Qigong
Crane-style qigong is called a quiescent-dynamic form of qigong. A series of five small forms make up level one. Each of the forms builds on the previous and can be done in as little as twenty minutes once you know all five. Quiescent-dynamic qigong is a combination of medical and spiritual qigong. The focus is on health and calming the “shen” or spirit. Crane style models some of the movements of the crane and embodies gracefulness, balance, and quiet calm. The movements are designed to help open five main energy centers to allow the free flow of “qi” or life energy between humans and heaven and earth and to cultivate a sense of oneness and harmony with the universe.
The heart meditation is based on an ancient Sufi healing practice called “Remembrance.” This practice helps to enliven the heart's connection to the Divine and nourishes the heart and soul. This practice helps to heal the heart from past hurts and to beautify it with Light and Mercy.
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Blog Post
Medical Qigong for a healthy heart!
Qigong, pronounced “Chee gong,” is a group of exercises that promote health and longevity and have been practiced in China and East Asian countries for thousands of years. There are three main branches of qigong: martial arts, medical and spiritual. Examples of martial qigong include Tai Chi and Iron Shirt qigong. The intention of these exercises is primarily self-defense, although they have many health benefits. The second branch of qigong is medical qigong. These exercises mainly focus on health and longevity through strengthening the internal organs and energy circulation in the body. The third branch of qigong is spiritual qigong. The purpose of spiritual qigong is to increase mental clarity and to gain wisdom and enlightenment. The following article will focus on medical qigong and its benefits for heart disease.
Purging, tonifying, and harmonizing are the three essential components of medical qigong practice. Purging exercises are done first and aid in ridding toxins from the body, mind, and spirit. It is necessary to clear all three layers of our being. We start with the physical, and the purging becomes more subtle to remove negative thoughts and feelings and then to beliefs that keep us feeling separate from our original state of Oneness. Purging exercises include special breathing exercises and sounds to help the body eliminate toxins. It improves circulation and creates room for new nourishment. Sound is a powerful way to purge because sound waves vibrate the body to break up patterns of stagnation. Western medicine utilizes vibrations to break kidney stones. The vibrations we create with our voice and movements are more subtle but powerful enough to clear blockages, improve circulation, and purge toxins.
Tonifying or nourishing the qi is the second step of many qigong forms. Food, water, breath, rest, and light nourish our glands, organs, and all body tissues. The qigong exercise focuses on gathering, energizing, and storing breath and light. Traditionally, qigong is practiced in the early morning when the sun is not intense. Still, there is light in the sky, and by focusing on the light and absorbing the light into our eyes, we can strengthen our eyes and immune system. Recent studies show that we take most of our Vitamin D from sunlight into the body through the eyes, offering a scientific reason for how our immune system is nourished by qigong and directly from the sun! Imagination is another essential aspect of qigong exercise. Many top athletes now use this practice to imagine a race or event to help them prepare for competitions. There is evidence to show that using imagination for practice increases athletic performance. Qigong practitioners use breathing exercises and focused imagination to bring light into the mind, organs, and glands, which can improve their function. Recent studies on the effects of qigong on heart disease demonstrated improved heart function, six-minute walk times, and quality of life scores.
Harmonizing is the third step. After getting rid of toxins through purging and nourishing the glands and organs with more breath (oxygen) and light, the focus turns to the balance and harmony of the body and integrating the new state of calm and energy. An example of a regulating exercise is the “Microcosmic Orbit.” The human being is a complete mirror of the outer universe, so we harmonize our microcosm, which helps bring harmony to ourselves and the macrocosm. These exercises can be done sitting or standing. The following is a brief description of a harmonizing practice.
“Begin with sitting on a chair with your back straight, hands on your knees, and feet flat on the floor, or standing with feet at shoulders width apart. Bring your awareness to your lower abdomen about three fingers below your lower belly button and inside your body about 1.5 inches. This area is called the lower Dantien (space of heaven). Breathe slowly and regularly with your awareness in the lower Dantien. Imagine light filling this area and then condense the light to the size of a pearl. Using your imagination, move the pearl to your perineum (pelvic floor), guide the pearl into your sacrum, and then follow up your spine, over your head, and down the front midline of the body back down to the pelvic floor. Repeat this circle nine times, going slowly from 30 seconds to 1 minute per rotation around the body. As you practice, you can go slower and with more focus on each area, filling with more light. When finished, return the pearl to your lower abdomen and fill the lower Dantien with light. Sit quietly with your awareness in the lower dantien for at least one minute. Repeated practice of this exercise will help you to feel more relaxed and calmer.”
Healing reactions are a positive and not uncommon occurrence when practicing medical qigong. If you have experienced stress or trauma, qigong exercises can release these stuck emotions or physical injuries. Old physical injuries can heal, and emotional releases, such as laughing or crying, that are not associated with something happening at the moment can occur. These are ways that the body releases stagnant energy. These are healing reactions and are helpful for you in the long run. Practicing qigong daily is beneficial; each time will help remove more toxins, increase your energy, and cultivate harmony.
Qigong has been practiced for thousands of years and helped many people, including one of my beloved teachers, to heal her heart disease. She was a violinist from China. Doctors told her she had six months to live and no medicine could help. They recommended she go to a qigong hospital, where she learned Crane Style Qigong. Through her dedicated exercise, she healed her heart disease and taught qigong 20 years later to acupuncture students in the United States. If you want more information or want to become a qigong student, please get in touch with me.
References:
AbuElkhair, A., Boidin, M., Buckley, B. J. R., Lane, D. A., Williams, N. H., Thijssen, D., Lip, G. Y. H., & Barraclough, D. L. (2023). Effects of different exercise types on quality of life for patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of cardiovascular medicine (Hagerstown, Md.), 24(2), 87–95. https://doi.org/10.2459/JCM.0000000000001386
Cheng, J. H., Wang, Y. J., Chou, S. S., & Yeh, M. L. (2018). Hu li za zhi The Journal of Nursing, Chan-Chuang Qigong Improves Exercise Capacity, Depression, and Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure,65(5), 34–44. https://doi.org/10.6224/JN.201810_65(5).06
Qianyan Wu, Qingyuan Zhang, Yong Li, Letian Yu, Ying Zhang, Meiying Ao, “A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of High-Frequency Prescription of Zhigancao Decoction Combined with Conventional Western Medicine in the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure”, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2021, Article ID 7140044, 17 pages, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/7140044