WHAT IS KI GONG?

WHAT IS KI GONG?

Ki Gong is a system of training designed to develop the mind, body, and spirit. The easy to follow physical exercises focus on Meridian, Circulatory, Respiratory, and Ki-Energy systems of the body. Ki Gong provides all the benefits of yoga, Tai-Chi, and meditation in one discipline. As you proceed through our program, you will advance through different levels of physical exercise, accessing Ki-Energy and circulation. The goal of each step is to help you achieve greater levels of health, mental and physical energy. The purpose of Ki Gong is to give individuals the opportunity to realize their own personal power by stimulating the Ki-Energy circulation activating the body's natural healing power. This is an enriching experience, irrespective of age, or physical ability. With regular practice of the Ki Gong, it is possible to keep blood and energy circulation flowing smoothly throughout the entire body. This will enable you to relax more easily and bring a feeling of peace, joy and a positive attitude.

Ki Gong is a system of training which incorporates physical and mental exercises with meditation. It is also known as "qigong" or "chi gung". The "Ki" in Ki Gong refers to energy or life force. It may be pronounced as "Key" or "Chee". "Gong" refers to a discipline or mastery. In essence, it is the practice of mastering ones own internal energy in relation to ones environment.

WHAT IS KI?

Ki is a natural, vital, universal life energy that flows within, through, around and between all living things in the cosmos. It cannot be seen or touched. Ki flexes, bends and manipulates itself through and around all so that it is in constant balance. It is a transcendental energy that vitalizes human life.

WHY KI GONG AND MEDITATION?

Ki Gong training is simple and fun yet extremely effective in producing positive results. For thousands of years, it was the foundation and essence of the Oriental healing arts. Herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage therapy, tai chi and yoga utilize the same underlying principles as Ki Gong and have developed similar techniques in various cultures. Today, Western medicine has begun to research this ancient ki theory. It has become popular in medical centers that previously denied the existence of Ki. The practice of energy exercise is now common in healing centers throughout the Western world. Millions of people practice Ki Gong as a part of their daily routine for health preservation and maintenance.

CAN I LEARN?

Yes, as long as you are willing to try you can learn simple exercises. It is suggested that these exercises be performed in a standing position. However, to current health conditions may require that they be performed in a sitting position. These exercises can be practiced at your studio or home.

http://www.worldkigong.com/about.asp

History

Main article: Qigong history

With roots in ancient Chinese culture dating back more than 4,000 years, a wide variety of qigong forms have developed within different segments of Chinese society:^[10] in traditional Chinese medicine for preventive and curative functions,^[11] in Confucianism to promote longevity and improve moral character,^[1] in Taoism and Buddhism as part of meditative practice,^[5] and in Chinese martial arts to enhance fighting abilities.^[8][12] Contemporary qigong blends diverse and sometimes disparate traditions, in particular the Taoist meditative practice of "internal alchemy" (Neidan 內丹术), the ancient meditative practices of "circulating qi" (Xing qi 行氣) and "standing meditation" (Zhan zhuang 站桩), and the slow gymnastic breathing exercise of "guiding and pulling" (Tao yin 導引). Traditionally, knowledge about qigong was passed from adept master to student in elite unbroken lineages, typically with secretive and esoteric traditions of training and oral-mind transmission.^[13]

Starting in the late 1940s and the 1950s, the mainland Chinese government tried to integrate disparate qigong approaches into one coherent system, with the intention of establishing a firm scientific basis for qigong practice. This attempt is considered by some sinologists as the start of the modern or scientific interpretation of qigong.^[14][15][16] During the Great Leap Forward (1958–1963) and the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), qigong, along with other traditional Chinese medicine, was encouraged in state-run rehabilitation centers and spread to universities and hospitals, but was under tight control with limited access among the general public. After the Cultural Revolution, qigong, along with t'ai chi, was popularized as daily morning exercise practiced en masse throughout China.

