TaiQi and Qigong
Qigong and Tai Qi are ways to work with energy. Qi is the Chinese name for energy, or universal life force. It is the animating force that drives all of life, without which our physical form cannot exist. The energy permeates the entire universe, and is especially rich in nature. Gong is translated as the cultivation of skills and benefits through diligent practice.
Qigong and Tai Qi are precise systematic methods of cultivating internal energy through focused awareness and intention, expressed through specific postures and movements, breathing and visualization techniques.
The goals of both Tai Qi and Qigong are to gather, cultivate, refine, harvest and store this universal life force.This stored energy can then be applied to all aspects of our life as needed.
In addition Qigong and Tai Qi will:
- Activate the parasympathetic nervous system- reducing heart rate and blood pressure, dilating the vessels which optimizes the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the organs and tissues
- Balance energy levels with increased energy during the day and deeper more restorative sleep at night
- Enhance the immune system
- Coordinate and balance the left and right brain hemispheres
- Moderate the function of the hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal glands
- Balance neurochemistry to ameliorate pain, anxiety, depression, and other neurological disorders
The Origins of Qigong and Tai Qi
Qigong and Tai Qi emanate from the same source, the Chinese philosophical system of Taoism. It was developed over the last 5 or 6 thousand years by Taoist monks who were experts in meditation. Deep states of meditation allowed the first Taoists to develop inner vision, allowing them to see their energetic template or body. In this way, the locations of the acupuncture meridians and points were discovered and then utilized in Taoist meditation.
Watching animals, these monks developed the first Qigong exercises based on their movements. Core principles were codified to reflect this style of movement.
In Taoist cosmology there is a source energy in the Universe that exists as a template for our perfect health and wellness. Learning to move and live in accordance with the principles of nature creates an interface with this template and which acts as a source for restoration of our health and vitality.
In energetic practices like Tai Chi and Qigong, source energy can be absorbed from the environment, cultivated internally, and then stored in the energy field to achieve higher mental and physical performance, heightened energy levels, better immunity, more emotional balance, and increased awareness and vibratory frequency.
As we navigate life and engage in activities that induce stress and the habits we use to mitigate the stress, we spend from our energetic checking account. If we spend too much, we become depleted, imbalanced, or even sick. We end up drawing from our savings to cover our extravagant spending. Spending from our deep reserves in the Kidneys drains our vitality directly. Energy is life.
Practicing Qigong or Tai Qi can restore this energetic trust fund to a higher balance, as well as produce subjective feelings of calm, clarity, and states of mild euphoria. It requires discipline on the part of the practitioner, but this is a small price to pay for these potent systems of self- healing.
Through these precise postures, movements, and breathing techniques, we super charge our energy field by plugging it into the “grid”, a much larger vibratory field. Accessed through the portal of Qigong or Tai Chi practice, this more refined vibratory field feeds our mini- grid, the acupuncture meridians. This creates the circumstances for turbo charged self-healing, and generates excess energy to heal others and apply to other aspects of your life.
