Yahoo Group Qiresearch for Science Updates

An ancient character for Qi

About a year ago, I joined a Yahoo group that has updates on scientific research regarding the use of qigong, Tai chi and medical qigong for healing. This group is called Qiresearch, and it includes some members of the research community.  Join the group if you want to get updates on the research results. A lot of studies are ongoing in the United States and Europe, and it is great to see the results as they come in.

This testing is an important step in assessing the validity of qigong techniques for overcoming specific health challenges, because many of the past studies were not well-designed trials.  As a scientist, I appreciate the more robust methods that are being used, which lends greater credibility to the numerous personal testimonials of the healing power of qigong. 


Namaste.

Simple Qigong Exercise Set Stops Parkinson's Disease Symptoms

The video below by Cheyne Towers shows three simple qigong exercises. Cheyne goes through each move showing the mechanics for doing the movements.  At the end of the video there is testimony from a practitioner on how his shaking from Parkinson's Disease has stopped since he began his qigong practice.

I would add the following four tips to consider as part of the exercise set for more advanced practitioners:

1.) In the first exercise, the right and left hands need to be aligned with the right and left extraordinary channels of the torso as the hands are moving downward. As the hands move up, there can also be a vertical opening of the kwa, or inguinal crease at the hip and groin area. As the hands move down the body, the kwa closes.

2.) Turning at the waist, or kwa, should be a part of exercises 2 and 3, where there is movement to the sides. If you are turning your torso and not twisting it, you will move into the kwa as you move from side to side. The knees should stay stationary, but you will note that the muscles of the thighs will twist.  Having someone hold your knees will help you develop awareness of when they move and an awareness as to how much you can move before the knees move.  Over time, you will be able to move further into the kwa and the muscles of the upper thigh will twist outwards. 

3.) Aim towards performing the movements smoothly, slowly and without any jerky or mechanical-like motions.  When first beginning, the movements will be uncoordinated and less fluid, but once you know the moves, this will be the time to work on developing fluidity and continuity.

4.) Breathe naturally and abdominally. The movements are not coordinated with the breath; but even, relaxed breathing with the diaphragm should occur without any holding. If it helps, visualize the breathing as being like a wheel moving, never pausing at the beginning of inhalation or at the beginning of exhalation. If diaphragmatic breathing is something you need to learn, check out Stages in Abdominal Breathing

Many Parkinson's sufferers have reported a reduction in symptoms as a result of taking up qigong practice. Several studies have been summarized on the World Tai Chi and Qigong Day web site. It is one of the many types of diseases that improve due to qigong exercise. A variety of qigong exercise sets, as well as Tai chi styles, can confer these health improvement results. The great benefit of qigong exercises is that simple exercise sets can confer so many health benefits. For those with mobility problems, qigong and t'ai chi can also be done in a chair.  A book that illustrates how to do t'ai chi in a chair is shown below.  Good instructors will be able to teach how to adapt qigong exercises for those with limited mobility.

Qigong Postures and Postural Alignment Correction with the Egoscue Method

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PR: n/a  I: 29,600,000  L: 0  LD: 215,636,682  I: 791,000  Rank: 5  Age: October 12, 1999  I: 0  whois source Robo: yes Sitemap: no  Rank: 1841  Price: 749670

	SQ
PR: n/a  I: 29,600,000  L: 0  LD: 215,636,682  I: 791,000  Rank: 5  Age: October 12, 1999  I: 0  whois source Robo: yes Sitemap: no  Rank: 1841  Price: 749670 Info Links: 13|3 Density

The development of good qigong posture and alignments can be aided with cross-training using the Egoscue Method, developed by Pete Egoscue. His method can be adapted to people that have various body types and pain experiences. The exercises and stretches emphasize correct alignment and are based, in part, on your current posture.

I have used this method in the past and have incorporated various of the stretches and exercises to help correct postural mis-alignments that occur due to bad habits (like sitting too long in front of the computer writing articles). It is a method that definitely works, which is why I keep going back to it on a regular basis. I highly recommend looking at the video produced recently. A link to that video is given to the left.

Qigong standing meditation postures will reinforce correct postural alignment, starting with the wu wei posture where the hands rest at the sides. In this regard, I suggest looking at a recent post on Master Lam Kam Chuen's videos for various standing postures. This is a 10-video series on Youtube that includes some of the Eight Pieces Brocade qigong.  The series is meant to be practiced over a 10-day period to familiarize yourself with various standing postures and their benefits. All of the exercises are discussed in further detail in the blog post and in the book by Master Lam, "The Way of Energy."

