Saying that may raise more questions than answers. What is Daoism? Why would I want to do their yoga? Qi gong (pronounced “chee gong”), has been traced back thousands of years, although it wasn’t called that back then. Its earliest movements mimicked those of different animals. The shamans of the time wanted to invoke the strength and protection of those and other natural spirits. In that regard, it is much like the traditional medicines of many other cultures across the globe.
As Chinese culture developed, so did the science of qi gong, taking influence from the dominant philosophies of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Being first formalized by the monks of these practices. By the Tang Dynasty (618 AD), it was being practiced by all walks of life, with promises of improving health in body and mind, as well as offering a path to spiritual enlightenment.
Over the years many schools of qi gong have developed and spread throughout China and the Far East. Each with different focus and purpose. Some more towards physical development and health, others more towards meditation and spiritual development. Much like we see in the yogi practices in India.
What is Qi Gong
Literally, Qi Gong is “energy work.” While it developed as a unique discipline, we now consider it a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In the philosophy of TCM, our health and vitality is governed by the free flow of energy in the body. Through Qi Gong practices, we can influence the flow of qi within our bodies. Removing blockages, and increasing the amount of energy at our disposal.
For example. We’re all well aware of how we can focus our energy on building muscular strength. By lifting weights and doing resistance training, we can develop our muscles. (we consider these types of exercises, "external" qi gong). But what about the function of your internal organs? When was the last time you did exercises for your liver? Your kidneys? Your spleen? Unless you’ve had a disease in these areas, probably never. There are Qi Gong exercises that focus on improving the circulation to these organs, improving their function, and your health in the process. (We call these exercises, "internal" qi gong).
Qi Gong is easy to begin, (but hard to master). So if you haven’t exercised in a long while, it’s a great way to add more movement to your lifestyle. Even though weight loss is a difficult goal to achieve, the journey of 1,000 miles happens one step at a time. Qi Gong can offer rapid benefits such as better circulation, better mood, better sleep, and less pain. Having a very low barrier to entry, all you need is to find a good teacher. With virtual lessons available online in places like YouTube, you can try different styles till you find one you like. Then do it every day. Start with just 15 minutes, and see how you feel in a couple of weeks.
(The videos of Lee Holden are a great place to start - Image courtesy Lee Holden)
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