A template for mastering qigong...
Qigong is the cultivation of particular skills for working with qi.
Practicing qigong therefore develops very clearly defined skills (gong) for using qi.
There are three main traditions of Qigong - Doaist, Buddhist and Confucian. Each have their own purpose and methodology.
Qigong forms can also be categorised as medical, martial, and spiritual. I've reframed these into health, human performance, and evolution.
What you see being practiced on you tube or demonstration is just the outer, physical aspect the form. whilst this is useful, it's actually the inner skills (gong) that are the main point of practicing qigong. These skills are not visible to others, yet definitely experienced by the practitioner.
Why are there so many different qigong forms?
For over 20 years of qigong practice and study with various master teachers, I've discovered that the many forms are like learning different pieces of music of varying levels and complexities. As we practice we discover deeper levels of refinement and satisfaction. Eventually no two sessions are the same.
What are the skills developed through qigong practice?
The foundation skills (gong) developed through qigong practice are :
Discover Qi
Gather Qi
Circulate Qi
You need to feel (discover) the qi in order to gather a lot of it and then circulate it through your body to heal itself.
How can we develop these skills?
There are many ways to develop these skills through qigong practice.
All traditions of qigong, regardless of their purpose, have health as the foundation for further development. The qigong I practice and teach is mainly medical and I select various forms to accomplish that aim.
What are the benefits of developing the key skills?
Practice any of qigong form develops the core skills of qigong. This then has the effect of improving our health, sharpen our awareness, and deepening levels of relaxation.
What are the specific benefits of qigong practice?
The specific benefits depends upon the type of qigong and how you practice it.
For instance the 5 Element Tuning Qigong attunes us to the 5 phases of qi transformation happening moment by moment in the universe. Every single process in life is intricately and beautifully interconnected. So, through practicing this qigong form, these natural forces become a part of our embodied experience. These hidden forces become known to us.
This skill is particularly useful in helping us to detect imbalances in our body and directs us to help ourselves, or with professional help, to heal effectively. We will be able to select the types of food, make lifestyle choices, and types of supplements or medicines that will suit our particular needs. A very useful set of skills indeed!
When you break down the components of every qigong style, there are, more or less, 5 steps in the cultivation of qi to improve our personal health and enhance healing. This is like a template to mastering qigong practice.
What are the 5 Steps of Qi Cultivation?
1. Enter Stillness
2. Gather Qi
3. Qigong form
(eg. 5 Element Tuning Qigong, 8 Brocades, 12 Channel Qigong, Alchemical Qigong etc.)
4. Spontaneous qi flow
5. Closing sequence
(eg. facial rejuvenation, acupressure massage)
How to use the 5 Steps of Qi Cultivation
The 5 Sequence of Qi Cultivation is the foundation of qigong practice
Develop familiarity with the 5 Sequence Routine.
Flexible and skilful use of this is the key to success.
Insert any qigong set into step 2.
During the webinars we practiced the 5 Element Qigong set.
Each part in the sequence works synergistically with the others
You can use any part of the sequence as a stand alone exercise
I highly encourage you to explore what works for you
A suggested daily practice to start with...
For instance a suggested method is to practice part 1 Entering Stillness for a few minutes one day.
Then practice 3-5 reps of one from the 5-Element Tuning qigong set the next day.
Keep adding another movement from the set each day. So over a week or so you will have the entire sequence as well as the movement from the qigong set learned.
How long can you practice for?
Eventually your daily routine should take around 15 minutes once or twice a day.
I encourage you to acknowledge the type of person you are and to build up a practice that you can personally enjoy sticking to.
Please remember there is no place for perfectionism in personal cultivation practice.
Please foster the spirit of curiosity and playfulness as you explore what works best for you. This changes day to day, so adapt your practice accordingly.
For instance some days you can practice for longer than others; sometimes you can do the entire 5 Sequence of Qi Cultivation for 15 minutes; other times you can simple do 2 minutes of one part of the 5 Element qigong...there are no absolute rules.
We are all at different levels of development and so practice what you can. Your understanding and experience will deepen with practice.
You can build upon your practice at future workshops and/or one on one mentoring.
So please try build up to 10-15 minutes of the 5 Sequence Qigong practice over weeks and months. There is no deadline.
When are the ideal times to practice?
Ideal times to practice is first thing in the morning shortly after rising and/or in the evening before bed.
However practicing them at anytime is very beneficial. Times that may not be ideal are between 11am-3pm (Fire phase of the day) and may cause agitation to the nervous system - it's not a hard and fast rule so practice gently and see what times suit you.
Mindset during practice
Don't practice when there is extreme turbulence from outer weather - eg. strong storms, lightning etc.
Don't practice when there is extreme turbulence from inner weather - eg. strong upset, rage, anger. Practice other methods to allow the mind to settle and when fairly peaceful you can safely practice again.
When practicing please be calm and gentle with yourself. There is no room for perfectionism here. Simply enjoy the experience of practicing. The results will come soon enough.
Anything else to bear in mind?
Hydration!
First thing in the morning have a 2 glasses of plain, still, room temp or warm water
Wait 5 or so minutes before practicing - I usually put on my breakfast congee at this point.
Have ‘warm and wet’ foods such as porridge cooked in water (or congee) and finished off with milk of your choice; snack on fruits a few hours after breakfast or lunch; broths, stews, soups etc…
Each more fats and oils to nourish the hormones and nervous system
Early to bed - ideally before 11pm
Wake up and greet the day with gratitude, find and enjoy the beauty in your life
Recommended Reading
These are the books that I've found particularly helpful for qigong, self healing, and Chinese medicine.
The Healer Within
The Healing Promise of Qi
88 Secrets of Chinese Medicine
Peace, Love, and Healing
Mind to Matter
Closing remarks
Integrating the 5-Element qigong into the 5 Steps of Qi Cultivation will give a foundation for further exploration of self-care methods of Classical Chinese medicine.
We shall explore many aspects of qigong as well as foods, lifestyle in future blogs/webinars/ workshops.
Meanwhile please just practice gently and patiently. Please don’t worry about results; they will take care of themselves. Just enjoy sowing the seeds of practice and you will definitely reap the rewards.
Results are inevitable and your understanding will grow with practice.
The only secret is to practice gently and joyfully...