WHAT IS QIGONG?
One response might be that QiGong (pronounced chee gong) is a culmination of many apparently dissimilar disciplines, having, over the centuries, evolved through and within various forms. The word is of Chinese origin, but the observation of the interface between spirit and matter has been a focus of interest for humanity since antiquity.
Historically ancient nomadic, followed by agricultural, civilizations observed and took note of the rhythms and interactions of earth and sky. Added to this were their observations of mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish—their movements and attitudes in health, sickness, and recovery from injury. Over time each culture developed its own understanding and philosophy of the powerfully sustainable influences of earth and sky, an intangible life force, and humanities place within this harmony.
From these “scientific” studies, the Hindus developed Yoga, the Tibetans their Wisdom Arts, while the Egyptians and Greeks called it their Mystery Arts, the Native American their Medicine Wheel, and the Chinese Qi. The application of the principles within these philosophies and sciences became the foundations upon which priests and seers were able to give guidance and direction to those in political and military power; doctors to maintain patient health; scholars and religious students to improve their scholastic as well as meditative and spiritual practices.
Over the centuries Chinese Masters have developed many ways of analyzing, explaining, and demonstrating the movement and resultant relationships of Qi, both as a cyclic, fluid process and as relative states of Yin and Yang. First mentioned in the YiJing (I Ching), these mutually inclusive forces of Yin and Yang were demonstrated to be both the underpinning of an understanding of Qi as well as a source of divination. The practices of Geomancy and Feng Shui also exemplify this mutual interdependence, with the application of the principles of Qi underlying the auspicious positioning of such human elements as ancestral burial grounds, temples, cities, homes, and businesses always in proper relationship with their surrounding environment to ensure prosperity, success, health, and happiness.
Unique ways of interacting with Qi have resulted in many forms of QiGong, for example: scholarly for maintaining health; medical for healing; martial for fighting; religious (Daoist for longevity and enlightenment / Buddhist or Tibetan Buddhist for enlightenment or Buddhahood). Within these overlapping classifications religious would be considered the softest of the soft or extreme Yin, and martial the hardest of the hard or extreme Yang. Of course, within each category there are an infinite number of potential subdivisions of Yin and Yang.
In general, QiGong is the maintenance of an instinctual harmonic interaction between three interdependent fields of Qi: Heavenly (Tian), Earthly (Di), and Human (Ren). Through imagery, intent, breath, and movement, an individual can influence and be influenced by this Sea of Qi in order to come into equilibrium with the environment within which we all swim, whether in terms of health, healing, martial arts, or spirituality. In QiGong theory, when there is an inappropriate disruption of the interactions between Qi fields, there will eventually be a ripple effect, resulting in the disruption of one’s health in intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual, and instinctual ways. A daily practice of QiGong can help to ensure that the function / vitality of our life force, or Qi, is sustained, and our Inherited Qi (Jing Qi / DNA) is maintained, establishing a foundation for the continuance of vibrant health and longevity.