Letting Go, The Art of Not Grasping
- A Lesson in The Water Way of Taoism

photo credit: tony_the_bald_eagle

   Things arise and she lets them come;
Things disappear and she lets them go.
She has but doesn’t possess, acts but doesn’t expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.

Letting Go, The Tao Te Ching Verse 2 is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

For a simple way of beginning a qigong practice, you can do the simple movements of T’ai Chi ruler as shown in this video.  There are complicated variations, but the basics are shown in this video.

I will give you some advice on alignments and movements as well, that will supplement that information.  I recommend using it at the end of the day or whenever you feel out of wack.  It helps flush you out negative energies, balance and recharge.  I feel re-calibrated after doing the exercise.

One principle of all qigong and T’ai chi is to have an erect, but not stiff, spine.  Part of that postural rule is to allow the tailbone to drop, relaxing it downward.  Stand for a few moments before doing the ruler and allow that to occur, don’t force it.  Keeping an erect spine also applies to forward and backward movements – don’t lean into forward movements.  The movements should come from the waist, or the lower dantien.  The lower dantien is the energetic and physical center of origin of all qigong and T’ai chi movement forms.

The advice for the foot positions is fine, except that with practice, you can use a stance where the forward foot can be placed further forward.  When moving forward, don’t allow the forward knee to go past the toes.  And make sure that the knee is positioned so it moves over the foot, not to one side or the other.  This alignment is very important.

Various schools and teachers of qigong differ as to whether the back foot should move.  In the video, the heel of the back foot moves up when the weight is transferred to the front foot.  If you want, you can keep the back foot planted.  The forward foot goes from heel to toes and back.

You can see that T’ai chi ruler can be practiced with the ruler (chih) and without it.  The ends of the ruler are positioned in the center of the palm over the lao gong points.  If you don’t use the ruler, make sure that your lao gong points align and don’t angle away (as I see in the video).  Relax the elbows downward and relax your shoulders while you are performing the movement.

The movement of the ruler should be circular.  The direction can be changed.  Tracing the circle up and away from the body helps bring qi and increased energy and blood circulation in the upper torso, arms and head.   Tracing the circle down, out and then in towards the torso benefits the lower part of the body, legs and feet.  Movement down, out and towards the torso helps remove blockages, while the other method promotes the increase of energy.  Go in both directions to clean and recharge.

Keep breathing abdominally.  If you need a few moments before doing the exercise, stand for a few minutes in the wu ji posture and let the breathing become regular and drop to the lower dantien.

Practice for 5 to 10 minutes on each side of the body.  At the finish, place the palms of the hand over the lower dantien (right hand below left hand, or vice versa for men) and let the energy settle there for a few moments.

Okay, now that you mentally know these guideline, practice to develop your internal, corporeal knowledge!

T’ai Chi Ruler for Correcting Qi Deviations is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

The following YouTube video shows a sonogram of a bladder tumor disappearing as a result of a type of medical qigong treatment that involves hand movements and chanting. This may seem impossible to someone who has little exposure to this healing modality; however, to practitioners who have been within a qigong community for several years, it is believable and it does happen. I personally have known people who have experienced remission from cancer following treatments at medical qigong centers.

The chant is directed at the tumor, helping effect dissolution of the mass, while the hand movements help the doctors make energetic contact with the tumor through the lao gong point in the palm of the hand. Qi can be emitted or absorbed through this point.  The doctors are well-grounded to help shunt the dissolved energy into the ground.

Medical Qigong Research for Cancer Treatment

This obviously is not the type of cancer treatment you normally find in the U.S. or Europe, but there are several medical centers where the effect of this type of treatment is being studied, not as a means of eliminating the cancer directly, but as a method of benefiting patients who are undergoing traditional chemotherapy programs – complementary alternative medicine (CAM), in other words. Randomized clinical trials have shown that patients have an improved sense of well being, less fatigue, fewer side effects from the chemotherapy and reduced inflammation. Studies that have focused in the past on survival rates have not been researched up to current scientific standards. I look forward to seeing trials reported that focus on medical qigong as a primary means of reducing cancer.

Availability of Medical Qigong Clinics

Medical qigong treatment is available in many locations across the world. China, of course, but you will find centers in the United States and Europe as well. For instance, there is the International Institute of Medical Qigong which has clinics in 18 states of the U.S., and in Bermuda, Canada, Belgium, Guatemala, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Look online and you will find more. These centers treat various ailments, sometimes specializing in certain areas.

Resources:

1. International Institute of Medical Qigong Clinical Directory

2. Impact of Medical Qigong on Cancer

Medical Qigong Cancer Treatment is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Cover of Taoist Meditation

The following quote is an excerpt from Verse 15 of the Tao Te Ching.  It describes an essential consideration for those who wish to successfully engage in Taoist Meditation:

Can you find the patience to wait until your dust settles and the water becomes clear?

Alternatively, there is another translation:

Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?**

Patience is the key.  Meditation practice over weeks, months and years, conditions your physical, mental and spiritual presence.  It is not like taking a tranquilizer pill, where you can expect almost immediate results.  The results of regular practice condition your mind to maintain a state where disturbing energy, coming from within or outside, does not ruffle you or stir up your dust.  In Taoist philosophy, the disturbing energy can emerge within or outside of you is called “Red Dust.”

The red dust consists of memories and attachments – opinions, desires, beliefs and fears.

Perhaps you are familiar with the phrase, “as within, so without.” *  Taoist meditation directly engages the body, nerves, intellect and psyche to address the red dust, or the confused qi, within one’s being.  It is an inner alchemy.  Allowing the dust or mud to settle is complemented by dissolving meditation practice, which  tames the central nervous system.  Once the CNS is calmed, stillness can take foothold in consciousness, making it possible to experience Awareness, or Cosmic Consciousness.

Thus, with practice, this Consciousness can become a living companion within that can be carried into the world, making you an instrument of peace, compassion and tranquility.

*which was derived from the ancient saying of Hermes Trismegitus – “as above, so below.”

**The second quote from the Tao Te Ching is from the Stephen Mitchell translation.

Quotes from the Tao Te Ching, Verse 15 is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

This is a list of cancer centers that are promoting Qigong Exercises as complementary therapy for assist in healing from this disorder. This list is not all-inclusive, but it demonstrates the support for qigong exercises within the medical community.

Joseph Friend Cancer Resource Center, University of California, San Francisco.  There is no fee for the classes, but you need to register (call (415) 885-3693) to join the group.  The classes are taught by a registered acupuncturist, Dr. Joseph Acquah.

The Supportive Care Unit of The Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, 3838 N. Campbell Ave, Tucson, Arizona. Call (520) 694-1812 for getting more information on classes that are scheduled for October. The teacher is Heather, who is experience in both qigong and Tai chi. She has studied under several masters of these arts. I recommend visting the web link to see an explanation on how qigong supports health and healing in ways that nutrition and Western exercise methods do not.

The Wilmot Cancer Center of the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York. The free session on December 16th is part of lecture series by the center. The teacher is Raphaela McCormack, who is a certified Qi Gong therapist. The number to call is (585) 275-6426.

The Integrative Medicine Clinic of The Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida sponsored a clinic in June of this year. I don’t know if they are still doing it, but you can give them a call at (813) 745-4630. If they aren’t, see if you can get the instructor’s telephone number for instruction.

Dr. Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D. is a researcher at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He studies the interface between Traditional Chinese Medicine and conventional therapy for cancer. The center has produced a qigong video with instructor Mike Powers. External qi emission has also been studied as a part of Dr. Cohen’s program. According to his website, Houston Qigong, Master Shi De Shan is currently associated with MD Andersen and is working with their cancer patients.

If anyone is aware of other cancer centers who are sponsoring classes or affiliated with qigong exercise programs related to cancer recovery, please drop a comment below and I will make a part of this blog entry. Blessings and healing to all….

Cancer Centers Promoting Qigong Exercises is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Seated qigong exercise using turning at the waist.

Maintain continuous movement. Continuous, unbroken movement is an aspect of the circularity of movement execution. While some qigong movements may outwardly appear to have linear aspects, there is circularity built-in when you perform them in an unbroken manner. Pay attention to the transition aspects of movements as the hands or body change directions and allow a circularity of rhythm to develop at these points. The flow of yin and yang energies will be enhanced and the movement of energy from and to the dantien will be noticed more.

Slowness helps create balance and coordination. When using qigong for healing, slowness facilitates integration of mindfulness. Mindfulness allows feeling to occur, which is needed for allowing interior energy work to happen and create change. Feeling imbalances, you work towards achieving balance. For instance, if you notice if you are too yang (tight) on one side you feel that tightness and allow it to dissolve. As balance increases, coordination increases.

When you are learning moves, you usually learn to do the movements at a quick or moderate pace. A faster rhythm helps you ignore balances. It can be awkward at first to slow down the movements, but it is necessary for internal energy work. Once you know the movements and don’t have to think about them, practice at a slower pace to obtain a deeper mindfulness of your interior space and let the energy do its work. Do it until it becomes natural and you will feel more intense energy flow.

Quickness practice can be used to develop ability for martial qigong, but it needs to be done with a relaxed body. Therefore, for this type of qigong, practice slow at first to foster relaxation and development of coordination.  Slow practice will increase your speed in quick practice because a relaxed muscle can move quicker.

Relaxation. Called sung in Chinese, relaxation is a foundation principle of qigong practice. It is a required state for qi cultivation. Before starting qigong practice, letting go of mental and physical tension is needed. Doing meditation, sitting or standing, prior to movements will help foster this state. Practice progressive relaxation from head to toe and dissolving of blockages that are encountered. The body’s chi center should be sunk to the dantien and the body should connect with Earth qi, or ground.

Develop your ground. This is also known as developing your root to ground. The upper body is empty in this state and the qi is centered in the lower half. The feet feel like the have roots penetrating into the ground. Holding qigong postures as standing meditation postures, or doing standing meditation alone, fosters rooting. Movements (coming from the dantien) which shift the weight from one leg to another also help. However, the body must stay in the same plane and not move upwards during the transitions from one leg to the other. In the Animal Frolics Qigong, the bear walking form is recommended in this regard. It is important to maintain correct alignments and fully transfer your weight to obtain one full and a totally empty leg.

