What is Qi? [Top]

Qi (pronounced chee) is a Chinese word referring to the measurable electromagnetic energy (or “life force”) present in all living things.

How do you pronounce Qigong? [Top]
The word Qigong is made up of two Chinese words:

Qi—pronounced chee—means life force. It refers to measurable electromagnetic energy, or life force, present in all living things. The second word, Gong—pronounced gung—means accomplishment, or skill that is cultivated through steady practice.

Qigong—pronounced chee gung—also spelled Chi Kung in the United States, is a generic term that refers to many methods by which we practice or cultivate energy for health maintenance, healing or increased vitality. [Read more]

What is T’ai Chi (Taiji)? [Top]
T’ai Chi is a set of flowing movements performed with bent knees, a straight back, and wide leg stances. The steps are soft and the motions are akin to reeling silk—neither too taut nor too slack. The center of gravity is low to the ground while the head is held as if being pulled towards the sky. With each move, one finds a moving center, a balancing of changing positions.

What is Qigong (Chi Kung)? [Top]
Qigong is a generic term that refers to many methods by which we practice or cultivate energy for health maintenance, healing or increased vitality. Qigong is the cornerstone and the oldest form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Qigong practices can be classified as martial, medical, or spiritual. All styles involve a posture, (whether moving or stationary) and mental focus. Some include specific instructions about breathing. Others do not. Some practices increase the Qi; others circulate it, use it to cleanse and heal the body, store it, or emit Qi to help heal others.

Practices vary from the soft internal styles such as Dayan Qigong and Tai Chi; to the external, vigorous styles such as Kung Fu. However, the slow gentle movements of most qigong forms can be easily adapted, even for the physically challenged and can be practiced by all age groups.

Aren’t there a lot of similarities between t’ai chi and qigong? [Top]
Yes. Both practices are very beneficial for relieving stress, strengthening the body, and improving general health. Also, the foundation of each practice is embedded in the same principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that date back 4,000 years ago. Both practices increase the life force within, strengthen the immune system, and improve concentration. Both practices are appropriate for people of varying ages and abilities.

What are the difference between t’ai chi and qigong? [Top]
There are many styles of both long and short forms of tai chi and qigong. Generally speaking tai chi—because it is done from a standing position with bent knees and a wide stance—requires more physical leg strength to perform. T’ai Chi demonstrates the martial application of qigong principles. Qigong, however, is not a martial art.
Qigong is a healthcare practice. The flowing qigong movements are designed to move, exchange, and cultivate energy in systematic ways that balance the body, mind, and spirit. They can be can be done from either a sitting or standing position, therefore they are well suited for people of all ages and abilities.

How many styles of qigong are there? [Top]
To say that there are many styles of qigong is quite an understatement. There are actually too many styles to count. So it is important for newcomers to investigate the history and healthcare focus of any qigong practice thoroughly before beginning. [Read more: “How can I find the right class for me?”] In general, one would be well advised to approach newer forms of qigong with a great deal of caution.

In recent times, new practices have arisen that incorporate or combine qigong techniques with religious structure. Approach such practices with great caution and wariness, as they can be very dangerous both physically and psychologically.

What is Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong? [Top]
Dayan Qigong (a.k.a., Wild Goose Chi Kung) is a gentle 10-minute Chinese healthcare practice that mimics the habits of a majestic wild goose. It incorporates gentle flowing movements with natural breathing. This practice is often referred to as “a relaxing path towards health and fitness” because of its broad success among people of varying abilities, including the elderly and people with limited mobility. [Read more?]

The root of Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong comes to us from the late Grandmaster Yang Mei Jun. She was the 27th generation inheritor of the entire body of Dayan Qigong knowledge that has been practiced and protected for 1,700 years in the Kunlun Mountains of China. She died just shy of her 108th birthday, in July of 2002. [Read more?] (Create a History of Dayan Qigong page)

Is Dayan Qigong a religious practice? [Top]
No. Dayan Qigong is not a religious practice. It is a healthcare practice, the origins of which date back 4,000 years ago to the Yellow Emperor’s famous medical text, called the Huang Ti Nei Ching (sometimes just referred to as the Nei Ching).

In recent times, however, new practices have arisen that incorporate or combine qigong techniques with religious structure. Approach such practices with great caution and wariness, as they can be very dangerous both physically and psychologically.

What are the health benefits of Qigong? [Top]
Like any other system of health care, qigong is not a panacea, but it is certainly a highly effective health care practice. Many health care professionals recommend qigong as an important form of alternative complementary medicine.

Qigong creates an awareness of and influences dimensions of our being that are not part of traditional exercise programs. The gentle, rhythmic movements of qigong reduce stress, build stamina, increase vitality, and enhance the immune system. It has also been found to improve cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic and digestive functions.

Qigong's great appeal is that everyone can benefit, regardless of ability, age, belief system, or life circumstances. There are qigong classes for children, senior citizens, and every age group in between. Since qigong can be practiced anywhere or at any time, there is no need to buy special clothing or equipment.

Anyone can enrich their lives by adding qigong to their daily routine. Children learn to channel their energy and increase concentration; office workers learn how to reduce stress; seniors participating in gentle movements begin to feel stronger and more substantial. Many say that qigong improves their quality of life. Caregivers practice to develop their ability to help others. Prisons instituting qigong programs help to restore balance in inmates lives, and midwives use qigong techniques to ease child birth.

Why are there so many kinds of qigong practices? [Top]
Many families in China learned qigong practices embedded as part of their everyday healthcare routines. But for many centuries the bulk of qigong knowledge was protected in secret through a tightly orchestrated master-to-apprentice lineage.

Qigong has only been practiced “openly” in China for the past 30 years. [Read more? Create Life of Grandmaster Yang Meijun text] Because there was too much knowledge for people to hold in context, many of them simply remembered the portion of the moves and practices prescribed to correct their specific health conditions. As their health began to improve they would attribute the improvement to the instructions they were given—which they referred to generically as “qigong.”

Remember that “qigong” simply means to practice (move or cultivate) life fore. So it is important to learn some basic information about the teaching lineage of the particular qigong practice you are considering, what the benefits are, and what specific systems of the body that the particular practice emphasizes. [Read more?]

What is psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)? [Top]
A field of medicine in the United States that deals the emotional states (stress) and nervous system activity on the immune function of the body, especially in relation to their role in affecting the onset and progression of disease.

This is a fairly recent medical research term referring to the mind/body connection and studies investigating the effectiveness of many internal arts and self healing techniques (various forms of tai’chi, qigong, yoga, relaxation, meditation, and guided imagery, etc.)

What about breathing? Are we supposed to synchronize our breathing to these movements in any way? [Top]
Some styles of qigong require specific breathing techniques. Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong is one style of qigong, however, that has no specific breathing pattern requirements—other than to “breathe naturally.”

I don’t always feel stable on my feet. If balance is an issue, can I still do qigong? [Top]
Everyone can do Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong either from a sitting or standing position, and usually balance issues improved greatly.