Qigong for Your Health

If you were to visit a doctor of Chinese medicine for any number of ailments-fatigue, arthritis, anxiety, osteoporosis, asthma, or
menstrual problems, for example-it's likely that a key component of her prescription would be chi exercises, holistic workouts that
simultaneously develop body and spirit, promoting overall health and vitality. Practiced by millions of Chinese for millennia, chi exercises are now gaining popularity throughout the world for their health benefits.

According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, chi (pronounced "chee") is the universal life force, or energy, which is
circulated throughout the body along invisible energy channels knows as meridians. When chi circulates in a dynamic and harmonious flow, we feel healthy and invigorated, both mentally and physically. Illness results when energy flow is blocked or inhibited, causing imbalance and dysfunction in our bodies' systems. To improve health, we must work to free the circulation of chi-and that's where chi exercises come in.

The Power of Qigong
Qigong (pronounced "chee gong"), or chi kung, is a collective term used for various energy arts that aim to promote the uninhibited flow of chi. There are hundreds if not thousands of types of qiqong, says James MacRitchie, author of The Chi Kung Way (HarperCollins, 1997) and founder of the National Qigong (Chi Gung) Association and the Boulder, Colorado-based Chi Kung School at the Body-Energy Center. Tai chi, which has become popular in this country in recent years, is a form of qigong.

Literally meaning "the skill of attracting vital energy," qigong seeks to restore balance, break down blockages, and stimulate flow of chi through various physical exercises and meditations. "Qigong can translate as 'working with energy,'" says MacRitchie, "But if you consider the phrase 'more energy, more life,' qigong can also translate as 'cultivating life.'" Thus, qigong isn't merely a set of exercises we do to feel better, says MacRitchie; it's also "the main centering focus of the life within us."

Adherents of traditional Chinese medicine maintain that the practice of qigong results in myriad physical and emotional benefits, including lowered blood pressure, reduced heart rate, increased oxygenation of tissues, improved circulation, increased immunity, and improved mood. Although critics point to a lack of rigorous, large clinical trials to support qigong's health benefits, most agree that practicing qigong can at least lead to enhanced fitness and greater relaxation.

Getting Started
Due to qigong's increasing popularity, you can teach yourself qigong by following instructions in one of the numerous videotapes and books available on the subject. Living Arts' Chi Series includes three easy-to-follow videotapes-A.M. Chi for Beginners, Energy Chi for Beginners, and P.M. Chi for Beginners-that serve as good starting points. You may want to supplement your videotape practice with the real thing, however. In-person professional instruction will ensure you're practicing proper technique. Individual and group classes are available at many fitness clubs, community centers, YMCAs, and hospitals. The National Qigong (Chi Kung) Association provides information on qigong instructors nationwide.

When suiting up for qigong, keep it simple. Your clothing should be comfortable and non-binding. A simple t-shirt and loose-fitting pants such as Tao Pants, which feature an elastic drawstring waist, will suffice. Your feet should be swaddled in comfortable, flexible, rubber-soled shoes such as Tao Shoes.

Work Your Chi
If you normally take to high-speed activities such as biking and running, be prepared to shift into a lower gear. Qigong exercises are
generally practiced in a much more deliberate manner. A typical qigong exercise is "Piercing the Cloud", which is featured in Energy Chi for Beginners:
1. Starting with your feet together, slowly step forward into a lunge position.
2. Bring your hands together, palms touching in front of your abdomen; slowly, yet powerfully, push your hands out in front of you as you exhale and shift your weight onto your front foot.
3. At the farthest point of your push, exhale and turn palms outward; move arms in an arc back toward your shoulders, as if you were doing the breaststroke.
4. Drop hands back down to your abdomen, and repeat the move three or four times.
5. Change feet, and repeat on the other side.

Like any practice, traditional chi movements take time to learn and master. You may notice some of the benefits immediately; others will become apparent over time. Your patience and persistence will ultimately be rewarded. "Once you know qigong, everything changes, you're understanding of what you are, who you are, and what's possible. It moves up to another level."