Move from the waist. In Chinese, the waist is called the kwa. The waist moves independently of the hips, thus there is movement into the inguinal crease. This is not something that is normally developed in other disciplines. Movement into the inguinal crease also does not involve twisting of the upper torso. The spine doesn’t twist. There is movement of the musculature in the upper thigh, but the knees are stationary. If twisting of the spine or legs occurs, then this cuts off energy flow and reduces the benefit that you can gain from your practice. One qigong exercise that specifically helps develop this ability is “swing 1” described by Bruce Frantzis in his book, Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body.

Practice Guidelines: Qigong Exercises for Health is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

On YouTube, you can find valuable, free qigong video instruction by Master Lam Kam Chuen, who has moved to San Francisco recently from England.  I have included all ten of the videos from his “Stand up, Stand Still” series here for your convenience. The videos are well-produced and have valuable instruction on zhan zhuang, also known as standing qigong meditation and standing like a tree. There is also instruction in Eight Brocades Qigong. These videos, set in beautiful settings, are presented as a series for practice over a 10-day period. Please take the time to look at these videos and practice along with Master Lam. The master advises you not to sit and watch in each video. You can discover the power of the standing qigong practice form for healing and maintaining health.

DAY 2

Here, Master Lam continues with his description of the Wu Wei posture that has the hands at the sides of the body. He introduces a warm-up exercises where the arms do circles in a plane in front of the body. As with other videos in this series, his teacher, Professor Yu, discusses the background of standing qigong meditation. The comments from his students regarding the perception of others who are not familiar with this exercise form are interesting, but not unusual, as many people find these kinds of exercises unusual.

Day 3

The Eight Brocades Qigong movement, supporting the sky, is presented at the beginning of this video. The next standing posture (Tan Po), holding the ballo0n in front of the heart is described. Hold the ballo0n gently, let it support your hands and let balloons support your elbows and your buttocks. Quote from this video, “it teaches you to be very patient.” He ends the video with a hip rotation exercise for warm ups.

Day 4

Quote from this section, “stillness has become a forgotten art, we have become addicted to movement.” The “drawing the bow” movement for Eight Brocades is demonstrated. Additional details of the Tan Po posture are discussed. He does a hip rotation to finish after holding the balloon. A commentary on balanced carrying of shopping bags is illustrated.

Day 5

In this video, Master Lam starts with the first part of the Eight Brocades qigong exercise set, a well-known and popular type of qigong exercise. Then, he introduces the third standing posture, holding the balloon in front of the face. At the end, he does a relaxing hip rotation movement.

Day 6

The same standing posture is given that is in the previous video. Master Lam reminds one to keep a gentle focus with the eyes and a cheerful mood in the stance, breathing gently and steady. Another warm-up exercise with the hands going up above the head alternately is given. This exercise is good for the spleen and the stomach and is featured on pages 70 and 71 of his book, The Way of Energy.

Day 7

Master Lam introduces the fifth Eight Brocades posture at the beginning. A new standing posture is introduced, where the hands are held out to the side of the body at waist level, with the palms facing downwards. Visualize balloons holding the hands and arms up. Swinging both arms like a clock pendulum in front of the body is introduced as a relaxing exercise to finish up.

Day 8
The idea of Chinese medicine is to keep people healthy, as opposed to Western medicine which is geared at fixing sick people. The sixth Eight Brocades exercise is demonstrated and the same posture is shown as seen in Day 7.

Day 9

This video and the next are done in Hong Kong. Master Lam talks about overcoming stress that is associated with city living. The punching movement of Eight Brocades is demonstrated at first. Holding the balloon in front of the belly is introduced.

Day 10

In this last part of the series, Master Lam introduces a kidney, torso shaking exercise for helping release stress and warming up before standing in his fifth standing pose, where the hands are placed holding a balloon in front of the belly.

Recommendations for progressing through the series of exercises are also given towards the end of this video. Basically, practice each posture until you can get to 20 minutes comfortably and then progress to the next. Once you have progressed through all, then you can practice each for 5 minutes in series, although I recommend longer practice times of 10 minutes or more. Warm up before, and afterwards, cool down and relax. Stop practice if you get too hot or feel dizzy.

I strongly recommend that you integrate dissolving meditation into the standing practice.  Its all about learning how to release. The dissolving process means to hold steady attention (not thinking) on various points of the body and feel for blockages.  Once you have identified blockages, anything that doesn’t feel right – warmth, cold, strength or weakness.  Maintain your attention on these areas to allow that feeling to pass, dissolve, release and become spacious.  Start the dissolving meditation at the crown of the head, or bai hui acupressure point.  Work down the body, holding your attention at least all of these points: the crown, the forehead, eyes, jaw, tongue, base of the neck, throat, shoulders, chest, arms, hands and fingers, the back, the belly, the hips and groin, the upper legs, knees, shins and calves, ankles, top and bottom of the feet, toes and then into the ground, your root.  Lastly, relax your mind and the vertebrae in the spine.  Lightly dissolve everything first and then go back upward and work your way down for a deeper dissolving.  Do not return to an area above a point during the meditation.  You will encounter many sensations, but do not make anything of it as it is just energy.

Final note:  On the YouTube site, is noted that these postures and movements aid in the burning of fat. I am sure that they do, they do require strength to hold them and they will help burn excess energy you have in your body. I do know that they help improve balance, energy and general feelings of well-being.  You will find testimonials within these videos from his students, where they extoll the benefits for dealing with low energy, asthma and stressful situations.

Some of Master Lam’s works are given below.  The Eight Brocades qigong exercises are given in The Way of Energy book.  He has also published a DVD called Step-by-Step Tai Chi, as show below.  If you are interested in purchasing or reviewing these items on Amazon, just click on the images below.

Master Lam Kam Chuen Free Qigong Videos is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Image via Wikipedia

The “One Finger Zen Meditation” is a powerful way to activate the qi in your hands and facilitate healing.  This Buddhist qigong involves the use of a 3-stage chant at the beginning and increases both your ability to sense the energy fields of others, as well as your ability to project healing qi towards others.  Most of the aspects of the moves are demonstrated in the video referenced below by Ken Cohen, but there are a couple of small changes regarding the chants in the intial phase which can increase this meditation’s effectiveness.  I also discuss the characteristics of the chants and their vibrational effects.

This qigong exercise is shown in the 24-minute video below and there is an Amazon link to the DVD to the left of this paragraph. It begins with the relaxed wuji standing posture, observing all of the alignments and postural recommendations which have been described in Standing Qigong for Healers.  In the next phase, you do the movement with the arms going up the sides of the body and joining above the forehead and going downward with the three chants, in the order of OM, AH and then HUNG.

Instead of doing the chant phase one time per session, as shown in the video, you can do it for three times to help open up the upper dantien and the chakras of the throat and heart.   The reason for doing this three times is to help open these energy centers with the chant vibrations.  Each time you do the chants, you can go deeper into feeling your connection with these centers.

Another change to incorporate: During the HUNG phase of the chants, as your clasped hands are centered over the chest during the phase, you can rotate them in a counter-clockwise direction.  This helps open up the chest by adding to the vibration effect.

Characteristics of the Chant Healing Sounds

Each of the sounds has outer, inner and even secret meanings.  Some of these meanings are discussed below.  However, the basic point to understand for your practice is that they set up a vibrational field within the body that disperses and releases stagnant energies and thought. That vibrational field heals our bodies and minds so we can heal others.

OM is the sound that affects the upper dantien at the third eye, increasing our compassion and ability to be aware in the present moment.  Internally, OM purifies the subtle energy channels in the body.  OM also embodies the essence of form and the energy behind the origin of all things.

AH is the sound of the growth of life and it brings up the realization of our radiant nature.  This part of the chant begins when your hands pass the point where your yang and yin channels meet, under your nose.  Speech and hearing are controlled by the throat chakra.  Anatomically, the human body has the highest proportion of nerve endings in this part, especially around the mouth.  The AH chant can therefore help release nervous energy held within that region and allow a more relaxed connection with our speech and hearing abilities.

HUNG, a derivative way to pronounce HUM, is the fundamental sound of the hidden potential of life. This sound purifies all of the negative actions committed through your body, and it helps connect your intention (mind) with your heart chakra. Through this chant, we can reach spiritual clarity and our true, sky-like nature.

References

1. <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFCVoF2NeP0″>One Finger Zen:  Ken Cohen</a>

One Finger Zen Meditation and the Chants is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

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Connecting with Visitors via Facebook, Twitter and Google+ is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

This qi chart explains the relationships between the elements that bring forth protective qi in one’s body and spirit. As you can see, there are many factors that affect one’s ability to be energetic, have a well-functioning body and fight off disease. There are some elements which one cannot change, such as the Tsung and Yuan Qi, however, a person’s practice and lifestyle can affect all other factors that build your protective qi.

One of the most important factors is what we take in, or our acquired qi. How we breathe affects the ability to take in Ta qi, as it also effects out ability to lose stagnant qi that accumulates in the body. Efficient, relaxed diaphragmatic breathing facilitates both processes. You can find several exercises within the Qigong Healing website that will facilitate improved breathing.

We obtain Gu qi from what we eat and drink. Good eating habits that don’t involve eating in excess, eating excessive sugary or starchy foods or too much animal protein will facilitate efficient intake of Gu qi. Specific eating recommedations will vary depending on the type of metabolism and body that you have. It is best to get specific recommendations from your doctor or a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The types of foods that are recommended for boosting your Gu qi will also vary depending upon the season of the year.

One can assist in the flow of energy by qigong exercises, increasing flexibility and the circulation of blood and qi. Regular practice keeps the body mechanism working efficiently. Basic exercises which I recommend are the Dragon-Tiger Chi Gung and Eight Pieces Brocade. A very good video of the eight pieces brocade in found on this youtube link: Eight Brocades Demo

Acupuncture and acupressure treatments will also help improve energy flow by removing blockages within your energy channels. Massage can also help, especially if it is done by a practitioner that understands Tui Na, Jin Shin Do or Shiatsu methods.

In some cases, when one is depleted in energy or has blockages in specific areas, it also helps to take traditional Chinese medicines to help move the healing process along. There are general tonics like astragalus which can help improve the Ren qi and there is the well-known adaptogen ginseng. With these products, however, it is important to not take them for over a month at a time without having a week or so without using them. There are also precautions regarding their use for those who have specific medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, so if you plan to use these herbal remedies, read the precautions for each herb.