Popularity of qigong grew rapidly during the Deng and Jiang eras of the 1970s through 1990s, with estimates of between 60 and 200 million practitioners throughout China. In 1985, the state-run "National Qigong Science and Research Organization" was established to regulate all of the nation's qigong denominations.^[7] In 1999, in response to widespread revival of old traditions of spirituality, morality, and mysticism, the Chinese government took measures to enforce control of public qigong practice, including banning groups such as Zhong Gong and Falun Gong.^[9][17]
Through the forces of migration of the Chinese diaspora, tourism in China, and globalization, the practice of qigong spread from the Chinese community to the world. Today, millions of people around the world practice qigong and believe in the benefits of qigong to varying degrees. Similar to its historical origin, those interested in qigong come from diverse backgrounds and practice it for different reasons, including for exercise, recreation, preventive medicine, self-healing, self-cultivation, meditation, and martial arts training.

[edit] Training methods

Qigong comprises breathing, physical, and mental training methods based on Chinese philosophy.^[18] While implementation details vary, all qigong forms can be characterized as a mix of four types of training: dynamic, static, meditative, and activities requiring external aids.

• Dynamic training

involves fluid movement, usually carefully choreographed, coordinated with breath and awareness. Examples include the slow stylized movements of T'ai chi ch'uan, Baguazhang, and Xing yi.^[19] Other examples include graceful movement that mimics the motion of animals in Five Animals,^[20] White Crane,^[21] and Wild Goose (Dayan) Qigong.^[22][23]

• Static training

involves holding postures for sustained periods of time.^[24] In some cases this bears resemblance to the practice of Yoga and its continuation in the Buddhist tradition.^[25] For example Yiquan, a Chinese martial art derived from xingyiquan, emphasizes static stance training.^[26] In another example, the healing form Eight Pieces of Brocade (Baduanjin qigong) is based on a series of static postures.^[27]

• Meditative training

utilizes breath awareness, visualization, mantra, and focus on philosophical concepts such as qi circulation.^[28] For example, in the Confucius scholar tradition meditation is focused on humanity and virtue, with the aim of self-enlightenment. In various Buddhist traditions, the aim is to still the mind, either through outward focus, for example on a place, or through inward focus on the breath, a mantra, a koan, emptiness, or the idea of the eternal. In Taoist and traditional Chinese medicine practice, the meditative focus is on cultivating qi in dantian energy centers and balancing qi flow in meridian and other pathways.^[10]

• Use of external agents

Many systems of qigong training include the use of external agents such as ingestion of herbs, massage, physical manipulation, or interaction with other living organisms.^[5] For example, specialized food and drinks are used in some medical and Taoist forms, whereas massage and body manipulation are sometimes used in martial arts forms. In some medical systems a qigong master uses non-contact treatment, purportedly guiding qi through his or her own body into the body of another person.^[29]

Health
As a form of gentle exercise, qigong is composed of movements that are typically repeated, strengthening and stretching the body, increasing fluid movement (blood, synovial, and lymph), enhancing balance and proprioception, and building awareness of how the body moves through space.^[3] In recent years a large number of books and videos have been published that focus primarily on qigong as exercise and associated health benefits. Practitioners range from athletes to the physically challenged. Because it is low impact and can be done lying, sitting, or standing, qigong is accessible for disabled persons, seniors, and people recovering from injuries.

As a healing art, qigong practitioners focus on prevention and self-healing, traditionally viewed as balancing the body's energy meridians and enhancing the intrinsic capacity of the body to heal.^[11] Qigong has been used extensively in China as part of traditional Chinese medicine, and is included in the curriculum of Chinese Universities.^[30] Throughout the world qigong is now recognized as a form of complementary and alternative medicine,^[31][32][33] with "significant results for a number of health benefits".^[34]

There are three main forms of medical qigong: 1) Qigong exercises for general health or specific diagnoses (e.g. cancer,^[35] fibromyalgia,^[36] hypertension^[37]); 2) Qigong massage by a trained Qigong practitioner to treat specific injuries and illnesses (e.g. autism);^[38] and 3) External qigong in which a trained practitioner focuses healing energy on patients without touching them.^[39]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong