Qigong

The roots of the Qigong are in Asia. The light and graceful appearing movements should serve to bring the body and soul into harmony. Qigong is also practiced by more and more people in western industrialized countries in order to use the potential of this art of movement for maintaining mental and physical health.

What is qigong

We are particularly aware of the images from China that show people from all age groups meeting in a park to practice Qigong together. Today there is this also in Europe and America, which people with flowing movements activate the Qi in their body. At least that is the view of Qigong followers. In Asia, Qi is the energy that makes life possible.

Qi is also translated as "breath of life". The term "gong" means to practice and do a job. With work it is meant that a person should strive to perfect himself in his life. Qigong sets Qi, the life energy, in motion and thus initiates one's own mental and health development.

The art of movement Qigong is a mixture of elements from martial arts and meditative movements. Qigong as a meditative exercise is very visible in the movement sequences, which are slowed down as if in slow motion. In order to master this art of movement perfectly, regular practice and excellent body control are required.

Function, effect & goals

The Qigong movements have been practiced by people for several thousand years through constant repetition. The word creation "Qigong" comes from more recent times. In Taoism and Buddhism, martial arts and meditation belong to the monastic traditions. Precursors of Qigong developed from the paths to perfection in both disciplines.

The medical application for getting well and keeping people healthy is even older. Shamans taught healing movements to the sick and healthy. Today Qigong is assigned to the broad spectrum of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Qigong does not only involve movement in silence. The technique also includes breathing exercises and the use of the voice. The movements are performed while standing, sitting or lying down.

Through the inner concentration on the execution of the slow movements and the use of a very conscious breathing technique, the soul and spirit calm down. Qigong is often used in western countries to achieve deep relaxation. The nervous system calms down and feelings of stress are reduced. Qigong should be practiced outdoors. Only there are humans directly connected to nature and can take in more oxygen. The effects on the organism are measurable.

Those who practice Qigong regularly can normalize their blood pressure values, strengthen their muscles and train their sense of balance. The deep breathing improves the supply of oxygen to the body cells and thus the fulfillment of their function. This has positive effects on the vital internal organs. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these health effects would be ascribed to the release of blockages in the flow of Qi.

In Qigong there are fixed exercise sequences that have graphic names: "The game of the five animals", "Fending off the monkeys" and "The flying one" are just a few of them. There is always a little story associated with it. Qigong consists of a constant alternation between tension and relaxation. It is important to train the movement sequences so frequently and precisely that they become flesh and blood. Only when the qigong practitioner no longer has to think about which movement is the next is he able to integrate the concentration exercises that are parallel to the art of movement into the process.

Exercises like the "breath flower" are simple and yet effective. It consists of eight intermingling movements. This qigong exercise emulates the growth, life and death of a flower. Just through the dynamics of this one exercise, breathing can be deepened and calmed. It also helps stretch muscles and tendons.

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Risks & dangers

Qigong does not involve any risks, instead it has the effect of strengthening the immune system in healthy people. Chronically ill people repeatedly report that practicing Qigong increases their quality of life. Even in people with mental illnesses such as depression, the mental upsets can be improved through the exercises of Qigong. The element of visualizing positive images as part of Qigong also plays an important role here.

Here, you consciously influence your own mental attitude and self-perception. This has strong effects on the body and on physical and mental health. Qigong can completely replace unnecessary therapeutic measures. But the physical and mental exercises are a very good way to activate the self-healing powers. A whole range of statutory health insurances therefore subsidize Qigong courses for their members.

In addition to illnesses of the soul such as phases of depression and anxiety, the practice of Qigong is useful for a whole range of chronic illnesses. Some examples are heart and circulatory weaknesses, complaints in the area of ​​the cervical and back vertebrae, multiple sclerosis or metabolic diseases. Cancer patients, too, repeatedly report an improvement in their life situation through regular exercises.