Introducing Qigong
Imagine an exercise that can be done inside when it is wet, outside when it is fine. Exercise that doesn’t need special clothes or equipment but that helps health of mind and body. Let me introduce you to the perfect choice – the Chinese exercise, Qigong (pronounced chee gung).
Qigong is unusual because it is so versatile, it can be used:
· To help relieve stress and the many stress-related illnesses
· As an introduction to regular exercise
· As a way of continuing exercise when you are unwell
· For those who really do not want to go to the gym!
· But it can also be a challenge for the athletic
Qigong is literally breath work but a more useful interpretation is energy work. It is a blanket term for a wide range of Chinese exercises coming from martial, monastic and medical roots, all working to promote health, even helping you to live a long life. Meditation is part of a Qigong practice and helps bring the sense of peace that comes with regular practice.
These exercises vary from deceptively simple single exercises to more challenging sequence of movements. They include exercises that can be done seated or even lying. There are Qigong exercises that are within the grasp of all people.
How does Qigong work?
There is nothing strange about how Qigong works, it benefits the mind and body through cultivating your ability to:
· Bring your focus to your movements
· Correct your posture and relax
· Breathe naturally and evenly
· Move freely and gracefully
These should come as naturally to us as they do to a toddler but there is a lifetime's interest in re-learning this innocent state of being.
Learning Qigong
Like many other Eastern disciplines, learning Qigong is as much about the journey as it is about the results. Initially your attention will be on getting the movements right and then, over time, the quietness develops. It helps if you can focus on enjoying every step of the way and increasing your awareness of small changes in yourself. It is empowering, it is a way of being self-aware and it is a healthy way to be. Enigmatic - but that is the charm and fascination of Qigong!