Doing both methods simultaneously is a slam-dunk for improving your health. Poor postural alignment is the cause of many different health problems that people experience as they get older.  Doing both as an exercise routine can also increase your total body awareness and help correct long-term bad habits that prevent you from functioning at an optimal level.  So, if you want to live longer and with more vitality, correct your posture! 

Final exercise recommendations:  Be conscious of your breathing and follow the Taoist water method of doing exercises, which means to go into the exercise routine being gentle on your body.  Doing excessive repetitions of the exercises is not for everybody. Doing the full exercise routine should only be done as your body strength allows.  So, do the number of repetitions that you can do, but do all of the exercises in the routine to get a rounded and complete set.  "No pain, no gain," is a ridiculous phrase that has no application when you are using qigong for improving health. 

Qigong Breathing Methods

There are two sites that I recommend which describe the first two stages in learning qigong breathing methods. The first is Following the Breath. This is where you learn to relax, allow distractions to disperse and then focus your intent. Some teachers would call this stage "training the monkey mind." The second step is to gradually work on the Stages in Abdominal Breathing. This blog entry describes the process of learning normal abdominal breathing.

Reverse abdominal breathing is an advanced method of Taoist respiration practiced by martial artists who practice tai chi chuan, ba gua and martial forms of qigong.  It is also used as a meditative technique for gathering qi in the dantien and increasing your total life force, making it of great utility in healing and disease prevention.

It is good to intellectually know these different methods and the sequence for learning them.  However, it is important to not leap forward before you have significant experience with the lower levels.  Thus, learning of reverse breathing should only occur after having some experience in the first two methods.  Be comfortable with each stage for at least a month before proceeding to the next stage.  Patience in learning these breathing methods will serve your progress well.

Qigong Breathing Exercises for the Lungs and Five Element Theory

The Five Elements and the Diurnal CycleThere are specific qigong exercises, three that are mentioned here, that help bolster the energy of the lungs when they are deficient in qi. Disorders that are indicators of deficient lung qi include asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, and various causes of shortness of breath (dyspnea). Respiratory exercises are important to increase the flow and movement into the tissues of new qi, and to correspondingly allow the stagnant qi to leave.

Using the Five Element Theory to Help Heal the Lungs

According to the five element theory in medical qigong, when your lungs are deficient in qi, your overall energy is less because the lungs feed the kidneys with qi.  In order to improve the lung qi, you need to nourish the qi in your spleen and allow it to move to the lungs.  One way of doing this is to visualize the color yellow and the sound "who" during inhaling.  Take in the yellow-colored qi into the spleen (which is in front of the left kidney in the middle of the body).  You can also visualize the elements associated with the spleen and lungs: earth and metal, respectively.  Do this 9 or 18 times, and afterward, visualize the qi moving to both of your lungs while breathing normally and relaxed.  Let it move and do not force it.  Do this 2-3 times a day when you are challenged by any of the disorders mentioned above.  Beginners should use 9 repetitions.

The color for the qi of the lungs is white and the sound is "Tzzzzzz."  Breathe in the color white for the healing energy of this color, and on the exhale make the sound to allow the vibration to release toxic qi within the lung tissue.  You may do this 9 or 18 times.

Either of the above exercises can be done lying down, sitting or in a standing wuji posture.  When doing the sitting or standing posture, maintain an erect but supple spine and suspend the head from the neck, tilting it slightly down to open up the occipital area.


Finishing Standing Exercise for Tonifying and Clearing the Lung Channels

This exercise is done standing.  Stand with the feet parallel and shoulder width apart and assume a relaxed wuji posture.  Inhale and move the arms out to the side of the body and arch backwards slightly, inhaling the white qi.    On the exhale, bend down (to your comfort level) and bring the arms down, swinging and crossing them back and forth while breathing out and making the lung sound.  On the inhale, bring the hands up the legs and body, following the right extraordinary channel with the right hand (palm up), and the left channel with the left hand.  When the hands reach the nipples, make a beak hand (all fingers and the thumb are connected) and extend the arms outward following the lung channel down the arm to the thumbs.  When the arms are fully extended, open the beak hand with the palm upwards and thumb back, and exhale.  Repeat the movement 9-18 times.  For beginners, start with less repetitions.

