Qi Gong
Qi Gong incorporates many aspects of the body into training: alignment, strength, relaxation and release, movement, balance, breath, sound/vibration, Qi/energy, and meditative qualities like attention and awareness. It's a mix of repetitive movements, static postures, and seated work, all designed to open and build specific patterns into the body, and to build and circulate Qi.
Jump to section
These practices take us deep inside, opening us to the subtle energetic world within our being. A byproduct of this work is that we start to bring body and mind into harmony, leading to higher levels of health and a deeper connection to ourselves and the world around us.
The body and mind are a direct reflection of each other. Blockages in various parts of the body affect the mind and emotions, limiting their ability to express. When Qi is blocked in an area, that area becomes disconnected, and the mental and emotional qualities associated with it become effected as well. A tightness in the chest, for example, can reduce your capacity to feel or express emotion freely. Over time, these blockages and patterns can have an effect across many different aspects of our life.
When Qi flows freely, the body’s overall health can improve, including everything from digestion and the immune system to cognitive function and energy levels. An open, relaxed body also allows the mind to settle, reducing stress and anxiety, keeping us out of fight-or-flight.
Terms
Qi
Qi is a substance that allows the mind and body to interact. Through the practice we develop the ability to build more Qi in our system, and then move it throughout our body to effect change on the inside. There are two kinds of Qi: Yang Qi, which is more active and moves quickly through the body, and Yin Qi, which has a more magnetic quality and moves much more slowly through the system.
Gong
Refers to a skill or quality that has been built into your mind-body system through repetition. Once something becomes a “gong,” it no longer requires the same effort. It’s now a skill you have easy access to.
Nei Gong
The internal process of change the body moves through as practice progresses. This process unfolds in a predictable way over time as you open the body, build more Qi into the system, and refine the various qualities of mind.
Tai Chi / Taiji
This practice has a strong focus on release, known as “song,” where you’re releasing tension and muscles as you move, dropping the weight down into your feet. Where Qi Gong uses shorter, more repetitive movements, Tai Chi uses “forms,” which are longer sequences of movement where the release itself guides the movement.
Stages of Practice
Because of our extremely varied lives and psychology, everyone begins from a different place, carrying their own complex web of tension and blockages throughout the body. A good system will take you through a systematic process of change, and while everyone’s path looks a little different, there are clear steps and markers of progress along the way.
The early stages have a heavy focus on physically opening the body, releasing tension, and restoring the body’s natural structure. This is done through stretching, opening the joints, and creating space in the spine, which in turn brings health to every part of the body as the nerves become free and unbound. At the same time, you work with the fascia and connective tissue to connect the internal body into one unified whole. People who reach this stage describe the feeling as wearing a wetsuit.
Another early focus is awakening your lower energy centre to begin consolidating Qi within the lower abdomen. This is the fuel for the entire practice. Over time as your Qi builds, you learn to direct it around the body to carry out different effects like opening deeper and more subtle layers of the body, building and accumulating more Qi, working with the five elements to nourish the organ systems, purging pathogens from the body, and helping you move into deeper meditative states.
Resources
