Top 10 Recommendations Before Starting a Qigong Practice

WHAT IS QIGONG?

Many of my readers and business partners will most likely not have any idea as to what Qigong actually is. When asked by people what it is I do, and I respond by telling them that I am a 'Qigong Man', many don't know what it is. The first association they make is to the practice of Tai Qi. Tai Qi has been pretty mainstream in the English speaking world since the 1960's. Until then it was just something that Asian people practiced in parks in the morning. A mysteriously slow moving set of exercises that looked totally boring!

Since its inception into our mainstream culture, compounded with the scientific revelations of its various physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits; Tai Qi has grown to wide popularity here in the U.S., and has since influenced many devoted followers and students in its many forms and schools.

Now Qigong is the new kid on the energetic block, and although it may be new for many people here in the U.S., Qigong has ancient roots that pre-date both Tai Qi and Acupuncture, and is commonly referred to by practitioners as the oldest branch of chinese medicine. Other branches include acupuncture, herbal medicine, tui na (massage), cupping, and dermabrasion (Gua Sha).

QIGONG APPLICATIONS

I like to refer to Qigong as the 'mother of Tai Qi.' It is an ancient meditative mind/body movement practice that works with subtle energetic vibrations in the universe that help promote health, balance, and longevity. Qigong literally translates as 'work on one's life force', and there are a few different Qigong training schools: martial, spiritual, and medical. Depending on your inclination, your teacher, and your ultimate path - you will most likely find yourself training in one of the three primary Qigong applications. A little from all three is the most attractive for me, and although I am more drawn to the spiritual advancement in Qigong and to my ability to contain larger amounts of 'healing Qi', I don't deny the importance of having a strong defense and the ability to apply Qigong to its martial uses as well. Click this site 진주출장안마

Now as I can only speak from my own experience, I believe there are a few things that the potential student should educate him/herself with, prior to engaging in a devoted Qigong practice. This is because these ancient practices are extremely powerful and if practiced incorrectly will further exacerbate any conditions or 'Qi Deviations' in your body. All of which could ultimately lead to more severe diseases and internal physical breakdown of your vital organs. These patterns can be altered, and this is simply meant to make you more aware of HOW you are practicing. Basically, if Qi is flowing in the wrong direction before you start a practice, and you begin to increase that flow through your daily practice, does this mean you are correcting the Qi Deviation, or merely enhancing your own wrong actions? We may not know we are in fact moving in wrong action, but in the end your body will not lie.

#1 FINDING THE RIGHT TEACHER

This is probably the single most important thing before starting a Qigong practice. You may need theinstruction and guidance of a master. Look for someone who has 20 plus years of experience in the practice. You may also want to find someone who has a strong spiritual life and a teacher who empowers the student in finding their own Identity, and not a teacher who indentures the student into following and serving only themselves. Often I am asked by people who I study with, and people are surprised when I tell them that MY TEACHER is neither Asian or male. It is almost a sort of reverse racism we are experiencing here in the U.S. with regards to who we bestow respect upon when it comes to mastering and teaching ancient Asian energetic arts. As if a Caucasian, African, or Latina woman could neither master these forms, nor be expected to hold any deep wisdom or knowledge in the Tao.

You man be drawn to study or find the teacher that is the most accessible; or, as is often the case in many fields, the one who is best at marketing. Don't be deceived by this. Oftentimes you will find the best teachers tucked away in small spaces, with few students, and in unlikely locations. You may ask, 'If they are such great masters - then how come they have so few students?' A good question! My answer is, 'because the training is usually rigorous, demands high levels of integrity and truth, and requires a fluid Ego in order to progress.' You know the old adage: 'When the Student is Ready the Teacher Appears'? Well, you will know when you have found the right teacher. Trust in that and follow the truth.

#2 CONSIDER GETTING A DIAGNOSIS

Although you may feel completely healthy and ask why you would ever need a diagnosis, there are levels of sensitivity in our bodies that many of us are simply unaware of and unable to "tune into" due to our own misuse of attention and consciousness. What do I mean by that? Most of us (myself included) overuse our intellect and our mental attention simply because we have been patterned to do so. To begin to train sinking into a deep internal awareness requires dramatic shifts in mental attention and one that must be facilitated by a master. It is extremely unlikely that a beginner could easily enter into an ability to 'read' the energetic structure of their internal organs, flows of Qi through the meridians, the pulses, the tongue, the blood, and other diagnostic components of the mind/body system. For example, if you happen to have a propensity for anger and would be diagnosed as someone who has 'Liver Yang Rising', then it would be in your best interest to not practice movements that increased the Yang energy in the body, and you would never know to stay away from running the Fire Cycle (up the back of the spine and down the front of the body).

#3 A LOCATION ALL YOUR OWN

Find a little piece of nature, nature, and more nature. Having a set place for your practice is really important and will help you to discipline your practice when just starting out. If you are struggling to get out of bed and go to your local park, or that piece of beautiful grass by the beach, or the clearing in the canyon behind your home, it is your connection to the space that will help you be more disciplined in your approach. You will begin to create your own vortex of energy in 'your spot' and you will begin to be called and drawn back to that spot - almost like you have a second home. Having your own indoor studio space is definitely a luxury and will come in handy in extreme weather, but there is something really special about being outdoors and practicing in such close contact to the elements of nature, the universe, heaven and earth, the cosmos and all that universal Qi force surrounding you.

#4 SCHEDULE AN EXACT TIME

We all know the importance of a schedule but few of us actually hold to one. Having a weekly schedule is extremely important - especially when it comes to running your own home business. It is very easy to find yourself getting off track and wasting time surfing around the internet or idling in the mud of the social media jungle. Remember we are running a BUSINESS, and all successful businesses run on a schedule in hopes of accomplishing a set amount of daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals. Some business owners simply use more sophisticated resources when it comes to planning, running, and scheduling their business. It is no different when if comes to going to the gym, rehearsing a song, or practicing your Qigong.