Qigong is literally the art of working with energy. Qigong has practised for thousands of years in China and the health benefits of Qigong are many!
This ancient exercise and healing practice is all about cultivating energy and vitality in the body by harmonising movement, breath and focused intent (Yi). Qigong has a variety of rejuvenating effects and is recognised widely for its ability to increase energy and vitality levels whilst inducing calmer mental and emotional states.
The Three Treasures
In Qigong practice we are working on harmonising the Three Treasures
The Jing (or essence),
The Shen (the Spirit)
Qi (the life force)
During qigong exercises for energy we harmonise these forces through using flow sequences made up of slow fluid movements, connected breathing with focused concentration.
Sounds virtually impossible right?
It’s actually incredibly simple and once you get into Qigong. Qigong classes quickly become an effective and highly addictive practice - because they make you feel so good!
I spent years doing rigorous exercise, stretching like crazy to try to balance out my over tight muscles and following a staunch meditation practice to slow down my hyperactive mind. Then after a series of injuries, I came across Qigong, which for me put everything together in one time efficient and highly effective package.
Qigong is a thorough and balanced way of exercising and moving the body through multiple planes of movement with thousands of variations, so it never gets boring.
It can be sped up to be quite dynamic and aerobic (like for those times you need some Qigong morning energy) or slowed down to suit those lower energy days. Qigong doesn’t require a separate stretching regime, because active stretching is built into the movements and with this practice, we build supple yet strong - ‘bamboo bodies.’
Qigong is also a highly efficient form of dynamic meditation – no more spending hour after hour trying to rein in the monkey mind. By focusing on movement, the breath and energy flow we totally divert the mind away from other thoughts and at the end of a session your mind will feel rested, focused and alive - just one of the many benefits of Qigong!
Calming The Sympathetic Nervous System
Another way that Qigong increases energy in the body, is through calming the sympathetic nervous system and activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
The sympathetic nervous system creates the ‘fight or flight’ response in our body. With our busy modern lifestyles, we are often overstimulated and running with our energy reserves on or near empty.
Our adrenals can be overtaxed and depleted which means we are living with elevated cortisol levels, pumping adrenaline around the veins, living on our nerves and way too frequently activating the fight or flight response in our bodies - sound familiar?
The practice of Qigong relaxes the body and mind, by slowing down our breath and our heart rates, dilating and widening the blood vessels, increasing our digestive activity and switching us into the ‘rest and digest’ mode with a more activated parasympathetic nervous system.
Rather than relying on quick energy fixes such as coffee or sugar to boost energy for a short period of time, we can switch into parasympathetic mode with our Qigong practice and experience all the benefits of a calmer more sustained lift to our energy levels.
Qigong and Meridians
Qigong teaches us how to move the Qi through the meridian energy lines in the body. There are twelve primary channels and eight extra channels and as we practise our Qigong, we learn how to flow the Qi through these meridian lines, stimulating all the acupuncture points in the body, which in turn stimulate the function of our organs.
By enhancing the function of the heart, the spleen, the liver, the kidneys, the lungs (the yin organs) we are also stimulating the paired yang organs and rejuvenating the whole function of the body - further boosting our levels of energy and vitality! This is one of the reasons that Qigong exercises are great for energy!
Fascia and Qigong
Last, but certainly not least as we stretch and twist our bodies though all the different Qigong movements, we are releasing the fascia in the body.
These long lines of connective tissue which are connected to and an integral part of our muscles, tenons and ligaments. As the latent tension in our bodies relax, all that energy that was involved in holding our bodies in contraction becomes freed up and available for other things.
So, for people who think they just wouldn’t possibly have time to fit Qigong into their busy lifestyles, when you consider you are in fact rolling a whole bunch of benefits into one wholistic practice, then Qigong begins to look like a pretty smart way to use your time!
Ready to practise Qigong For Energy? Follow along with Bill as he teaches you balance your breath, movement and mental focus with qigong.
Have you tried Qigong lessons online? Learn from the comfort of your own home with GraceQigong Online Classes.
Looking for Qigong Classes Near You? Bill offers Qigong Classes in Perth!