So, if you are confused about how to go about improving your wei, jing and jeng qi, review this chart and use it to help you along in your process of improving your ability to live energetically and keep yourself healthy. All of these various factors need to be considered if we are to keep ourselves healthy, both in body as well as in spirit. An integrated approach that includes improved breathing, healthy eating and regular qigong movement practices are essential elements for building qi, but don’t overlook other aspects that can help like herbs and acupressure massage to help you along the Way.

A Qi Chart for Understanding Your Wei Qi, Jing Qi and Jeng Qi is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

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The following text is from Chapter 17 of the Tao Te Ching. I see it as a metaphor for getting out of our own way so that we can progress in our practice. We exhibit different attitudes towards ourselves that color our practice and can impede our journey. So, reflect on this and see if this metaphor applies to you. Let go and allow the practice to transform you, in a watercourse way (as phrased by Alan Watts, see the link below) and you be more in congruence with the water method of Taoist meditation.

When the Master governs his people
They are barely aware that he exists.
Second best is a leader who is loved.
Next, one who is feared.
Lastly, the worst leader is one whom the people detest.

If the leader doesn’t trust the people,
He makes them not worth trusting.
The Master doesn’t talk, he acts.
So when his work is done,
The people say, “Amazing: we did it, all by ourselves!”

The last part of this chapter represents the condition where the practice changes us. Letting the practice change us is a significant aspect that fosters progress in qigong practices for improving health and spiritual realization.

Qigong Practice Advice from Lao Tse is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Qigong exercises are best at facilitating disease prevention; however they can be utilized for healing and recovery after the fact.  One of the benefits of these exercises is that they facilitate connecting you with your body, educating your feeling sense to make it aware when there are imbalances due to lack or excess energy.  You can feel an imbalance before it manifests as physical damage to your body.

One can be motivated to seek the use of qigong exercises if they are challenged by a medical disorder.  Once a practice is established it can lead to healing and developing a healthy lifestyle that leads to more internal awareness, vital energy and balance.   This viewpoint is in sharp contrast to a viewpoint of feeling pain and waiting until a disorder appears before seeing a doctor for medicine or surgery to correct it.  This can be caused by a profound disconnect between or body and mind, and it is a common occurrence in Western culture.

Qigong practice permits one to develop a sense of the interplay between both yin and yang energies.  Yin is more related to nurturing and feeling aspects of being.  Yang is more related to outward and visual aspects of being.  We can be too yang to feel imbalances.  That is one central aspect of qigong meditations and exercises, to teach one to connect with the nurturing and feeling aspects of our life experience.

What are some of the symptoms that are related to a profound disconnect with the yin side of our being?  Physiologically speaking, if we are heavily influenced by the sympathetic aspects of our nervous system, then we have too much yang.  Symptoms of being in that state included rapid, shallow breathing (chest breathing), rapid heart beat, high blood pressure and emotional excitation (too happy, mad, etc.).   An over-reliance on stimulants to keep us functioning in an alert manner is also a symptom.

Qigong exercises and meditation practice facilitate increased awareness, but in a relaxed state of being.  Our breathing is more relaxed and deep within the abdomen and this corresponds with normalizing the heart beat and blood pressure.   There is improved circulation in the body and within the internal organs due to full use of the diaphragm for breathing.  Thus, there is improved delivery of oxygen to all parts of the body and improved loss of carbon dioxide during exhalation.   The mind is also more at rest, but is more fully aware than when it is affected by the adrenaline aspects of the sympathetic nervous system.  This facilitates an improved ability to feeling imbalances as they occur and the ability to respond without overreacting emotionally, which is a profound psychological benefit.

Meditation helps attain a peaceful mind, which is an essential compliment to the practice of movement exercises.  There are various meditation practices, and they all can work together to develop wellness in breathing and for developing internal awareness, such as with dissolving meditations.  Do some of each everyday and you will further your health, and perhaps also, live a longer and more vital life.

Disease Prevention with Qigong Exercises is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

I recently received an anonymous comment (written in Chinese) about healing from cancer with medical qigong, entered in the post Natural Asthma Relief from Qigong Exercises. This comment contrasts the biases of western medical procedures with the approach used in medical qigong for the treatment of cancer. I thought that the post has merit, so I have translated and edited it into English. If you have any comments on this translation, please let me know.  Please also see my post on “Cancer Centers Promoting Qigong Exercises.”  Blessings to all……

Qigong Healing for Cancer is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

A simple Tai Chi exercise, the commencement move, can be used to help open up essential channels and acupoints to assist in energy flow. The Yongquan acupunture – energy point is located on the bottom of the foot on the forward third, where a depression forms when the toes flex downward. This point, also known as Kidney 1, is where the kidney channel begins and where the energy from the ground rises up the body. Another important area that can be opened up with this exercise is the kwa, or inguinal crease area.

Performing the commencement move repeatedly makes one focus on developing more inner awareness of the body and the blockages that may be present in the kwa or yongquan which may be limiting the progress of your qigong practice. Here are some pointers to be aware of as you are performing the commencement move:

1. Make sure that your hips are tucked and the tailbone is pointed down, a basic aspect of the wuji starting posture. The knees are bent slightly.

2. The basic posture should leave you with a 70% – 30% weight distribution on the foot, with the 70% toward the heels. As you move the arms up, there is a shifting of the weight to a 70% distribution over the yongquan. Make sure that the shift is not too much toward the extremes of the toes and heels. Just a little movement helps massage the area and help open up blockages.

3. Make your movements initiate from the lower dantien and let the arms rise as if they are being pulled up by strings at the wrists. The hands are relaxed downward on the up movement and the wrists lead in the down movement. There is circularity in the movement of the hands in front of the body and the right hand follows the right extraordinary channel and the left hand follows the left extraordinary channel.

4. On the downward movements, visualize and allow the body to sink downward, as if it is going into the floor. On the upward movement, allow the energy to come up the body.

5. If you have developed your qigong breathing practice, you can also integrate breathing in with the upward movements and exhale as the arms go down. Let the rhythm of the breath determine the pace of the movements. Relax into it.

6. As your practice progresses, you may notice your joints opening up in the hips, knees, arms and spine. The repeating rhythm of the movement and the energy flow act like the flow of water in a stream. Let it do its work, relax, and do the time.

This exercise can be performed twice a day for 15 minutes, and then follow it with standing practice. If you need some more pointers on how to do the Tai chi commencement move, look up a video on YouTube, there are several that will do just fine.

Tai Chi Exercise for Opening Up the Yongquan is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Attaining longevity and simultaneously doing that in a healthy way involves many different factors, most of which are under your own control according scientific research. In that regards, I wrote a separate page the other day regarding tips for developing your own anti aging system, of which qigong can be an essential part due to its ability to improve body awareness, functioning and energy levels. The link to that site is anti aging system. I give you this link because the wordpress theme that I am using did not put the link in where it should have in the black bar above. WordPress themes sometimes work in mysterious ways. Blessings to all….

Qigong as Part of an Anti-Aging System is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

I was teaching the mechanics and physiology of respiration to high school students in 10th grade yesterday and was explaining diaphragmatic breathing.  They seemed surprised to know that breathing actually happens because of the movement up and down of the diaphragm muscle that is located in the center of the torso below the lungs.  This fact may be news to most people, because most of us have unlearned the ability to breathe well, and as we were designed to breathe when we are born.

If you look at a baby breathing, you will notice that most of the movement of the torso associated with the breath causes the belly to move up and down.  The diaphragm (shown in the figure above) is the upper boundary of the belly, and when it expands downward in abdominal breathing, the belly and the sides of the torso will naturally expand.  Sometime during the learning and maturation process, children change their breathing patterns so that the diaphragm works less and the muscles of the rib cage in the chest do more work.

Benefits of Diaphragm Breathing Versus Chest Breathing

Qigong and Tai chi practices include breathing practices that help improve the efficiency of breathing and foster healing.  How does this practice help?  First, if you are breathing deeply and with relaxation you are improving the efficiency of air exchange in the lungs.  You body gets more of the refreshing oxygen to its blood and it can get rid of the carbon dioxide wastes produced by your body’s metabolism.  Secondly, when the diaphragm moves up and down it gives an internal massage of the organs of the body, which helps improve circulatory movement within the internal organs and the lymphatic system.  The pericardium and the liver are attached to the diaphragm and directly benefit, and digestive movement is also facilitated.  Lastly, when you are breathing abdominally, your body is in the parasympathetic mode, a state in which digestion and repair of the body can occur.  Having the ability to put and maintain your body into this mode, through modification of your breathing pattern, also helps prevents damage caused by stress.

With chest breathing, you are lacking the numerous benefits that are mentioned above.  It is more shallow and uses a much smaller percentage of the lung’s capacity.  If you have a lung disease, it is extremely helpful to learn how to use more of that capacity by the use of the diaphragm.   Chest breathing also can lead to a deregulation of normal control of breathing by the brainstem area and can cause a cascade of reactions in the body that are associated with stress.  For more information on the physiological effects of chest breathing, see the reference cited below.

Getting the Diaphragm to Move

The diaphragm is located along the bottom of the rib cage, from the sternum and outward to both sides of the torso.   You can monitor the movement of this muscle by placing the fingers of each hand (palm up) at the edge of the ribcage on each side of the sternum.  Move the fingers up and under the ribcage so that you can feel it move as you breath in and out naturally.  You will probably become aware of some tightness or slight discomfort.  You may also notice that the pain or discomfort is more on one side or the other.   As you breath in, you will feel the diaphragm move down, and as you exhale, it will move up.  You may notice that it moves hardly at all.  But the objective is to notice the state of its movement and monitor its changes as you breath in and out naturally.  Learn how to relax this muscle fully and allow the fingers to penetrate more deeply as it relaxes.  When you relax this muscle you are exhaling and releasing its tension as well as the air in the lungs.

Keep your attention on the diaphragm during this exercise.  If your breathing stops, focus on restoring the exhalation and inhalation cycles even and continuous.  Do not force either of the cycles, in fact it is better if you let go and breathe less deeply to help foster the needed relaxation that will improve the expelling of carbon dioxide from the lungs.  Remember, you have to empty the lungs in order to fill them more fully!

Practice this exercise for 5-10 minutes a day for a couple of weeks or more to help improve the relaxation and movement of the diaphragm.  You will definitely begin to notice an improvement in both your breathing capacity and the facility of your breath within the first week.  Then go on to practicing other breathing exercises that have been mentioned previously, such as following the breath.  To your health!