 Note: The Taoist method of breathing (in qigong and tai chi) that is most common for healing is normal abdominal breathing.  In this type of breathing, the diaphragm drops and allows the lungs to fill with new air.  You will know if you are doing it right if your belly and sides of the body move outward when inhaling.  On the exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and allows stagnant air to leave.  Correspondingly, the belly contracts when exhaling.  Also note that, in healing exercises, the inhalation is through the nose and exhalation is through the mouth and it is not forced.  Inhale and exhale at only 70-80% of your capacity.

Taming the Monkey Mind

Most of what the mind does is to churn the same thoughts over and over. One of the goals of Taoist meditation and Qigong is to tame this "monkey mind" so we can complete one of the three main goals of practice: regulation of the mind (the other two are regulation of the breath and body). Without regulation of the mind, regulation of the breath and body are impossible. This is why Taoist meditation practices are important as a component of a program for improving health and energy.  The ultimate goal is much deeper, however. "Attaining the Way" is that ultimate goal which is sought by Taoists.


Tranquility of the mind and tranquility of the breath are inextricably linked.  That is why many of the meditation approaches devised by Taoists use the breath as a vehicle for realizing the Way.  Dr. Jwing-Ming Yang has published the excellent book, Qigong Meditation.  Embryonic Breathing, which is an invaluable resource for understanding ancient documents which describe the meaning and intent of meditation breathing practices that have been historically employed by Taoist masters.  He points out that the first goal is to attain a peaceful mind.  Deep, profound breathing via the lower dantien is a means of achieving this goal.  The lower dantien, centered in the body below the navel, functions as the major center for breath origin and circulation of energy up (Du meridian) and down (Ren meridian) the torso.  This circulation helps regulate the spirit (shen) by cultivating space within the mind.

I was listing to an audio presentation by Dr. Wayne Dyer, a couple of days ago.  This presentation is a part of his book, Getting in the Gap.  This is another approach to help tame the monkey mind, and the image of returning to the space between thoughts is useful to illustrate that meditation methods are designed to create this sense of openness, space and tranquility.  As the mind becomes more tranquil, the breathing becomes more regular, relaxed and the respiratory rate is reduced.  For those who have trouble using the breath as a vehicle, I recommend his method or other methods that return the mind to one central point, like vipassana.

A helpful resource for learning how to use the breath as a vehicle for transformation is the audio presentation by Bruce Frantzis, Tao of Letting Go.  In this audio tape, the listener is guided in a progressive series in how to experience the use of the breath to obtain inner transformation via the water method of Taoist meditation.  This method is a gentle but very powerful method of practicing and allowing tranquility to manifest in your body, mind and emotions.  I have attended several of Bruce's workshops and highly recommend this tutorial for obtaining mental tranquility and spiritual advancement.

Use these methods to tame the monkey mind for obtaining psychological as well as spiritual maturity in your life.  The world can use more people who are capable of using the power of tranquility to deal with the difficult situations that life sometimes presents us.  And life regularly presents difficulties.  These inner transformation methods are essential tools for helping us along the the Way, or Tao, and for seeing our difficulties as transient and possible sources of opportunity. 

Qigong Meditation

"Qigong meditation" is a redundant phrase, because if you are doing qigong, your are engaging in a form of meditation. Static meditation postures are probably more familiar to most, sitting cross-legged or in a chair. In the qigong tradition, there are also static standing postures, or zhan zhuang.

The principles used in static meditations are carried into the movement forms, where practitioners observe tranquility and maintain internal awareness to become familiar with the emptiness within movement and the interplay between yin and yang energies as they practice the forms.

A meditative mindset is aided in the movement forms by focusing on centering the movements from the lower dantien and by doing them in a mindfully - mindful of the physical movements and how they are being performed, the state of mind, the internal aspects including the energy flow and the breathing.

Meditation can be done on a single physical aspect of a movement over fixed periods of time so that one makes stepwise improvement in awareness and ability, much in the way that sitting meditations often focus on a single aspect, such as following the breath.  Once this is mastered, one can progress to a more advanced practice like abdominal breathing. In moving practices, repeating a movement oven and over is helpful, but it is also helpful to focus on one aspect of a movement, such as movement from a single part of the body like the wrists or elbows.

Another aspect of Qigong Meditation in the Water Tradition is that there is no force.  Force has no role within this tradition, rather, it can hinder your progress.  Use your intention in a gentle fashion to bring you back to your practice when distractions occur. Return back to your central point of meditation.  

So, if you are doing qigong and you aren't meditating (or focusing in a relaxed manner), you are just dancing or doing free-form movement. Not that this wouldn't improve your health or result in healing (it would help with flexibility and mobility at least) but it does not include the internal aspects of meditation and energy development that are the principle benefits of Chinese qigong practice.