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The Gift of Life - Qi Gung

An introduction to the background of Qi and how anyone can incorporate Qi Gung in everyday life to lengthen life and relieve physical and emotional pain.

On the bookshelf today, there are very few books or articles that give a clear concept of Qi or Qi Gung.  From my experience, most articles tend to make the subject very mysterious and very difficult to understand.  A couple of reasons, maybe the writers most likely don't have enough knowledge on the topic to write a detailed article or the writers may not want to reveal too much of their knowledge in fear of losing their own prestige.  On the contrary, this article will describe and explain in the simplest manner, the mystery and the intricacy of Qi Gung. 

What is Qi?
Qi is a very common concept in most Asian cultures.  Qi is the "life force", the energy.  Living beings exist because of Qi.  Qi flows in our body through all of our internal organs, our nerve systems, our muscles and our bones, from our head to our toes.  Using a very simple metaphor, Qi is the electricity that flows through our body and powers the "light bulbs" in our body.  We cannot "see" electricity, but we know it exists to power appliances.  Similarly, we cannot see Qi, but it exists to power our lives.  The quality of Qi determines how brightly our life "bulbs" shine, how healthy our lives can be.  Qi Gung is the only known fine "switch" that tunes and maintains our Qi flow.  Through proper training, anyone can enjoy wonderful Qi flow.

What is Qi Gung?
If there were one fair description of Qi Gung, it would have to be the Mighty Lord's gift to mankind to relieve us from the pain, the suffering, and the sicknesses.  Quite often, life is full of troubles and distress.  But with the practice of Qi Gung, with a nice flow of Qi, you will be more equipped to deal with your troubles, which will lessen and reduce your stress. 

Qi Gung is an exercise that disciplines, purifies, and strengthens our Qi.  On some level, Qi Gung is the same as running, jogging or swimming.  Exercises like running trains our external physical being.  They tune our muscle and strengthen our bones.  Qi Gung exercises our internal organs, our life forces.  Qi Gung will cleanse and strengthen the Qi or electricity of our life.  Purer and stronger Qi flow in our body induces better blood circulation, cleanses the internal organs, and provides higher resistance toward diseases and sicknesses. 

From a medical standpoint, Qi Gung boosts our immune system.  A Qi Gung trained individual experiences less illness and faster recovery time.  Overall, a trained individual (twice a day over a period of time of about 3 months) enjoys prolonged life.  With a couple sessions of Qi Gung you will experience yourself the marvelous effects of pure Qi flow. 

How to Practice Qi Gung?
There are two fundamentally essential steps in Qi Gung: Breathing and Position in which we practice Qi Gung.   (There are some precautions listed later on that you should be aware of.  Please read the whole article before you start your very first Qi Gung practice.)

Let's begin Position.  There are six major positions in which we can practice Qi Gung.

The simplest position is "sit".  The following is a set of Sit Position instruction where you can follow to practice Qi Gung on your own.

1.     Find a comfortable but flat chair.  One that you cannot slouch on.

2.     Sit only on the front one-third of the chair.  Your back should never touch the back on the chair.

3.     Place your feet comfortably flat on the ground.  Your thighs and calves should make a 90º angle at your knee. 

4.     Sit with your spine and tailbone straight but do not tighten your muscle to an uncomfortable position. 

5.     Shoulders relaxed.

6.     Chest extended to a natural position.  Do not force your chest to pop out or sink in.

7.     Have your eyes half closed.

At this point, you should be comfortably sitting with your eyes half open.  Take some time to make yourself comfortable with the environment.  When you are ready, follow the Breathing instruction below.

1.     Use abdominal breathing similar to "La Maz" (used in maternity ward during delivery)

2.     Keep your mouth closed but not tightly, lips gently touching.  The tip of your tongue gently touches the upper palate.

3.     Inhale and exhale through your nose only.

4.     When you inhale, your stomach (abdominal muscles) expands (NOT raising your chest).  When you exhale, your stomach (abdominal muscles) contracts or shrinks.  *At first, this may be unnatural to you.  Do not force it; it will become more natural with practice.

5.     After your practice for some time, you will start breathing slower with each breath longer and deeper. 

6.     At the same time, try to listen to your own breathing sound.  Listen to the sound your own inhalation and exhalation.  This will clear your mind. 

7.     Continue the breathing session for about 10 minutes, no longer than 15 minutes.

8.     After you finish, slowly stand up and stretch.  Rub around your belly button: 18 times clock-wise, 18 times counter clock-wise.  Concentrate on inhalation to the abdomen.

Now, you have done your first Qi Gung.  You have felt better and more relaxed.  Take the time to practice one to two times a day.  Soon you will know how it feels to have clean and strong Qi flowing in your body. 

Some Precautions

Please read over the following precautions before you start your very first Qi Gung practice. 

1.     Qi Gung by no means is a substitution for modern medicine.  If you feel ill, please consult your treating physician immediately.

2.     Do not practice Qi Gung immediately after meal.  Rest for at least an hour to allow your body to digest.

3.     Practice Qi Gung in a room with fresh air but no draft.

4.     Avoid extreme room temperature.  Practice in a comfortably warm room about 78ºF. 

5.     It is preferable to practice Qi Gung is a room with lock.  This will avoid interruption and sudden shock.

6.     Avoid sudden shock when you practice.  Maintaining the relaxed state is very important.

7.     The lighting of the room should not be too dark or too light.  Find a lighting that you are most comfortable with. 

8.     Your body may warm up as you practice.  It is natural.

9.     Your body may move or shake as you practice.  It is natural. 

10.  Your body may itch or have tickling sensation.  It is natural, don't scratch!

11.  You might feel sleepy after the session.  It is quite natural.  You can choose to take a nap or to stretch and walk around.  However, it is most important that you rub your stomach as instructed and concentrate on breathing.  This will retract Qi back to the center of your body, which helps to release daily work stress and rejuvenate your body. 

In the fast pace, every changing, society today, life can be stressful and tiresome.  There are always some unexpected problems, misfortunes, or disasters on the roads we travel.  When we meet these challenges, we can choose to turn and run away, or we can stand our ground and face our problems. It is always tough to face the challenges. Qi Gung gives us the strength, the energy and the tranquility to face the world.  With the nice flow of Qi,we can unite our mind and body in harmony.  Using Qi Gung as your best defense against the unexpected, you will improve the quality of life. 

Qi Gung is the best gift Mighty Lord gave us.  It is important to practice our Qi on regular basis, at least once a day.  Perseverance is the key.  Follow this instruction daily, soon you will experience, first-hand, the indescribable wonder of Qi Gung-the feel of having pure, strong Qi.

Ø     If you shall have any question or comment regarding Qi Gung, please feel free to call Dr. Chen at (562) 698-3008.

Ø     Special thanks to Sharon Lee and Jazmin Calvo for making this article possible.

By Dr. David Chen                                               U.S. Patent TXU: 1-038-152

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