What is Qigong?
Qigong means “energy work”. It is one of the three primary branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine, along with acupuncture and herbology. Qigong consists of solo energy cultivation practices.
Qigong has three primary branches, which are Medical, Martial, and Spiritual.
Medical Qigong emphasizes health, wellness, longevity, and stress reduction.
Martial Qigong emphasizes strengthening the body, performance enhancement, and flow state induction. (Tai chi and other internal martial arts are forms of Martial Qigong.)
Spiritual Qigong emphasizes refining the internal energy of the body and moving through unfolding states and stages of spiritual awareness.
All types of Qigong are based on the Two First Principles, the Three Regulations, and the Six Qualities.
The Two First Principles are the Nonexertion Principle and the Pleasure Principle.
The Nonexertion Principle says “don’t force, don’t strain, don’t overexert, don’t try too hard”. In other words, stay within the limits of your own body.
The Pleasure Principle says “do it in a way that feels good for your body”. In other words, enjoy the practice. It’s the opposite of “no pain, no gain”.
The Three Regulations are Body Regulation, Breath Regulation, and Mind Regulation, also known as exercise, breathwork, and meditation. Qigong combines all three into a single activity (it’s the good kind of multitasking) for a complete Personal Daily MindBody Energetic Hygiene Practice.
