Qigong (also spelled “chi kung” or “chi gong”) is a simple and ancient meditative healing system based on the same medical theory as acupuncture. The “qi” in qigong means the universal life energy or the holy force underlying all of existence, while “gong” denotes practice, refinement, cultivation. Therefore with qigong, you heal by refining your connection to the holy force, which moves you toward a natural state of being: in harmony with the universal laws that govern day and night, the change of seasons and the orbits of the celestial bodies. Qigong can refer to either daily self-practice exercises or to energy therapy given by a skilled qigong practitioner, both of which are performed with a view to healing body, mind and spirit.
There are three main branches of qigong: martial, medical and spiritual. Country Well offers instruction in self-healing practices as well as qigong therapy incorporating the teachings of all three branches.
Martial Qigong
The development of strength, power, stamina and vitality to maximize your physical potential is the focus of martial qigong. This type of qigong is suitable only for those who are already healthy. Internal martial arts systems of tai chi, hsing i and ba gua, which have kept their teachings intact through the ages, usually include martial qigong practices as a vital adjunct to their training regimens to evolve supreme fighting and self defense skills.
Medical Qigong
Qigong that is designed to resolve physical disease and mental/emotional issues is referred to as medical qigong. You may choose to follow a specific set of self-practice exercises that address your individual needs (such as for heart disease or depression), or a general daily protocol for strengthening and balancing all organ systems together with your mental and emotional state. Or you may opt to receive medical qigong treatments for the same purposes. Today, major urban hospitals in China combine qigong therapy and prescribed self-practice exercises with Western medicine to treat chronic illnesses. Medical qigong is also practiced by the healthy who wish to move into excellent health, vitality and wellbeing.
Spiritual Qigong
The opening, clearing and refining of spiritual centers and fields that exist through and beyond the body to render healing is known as spiritual qigong (or shengong). For this purpose, you may either practice spiritually-oriented self-healing exercises or receive shengong therapy. Spiritual Qigong focuses on the release of spiritual traumas that have resulted in illness of body, mind or emotions. As the spiritual faculties purify and awaken, profound healing ensues. One also comes to experience a stilling of the mind, continuity of focus, creativity, a spiritual empowering of the senses (hearing, seeing, knowing etc.) and the expansion of the inherent human virtues, such as: courage, joy, peace and love. Daily shengong self-practice may help you relax into your innate talents to bring you into closer alignment with your life’s calling. Spiritual qigong is often a part of soft style martial arts training. At Country Well your medical qigong treatments may include spiritual qigong therapy, depending on your diagnosis.
Where Does Qigong Come From?
Archaeological Evidence in China suggests that the philosophical and medical principles underlying qigong (and possibly the earliest systems themselves) date back thousands of years. Circa 500 A.D. is considered the golden age of the development of qigong, when enclaves of Taoist priests living in nature refined and advanced this art in search of enlightenment and immortality. Since qigong presents no conflict with the beliefs of the various religious traditions, it is practiced by people of all religious and spiritual backgrounds.