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VITAMIN AIR
These articles appeared in the "Best of Health" newsletter published by the Honolulu Medical Group.
The
Merit of QI GONG
“Looked for, it
cannot be seen.
Listened
for, it cannot be heard.
Touched, cannot be felt.
It
is formless but includes all forms,
Subtle beyond all conception,
You can't know it, but you can be it, at ease in your own life.”
–Chapter
14, Dao De Jing
In Chinese, “Qi
Gong,” pronounced “chee gung,” translates literally as “energy
work,” or “attaining merit from working with energy.”
“Knowing
others is wisdom.
-Line
1, Chapter 33
Dao
De Jing
Our ancestors have preserved ancient wisdom for our growth and
development. It is up to us to teach our children. Qi Gong has been practiced in China for thousands of years. Since
ancient times, qi gong has been
thought to promote longevity for the body by reversing the aging process,
promote the prosperity of a clear and peaceful mind, and keep people happy and
smiling.
"Knowing the
self is enlightenment.
-Line
2, Chapter 33
Dao
De Jing
Observe your breathing to understand the essential rhythm of your life.
Imagine putting water in the mind and fire in the belly.
The qi flows like water. By
letting the mind be like running water, it can never go stale. Since water
always flows to the lowest place, be consistently humble. Let breathing strategy
follow flowing postures to accomplish a tranquil mind.
Putting the fire below means using abdominal breathing as a strategy to
sink the mind’s focus to the ocean of energy, 1.5” below the navel. This is
where you breathed in nutrients as a fetus. This area of focus is called the dantian, or in Chinese, “elixir field,” where the immortality pill is
stored. Let the fire cook the alchemical soup steadily, not undercooking it, or
boiling it over. This means watching the dantian with a gentle focus like a
hen that watches her eggs.
"Mastering
others requires force.
-Line
3, Chapter
33
Dao
De Jing
“Water assumes all forms by being formless. If you put water in a cup it becomes the cup. If you put water in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Water can flow or it can crash. Be like water.” -Bruce Lee
What is qi?
“There is something
formless and perfect before the universe was born. It is serene, empty,
solitary, unchanging, infinite, and eternally present. It is the mother of the
universe…
Qi
is
the unseen life force that permeates, surrounds, binds, and powers the stars,
planets, volcanoes, oceans, animals, plants, and people. We feel qi
projected emotionally when a friend is happy, pensive, sad, fearful, or
angry.
"Mastering the
self requires strength.
-Line
4, Chapter
33
Dao
De Jing
What is gong?
Gong
is
the simultaneous practice of devotion, discipline, and diligence. First, you
must want to practice. This is the devotion of the spirit. Then, the mind
employs discipline to direct the body to practice consistently and diligently.
If you practice when you don’t want to, it will be dead practice without
merit. Make your practice your lifestyle. Qi
Gong is a twenty-four-hour-a-day activity of guarding the essence. Essence
must be guarded so that it may be transformed into spirit. This means
eliminating unnecessary activities that drain energy and enhance necessary
activities in order to nourish weakness.
"He who stays
where he is endures.
-Line
5, Chapter
33
Dao
De Jing
Be like a tree. Make your feet like roots, your legs like tree trunks, and
your arms like branches light enough to be blown in the wind. If you’re rooted
you cannot be knocked over.
What is qi gong?
“The ancient masters were profound
and subtle. Their wisdom was unfathomable.”
Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese art that promotes longevity for the body by keeping a clear and peaceful mind.
Qi Gong
coordinates
visualization with deep breathing and flowing posture. Physically, qi
gong optimizes organ functions. Energetically, qi
gong harmonizes the energy flow through its pathways, or meridians. This practice cleans out and harmonizes the energy flow through
its pathways, or meridians. Once these pathways have been properly conditioned,
the body begins to heal itself, and soon afterwards, the qi
gong practitioner attains the ability to emit and conduct qi,
which may be used to heal others.
"Perseverance is
a sign of will power.
-Line
6, Chapter
33
Dao
De Jing
Practice consistently and patiently until you attain the desired results.
Take your time, and enjoy the journey of practice. The way does not lead to
perfection but is perfection. Where you are is home.
Qi Gong
Benefits
The qi gong practitioner learns to control physiological functions. Qi Gong stabilizes brain waves, regulates hormone release, regulates body temperature, regulates neural response, increases flexibility, deepens and slows respiration, regulates blood pressure and heart rate, aids digestion, and regulates blood-sugar levels.
"He who knows he
has enough is rich.
-Line
7, Chapter
33
Dao
De Jing
Qi Gong enables the practitioner's mind to control the body by simply following the natural tendencies of energy. Living naturally promotes the prosperity of peace through contentment.
There is enough qi to go around for everyone, and its free. Let the lungs turn the air into qi. Then let the kidneys receive it, so it can be stored as essence in all the vital organs. Let the liver stabilize the emotions. Let the heart rule the body with compassion. Let the spleen focus its good intent with undying stamina. Let the vital organs contribute their spiritual aspects to the universal mind. Stretch your consciousness into heaven.
"To die but not to perish, is to be eternally present.”
-Line
8, Chapter
33
Dao
De Jing
Qi Gong
Applications
Qi Gong
has
three primary applications, healing art, martial art, and spiritual art. In
healing art the qi is focused through
a point to nourish the good qualities in a person with a hand, needle, herbs, or
food. In martial art the qi is focused through a point with a strike in order to separate the
spirit from the body. In spiritual art, qi
gong is an energetic offering to the source of creation, a moving
meditation.
Heaven is a state of mind. The mountain may be crumbling below your feet but your spirit is still happy.
“Empty your mind of all thoughts. Let your heart be at peace. Watch the
turmoil of beings, but contemplate their return. Each separate being in the
universe returns to the common source. Returning to the source is serenity.”
-Chapter 16,
Dao
De Jing