QIGONG

Qi is the Chinese word for life energy. According to chinese philosophy Qi is the force that is flowing in all living things. When one is alive one is filled with Qi, if one is dead, Qi is gone.

Qi is everywhere in nature and also gives the possibility for movement. On earth everything is moving, even the earth herself, which is transforming constantly. When we enjoy the beauty of nature, of the animals, the plants, the mountains and the sea than we can feel this life energy. We are part of nature and therefore also part of this life energy on earth.

Gong stands for work or improving by doing exercises. So Qigong stands for working with Qi in order to learn to control and to let this Qi flow through ones body to improve ones health and to establish a balance between body, mind and spirit.

Qigong is a holistic system of self-healing exercises and of meditation. It consists of old exercises with healing postures and movements, self-massage, breathing techniques and meditation. Through these methods one increases the Qi in the body and is filling ones reservoir. Used and impure Qi can be cleaned and transformed into pure Qi. The aim of some of the exercises is to get rid of impure Qi, the same way as one is breathing in fresh air and breathing out used air.

Qigong is called training because in order to get a good result it is beneficial to exercise every day. The advantage of Qigong is also that one can perform it everywhere and that it is not limited through age; there are exercises for every age and every condition.

There are two main categories of Qigong: a dynamic or active form (Dong Gong) and a quiet or passive form (Jing Gong).

Dynamic Qigong has certain specific movements - the body moves from one posture to another, as in a dance. The aim is to bring the mind into rest through the outer movements.

In the quiet Qigong is the body resting and Qi is controlled and moved through the body with concentration, visualization and breathing. It is therefore a more meditative form where the outside is resting and the body is in a state just before falling asleep.

Both forms are important - either one seeks stillness through movement or is attentive in ones rest.