Qigong

Carlos Durana has been praticing and teaching Qigong for over 25 years and teaches classes and seminars in Qigong. Click here for information on the current schedule.

What is Qigong? *

Qigong is an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and forced intention. The word Qigong (Chi Kung) is made up of two Chinese words. Qi is pronounced chee and is usually translated to mean the life force or vital-energy that flows through all things in the universe.

The second word, Gong, pronounced means accomplishment, or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Together, Qigong (Chi Kung) means cultivating energy. It is a system practiced for health maintenance, healing and increasing vitality.

Qigong practices can be classified as martial, medical, or spiritual,. All styles have thee things in common: they all include a posture (whether moving or stationary,) breathing techniques, and mental focus. Some practices increase the Qi; others circulate it, use it to cleanse and heal the body, store it or emit Qi to help heal others. Practices vary from the soft internal gentle styles such as Tai Chi: to the external, vigorous styles such as Kung fu. However, the slow gentle movements of most Qigong forms can be easily adapted, even for the physically challenged and can be practiced by all age groups.

Like any other system of health care, Qigong is not a panacea, but it is certainly highly effective health care practice. Many health care professionals recommend Qigong as an important form of alternative complementary medicine.

Why Do Qigong?

Qigong creates an awareness of and influences dimensions of our being that are not part of traditional exercise programs. Most exercises do not involve the meridian system used in acupuncture, nor do they emphasize the importance of adding mind intent and breathing techniques to physical movements. When these dimensions are added, the benefits of exercise increase exponentially.

The gentle, rhythmic movements of Qigong reduce stress, build stamina, increase vitality and enhance the immune system. It has also been found to improve cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic and digestive functions.

Those who maintain a consistent practice of Qigong find that it helps one regain a youthful vitality, maintain health even into old age and helps speed recovery from illness. Western scientific research confirms that Qigong reduces hypertension and the incidence of falling in the aged population. One of the more important long-term effects is that Qigong re-establishes the body/mind/soul connection.

When these three aspects of our being are integrated, it encourages a positive outlook on life and helps eliminate harmful attitudes and behaviors. It also creates a balanced life style, which brings greater harmony, stability, and enjoyment.

Who Can Benefit?

Qigong's great appeal is that anyone cane benefit from practicing it, regardless of their level of physical fitness, whether they are young or old, what belief system they hold, their level of income, or their life circumstances.

There are a wide variety of Qigong practices. They vary from simple, internal forms to the more complex and challenging external styles. They can interest and benefit everyone, from the most physically challenged to the super athlete. There are Qigong classes for children, senior citizens and every group in between. Since Qigong can be practiced anywhere or at any time, there is no need to buy special clothing or to join a club.

Anyone can enrich their lives by adding Qigong to their daily routine. Children learning to channel their energy and develop increased concentration; office workers learning Qigong to reduce stress; seniors participating in gentle movements to enhance balance and their quality of life; caregivers embracing a practice to develop their ability to help others; prisons instituting Qigong programs to restore balance in inmates' lives; midwives using Qigong techniques to ease childbirth.

When an individual or group assumes responsibility and takes action for their health and healing, we all benefit.

How to Find a Qualified Instructor

How do you pick an instructor? Check in your local area for tai chi schools., acupuncturists or martial arts academies; all of who may offer or point you to a good instructor. Get referrals from people you trust. You can also find an excellent resource, the NQA directory, which has listing of instructors at www.NQA.org . Check the instructor's background and experience. Visit a class and evaluate whether it's right for you.

*This information was created by the National Qigong (Chi Kung) Association  USA - PO Box 252, Lakeland, MN 55043  Phone: 888-815-1893  www.nqa.org

Physical Health Benefits of Qigong

• Effective in lowering high blood pressure
• Regular practice can minimize the effects of diabetes.
• Has been shown to reduce the amount of medication necessary for treatment.
• Studies show post-operative recovery time can be dramatically shortened.
• Qigong is very effective for most chronic conditions and painful symptoms.
• Qigong is an excellent complement to Western treatment for lowering stress and increasing the strength of the immune system

Modern Medicine Recognizes Qigong

The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM) in Washington , D.C. has funded in-depth Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) research projects at 12 major universities across the U.S. including Harvard, Columbia , Stanford, Johns Hopkins and others. Thirty-four medical schools have included CAM courses in the basic curriculum. Some of these universities have even set up departments to incorporate Qigong into their research criteria.