A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by the lovely Josie at The Art Of Living Retreat Centre, Boone, North Carolina, USA with a suggestion that I might like to share some of their articles to do with Qigong and health. As most of you already know, I love sharing knowledge so how could I resist? Here’s the first article from them, written by Dr Roger Janke about Qigong for the heart and mind……
At the Nine Clouds Mountain Qigong Sanatorium near the Six Harmonies Pagoda in Hangzhou, Zhu Hui, a medical doctor and master teacher of Qigong from Tian Tai Mountain, told this Three Treasures story one morning during a tea break. Master Zhu had been practicing Chinese medicine for nearly 50 years, and his teaching was always a rich mix of medical, Daoist and Buddhist influences.
The Road To Unity
A young monk felt he was prepared to deepen his cultivation practice and his master gave the assignment to cultivate inner quiet and discover the secret of the source of life and its application to the preservation of health and vitality. He gave the suggestion to focus on the Earth Elixir Field (Di Dan Tian). After some months of practice, the young monk reported to the master that he felt sure that the most practical answer regarding the secret was nourishment, rest and the conservation of Qi and inner resources. The master encouraged the young monk, “You have found the secret to preserve the Jing and sustain the body, but you have not found the source of life.” The master teacher asked the young monk if he was still interested in pursuing the deeper secret. The monk nodded and the elder gave him the suggestion to focus on the Heart-Mind Elixir Field (Xin Dan Tian).
This time it was considerably longer before the monk visited the elder. When he returned, now older, he responded that the secret of the source of life and its preservation were associated with accepting what naturally arises and bringing love and compassion into the world. The master agreed and encouraged the monk to continue his good work of compassionate service. The monk said to the master, “I know that I have penetrated to the secret of highly refined interactions of the Qi and the opening of the Heart-Mind. It has inspired me to be of service to my fellow humans. It is clear that this sustains life, my own and others. But I have not determined the secret of the source of life.” The master suggested, “Focus on the Celestial Elixir Field (Ling Dan Tian), the entry place of Heaven in the living human being.”
Some years passed. When the younger monk returned he was older. The elder monk said, “Tell me in one word”. The younger monk said, “Unity”. They both smiled quietly, knowing their was nothing more to say. They parted, both knowing that even though they would not meet again, they were always together at the Source.
The Power Of Qi
When people turn to Qi cultivation, like the young monk, the focus is usually on health and the preservation of the body. When people discover the magnitude of the power of the Qi (after all it is the energy that runs the entire universe), body health and longevity frequently become secondary benefits of attaining peace of mind and heart.
In the tradition of Qigong, it is believed that once you taste or experience one of the treasures that you are destined to pursue the cultivation of that treasure. As you begin to deeply understand and experience your Body Essence (Jing), your Heart-Mind (Xin) or your Spirit (Shen), you will likely be inspired to cultivate them because the promise is so great. When we cultivate Body Essence it leads to vitality and physical healing. When we purposefully access the Heart-Mind and cultivate the treasure of Heart-Mind Elixir it nourishes peace of mind and emotional healing. It is a rare person who does not become attracted to having peace of mind once they have begun to experience it.
What If You Were Already Whole?
The Spirit does not require healing; Shen is inherently and supremely well. Shen resides with in the Heart-Mind longing to be revealed, expressed, and radiated. When the Heart-Mind is cleared of its typical restraints including fear, judgement and all sorts of trauma, Shen expresses as radiance. The cultivation of the treasure of Spirit can trigger the release of miracles.
The Heart-Mind is the secret gate through which thoughts, feelings, emotions and attitudes are cleansed and purified. The sincere deepening of Qi cultivation practice requires that intention and will become major focus areas in practice and in life. In ancient traditions, retiring to a cave in the mountains or going to the desert, to disassociate from the material world were primary ways to pass through this secret gate. That is why it is often called the “Mysterious Pass”. It was also called the “dark feminine” in many translations because the Heart-Mind gate operates more on surrender communication and collaboration than on conquest or control. The legendary Bodhidarmha, who many revere for having brought Buddhism to China and who was legendary founder of the Shaolin Temple, faced the wall of a cave in deep meditation for nine years. The intensity of his Heart-Mind purification burned his image into the cave wall.
Clearing The Heart-Mind
In modern times, however, most people find it difficult to clear the Heart-Mind, even with years of meditation practice. The intensity of the busy and confused world constantly challenges and activates the nervous system, the heart and the mind. If distraction, busy-ness, constant list making or worry and judgment (of self and others) challenge your Qi cultivation, consider integrating holistic mind/body medicine and group support or counseling along with Qigong and Tai Chi, as complementary tools for helping to clear the Heart-Mind.
In other words the fire of intent that is required to change Heart-Mind integrity (behavior) is so dynamic that it radiates a profound heat. This suggests that changing the habits of the personality (Heart-Mind) will require rigor and discipline – Heart-Mind fire.