Reference

Good Breathing, Bad Breathing, by Peter M. Litchfield, Ph.D.  2006

Health, Diaphragmatic Breathing and an Exercise is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Here are some results of recently published works of studies relating to the use of qigong exercises and meditation for improving fibromyalgia, stress and tinnitus. If you are interested in the use of qigong therapy for improving health conditions, join the Yahoo! group “qiresearch” to get this information. There is more helpful information in the qiresearch reports regarding other research studies as well. Here are highlights of current research on these three health conditions:

1. Fibromyagia – Training in classical Tai Chi was compared with a control group that received wellness education and stretching exercises. The results showed a greater than 18% reduction in fibromyalgia impact as measured by the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire.

2. Stress - Meditative movement qigong exercises were compared to a control group in a student population. Self-reported scores for well being and stress showed that the students who practiced qigong remained stable during the semester, while the control group’s levels of stress increased and feeling of well being decreased.

3. Tinnitus – In this study, half of the patients where given 10 qigong training sessions over 5 weeks, and the control group was had no such training. For the qigong groups, there was a significant reduction in both the scores for the VAS (visual analogue scale) and a tinnitus questionnaire (TBF-12). The positive effects were most pronounced in a subgroup that had somatosensoric tinnitus.

Qigong Research Updates on Fibromyalgia, Stress and Tinnitus is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

The primary reason that I began practicing qigong exercises and meditation methods was to help in the prevention of asthma.  My experience, as given in the account below, has shown me that it is a very powerful form of natural asthma relief.

I started experiencing symptoms in my mid-30s.  After being hospitalized for a severe episode during the early 90s, I knew that something had to change in my life.  I began investigating ways that people had used to help heal from asthma.  Some books that I read suggested meditation.  However, there was one book that really captivated my imagination, Bruce Frantzis’ Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body: Chi Gung for Lifelong Health. That book inspired me to embark on an almost 20-year journey into the use of Taoist methods of healing.  I have reviewed asptects of that book on nei gong practices in an earlier post, so I won’t do that again, but I would like to share with you some aspects of using both nei gong and qigong that have helped me keep asthma at bay.

There are differences between nei gong and qigong exercises.  Qigong, in many cases, involves the coordination of the breath with the movements.  The inhalations are coordinated with the upwards or outwards movements of the arms and torso, while exhalations are done during downwards or inwards movements. 
Nei gong, or inner work, does not coordinate the movements with the breath.  Abdominal breathing is allowed to occur naturally and regularly.  Some nei gong methods do not involve moving practices, such as sitting and standing (zhan zhuang) meditation, but meditation on the breath is a primary method of resolving blockages and obtaining the necessary relaxation of the body.

The two practices around which I initially centered my practice were with Dragon-Tiger qigong, as taught by Bruce Frantzis, and standing meditation nei gong.  Dragon-Tiger had the effect of strengthening my total energy and helping increase my flexibility and coordination.  All of the movements in this qigong exercise are coordinated with the breath as I described above.  It helps clear the dai mai, or extraordinary energy vessels of the body.  This form really helped me improve my breathing capacity and smoothness of the breathing cycle.  The standing qigong meditation helped me become more internally aware and able to detect energetic blockages within my chest and many other areas of my body, and through the dissolving method, they were cleared.  Both the standing meditation and Dragon-Tiger are a powerful combination for improving health and energy. References which I used to help me along with my practice included Frantzis’ Energy Gates book and Lam Kam Chuen’s excellently illustrated book The Way of Energy: Mastering the Chinese Art of Internal Strength with Chi Kung Exercise.

It was not until two years after learning Dragon-Tiger, that I learned the Opening the Energy Gates nei gong movement methods.  The Energy Gates form helped me develop a centeredness around my dantien in my movements, which significantly improved my Dragon-Tiger and it also helped understand the principle of moving from the waist and the principles of expansion and contraction in all of the forms that I practice.  Moving the source and focus of you qi to the lower dantien (from upper and middle dantien areas) is an essential aspect for recovery from asthma and many other disorders such as hypertension.

Lastly, and definitely not least, are the methods of meditating on the breath while sitting.  For an asthma sufferer, focusing on the breath can be a very difficult thing to do.  Because of the panic that goes along with bronchial constriction, there is a cycle of fear and mistrust of the breath.  Meditation on the breath is a powerful means of focusing your intention directly on the energy that causes the manifestation of the asthma symptoms.  These blockages are not in one site.  They occur in more than one energy channel and multiple points along these channels may be blocked.  Meditation practice is needed (which can be helped by standing practice) on dissolving these blockages around the mouth, neck, throat, chest, shoulders and arms, all of which will be knotted up with blockages if you have asthma.

As with a qigong practices, posture is important.  Postural recommendations vary depending on the type of form that you are doing and I recommend seeing a certified teacher or master to help you with these important aspects.   That being said, in the standing and sitting postures, it is important to have an erect spine with the head upright as if it is suspended from the ceiling or sky.  The head is tilted a little downward to help open up the occipital area where the spine meets the neck.  The waist should be lifted from the hips area to help open up the ming men (lower back/kidney area) and the chest should be relaxed. These aspects are very important for helping with breathing difficulties.  The hips should be tucked forward a little to help orient the tailbone downwards. The legs, knees and feet should be about a shoulder’s width apart, with the feet parallel. The feet should be directly below the knees.

So, if you want to get off or reduce your need for medication for asthma and seek natural methods of relief, there are methods of qigong exercise and meditation that you can use to help you.  However, as I have said before, these practices must become a part of your life as reflected by a regular (daily) commitment to doing the exercises and meditation practices.  Moreover, in addition to helping with asthma relief, these qigong methods also can be used to help you understand the  psycho-spiritual blockages that can be a causal factor in its symptoms.

Note: For more exercises and meditations for the lungs that are related to the Five Elements Theory, see Qigong Breathing Exercises for the Lungs.

Natural Asthma Relief from Qigong Exercises is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Here are some items that I am making available that support the content and intent of healing using qigong methods. In the future, there will be monthly updates for these shared items to provide readers with more inspirational thoughts about Taoism, meditation and improving health using qigong exercises. These items can also be found on the Google Reader website for Qigong Healing Google Reader Shared Items if you wish to directly subscribe to that feed.

The heart of Tao
March 26, 2010
A short, but useful reminder of the need for peacefulness of mind during the practice of Taoist meditation methods.


Inside Zhan Zhuang
July 15, 2010
A link to a YouTube video by Marc S. Cohen on allowing the energy to go down so it can reciprocate and go up the body while doing standing meditation. There is an interesting demonstration of the movement of energy to another person at the end.

Shared Items for Taoist Meditation- Sept. 16, 2010 is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Standing and rooting like a tree, or standing qigong (zhan zhuang) has been used for centuries for developing grounding in the practice of Chinese martial arts.  It also has a corresponding application in the healing arts as well. The following practice will help you do that by improving your ability to work with energy in treatment sessions.

Standing Qigong Posture

The first thing that you do is you place your feet at shoulder’s width apart, with booth feet parallel.  (If you have lower back pain or blockages, pointing the toes inward a little will help open it up.)  Don’t lock your knees, that is, keep them bent a little but don’t let the knee caps extend any further forward than your toes.  Relax the muscles in feet, ankles, knees and hips.  Allow the arms to rest comfortably at your sides and allow your armpits to relax and open.  One of the ways to open the armpits is to turn the palms so they are facing backward.

Relaxation is Essential for Grounding

Qi doesn’t flow through tense muscles, so follow this muscle relaxation sequence to help release tension. Relax the chest and belly, and place the tip of the tongue on the upper palate behind the teeth.  The tongue placement connects the central channel extraordinary meridian (Du Mai) that goes up the back and over the top of the head with the meridian (Ren Mai) that goes down the front of the body and back down to the point between the genitals and the anus.

Breathe naturally, allowing the belly to expand outward on the inbreath and move inward on the exhale.  Allow the hips to sink and move the coccyx (tailbone) forward a little.  Some recommend using the imagery of having a weight hanging from the coccyx to help it relax downward and gain a feeling of sinking.  (Relaxing it downward is better than forcing it into the down position.)  Another image to use is the imagining that you are sitting on an imaginary balloon and that it is providing all of the support that is needed to maintain this posture.

Imagine that your head is gently suspended up by a string that attaches to the bai hui, or the top of the head. Your eyes should be open and relaxed.  Look forward and out at a point on the horizon, or if you are indoors, choose a point that would keep your head in a position that is not cocked upwards.  Some recommend looking at a point that is on the floor about 10-15 feet away.  This helps in helping keep the occipital area on the back of the head open, which is important to help energy move up and over the head in the microcosmic orbit.  You should not focus on anything in particular.  Practitioners call this “fuzzy awareness.”

Relax the body, bit by bit, from the top of the head to the tip of the toes. If you encounter any areas that do not want to relax much, let them be and move on to the next area. You can come back to difficult areas later, or you may find that they will release in tandem with relaxation of other parts of the body. It is important to relax all the way downward to the feet. If you can follow the relaxation all the way into the floor. As you relax, let you body sink and feel the feet open up as they connect with the earth’s energy.  (For more pointers on opening the feet and yongquan (K1) point, see the blog entry for Dec. 2010 for a method of doing that.)

All during the process of relaxation, maintain the breathing centered in the lower dantien (lower abdomen). Since you are using the balloon to help support your waist, imagine also that the floor is lifting and holding your up.   Trust that connection and let it support your body.  This exercise can last from 10-20 minutes.  Do this at least once a day if you are a healer and you will notice that your body becomes a more clear conduit for movement of the energy for facilitating healing.  Healers from all traditions, Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Bio Energy Healing, etc., will benefit from this qigong practice.

Books from Amazon.com related to this topic:

Grounding Standing Qigong Exercise for Healers is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Qigong practice* can cause disturbances in people who either don’t practice properly, have little supervision and/or don’t have a good internal sense of balance between play and work.  There are other factors that also can cause energetic imbalances.  These imbalance are called “Qi Deviations” or  zouhuo rumo.  It is because of this possibility that I am listing practice pointers that should be observed:

1. Avoid practice during times or places where there are a lot of disturbances: phones, doorbells, outside noises.  If you can practice before the family arises early in the morning or late in the evening before you go to bed, that will help you avoid these disturbances and allow a tranquil practice period.

