WHAT IS QIGONG?
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Qigong or Chi Kung is an ancient Chinese art closely related to T’ai Chi that is several thousand years old. It aims to relax, energise and bring the body and mind into balance.
In recent times a refined form called Shibashi (Meaning 18) was developed in China and is now practiced on a regular basis by millions of people worldwide. In its most basic form Shibashi is a series of slow repetitive movements combined with slow deep breathing that can be modified to suit all ages and physical abilities.
On a deeper level the art is a holistic therapy that works on the principle that the health of the mind affects the health of the body and vice versa so, as the student progresses, more meditation techniques are integrated into the movements.
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WHY DO WE PRACTICE?
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The ultimate aim of Qigong is integrate the mind, breath and body and to gain wisdom and a deep state of inner peace. Central to this deeper aim is the ancient Chinese philosophy of Daoism which among other concepts teaches the student to live in harmony with the universe and live life in a balanced way.
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WHAT IS CHI?
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One of the features of Qigong that sets it aside from other exercise systems is Chi (Energy) a core concept of Chinese traditional medicine. Arts such as acupuncture and shiatsu utilise this concept of chi.
When done accurately and regularly Qigong stimulates this flow of energy in the body and brings about good mental and physical health. This concept of chi is sometimes hard to grasp by people used to a Western model of health; however, this is not an issue as there are many students who do not relate to the idea of chi yet still gain all the benefits of practicing.
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WHAT QIGONG OFFERS
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Qigong claims to help a diverse range of issues including anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure, pain management, asthma, arthritis and much more.
There is certainly a lot of evidence directly from students in our classes that certain conditions have been helped. To date there has been only so much data to back this up due to the lack of scientific studies having been undertaken - however it is coming.
In Autumn 2023 one of the biggest studies yet that was run over five years in Shanghai with over 300 people involved, concluded that practitioners had fewer complications and experienced a better quality of life than those who didn’t and, in particular, symptoms in practitioners with Parkinson’s were significantly delayed.