front of my body-again smoothing, combing and energizing. Then up at a forty degree angle and along the outside of my body and up the inside of my legs.
Now I stand within the qi field that I have created and massage the five major organs, hands lightly over the body-opening, harmonizing, healing the liver, heart, spleen, lungs and kidneys.
Then, holding six points on the front of my body I beam white light into them, opening them, relaxing them, balancing the three centers of the body.
Later, while I stand in meditation posture and feel the waves of energy flowing over and through me I give thanks for this simple yet vital practice. the "formless form" as my teacher, Chen Fu Yin, calls it. It is in letting go of the mind, letting go of the expectations, and letting go of the goals that I can benefit the most from this revitalizing and harmonizing practice.
"We access the qi," says Chen Fu Yin, so that we can allow for the emergence of the shen or spirit". In this way qigong becomes a deeply spiritual practice. The benefits of better health, more vitality, clearer emotions, and stronger immune system are all doors into the great realm of the spirit, where true healing lies.
This extremely simple yet very powerful
qigong practice sustains me, opens me to new experiences, and harmonizes my
being. It has made me intensely grateful to be alive and to be a part of this
great unfolding dance of Tao that swirls all around and within me.
If practiced at least once daily (30-45 minutes) you can expect to feel a rise in vitality, a stronger immune system, a more balanced emotional life, a greater sense of peace and well-being and more stamina in everyday activities.
Our workshops generally run from ten in the morning to five in the evening one the first day, with plenty of time for breaks and lunch. The second day is generally a half day. We also will practice a sitting meditation as well as a lying down meditation.
Note: If you are having health issues or have infirmities please do not worry. We do not run the seminar like a drill sergeant and any time you feel the need to sit out, you may do so. Everyone moves at their own pace. We have people of all ages and health levels attending our seminars and we try to accommodate them all. Essence Qigong may even be practiced by people in wheel chairs!
For information on classes or seminars please call 800-574-5118 or email us at solala@abodetao.com.
If you are interested in sponsoring a seminar in your area please call us at 1-800-574-5118 or EMail us at solala@abodetao.com. (Sponsors receive a percentage of receipts for their organizational efforts.)
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