2. Practice with a master who can observe your performance of movements and your posture so he can correct any imbalances or incorrect alignments.

3. Do not overdo practice.  Practicing for hours at a time is not recommended for beginners.  Your body is not ready for the energy.  Also, if you sense of play is not a part of your practice, relax, let go and enjoy the time you spend during its performance.

4. Don’t overdo or force your concentration.  Your intent is important, but forceful use of concentration is counterproductive and can have unintended effects.  Using the mind too much can cause the qi to move upward  from the lower dantien.  Gently use the mind.  Excessive visualization is not recommended.  I like the advice used centering prayer practice (a meditation practice that I know) by the Catholic monk, Father Keating, where he advises use of self-humor when bringing back the attention – be able to laugh at yourself and softly return your intention back to your center.

5. Avoid improper breathing techniques.  As with your concentration, gentleness and even breathing on the exhale and inhale will foster deep relaxation.  Imbalanced breathing methods are not recommended and can reinforce imbalances in your breathing patterns that you already have.

6. Don’t practice when you are emotionally upset.  If are going through a difficult period with anxiety or depression, avoid practice.  Practice when you are feeling better.

7. Diet and Eating.  Eat a balanced diet and don’t eat for an hour or so before practice.  If you do need something, have a light snack to help settle the stomach.  For general eating advice, it is better not to eat heavy meals often.  Lighter, more frequent meals are best.

8. Get adequate rest.  Your body does a lot of work while you are resting to help heal the body.

9. Choose a Daily Practice.  There are several advantages of doing a daily practice that can keep you on track and avoid deviations.  First, you don’t have to think about what you are doing.  This will help you maintain internal awareness and tranquility.  Second, it helps reinforce muscle memory and it gives you a set point for checking in with yourself.  For more information in this regard, see Choosing a Daily Qigong Exercise

*Imbalances can occur in other practices, like yoga and other meditation traditions, which are done without proper supervision.

Qigong Practice Advice to Keep You On Track is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-cf62cc806231fd2678a7af37f26b0066}

Personally, I cringe a bit with some of the mis-pronunciations of the Chinese words, but take that with a grain of salt if you can.  The information is still there.

Podcast Feed for Qigong Healing Arts Posts is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

In order to recover from medical disorders, if you can find someone who teaches qigong and is also capable of qigong healing, the journey to healing can be faster.  An experienced teacher is capable of much more than teaching movement forms and meditations – they should also be capable of sensing energetic blockages and helping you remove them.

Through your experience with your teacher, you may become aware of that they have these abilities.   This blog entry discusses, in general terms, the way in which qigong teachers, who are also healers, can effect healing by distance and energy field manipulation.

Your teacher may not demonstrate this ability, even though they may have it.  In some cases they may be testing your commitment to healing and change that is needed for health improvement.   They will know if you are committed in your practice by how you practice and how your energy develops.  So, if you demonstrate progress (which requires regular practice) the trust that the teacher has in you will more than likely increase and he or she may share their abilities with you to help you heal.

Distance Healing with Qigong

You will find on the web some people who offer distance healing qigong.  I don’t want to throw water on this offering, because my belief and experience does extend to this as a possibility.  I believe in the power of Christian prayer and that qigong healers can tap into this same source of healing.  Being able to tap into the zero-point energy field, which is theorized in quantum physics, is believed to be that source.   Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson discusses distance healing methods in his book on Medical Qigong.  Part of the training to become a medical qigong doctor at his school includes energy field manipulation methods. Some qigong teachers may have this advanced gift as well. But use of caution for internet offers for distance qigong healing.

Qigong Healing by Manipulation of the Energy Field

In acupuncture, the needles are placed on energy points that help drain, or dissolve blockages that you may have in your body.  The needles are usually placed in patterns to help move the energy out towards your extremities, your hands or feet.  The same thing can be done by a healer without needles by working with the edge of your first etheric field, which is located at about a fist’s distance from your body. In Jin Shin Do acupressure, practitioners move down the channels though the extraordinary channels to help lead the chi outward. However, Jin Shin Do uses direct physical contact as does acupuncture methods.

Qigong healers can sense the edge of your energetic field with the lao gong point in the center of the palm of the hand.  Once the healer contacts the field where there is blocked or deficient energy, they will notice the site by their energy sensitivity at the lao gong.  There are specific hand and finger manipulations that can be done to both tonify weak areas and drain areas that have excess energy.

Qigong Exercise Practice Reinforces Healing

As I have said previously in this blog and in other blog entries, your commitment to regular practice is a very important aspect of recovery from illness.  Qigong exercises and meditation practices help you overcome unhealthful habits and movement patterns so you can move beyond the constraints that may keep you in an unhealthy state or predispose you to disease. But, there is one caveat, the element known as “te,” or virtue.  As defined from the classic meaning of the term it can represent “personal character”, “inner strength”, or “integrity.”  This term or concept is something that one may have in various degrees and can be a deciding factor in the rate and success of healing.  In this regards, a fusion of your intention (will) and self-compassion will go a long way toward facilitating progress.  If you have these factors in your practice, you will be on your way to optimum health in your energy cultivation.

Qigong Healing by Distance and Energy Field Manipulation is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Cover of Enya - Amarantine (Songbook)

Qigong meditation and exercises require concentration and focusing of your intent. In order to help you in that regard, there are several things that can help you.  These are the timing of practice, where you choose to do it and the music you listen to.  If all of these factors are optimal,  you can do to make your practice time more effective.

Avoid Distractions and Practice When the Energy is the Most Beneficial for Healing

If you can get up early in the morning to do your practice, this is the best time to meditate. Energetically speaking, it is the best time for your body to benefit. Also, if you have a family, you will not be distracted by their activities at this time and you can focus on yourself. External interruptions can lure your attention away from your attention as to how your practice is going. If you have to practice at a time when your family is active, ask them to respect your time for practice, giving you time to practice effectively. If may also help to have a special room where you practice, a room that is not located near where daily activities of your family occur. Make this room a comfortable sanctuary for practice.

Remember that in Taoist meditation, you really are working on and developing an internal awareness of your body and its energies. As you progress in your practice, you may be able to practice under situations that have more distractions.  Maintain your “sung.”

Meditation Music

Music that doesn’t have words can help you focus and go beyond external distractions. There are many CD’s and individual track that people use for stress relief music and are also are suitable for qigong practice.  A few recommended tracks, artists and full CDs are listed below. Also check out this link for an inexpensive 30-minute binaural piece (only 99 cents): Probably The Best Music For Relaxation and Meditation.  There is also another source for binaural meditation music – The Unexplained Store, and a video that has that music is featured below.  Note, however, for binaural music you need to have your earphones on for it to work its magic.

watch?v=twm1cAEWb8w&feature=player_embedded#at=284

Classical Music:
Paul Schwartz – Misere – 6 min, performed by David Visan
Felix Mendelsson – A Midsummers Night Dream, 6 min
Gabriel Fabre – Pavane, op. 50, 10 min
Gustav Mahler – Adagietto, symphony no. 5 in C sharp minor, 10 min, 6 min
Jules Massenet – Meditation – Thais, 5 min
Mozart – Adagio, Clarinet Concerto in A major, KV 622, 7 min
Pietro Mascgni – Intermezzo – Cavalleria Rusticana, 3 min

Electronica, flute and mixes:
Inner Dance – Dr. Jeffrey Thompson (60 min)
Lux – Northern Light, 5 min
Mari Boine – Gula Gula (Chilluminati Mix), electronic with chanting, 4 min
Midori – Bonsai Garden
(Tibetan) Chakra Chants by Jonathan Goldman
Cat with Seven Toes – Ancestral Voices, flute/electronica, Native American
Enya – Amarantine CD
Tim Story – The Lure of Silence, 5 min

Takes from the Soul of the Machine CD
:
Bonnie Herman, etc. – Time and the River, 4 min (good one for finishing practice)
Colin Chin – Ayers Rock, 6 min
Michael Whiteley – Water Trade
Richard Shonerz, Shido – Peace of Mind (piano/electronic)
RoyFinch – Shadows of the Earth
Scott Hitzik, etc –Chorale

You can make your own mix using the cuts for putting together a music session to the length and style that suits your practice. It can help to have a set that you are familiar with so you can emerge from your meditation within the time frame you have available for practice.

The Timing, Location and Music for Qigong Meditation and Exercise Practices is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Research trials (references given below) have established the benefits of qigong meditation and qigong exercises (like Tai Chi and Ba Juan Din) for helping those who have hypertension. These practices offer an energy healing therapy similar to that which results from meditation practices in other traditions (mindfulness, mantras, etc). Studies have also indicated that it is also possible for practitioners to experience a decrease in serum cholesterol and improvement of cognitive perception.

Meditation is a foundational method for calming the nervous system. Smoothing of the functioning of the nervous system results in multiple benefits for one’s metabolism, including: lowered blood pressure, a reduction of the heart rate, a slower metabolism and less stress hormones. There is a switching from the autonomic nervous system (fight-or-flight) to the parasympathetic nervous system. With regular practice, these changes can become the natural state of your physiology and being. Relaxed awareness can become a part of your everyday being and can serve you better than a nervous awareness that depends on adrenal hormones of the autonomic nervous system.

According to TCM, hypertension is a result of having excessive yang energy in your body. Meditation allows the release of these excess energies from your nervous system, making it possible for your energy channels to become more balanced. As a preparatory practice before movements, meditation will increase your tranquility and awareness of the interplay between yin and yang as you perform the movements. In this way, meditation followed by exercise provides a proper foundation for awareness while doing qigong forms.

If you aren’t sure where to start, examples of qigong meditation practices can be found in previously published blogs, such as the following the breath post. Two other posts regarding Taoist breathing methods have also been published. I will cover different movement forms that are specifically good for lowering high blood pressure in a future post.

One caution: Some forms of qigong are not suitable for those with high blood pressure, in fact, some postures are used for those who have hypotension. Forms where there is breath holding are not recommended. Other modifications for qigong exercises for hypertension patients include performing postures that are done with the palms facing towards the ground. The palms facing down help lead excess energy down the body and into the ground. Postures and exercises that facilitate obtaining an awareness of lower body grounding are essential as well.