Purifying The Heart-Mind Qi
Intentful mind leads the Qi. You can combine Qigong practice with meditation, purposeful declaration, and visualization into powerful imagery and focus that can be used in either stillness or movement. In the relaxed state, mind (intent) with directed visualization or inner affirmation combined with the body movement and purposeful breath practice purify the Heart-Mind Qi.
When you make the choice to “let go” of a grudge or forgive someone who has been unfair, you are removing a factor that may have been depleting or stagnating your Qi — inner resources. The grudge or withheld forgiveness is not hurting the begrudged or the unforgiven one. Instead, the damage is done to the one who holds the grudge or withholds forgiveness. Holding these kinds of feelings constrains the Heart-Mind, exhausts the Qi and overshadows the incredible but buried splendor of the radiant Shen spirit.
Click here for the full article on The Art Of Living Retreat Center’s website from Dr Roger Janke.
I think all of us have at one time or another lost someone who is close to us and suffered the consequent grief associated with that loss. Grief can leave us unable to function on a day to day basis. We may feel exhausted, be unable to sleep and be so emotionally fragile that we feel unable to cope with even the smallest inconveniences or difficult situations. As with any emotion, from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view, it is never healthy to bottle up grief (which leads to stagnation) but rather allow it to be felt and expressed in a healthy way without opening the floodgates so much that the person is left even more devastated. In the video on this page you’ll be learning helpful methods of Qigong for grief.
Please head to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel and clicking the red button so you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
What Impact Does Grief Have Upon Us?
In serious cases the effects of grief may lead to suicidal thoughts, nicotine, drug and alcohol use, depression and an inability to complete simple daily tasks.
The emotional effects of grief include:
• Increased irritability
• Numbness
• Bitterness
• Detachment
• Preoccupation with loss
• Inability to show or experience joy
Grief can also affect our physical body and common symptoms include:
In TCM terms grief is the associate emotion of the Lung system. Therefore we need to nourish and strengthen the Lungs in order to help us process and let go of grief in a healthy way. Obviously there is no timetable for this as it depends on the individual and the degree of loss which they have suffered.
3 Methods of Qigong For Grief
Any Qigong methods which help us to get rid of or “Discharge” grief and nourish or “Tonify” (build up) the Lung system will be helpful.
The three methods below are a good starting point for you to let go of grief in a healthy way.
1. Lung sound of the Six Healing Sounds. This method is shown in the following clip and is method of discharging waste Qi (including the emotion of grief) from the Lungs using a specific sound.
2. Discharge Qi With Vibration Method. This is Lesson 3 in my free part video series. In the short clip here you can see that the movement is very simple. Be loose, allowing the knees, wrist joints and neck to be relaxed. As you do this think of “sifting” the emotion of grief up to the skin surface with the vibration of your body. As you breathe out release the grief from the skin surface, like raindrops moving away from the body. Continue with this for as long as it takes you to feel more comfortable.
3. Qigong Standing Meditation. Hold your hands in front of your chest, palms facing each other, like you are holding a ball. Feel the energy between your hands. This is a ball of Qi. You may want to visualise it as a white light penetrating into the lungs and energising them.
You can use one of these methods of Qigong for grief either alone or practice them in the order I’ve listed them, finishing with the meditation. It is always better to discharge or let go of what you no longer want in your body before you bring healing energy in with a method such as the Qigong standing meditation above.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you would like to learn even more benefits of Qigong for grief then:
1. Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective methods of Qigong for grief, along with other emotions too.
2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you learned from this video.
3. Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. As a result, bones become weak and may break from a fall or, in serious cases, from sneezing or minor bumps. It can affect men as well as women but it is more common in women. In the video on this page I’m going to show you how you can use Qigong for osteoporosis prevention by strengthening your bones. These methods may also slow down the development of osteoporosis if you have already been diagnosed with this condition.
Please head over to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel and click the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to improve your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
Methods of Qigong for Osteoporosis
It is well known that weight bearing exercise such as walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, lifting weights, playing tennis and dancing can help strengthen our bones and thereby manage the condition of osteoporosis.
In the same way, weight bearing Qigong methods will help you if you suffer with osteoporosis and help to improve bone health.
Here is a list of the methods from previous videos which will be helpful for you. Select your favourites and practice them every day as a 10 minute routine of Qigong for osteoporosis.
1. Qigong Morning Routine. Establishing a morning routine will help you get into the habit of regular practice which is important if you are to slow down the progression of osteoporosis. Click here to watch the video.
2. Qigong for Illness Prevention. In this video you will find out why it is much easier to prevent and illness or condition from arising in the first place rather than treat it once it has occurred. Click here to watch the video.
3. Qigong for Cleansing. This lovely 2 minute method can help you to rid any pains or stiffness in the body which might be associated with osteoporosis. You will feel 100% better after doing this! Click here to watch the video.
4. Qigong Standing Posture. Learn the correct standing posture to maximise the flow of Qi, (energy), blood and fluid in to the bones and joints. This method helps if you have developed a hunched posture as a result of loss of bone density. Click here to watch the video.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you would like to learn even more benefits of Qigong for osteoporosis and bone health then:
1. Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level. You’ll learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods, all which can be adapted to be used for the condition of osteoporosis.
2. Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you learned from this video.
3. Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel, which is carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain, bursts or is blocked by a clot. This causes an interruption of the blood supply to part of the brain. This can damage or destroy brain cells which will affect body functions. For example, if a stroke damages the part of your brain that controls limb movement, your ability to move an arm or leg may be affected. A stroke can also affect mental processes such as how people feel, think, communicate, or learn. In the video on this page you’ll learn some methods of Qigong for stroke recovery. These exercises can speed up the recovery process, regardless of how long ago the stroke occurred.
Please head over to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
5 Reasons Why – Qigong For Stroke Recovery?
As I explained above, if you have a stroke, your brain is affected. Qigong helps you to form new connections in your brain as the movements involved are ones which your body isn’t used to carrying out. These new movements promote new brain connections.
Qigong involves repetitive movements which help you to reinforce the new neurological connections in your brain. Repetition is the key here. The more repetition, the more stable these new connections become.
Qigong is free and easily accessible. Unlike attending the gym, physiotherapist or swimming to help with recovery from stroke, Qigong methods, once you have learned them, can be performed in the comfort of your home for no cost. Other methods to help recovery may incur a cost or visit to a special facility which is not always practical. You can also practice Qigong from a standing, sitting or lying down position. Because of this you can easily adapt Qigong methods to suit your individual range of movement following a stroke.
Qigong exercises can easily be integrated into your daily activities. This makes the repetition aspect easy to carry out as you can practice Qigong when you are standing in a queue, walking, driving, standing, reaching for things, etc.
Qigong helps balance the whole body. Working from a whole body perspective is very important subsequent to a stroke as this means that the parts of your body which may have been weakened by the stroke can be assisted by the stronger parts.
Where Can I Learn Qigong for Stroke Recovery?
If you would like to learn some Qigong for stroke recovery then there are a number of things you can do:
Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Next you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods, all which can be adapted for stroke recovery.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you learned from this video.
Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
In our busy world we might often find it difficult to find the time to eat. However, statistics show that people in the Western world are increasingly getting bigger. Obesity is on the rise. In Ireland, where I live, the percentage of people who were classified as overweight or obese in 2015 was 60%. This has risen to 62% in 2017 (Central Statistics Office – “The Wellbeing of the Nation 2017“). We all know that the healthiest way to shed pounds is to combine healthy eating with exercise. Fad diets rarely work and the weight often piles back on again afterwards. In the video on this page I’ll be showing you how you can use Qigong for weight loss. I’ll give you a few tips to get you started and let you know how you can progress and take things further if you really want to explore how you can use Qigong for weight loss that lasts!
Please head over to YouTube to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to enhance your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
Qigong for Weight Loss
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers an alternative method to help those who are trying to slim down. Qigong, as a branch of TCM focuses on bringing back balance to the body and treating the root cause of a problem by promoting the smooth flow of Qi (energy) throughout the body. Combining Qigong with other exercise and healthy eating can have tremendous results in your effort to lose weight.
Below are some of my recommendations of methods of Qigong for weight loss. There are lots more in the Space To Relax Online Programme but what is important is that you practice regularly, exercise regularly and eat healthily. CONSISTENCY is the key!
1. Develop a Morning Routine
This is the best way, I find, to be consistent. Set yourself up for the day with 5-10 minutes of Qigong. If you don’t have time, get up 10 minutes earlier! :-). Following along with my Qigong Morning Routine here.
2. Get Rid Of Toxic Build Up In Your Body
Often we put on weight because toxins accumulate in our bodies which make us feel sluggish and less likely to exercise. Before we know it our weight has increased. Also, excess weight can be a result of excess fluid accumulating in the body if the lymphatic system is not draining and moving fluids around in a healthy way. Below are two previous videos for you to watch if you want to use Qigong for weight loss:
To cleanse or detox your body use this Qigong cleansing method daily (click here to watch). It only takes 2 minutes to practice once you have memorised the movements.
As many of you may know emotions can play a significant role in weight gain because we can resort to “emotional eating” in response to stresses from family and work. The stress hormone cortisol can upset the body’s metabolism too, causing an increase in weight or failure to lose weight even when you are not overeating. Refer to my previous videos if you feel that emotional factors contribute to your situation.
Acupuncture helps a person lose body fat by reducing appetite and thus reducing the calorie consumption by the body. On the other hand, it increases the metabolic rate of the body and aids in burning more calories. Acupuncture also stimulates the release of endorphins that help to reduce the body fat and insulin levels. Seek out a practitioner in your area if you need some help and don’t want to tackle losing weight on your own.
Consult a Health Coach. If you want to find someone to help keep you motivated and on track the you may want to consider seeking out a health coach who can help you with dietary and exercise advice. They know all the pitfalls on your journey to slimming down and getting healthier so can help you to overcome them, should they arise. Take a look here for a good example from Dr Ailis Brosnan, who works here in Ireland and runs online programmes available to people worldwide.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you would like to learn even more methods of Qigong for weight loss then:
Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods, all which can be used for helping with weight loss.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box what you learned from this video.
Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
