Qigong Medical Therapy: It’s Not Exercise!
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ou’ve probably heard of Qigong as an exercise or martial art, but have you heard of Qigong medical therapy? Qigong medical therapy is based on the principle that when Qi (energy), which circulates throughout the body and mind,
is balanced, a person will be healthy both mentally and
physically. The basic principles of Qigong medical therapy are, quite simply: to strengthen the body, prevent and treat disease (using Chi- nese Medicine/Qigong medical methods), promote wisdom, bring out latent abilities, and prolong life.
The Body is an Organic Whole
Practitioners view the body as an organic whole, consisting of Qi, blood, and tissues, all connected by a system of meridians. Unlike Western anatomy, in which the arteries bring nourishment to the organs and tissues of the body, and the veins, as well as certain organs, remove impurities, in Chinese Medicine the meridians are the pathways that bring both Qi and blood to the organs and tissues. They bring nutrition to the body, and control the internal organs and motor functions. As Grand Master Shih notes “…according to Qigong therapy the human body is not only an organic whole in relation to itself. It forms an organic whole with nature as well. This is an inescapable relationship. What exists outside the body is inside all of us. At the same time the human body is an inseparable part of nature. What is inside us is also in everything around us. To practice Qigong, we need to understand this intimate relationship between ourselves and the Universe. We strive to harmonize ourselves to the “rhythms of nature” and thus prevent disease, strengthen our minds and bodies, and treat disease.” (All of which is done according to Chinese Medicine/Qigong principles.)
Everything has Qi
The concept of Qi—energy that is the fundamental life force— has been a part of Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (The Nei Ching) has many references to Qi. Everything has Qi, even inanimate objects such as tables, cups, cars, etc.
My Approach I studied with Grand Master TK Shih, a fifth generation healer
and author of Qigong Therapy (1995) and Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy Volume II: The Chinese Art of Healing with Energy (2010). Grand Master Shih and his students practice using the mind to garner the energy of the Universe, fill the Dan Tien (in Chinese Medi- cine the center of the body’s energy located in the lower abdomen is called the Dan Tien) with this energy, and move negative energy out of the body.
Building Jin, Qi, and Shen A trained Qigong medical therapist uses meditations to the Dan
Tien, along the paths of the meridians and the organs of the body to build her own energy so that she can treat the patient. Her goal for both herself and her patients is to balance yin and yang and to have a correct mind (calm and peaceful), correct body (healthy and with- out negative energy), and correct breathing. Achieving these three ‘corrects’ builds Jin, Qi, and Shen (which work together and cannot exist without each other) and will give you good health, longevity and wisdom. There are two types of Jin – congenital Jin inherited from your parents, and acquired Jin which comes from what we eat. Jin, which is stored in the kidneys produces marrow, and forms the “basis of re- production, growth, development and maturation.” [Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy Volume II: The Chinese Art of Healing with Energy (2011)]. Qi builds the body’s physiological functions and transports and circulates substances through the body. It also is responsible for warming the body and defending it from attack by disease. Shen is spiritual energy, and Jin and Qi must be present for Shen to exist. Again, as with Jin, there is congenital Shen (which you receive
from your parents) and acquired Shen. Acquired Shen is the men- tal processes developed from birth throughout life and comes from interaction with the world. Because life exposes us to many emotions and desires, we often over-stress our acquired Shen. In Qigong medi- cal therapy and practice we strive to control this acquired Shen and remove stress and distracting thoughts. Because all three act with each other we “Accumulate Shen to promote Qi and accumulate Qi to promote Jin. Refine Jin until it becomes Qi; refine Qi into Shen and refine Shen to emptiness.” (Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy, Volume II.)
When the trained Qigong medical therapist practices regularly, she has sufficient Jin, Qi, and Shen to diagnose and treat both mental and physical illness, using traditional Qigong methods. My personal view is that Qigong medical therapy should be used as a compli-
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