Nutrition and Hypertension
It is also important to follow a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables and fiber. If you are looking for dietary recommendations, look into the Mediterranean Diet. Some recommend garlic as a supplement, but an overview of 40 randomized trials indicate that the evidence for this application is lacking. (See the review by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University) Garlic intake will help your heart health and reduce the production of cholesterol by your liver.

Resources

1. Cheung B. M., et al. 2005. Randomised controlled trial of qigong in the treatment of mild essential hypertension. J. Hum. Hypertens. 19:697-704.
2. Johnson, J. A. 2000. Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy. A Comprehensive Medical Text. The International Institute of Medical Qigong, Pacific Grove, CA. 1086pp.
3. Lee M. S., et al. 2003. Effects of Qigong on blood pressure, blood pressure determinants and ventilatory function in middle-aged patients with essential hypertension. Am. J. Chin. Med. 2003;31(3):489-497.
4. Lee M. S., et al. 2003. Qigong reduced blood pressure and catecholamine levels of patients with essential hypertension. Int. J. Neurosci. 113:1691-1701.
5. Garlic Review by the Linus Pauling Institute
6. Leung, K. P. et al. Intracerebral Haemorrhage and Qigong. Hong Kong Medical Journal 7.3 , pp 315-318, 2001.

Effects of Qigong Meditation and Exercises on Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

“Following the breath” is an introductory qigong breathing meditation practice that will help you achieve a tranquil breath and it will help quiet the monkey mind. With regular practice, this for of mindfulness meditation can help lower high blood pressure and reduce stress. There are many other health conditions that improve with regular meditation practice, particularly autoimmune disorders. Do this practice in the morning when you get up, during the middle of the day (if you have time) and before you go to bed. The duration of the practice should be at least 15 minutes to get the health benefits. Some teachers recommend 20 minutes or more per sitting. You can use a timer to help you to determine when to stop the practice.

Meditation Posture
No, you don’t have to sitting in an uncomfortable yoga posture to do Taoist meditation, although some do.  I don’t recommend it as it can cut off the circulation in your legs. In this Taoist sitting posture, the buttocks are placed on the forward 1/3 of the chair and the spine is erect and is lengthened from the waist up. There is a slight tuck of the hips forward. The head is held as if suspended by a wire from the heavens above, and it is tilted slightly downward to help open up the occipital region at the top of the spine where the head connects. The feet are placed parallel on the floor directly below the knees. The hands can either rest on the thighs, palms down, or they can be folded palms up in the lap.

Staying with the Breath
The practice is simple in theory: just follow the breath going in and out of the nose. However, you will notice that your attention will wander to visit discomforts or various sensations in the body (and there are an infinite number of these), or you will have thousand thoughts that keep you from watching the breath. As in mindfulness meditation practices, you just simply bring your attention back to the breath as it goes in and out of your nose.

Maintain gentleness with yourself in training.  This is of key importance.  There is no striving and there are no goals. Equally important is that you do not interfere with your breathing patterns. You let yourself breathe naturally without any conscious intervention. If you find yourself changing your breathing, however, you should just let go and return to simple attention. The letting go of thoughts, distracting sensations, and conscious control are part of the practice of returning to the breath.

As a meditation session progresses, you will perhaps notice that yourself slouching, especially if you become sleepy. Sleepiness is another distraction, so just correct your posture if you notice it has become compromised in any way and then go back to following the breath. Keep practicing until the timer goes off.

Finishing the Meditation
At the end of the practice, you will want to go gently back to the world. Do not immediately start with aerobic exercises, for instance. Walking is good, but start off slowly and later you can gradually step up the pace. You want to carry the feeling of relaxed consciousness into your day. If you are practicing before you go to bed, this meditation will help you get a sound night’s sleep.

Other Qigong Breathing Meditations
There are many other breath practices that are available, such as training in dissolving of blockages with the breath, normal and reverse abdominal breathing methods and embryonic breathing.  There is an excellent post on the stages of normal abdominal breathing in the Qigong Healing WordPress blog. Reverse abdominal breathing and embryonic breathing are practices that are learned later in one’s practice. More on those later….. Until then, practice!.

Qigong Breathing Meditation – Following The Breath is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

For qigong exercises to benefit your health, you need to get the chi flowing and not be thinking excessively (like, how am I doing?) or have tense muscles.  That is why, at least for beginners, it is important to make the qigong meditations and movements simple. Having fewer things to think about helps you focus your attention in a more relaxed manner on your body, the alignments and the correct directions of movement of your torso and limbs. The fewer things that you have to think about, the better. You can learn all of the movements of Tai chi, but if you really don’t understand the movements and the internal aspects that it can teach you, you are just dancing. That is why I strongly recommend standing qigong practice (zhan zhuang), which is a totally non-moving meditation practice. It helps you develop a strong internal awareness and it helps align your posture, while you are just standing there. That practice is reinforced by seemingly simple movements like doing swings, cloud hands and spinal stretches as recommended by Bruce Frantzis in his Opening the Energy Gates book (see the book recommendations post). These simple movements have the basics for complex movements that are seen in Tai chi, such as turning into the inguinal crease from the waist and various aspects of twisting the tissue around the arms and legs. These are internal movements that are not apparent to the casual observer. The subtle physical and energetic aspects of these nei gung practices can be developed over time with regular, correct practice. So before you take off and learn a bunch of Tai chi movements, make sure that you understand some of the fundamentals first so you can get more return (for healing or improved energy) for your investment of time.

Making Qigong Exercises Simple, Fundamentals First is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

There is a reason why I have written a new “What is Qigong” page (see the menu bar above). I have found that many who comment on this blog have not heard of it and its utility in helping people improve their health and energy. Everyone has heard of yoga, and many know of Tai chi, which came from qigong practices. I have accepted a few of these comments in various posts, but they are becoming so numerous I am now declining this type of feedback. The new page, “What is Qigong?” covers the meaning of the word, related words that are synonyms, a brief history, Medical Qigong (qi emission therapy), and self-improvement qigong exercises. There is also a YouTube video that shows the Eight Pieces Brocade exercise, which may be the most popular form of qigong that is practiced. So, if you are contemplating leaving a comment in this category, go instead to the new page link on the menu bar above and click it. As compared to yoga, qigong needs more PR in the U.S. and European countries to help educate people as to its healing ability and usefulness in health maintenance. If people decide to learn and do simple daily qigong exercises that take only a few minutes out of their day, they will become living testaments to the power of this kind of exercise and can provide the best evidence for its effectiveness for health improvement to the world.

What is Qigong? is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

One of the most productive means of building energy and healing from disorders is to practice standing qigong. Standing qigong meditation (also known as Zhan Zhuang) is a static, isometric exercise that puts the tendons and bone structure into a prolonged state of extension in relation to gravity. Sequential relaxation of muscles occurs, starting from the upper part of the body downward. There should be an extension (that is within 75% of your limits and is aided by muscular tension release) of vertebrae along your spine, along your arms to your fingers, and in your legs.

Some say that, although your muscles are relaxed, your structure in the bones and tendons is energized by the extension. Energy moves through a relaxed muscle more than in a tensed muscle. When you first begin standing qigong meditation your muscles do strain to maintain the posture; however, as your practice continues you will notice that force is not necessary and it may seem that something outside of your form is helping you keep the stance. Some do visualizations of resting the arms on an energy ball, if you are doing that stance, and sitting upon another energy ball to aid in the relaxation.

You may notice an opening of your structure as your breath in and and relaxing downward as you breath out as your training progresses. Getting to this point requires discipline and good posture maintenance. Because many do not regularly practice this type of qigong, it is common to hear that it doesn’t do what is promised. I recommend that you practice some everyday. Starting off with only 5 minutes and working up to at least a 15 minute practice per day. On days when you are really busy, back off and do 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes or so before you go to bed. It will be worth the effort. After practicing standing qigong meditation regularly, you will notice that you have more power and grace in your movement practices of qigong or tai chi.

Resources

1. Lam Kam Chuen. The Way of Energy.
2. Bruce Frantzis. Opening the Energy Gates of the Body.

Standing Qigong Meditation (Zhan Zhuang) is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Qigong is a practice that is common as a part of the public health system in China.  There are many types of qigong forms and there are also Medical Qigong treatments which are energy healings that are given by people who are gifted in energy sensing and manipulation for balancing and clearing people’s energy fields.  These practices are common in Traditional Chinese Medicine because it sees disease as related to energy blockages, deficiencies and/or imbalances that occur within the body.

In 2006, a study was published in a well-known scientific journal that included 10 women who had advanced symptoms of fibromyalgia.  Each of the subjects scored 50% or greater on the Fibromyalgia Index questionnaire.  The several-member team who implemented this study used many objective measures to evaluate the effectiveness of external energy treatments by a well-established qigong healer who had been evaluated extensively for his abilities to effect healing in Chinese hospitals. The results of the study showed a range of improvement in all individuals tested and a highly significant average decrease in pain experienced.

Medical Qigong Treatments

Treatments that were applied by the healer included acupressure, as well as external energy manipulations to lead the toxic chi out of the body through the feet.  The healer said that to begin the process, touching of the acupressure points was necessary.  The patients were lying down as the treatments were administered. There were three weekly and then three monthly treatments in the study.

It was a common experience for the patients to have increased pain and discomfort after the initial treatment.  However, these symptoms were gone two to three days later.  At the end of the study, there was less improvement  in patients that had complications such as rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative disc disease.   A few of the patients considered that they had total recovery from fibromyalgia symptoms, and the objective measures that were taken reflected that subjective experience.

The objective measures that were taken in the study included Tender Point Counts (TPC, which were a measure of sensitive points on the body), the McGill Pain Questionaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, as well as other objective measures.  At the end of the study,  reductions in the severity of all three measures were highly significant according to statistical measures (P < 0.01), which means that they were 99% certain of the test results.

The major criticism of the study was that it did not have a very large sample.  In scientific circles, the results of the study would also have more weight if it could be repeated in another study by another scientific group.  This type of caution is a common conclusion of scientific studies in alternative medicine. However, in my opinion, the evidence of this pilot study provides enough information to indicate that this form of healing is something that those with fibromyalgia should look into as a resource to help lessen their symptoms and/or effect healing.

