Qigong is gaining popularity all over the world every year. What is it? The very word “qigong” is formed from two hieroglyphs: “qi” – life energy, breath and “gong” – movement.
Fans of this gymnastics claim that if you practice qigong for 10-15 minutes a day, you can maintain health and good spirits until old age.
History of occurrence
As part of Chinese medicine, qigong has been around for more than seven thousand years. Taoism influenced the emergence of this trend.
Taoist monks considered the system of breathing and motor exercises as one of the sides of cosmological and physiological concepts. Doctors in ancient China based on qigong developed methods of treatment.
For many centuries, qigong has been improved, developed, and many schools have arisen. In the last century, several directions began to be distinguished in qigong: medical qigong, martial, philosophical and religious.
Relatively recently, they decided to designate two more directions – qigong for the spine and qigong for weight loss.
Qigong and yoga
Energy practices of yoga and qigong are well known to everyone. Both of them originated many centuries ago in the East, yoga – in India, qigong – in China.
Both systems are based on gymnastic and breathing exercises. Hindu teachings are mainly aimed at healing and strengthening purposes. Chinese monks using qigong tried to achieve enlightenment and learn the secret of the origin of life.
What is the difference between qigong and yoga? Qi energy is of particular importance in qigong. This is the energy that is present in the human body from birth. It is qi that gives life to a person, and therefore all exercises in qigong are aimed at attracting it.
Yoga is considered a peaceful practice and was not used for defensive or martial arts. But in China, qigong has long been a mandatory attribute of every warrior.
Chinese warriors devoted a lot of time to hardening their bodies. However, in the modern world, yoga and qigong no longer have differences in this area, both practices are aimed at improving the body through gymnastic and breathing exercises.
Both qigong and yoga teach that the human mind, spirit, and physical form are one system that must be in perfect harmony.
Yoga in the Western world has undergone a number of changes and simplifications, has become more dynamic and more focused on maintaining physical fitness. Qigong has been preserved in its classical form.
Qigong practice is smooth movements, designed not to disturb mental balance. After all, it is external stimuli – anger, excessive joy, screaming and loud laughter, according to Chinese philosophy, that destroy inner peace, which leads to illness.
The essence of Chinese gymnastics is restrained physical activity, which should restore emotional and spiritual balance.
It is important that yoga is more diverse. Many asanas can suit a person with any physical abilities. Yoga is a body work that has a beneficial effect on the psyche. Qigong is a work with mental balance, which will have a positive effect on all body systems.
Basic principles of qigong
Physical and spiritual activities plus concentration of attention is the basis of the qigong system. Where to practice doesn’t really matter. Exercise can be done both indoors and outdoors. Qigong exercises are always performed smoothly. There are several popular complexes.
“Yi Jin Jing” is a set of exercises aimed at strengthening health and improving the circulation of qi. The complex was created by a traveling teacher of Buddhism Damo.
This is the oldest system of self-improvement, including a gymnastic complex, breathing exercises, joint gymnastics, maintaining a proper lifestyle, dietetics and a method of regulating consciousness.
Zhan zhuan, the standing posture, is a static exercise, the foundation of all qigong training. Taking one of these positions and focusing on breathing, a person can harmonize the work of internal organs and the activity of the nervous system, improve posture.
The complex consists of five exercises, each of which affects a specific part of the spine.
“Baduanjin” is a set of breathing and physical exercises with a mandatory concentration of attention. The therapeutic effect here is based on the combination of mental and physical functions of a person.
This practice improves the tone of the body, relieves fatigue, reduces the need for sleep. Practicing this type of qigong contributes to the regulation of metabolism in the body, which contributes to weight loss.
“Baduanjin” is used to recover athletes after competitions or people experiencing great physical or mental stress.
Question about benefits
Morning exercises are considered the most useful, and to relieve accumulated fatigue and have a good sleep, they practice qigong after sunset. Qigong gymnastics is effective only with the accuracy of its execution. Calm is of the utmost importance. You should not start the exercises if you cannot get rid of annoying thoughts.
All body positions should be natural and comfortable. The complete absence of negative or overly joyful thoughts is also important. Man must be in harmony with himself. This is probably the most difficult moment in all gymnastics.
It is important that breathing is correct and relaxed. Like any other exercise, qigong requires regularity for maximum effect. It is believed that the effect of such classes occurs after two to three months.
With an increase in oxygen circulation, a person improves vision and memory, normalizes metabolism, the functioning of the lungs and heart, and shortness of breath disappears. With prolonged exercise, body fat decreases, movement of the joints and spine improves.
Contraindications for qigong practice can be permanent or temporary. The permanent ones include oncological or heart diseases, various mental disorders.
Temporary ones include taking medications during illness, the postoperative period, a full stomach, heavy physical work, or an exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Despite the skepticism of some representatives of official medicine, qigong is definitely good as gymnastics for relieving psychological stress, it improves concentration and helps in recovery from injuries.