EMEIKUNGFU

Qigong or chikung as it is sometimes spelled is the study of energy (qi) and how to use it to benefit one's health.  For thousands of years, Qigong masters have sough to understand how qi is manifested and how it relates to the human body and the environment around it. In this case the belief is that everything in the universe is made of qi that interacts according to different principles such as Taiji and Wuxing (five elements) to create everything that we see and cannot see.  In this case, the human body and the universe are both manifestations of qi and some would say that the human body is mapped after that universe (micro and macrocosm).  Many qigong masters, especially Daoists, have studied the human body in an effort to understand everything around them.  This led to the creation of numerous exercises that  work with the bodies qi to help strengthen and balance qi, prevent injury or illness and even prolong life.

 

There are four major ways to work with qi within and around the body; Breathing, visualization, vocalization and movement.  Breathing consists of controlling the movement of the bodies qi as well as using various inhale/exhale techniques to absorb qi into the body or remove toxins from it.  Visualization can include anything from seeing qi in various forms or colors, the removal of toxins and stagnation from the body, the various pathways (acupressure channels and vessels) and qi moving through the, or in some more esoteric cases, the human body as a detailed internalized scenery (forest, mountains, bodies of water, temples, flowers, the cosmos etc,.).  Vocalization is the use of sounds (chanting, mantras, single sounds etc,.) to stimulate the energy within the body. In some cases this can be the use of various sounds each with a unique vibration that corresponds to a different organ system.  The last form of qigong is movement, movement is anything physically done that stimulates the movement of energy through the body. In many cases movement based qigong exercises are known as daoyin. Daoyin exercises are sometimes compared to yoga in that they use movement and stretching to stimulate that circulation of energy.  All qigong practices consist of one of these four methods while some use more than one and in some cases all four.  

 

The benefits of continuous qigong practice are very evident within the practitioner. The practitioners  energy and vitality will be lifted, they will be stronger, happier and emotionally more balanced. Other benefits are improved and increased circulation, strengthening the immune system, relief from joint pain and arthritis related symptoms, healthier body functions (breathing, digestion, sleep, etc,.) healthier looking hair, skin, teeth and many more.