Improving Healing with Qigong Exercises

My thoughts are that it would also be important for those who try this type of healing to find a healer who has as much experience, or is as gifted in healing ability as the one who participated in this study.  To augment healing and assist in the reduction of symptoms as well, it would help to learn moving and meditation qigong exercises to complement the treatment by the healer.

I have taught moving exercises to fibromyalgia patients and they have commented on how regular practice helps them by lessening the pain and increasing their feelings of well being. I also agree with the conclusions of the authors of this study, who commented that qigong therapy (in this case, movement exercises) must be implemented on a daily basis, with adequate intensity of qi (energy) flow, in order for a positive healing effect to be evident.

Resources

1. Chen, K. W., et al.  2006. A Pilot Study of External Qigong Therapy for Patients with Fibromyalgia. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.  Volume12, pages 851-856.

2. Medical Qigong and Qigong Movement Exercises

Medical Qigong Healing for Fibromyalgia Treatment is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Attaining the Way is not something that comes quickly. It takes time to tame the mind. As with other meditation methods, Taoist meditation fosters the focusing of the mind, or creating a tranquil awareness. Thoughts and feelings come and go and as we practice, but it centers upon this awareness. In the practice, we lose a little one day and lose a little on another until we arrive at true awareness that is underneath our cravings and random thoughts.

In Taoist meditation, serenity and stability of the breath are sought after. The breath is used as a means of taming the mind. Our patterns of breathing reflect the state of our minds and our bodies are a reflection of our subconscious mind. As Eckhart Tolle (1) notes, emotions can become energetically embedded in our bodies. This causes disturbances in our breathing patterns. Breathing meditation can be used to sense and dissolve these blockages.

As we begin our practice, it takes a few minutes for the chatter in the mind to calm down naturally so we can place our attention on the breathing and keep it there. We can start at the nose, watching the breath go in and out at that point, letting it move of its own accord and not interfering with its movement in either direction. As the attention wanders, we let it gently return to the breath.

As the breath moves in and out, you may notice that it encounters resistance or a tight spot in its path. This awareness may be of tightness, fullness, unevenness or even pain. When this is encountered, keep your attention on the breath and also place it within the area of resistance. Do nothing but keep the attention there. You will find that the area of energetic blockage will change, lessen and go away (or transmute) to a different sensation or a feeling of opening. The blockage will disappear in different ways, but it will not remain the same. When it dissolves, the energetic blockage disappears. All this requires is gentle attention and remaining with the breath. This is one aspect of Taoist alchemy.

With consistent practice, the breath settles and centers in the lower dantien, embryonic breathing is established, and the circulation of energy goes up the back and down the front of the body in what is called the microcosmic orbit. This is a more advanced stage of Taoist alchemy.

According to Chuang Tze, the pathway to wisdom is attained by the cultivation of serenity. (2) Quieting the breath and allowing it to naturally dissolve blockages will help stabilize it. This stability, a “breathing without breathing,” allows tranquility, a serenity that can connect you with the source of wisdom energetically, leading you to attain the Way. The Taoist method of meditation on the breath thus serves as an approach that permits you to open up and embody enlightenment, a lightness of being.

Resources
1. Eckhart Tolle. The Power of Now. 2004.
2. The Complete Works of Chuang Tse

Taoist Meditation and Attaining the Way is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Engaging in a regular practice of qigong results in many benefits for your overall health, whatever tendency you might have for a specific medical condition. This includes a boosting of your immune system so that you are prone to have fewer infections. An increase your overall energy and sense of well being also accrue with daily practice. Perhaps these observed benefits are why many who have cancer, practice qigong to help them in their healing journey.

Research studies on seniors have shown that Tai Chi exercise, which is a choreographed method of qigong, increases balance and reduces the number of falls that they experience. Balance can be the result of balanced practice and a gradual acquiring of an embodied sense of it as a result of proper postural alignments during qigong practice. You can also develop balance with the methods of standing qigong (zhan zhuang) and it will improve your Tai Chi, or even your Kung Fu.

When you do standing qigong (taking care to do it with all of the correct alignments) this helps develop a relaxed strength and an evenly distributed energetic and physical foundation. For example, if you are stronger on one side of your body, standing practice can teach your body to relax on that side while it is simultaneously strengthening the other side.

One of the things you will want to notice when you are doing a moving qigong practice is to avoid moving unevenly to favor one side of the body over the other. This is where the 75% rule is very important. This rule means that you should not move any further on your more flexible side than you can move on your weaker or less flexible side of the body. If you a moving from side-to-side from your waist, or inguinal crease, and you have tight muscular that prevents you from moving to the left as much as you do to the right, you will need to limit your movement on the right side until the left side of the hip region becomes more flexible. The same goes for the arm movements, be conscious of the movement limitations of your less flexible side so you don’t favor your more flexible side. Over time, the arms and shoulder muscles will even out in flexibility and strength.

Balance in your qigong exercises also implies that you do not force movements or have practice sessions that exceed your capacity. The 75% rule also applies in this case. It is not recommended that you do twice as much qigong on a day following one where you did not practice. That is not how it works. Practice regularly and arrange your life around your practice so that it facilitates regular practice. Make it a habit, a good habit.

Qigong Healing Exercises and Balance is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Qigong breathing in the manner of the water method of Taoist meditation is an exercise in relaxation.  Developing this skill requires patience and it should not be done in a forced manner.  To begin learning this way of breathing you can do it laying down.  When you are laying down, the chest and belly are relaxed.  As you inhale, you allow the diaphragm to move towards your abdomen to cause the belly and the sides of the body to expand.  Because of this movement in the abdominal region, this method is also called abdominal breathing.

Movement of the belly and the sides of the abdomen may be barely noticeable or uneven when you first start.  If, while you are practicing, you need a reminder for maintaining your breathing with your diaphragm, you can place a telephone book or some other large book on your belly and allow it to go up with your in-breath and down as you exhale.  Some find that placing of the hands on the belly works as well. You should work towards having smooth and even exhalations and inhalations, and relaxing into this pattern is the way to work towards that goal. Never exhale to more than 3/4 of your ability. Inhalations should occur naturally, with no muscular tension. The relaxation of the diaphragm will do that for you.

When you stand or sit, you may find abdominal breathing more difficult.  Many people have habitual tension in the stomach, perhaps more so when they are standing.  Training yourself to relax and have a smooth and even respiration should be done for both standing and sitting.  As our bodies become more upright, habitual muscular tensions related to holding these postures come into play, thus making it more challenging to breath with the abdomen at first.

Once you have become familiar with abdominal breathing laying down, it is time to try doing it while sitting. It will help to learn to relax the face and neck muscles first, and then you can allow the chest and upper back to relax.  Relaxation of the upper body muscles will allow fuller breathing to the bottom of your lungs with the movement of the diaphragm.  Learn to relax the muscles sequentially, going from the top of the head, relaxing the muscles around the eyes as well when you are relaxing the facial muscles.  As you are relaxing the facial muscles around the mouth, also relax the tongue and place the tip of it on the upper palate, connecting the Du and Ren meridians.   As you are relaxing the neck muscles, also relax your throat.  Relaxing your shoulders, arms, hands and fingers can be done after you allow your chest to relax downward.

Notice your breathing on the inhalation and the exhalation.  Does the inhalation last longer than the exhalation?  Is is more difficult to exhale than inhale?  Are you forcing yourself to exhale or inhale?  Are there certain areas of your body that seem to restrict an even breathing pattern? Choose one of these aspects of your breathing to work on at a time and you may want to keep your focus on that aspect for daily exercises that you can do for a week or more at a time.

Practice this qigong breathing exercise for 15-20 minutes a day.  If you need a timer, find one that has a gentle tone to bring you out of this meditation or you could use a piece of relaxing music that lasts for the duration.  After you have relaxed the muscles, you can just follow the breath as it goes in and out of your nose.  When your attention wanders, go back to following the breath and allow this attention to the breath to guide you in relaxing your breathing pattern as it becomes fuller, smoother and more even over time. You will reap the benefits of improved breathing during your day, which will be evidenced as improved energy levels, resistance to stress as well as improved functioning of your digestive system. Other benefits include improved blood and lymph circulation, improved cardiac function (the pericardium is attached to the diaphragm) and improved immune response. (1)

References

1. http://mindbodylab.bio.uci.edu/Publications%20Page/PDF%20Publications/CAPS%20Recent%20Developments.pdf

Qigong Breathing is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Qigong meditation is a means of getting in sync with your inner energy and has many health benefits. One of the goals of Taoist energy practices is to achieve a breathing rhythm that is continuous and uninterrupted. If you have noticed in situations of stress or, even working on the computer, holding the breath is a very common occurrence. Because your body needs oxygen to function, it is therefore not helpful to hold your breath for the healthy functioning of your body. I have to admit, I sometimes catch myself holding my breath as well as I am typing away on the keyboard. The thinking process somehow affects my breathing.

As in most different types of meditation, breath meditation serves to help focus the mind and develop a better ability to focus and concentration on tasks outside of the meditation period. It resembles mindfulness meditation and other meditation techniques derived from Buddhist and Yogic traditions that have well-documented health benefits, which I will listed in a separate post later. (1) However, what differentiates the practice of inner development by the qigong meditation method is the embodied intention of allowing the breath to help you encounter physical and spiritual energy blockages and help your in your improvement of health and self-realization.

There are Taoist schools that use the breath to forcefully overcome energetic blockages (fire method) and there are schools that use a gentle, or water, method that allows the breath to assist one in passing through these blockages, whether they be physical or spiritual in nature. I prefer and have been trained in the later method. Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming mentions this method as having the ability to confer improved functioning of the body and tranquility, and it is also used as a pathway for enlightenment. (2)

Qigong breathing is different from what most people naturally do. Instead of breathing in a manner where the chest rises and falls, normal Taoist breathing uses the diaphragm, where the belly expands on the in-breath and contracts on the out-breath. There is also another well-known method of qigong breathing where the diaphragm causes the belly to go in on the in-breath and out when exhaling, called reverse breathing. This is a more yang-type breathing method that is used for gathering energy and it has its applications, especially in martial arts.

The paradox of the practice is that as much as breathing is an integral part of qigong meditation practice, as you progress your breathing enters the realm of non-doing in advanced stages.  Breathing in a manner that benefits health and spiritual advancement becomes breathing without conscious effort, entering the realm of  wu wei .

