Qigong: A Branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine
What has made Qigong work is that it's basis is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine; which has a methodology for correcting Health Challenges. So in this first of a series today I would like to address how I view this practice in relation to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Qigong Group Classes and Self Practice Sets
We live in a culture now that anyone can try just about anything through a little effort. There is people filming Qigong practices and marketing them to promote their art. There are classes in most cities of some sort being held. When I began in this field it was largely held within the East Asian Community, and it was very closed to many westerners for the most part. I can remember a time when women were not allowed to participate in these classes and Martial Arts! Nowadays its almost the complete opposite, probably due to a generational change. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Martial Arts is also a world wide accepted tradition and not a underground movement as well. This is what is happening, the tradition is changing for the better; anyone can participate which makes it more richer of a tradition.
There are countless Qigong sets. In the 1980's when Qigong was first taking shape in the USA and in Canada, there were few traditions and teachers. The quality in many ways was better cause it focused on a more condensed approach and not a endless amount of practices, systems or approaches. Most of the Japanese and Chinese Masters I studied with required you to memorize what you learned precisely. You would not progress to the next stages of training until you get did it almost flawlessly what was taught.
What still is true today as was it was when I was just learning and understanding is that anything can make one "healthy & balanced". These practices that have been adapted from Traditional Chinese Culture practice systems, are for strengthening the body/mind. So Taiji sets, Stillness Qigong and Dynamic Qigong etc any can help an array of once thought of incurable disorders. What makes them effective is the mentor/therapist/teacher whom has a complete understanding of the tradition they are teaching. In many cases herbs are used along with bodywork, to assist in the flow of energy.
Qigong Group Classes and Self Practice Sets should always be accompanied by some sort of feedback from a experienced practitioner. Without proper mentoring, it is a Guessing game of what the set is suppose to lead one into. I often say "you must understand the view teaching" and all the salient elements with it. The videos used should also come from a source tradition teacher; often times today you see many promoting a "C" average copy of what their teacher sells as well. I find that very funny cause why would they not promote their teachers video; really not a ethical display of character. In most cases the source tradition teacher should be the standard bearer of that given tradition, buy their video! At last count a friend of mine estimated there use to be like two standardized versions of Eight Brocades Qigong; now there is over 100 less than optimal adaptations of it. It has created complete confusion for many, which is a problem for the unknowing new student.
The videos that are often promoted is only a snapshot in time of what is - at that day and time; and should not reflect the totality of what the practice/tradition is. This is where classes and mentoring come into play. A teachers only job is to teach you to do; what they can do and to open your mind to the tradition and take it forward. Sadly often many teachings are partial and this is where sets don't deliver or work essentially, cause students don't have the insider details.
As far as healing disorders using Qigong Sets; there have been many sets to have beneficial uses for some forms of Cancer, MS, ALS and common miscellaneous disorders, diseases. A student really needs to establish a routine and understand the divisions of Qigong for Health and Wellness. What one can do essentially for Body/Mind Health daily. Again anything can heal to make one whole. So its not black and white, and there is no Majikal Qigong set that can be boxed into this. What makes certain practices work is a complete understanding of the method from the Master teacher, which is often from a deep long line of lineage and history. So the teacher/therapist intuition on the practice is crucial in this case. The student following through with compliance of diligent practice as well.
Identify Specifics of Disorders
Using Qigong for certain disorders come into play when one is actually sick or less than optimal. The Chinese view point of sickness is that when imbalance hits, the Chi is already in a bad state and should corrected and maintained quickly. One has to strike a balance with yin/yang very quickly. We often use terms like "finding the pattern" which is the total constellation of a persons signs and symptoms as gathered by traditional four identifications, including tongue and pulse signs. The Pattern Identification is the crucial work with helping one with Qigong and again herbs and Bodywork go hand in hand here as well as specific dietary requirements based on a complete look on ones health.
As far as classical illness/disease, this, is made up of a smaller group of symptoms which are believed to define that problem in many persons generically speaking with it. Such illness defining signs and symptoms are a illness of pathogenic signs and symptoms or those by which it is specifically known. Thus, while a illness/disease usually has a narrow definition of specific signs and symptoms, identifying and finding the pattern is the entire body/mind
composition of given individual. Standardized procedure is that a person needs to get into private therapy and get a Traditional Chinese Medicine intake done and then identify the pattern of imbalances of yin/yang, so balancing can begin to take place. This kind of Qigong Therapy is way different then generalized self practice Community Classes. Specifics are being addressed and in many cases Chinese external/internal herbs maybe administered as well. With this being said you will be guided hopefully precisely and completely into health and wellness of optimal health. I will also note that it can take some time as well; it will take a person determination, a strong will and compliance to do whatever the therapist is guiding one to do.
Qigong is a wonderful tradition; it is a branch of Chinese Medicine. It is a standardized approach; and in my opinion it is the best approach because it teaches the seeker how to maintain their health and does not become a therapist reliant tradition. The spirit of Chinese Medicine lays in the Mentor teaching the student how to adopt the teachings in their life and maintain health and wellness. I recommend to all my students and friends I meet that are looking for balance is to get to my private Chi studio and lets begin balancing the complicated health issues once and for all! This really is the proper way to work on personal health issues that may be plaguing one for a long time. I hope you have find this article of value; for people interested in Qigong its way deeper than a community event-it is Chinese Medicine.
GWA
