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QI is the Chinese word for "life energy." According to Chinese medi* JLcine, qi is the animating power thatflowsthrough all living things. A living being isfilledwith it. A dead person has no more qi—the warmth, the life energy is gone. A healthy individual has more than one who is ill. However, health is more than an abundance of qi. Health implies that the qi in our bodies is clear, rather than polluted and turbid, and flowing smoothly, like a stream, not blocked or stagnant.
It is also the life energy one senses in nature. The earth itself is moving, transforming, breathing, and alive with qi. Modern scientists speak the same language as ancient poets when they call the Earth Gαiα, a living being. When we appreciate the beauty of animals,fish,birds,flowers,trees,moun tains, the deep ocean, and floating clouds, we are sensing their qi and feeling an intuitive unity with them. Human beings are part of nature and share qi with the rest of the earth.
Gong means "work" or "benefits acquired through perseverance and practice." Thus, qigong means working with the life energy, learning how to control theflowand distribution of qi to improve the health and harmony of mind and body.
Qigong is a wholistic system of self healing exercise and meditation, an ancient, evolving practice that includes healing posture, movement, self massage, breathing techniques, and meditation. Through these various methods, qi is accumulated and stored in the body, like filling a reservoir. Impure or polluted qi—the essence of disease—can also be cleansed and re* fined into pure, healing qi. The goal of some qigong practices is to discharge and eliminate the impure qi in a manner analogous to breathing. Breathing is a process of absorbing a pure source of energy, oxygen, and eliminating the impure, carbon dioxide. Like proper breathing, qigong practice can make this exchange more efficient.
Qigong is called a "practice" or "training" because, unlike medication, it is not "prescribed" for a limited period of time, but, rather, practiced daily. This is easy to do because qigong is as enjoyable as any sport, yet does not re* quire a great expenditure of time or money. Students generally practice an average of twenty to forty minutes each day. There is no need for special equipment or a large workout space.
Anyone can practice qigong. There are techniques suitable for every age and physical condition. Qigong includes standing, seated, and supine meth ods. W ith only slight adjustments in technique, it is possible to practice most standing exercises from a seated or lying down position. This makes qigong an ideal exercise for the disabled.