In a later post, I will cover a method of doing qigong breathing meditation using normal (not reverse) Taoist breathing. If practiced regularly (at least daily), this method is a powerful means of opening up the body, balancing its energies in the body, and connecting the qi with the shen, or spirit.
Resources

1.http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/mindfulness_improves_quality_of_life

2. http://studenthealth.ucsf.edu/meditation

3. http://www.amazon.com/Qigong-Meditation-Embryonic-Yang-Jwing-Ming/dp/1886969736

Qigong Meditation and The Breath is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

During my practice of qigong over almost 20 years, I have collected several books on qigong practice that have helped me along in understanding what qigong practice is all about.  These books that are reviewed in this post cover essential aspects of effective practice, from standing meditation to the mechanics that are necessary for connecting with your energy and the energy that surrounds you. Is there one qigong book that is the best? Find out from the reviews below.

Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body: Chi Gung for Life Long Health, by Bruce Frantzis. (2005).  In 1992, I was in my local library and was browsing the section for health exercises and ran across this book.  This book is clearly written, well-organized and inspiring in its content, starting off with an explanation of Frantzis’ journey of learning martial arts and describing the finding of a Taoist lineage teacher in Beijing who, after several years of training Frantzis, conferred his lineage to him.  The five foundational nei gong practices covered in this book begin with a description of standing qigong meditation practice and then describes four different moving practices, including Cloud Hands, two swinging movements and a spinal stretch.  These practices help introduce you to the internal aspects of nei gong.  Part of the process described is the dissolving of  energetic blockages for improving your health and stamina.

If you need a book to start your qigong practice, Frantzis’  book will be an inspiring, no bs  introduction. His deep understanding of the Taoist water method of meditation and his ability to convey those principles are invaluable, and I don’t think anyone explains it better. If you can attend workshop that Frantzis has in the U. S. and other countries, they will really help you engage with the practice, correct any mistakes you have been making and help you more deeply understand the intent and energetic principles.

The Way of Energy.  Mastering the Chinese Art of Internal Strength with Chi Kung Exercise. Master Lam Kam Chuen (1991).  A thorough book that introduces  standing meditation, or Zhan Zhuang, and has advanced postures that are suggested after the practitioner has had sufficient experience.  The illustrations are very good.  There is a table in this book that describes some of the bodily changes that practitioners may experience during the first months of practice.   Ba Duan Jin moving qigong practice is also described as a means of helping one prepare for the energy and advanced postures are also suggested for further advancement.  At the end of the book, there are suggestions for integrating your practice in your daily life, such as when you are working at your computer, talking on the telephone, sitting down to read or watch television, riding bicycles, and many other situations.  These are great practical ways to help maintain your health in situations that frequently result in damage to health.  This book complements the treatment of standing meditation in Frantzis’ book very well – I particularly suggest the use of Frantzis’ dissolving technique to help one allow the removal of energy blockages.

For advanced and intermediate practitioners, there are two books that I recommend from Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming:  The Root of Chinese Qigong: Secrets of Health, Longevity and Enlightenment; and Qigong Meditation: Embyonic Breathing.   The first explains regulation of the chi and provides a background into many concepts regarding energy cultivation.  There are a few exercises in this book, but it is mainly devoted to illustrating the theory behind the practice of chi development. There are a few qigong breathing exercises.  Dr. Yang emphasizes the importance of finding a good master to learn. But you also need to regularly practice as well….

The second book that I recommend from Dr. Yang is invaluable for its translation of ancient texts into English, translations which give insight into the fundamental meaning of subtle energy and Taoist meditation practice. This text is definitely not for those who are beginning qigong practice, however. You need to first develop a sense of energetic body awareness, and the best book that contains practices that I know will help you do that is the Opening the Energy Gates book by Frantzis that is mentioned above.

Qigong Book Recommendations is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

A simple qigong exercise is introduced here that will help you increase your energy and help focus it into your dantien, the energy center at about 1 1/2 inches below your navel in the center of your body.  Practice this exercise first thing in the morning.  For those who are challenged with disorders, practice of this exercise can be done as many as three times a day.  You can do the first six steps slowly, letting tension dissolve and drain downward from your body.

This standing posture is the basic form from which all qigong and tai chi movements begin and it is necessary to practice it regularly. (1) Standing Taoist Meditation is based on this posture, but it has several variations.  Tranquility and letting go of distracting thoughts are required.  The muscles of your body should neither be too tense or too relaxed.  Be calm and relaxed but alert.  Wear shoes if you are in a place that has a cold floor.  Here are the tips on how to do it:

1. Place your feet at about shoulder-width apart, feet are parallel and pointing straight ahead.  The knees are bent and the knee caps do not go past the toes.  Relax the knees and the  hips, allowing the hips to scoop forward a bit so that the tailbone points to the ground.  When you are doing this, do not force the hips  into this position, allow it to relax to a comfortable position.   Let the weight of your body relax and be centered around your dantien.

2. Place your tip of your tongue on the hard palate, letting it gently rest there.  This connects the Du and Ren meridians.  Note your head position, using a mirror for feedback if you have no one else with you, making sure that it is not tilted to either side nor is it leaning forward or backward.  Then, look straight ahead to a point that is directly in front of you and close you eyes, which will help you relax.  Relax your face and neck muscles.  To help relax the neck, visualize a string attached to the top of your head which is holding it up.

3. Allow the shoulders to relax downward, then relax the elbows and wrists.  Keep some space open at the arm pits since this is the top of the right and left extraordinary energy channels which extend down the torso to the hips.

4. Relax the chest downward and relax the belly and the sides of your body.

5. Relax your upper and then the lower back.  Relaxing the lower back is essential for helping build up energy in the lower dantien.  If this is difficult, then other exercises will be suggested later that can help you work towards that goal.

6. Relax your upper thighs, knees, calves, ankles and feet all the way to your toes, allowing the energy to drain into the floor.

7. Gently contract the anus and then pull in the buttock muscles as if you need to stop a bowel movement, then relax.

8. Gently click the teeth together 36 times (36 is a magic number in Taoism) and then roll the tongue 3 times in one direction and then 3 times in the other direction.  Then do a rinsing motion like you have mouthwash and do this until the saliva builds up.  Then swallow and imagine it going down to your lower dantien.  You can do this exercise three times.

Notes: This Taoist meditation exercise is recommended in situations that are described in Traditional Chinese Medicine as having excessive heat.  It helps with digestion and boosts the immune system, and it has been recommended for patients with cancer. (2)

References

1. http://www.fivebranches.edu/extension/1042

2. http://mindbodylab.bio.uci.edu/Publications%20Page/PDF%20Publications/Cultural%20Essay.pdf

3. Standing Qigong Meditation (Zhan Zhuang)

Taoist Meditation – Standing Qigong Exercise is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.

Master Nan Lu, who holds a doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is a licensed acupuncturist and is the author of TCM books on breast cancer, menopause, and natural weight loss, presents an overview of the five elements of TCM and how they correspond to different parts of the body as well as the associated meridians. (1) TCM, which is based on the Taoist Five Element and Meridian theories, was developed over 2000 years ago in China. (2) The five elements, which are water, earth, metal, fire and wood, serve as a powerful tool for disorder diagnosis, treatment recommendations and health maintenance exercises.

The six healing sounds (liu zi jue) are related to each of the five elements and organ systems, with the element Fire associated with the heart and the triple burner meridian, and the other pairings are Earth-spleen, Metal-lungs, Water-kidneys, and Wood-liver.  The sixth healing sound has no specific organ associate, but it is associated with the triple burner meridian. For each organ and element combination, there are also specific colors and associated seasons. (3)

The following table  shows the colors and sounds that are used in qigong exercises for healing.  The sounds should be done in the sequence given, starting with the liver and finishing with the triple burner.  This sequence follows what is called the creative cycle of the five elements.

Organ               Element          Color                 Sounds

Liver                    Wood             Green                 Shuu

Heart                    Fire                Red                    Haaa

Spleen                 Earth            Yellow                Whoo

Lungs                  Metal              White                 Tsss

Kidneys               Water              Blue                   Fuu

For the triple burner, the sound is Heeeeeeee, however it is made without actually making the vocal chords vibrate.  Your mouth just needs to be in the open position and relaxed as the sound is formed.

Each of the sounds and movements should be repeated 3, 6 or 9 times before going on to the next.  Do not overdo it at first, so 3 or 6 times is adequate.

It is recommended that those with heart or lung disorders use low to mid-level volumes when practicing these sounds.   For those having spleen, liver, kidney, stomach and intestinal disorders, moderate to loud volumes can be used.

As illustrated in the video to the left and above, there are specific postures and movements associated with the use of these sounds. The postures or movements vary, depending on the school, or tradition, of qigong.  Sometimes there are static postures; and at other times there are moving qigong exercises. The movements are designed which help open the meridians and remove the energetic blockages.  This video  shows an elegant set of movements that is commonly performed with each sound.  Other videos can be found with different forms of movements (look for liu zi jue on YouTube) and you can also find instructions for different movements in texts, such as in Jerry Johnson’s book, Chinese medical Qigong therapy: A comprehensive clinical guide.

You may notice some differences in how the tones are  pronounced, which will vary depending on the person practicing and the specific teachings of each school of qigong.  The most important thing, however, is to maintain a state of relaxed attention on the organ and its meridian to achieve a felt resonance with the sound in order to help clear out any energetic blockages that may be present.  This is an important point about qigong, you need to develop a body awareness which becomes an inner awareness of energetic imbalances that may exist in your body.

Training in healing sounds is becoming available to traditionally trained physicians at some institutions that teach holistic or integrative medicine, such as the University of Maryland School of Medicine. (4,5,6)

References

1. TCMworld.org.

2. http://www.pacificcollege.edu/acupuncture-massage-news/articles/483-spring-and-tcm-5-element-theory.html

3. http://www.compmed.umm.edu/integrative/pathways/index.asp

4. About_CIIS Public_Programs Sound Certificate

6. http://www.fivebranches.edu/extension/1042

7. Taoist Ways to Transform Stress into Vitality: The Inner Smile * Six Healing Sounds

8. The Six Healing Sounds: Taoist Techniques for Balancing Chi

9. Taoist Qigong for Health and Vitality: A Complete Program of Movement, Meditation, and Healing Sounds

Qigong Healing Sounds and Five Element Theory is another free quality qigong instructional provided by the: Qigong Healing Arts Organization.