The Reasons Why We Practise Qigong: This Ancient Oriental Moving Meditation Builds a Healthy Body and Develops Peace of Mind

Today’s hectic lifestyle takes a toll on our physical and mental health, leaving in its wake a multitude of aches, pains, and chronic health conditions. Relief from the effects of a stressful life can be found in an ancient Chinese tradition called Qigong (pronounced Chee gong). Qigong, which is also referred to as Ch’i Kung, cultivates physiological health, well being, and longevity through deep breathing, gentle movement and stretching, and relaxed meditation. Millions of people around the world practice qigong for health – physical, mental, and spiritual health – and here are reasons why.

Qigong is simple and requires no special, expensive equipment.
Qigong movements and postures are independent, often repetitive exercises that are easy to learn and remember. Many of the movements take no more than five minutes to perform. Like t’ai chi (which is a form of qigong developed into a martial art), this discipline needs no special equipment beyond comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and flat-soled shoes, and it can be practiced anywhere with a minimal amount of space to move freely – from your living room to a community park to your staff room at work.

The benefits of qigong can be experienced at any age and any fitness level.
The art of ch’i kung consists of over 1000 different exercises, ranging from the simple and gentle to the complex and dynamic. Many of the exercises can be performed from a standing position, others while seated, and yet others while lying down. With this wide variety of movements, qigong is suitable for and can benefit all ages, from the very young to the very old. The exercises can be specifically tailored to meet individual needs and goals, from encouraging calm behaviour and self-awareness in school-aged children, to developing strength and flexibility after a sports injury, to improving balance to prevent falls in older adults.

Qigong is practiced to prevent and treat illness, injury, and a variety of health conditions.
Like many Oriental medical systems, including Chinese, Tibetan and Ayurvedic traditions, people would go regularly to their local doctor so that he or she could detect any minor imbalances in their system before a disease or problem manifested as an illness and pain. Qigong was another way of regulating and balancing ones energies to reduce the need for regular visits to the physicians - a pro-active health regulator and promoter of general well-being.

De-Stressing Body and Mind Naturally
Whether we experience “normal” or chronic stress, our bodies respond with tension, illness, fatigue, and depression. The relaxing, meditative movements and concentrated breathing of qigong relax and release tension in our beings, restoring our bodies - and our important, subtle, inner-energy flows - to a calm, natural balance. Practicing ch’i kung regularly (a few times a week) can benefit and ease symptoms for those suffering from respiratory illness (such as asthma or allergies), chronic pain, cardiovascular conditions, anxiety, cancer, depression, arthritis, fatigue, digestive illness, and many other health concerns.

How to Learn The Gentle Art of Qigong
Nowadays, one can quite easily find classes to learn Tai chi and Qigong in most large communities. Otherwise there are excellent Videos and DVDs available that really can explain how to benefit from this wonderful art and gentle yet effective method of exercise.