Qi Gong (Chi Kung): What Is It And How Is It Practiced?

Qi Gong, also known as Chi Kung is an art of Chinese origin that aims to know, apply and optimize the energy of the body, as understood by traditional Chinese medicine. It is an ancient practice, dating back approximately 2,000 years.

In Qi Gong it is done with breathing , movements and visualizations, the same as traditional Chinese medicine with acupuncture. According to this perspective, there is health when there is abundant vital energy, which is called “Chi” or “Qi”. Such energy must circulate where it has to circulate, without stagnating or dispersing, maintaining a balance. In Qi Gong there should be no excess or deficiency of Chi in any part of the body. If this is achieved, there is good physical and mental health.

The practice of Qi Gong

Qi Gong can be practiced by anyone, with no age limit or condition. It does not require a good physical condition, since it is based on static postures, dynamic movements, seated postures, marches and sounds. Unlike yoga, it does not require great skills to achieve the aforementioned postures.

In Qi Gong or Chi Kung you don’t need a teacher  permanently. It can be learned and practiced by yourself. It is also guided by the principle of “little and regular”, that is, a practice of short periods, but constantly. Typically, it takes 15-30 minutes per day.

The most common practice of this art begins with a self-massage, followed by a joint unlocking. Then, a static pose is carried out, then a dynamic movement and, finally, meditation is done. Most of the movements come from the Taoist tradition, others are of Buddhist inspiration and some more have been created in recent times.

The benefits of Qi Gong

Qi Gong seeks to balance the energy of the body and, therefore, nourishes and reinforces it. It is estimated that the benefits of this practice become especially noticeable about three months after starting daily routines. From the point of view of traditional Chinese medicine, Chi Kung can generate the following benefits:

• Reduce stress. Like Tai Chi, this practice has very positive effects in reducing stress and anxiety. In Chinese medicine these emotions are associated with digestive problems, so it will also affect better digestion.

• Strengthens the immune system. By balancing energy, the immune system is strengthened, making the body less vulnerable to infections and more serious problems such as cancer. This also helps reduce the side effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
• Helps reduce chronic pain. The practice of Chi Kung helps reduce pain caused by diseases such as arthritis or rheumatism. Likewise, it relieves all kinds of muscle aches and prevents migraines.
• Strengthens muscle mass. After the age of 40, the loss of muscle mass becomes very evident. This practice helps reduce this loss, which is a very important factor in preventing falls in people over 70 years of age.

Qi Gong and traditional Chinese medicine

In the Chinese philosophical tradition, which is in the essence of the traditional medicine of that country, all the phenomena of the universe can be classified into Yin aspects and Yang aspects. The Yin correspond to the feminine and are associated with cold, rest, internal, soft, receptive, fragile and similar concepts.

Yang, on the other hand, is related to the masculine and is associated with heat, movement, the strong, the active, the hard, etc. On the other hand, for traditional Chinese medicine, there is an essential energy called Chi, which must flow through an energy system that is composed of a network of meridians.

When Chi does not flow, that is, when its circulation stagnates, is interrupted or dispersed, disease appears. For this reason, all this medicine is aimed at getting this energy to flow again in an adequate way, to regain the Yin-Yang balance. In this medicine this is achieved through acupuncture, massage, diet, herbal medicine and Qi Gong.