Qigong (or Chi Kung) is a general term that refers to various methods of Chinese exercise. There are
literally hundreds, if not thousands, of qigong methods, but each is broadly based on the same philosophical and medical theories. These include the principles of yin and yang, Five Element theory, traditional Chinese medicine, Buddhism, Taoism and so on.
The phrase qigong consists of two Chinese characters: Qi, which can be literally translated as breath, and Gong which is translated as effort or work (as in Gong Fu). So, at one level, qigong means "breathing exercise". At another level Qi also means energy or vitality and, in Chinese medical terms, is often
described as a vital force that circulates in the human body (as well as in the world around us). This energy has many components, including the oxygen we breath in, energy from the food we digest and so on. So qigong can also mean exercise to focus and refine the body’s natural energies.
Broadly speaking there are five different areas of qigong training:
Healing - using qigong for general health
Taoist - to strengthen the body and spiritual development
Buddhist - to develop health and extraordinary potential
Medical - to heal others
Martial - to strengthen the body and increase power
Obviously there is considerable overlap in practice and theory of all these areas, but it is important when beginning qigong to have some idea of what your goals are. For instance, sitting in cross legged
ability to take blows. It is also important to start at a basic level if you have not done any qigong training before. At a basic level there is very little or no chance of qigong proving harmful. This is not the case if you go into advanced breathing methods, visualisations or Iron Shirt training. Then there is a real risk of both physical and mental harm. The guidance of a responsible and knowledgeable teacher is important at that stage.
STANDING POST
In Tai Chi Chuan we use an exercise called Standing Post as our base qigong. This is a very simple (but not easy!) method which brings benefits very quickly in a number of areas. For martial artists it is a good
qigong to practice because as well as the health benefits, we are also getting some good martial training, both of which I’ll discuss later. In the Yang Family system there are 18 postures in the Standing post set (not just 6 as claimed by some teachers). Students start with the first three basic postures:.
Start in an upright posture (figure 1). Make sure the shoulders and chest are relaxed and the back is straight (but also relaxed - don’t "stand to attention"). Spend a minute or so concentrating on your breathing,
Bend the knees into a "horse stance". Try to get your knees in line with your toes. Make sure the back is still upright - it is very easy to lean forward or back. Get a friend to check, or use a mirror if possible. Slowly raise your hands to shoulder height, with the arms as though you are holding a large ball (fig 2). Keep the elbows a little lower than the wrists in order to help keep the shoulders down. The fingers are opened, but relaxed, there should be no tension in any of the joints. Keep the body weight sinking down into the legs. After a few minutes in this posture, slowly lower the arms to waist height (fig 3). Maintain this position for the same amount of time. To finish, slowly straighten the knees and return to your original posture.
So that’s the exercise. There are three areas we need to look at in order to make the exercise effective:
EXTERNAL PHYSICAL POSTURE
and chest relaxed and feet parallel. The feeling is almost like you are about to sit down in a chair.
INTERNAL PHYSICAL POSTURE
This firstly relates to breathing. Breathe in and out through the nose, slowly and gently. Try to breathe from the diaphragm rather than just the chest muscles. At a later stage you can use the reverse breathing method.
The second aspect is what happens to the muscles - they will start to tense, particularly the legs. It is not uncommon for people doing this exercise for the first time to experience shaking legs (even if you think you have strong legs). Try to work through it. To help dissolve the tension try to focus your breath going to that part of your body. Let the tension go rather than fight it.
MENTAL POSTURE
In some ways the most important. I have seen people practice Standing Post for 30 minutes or so, during which time they looked around, spoke to other people and so on. Doing this sort of thing may help your legs a bit, but little else. It is very important that you have a focused and concentrated mind in this sort of
training. A common misconception is that we practice qigong and Tai Chi Chuan in a dreamy, trance-like state. This is not the case. Without correct intention (what the Chinese call "yi") the exercise is futile. For a beginner, the focus should first be on the breathing. Feel each breath as it comes in and out. It may help if you count the breathes - work in cycles of 10 - this will certainly aid your concentration. You should also be constantly reviewing your posture and correcting it, trying to relax into any tension and so on. At a later stage, once the above can be achieved without too much conscious thought, the focus can move to other areas.
WHY PRACTICE?
When watching people doing Standing Post most people’s reaction is that it looks easy - so easy, in fact, that they won’t bother trying it themselves. This is a shame as Standing Post has many benefits.
On a physical level it really does build up the legs. Not only do they become stronger, they also become more relaxed and flexible. Regular practice opens the joints and stretches the thigh muscles. The stance also
becomes firmly rooted - by that I mean that you are able to sink all your body weight into the legs. The stronger your stance the more power you can put out or absorb.
Regular practice also helps relax the upper body. Tension in shoulder, neck or arm inhibits the release of power when striking. Likewise tension in the chest inhibits oxygen intake. For those in competition particularly, the ability to move freely and easily while expending less energy is a distinct advantage.
On a mental level, practice develops a quiet concentration and strong focus. Over time you will be able to put this into anything you do. This has profound effects in terms of countering the natural fear and anxiety we all feel when put under pressure. It’s also a good tonic for the mind, the chance to take time out from the rigours of the day. One reason we sleep is to allow the brain to process all the information we take in during the day. Standing Post does the some thing, after practice you should feel more mentally alert and aware.
Standing Post also helps the body’s natural healing process. By promoting positive relaxation we promote blood flow, oxygen intake and so on. This has a positive effect on recuperating from injury or illness - note however that in case of fever or high temperature it is best not to practice. One other cautionary note - in the early stages of pregnancy it is best to avoid practice (at a later stage it should be OK, but practice only
lightly, do not bend the knees too much). Of course, in any such cases you should always follow the advice of your doctor.
At this basic level it is not necessary to have a deep knowledge of the meridian system, or visualise energy travelling from here to there - indeed it would probably be a hindrance. Simply set aside 10 minutes
somewhere to stand quietly each day, and within a week you will be feeling benefits.
Wild Goose or Dayan Qigong :
Beginners learn the first set which consists of 64 movements. It usually takes four and a half months to learn the entire set. The second set is reserved for experienced students who have taken the first set at least two times. It also consists of 64 movements. The class is taught by Master Hui Liu.
The Dayan Qigong set is based on the movements of the wild goose. It is structured in a way that enhances the circulation of qi. "Qi" is a Chinese word whose concept is difficult to translate. "Qigong" literally means
"qi practice." Like the Sanskrit "Prana", the Japanese "Ki", and the ancient Greek "Pneuma", the word means both the vital life force and its existence.
According to the Chinese theory of medicine, all illness is a result of obstructed qi paths or an imbalance of yin and/or yang. Examples of yin are dark, cold, inner, feminine, and negative force in the universe.
Examples of yang are light, hot, outer, masculine, and positive force. Each contains within it the germ of the other. The two are combined in everything and are inseparable from each other. Harmony is disrupted if the yin is too strong or if the yang is too strong.
Both Western physics and Eastern science describe the universe as a vast energy field. Dayan Qigong works to improve the various bodily functions by improving the body's electric and magnetic energy flow and capacity. The movements are organized to follow the flow of the earth's energy and to exchange internal qi (from the body) and external qi (from the earth and the universe), utilizing this energy to stimulate and balance the various functions of the body. Circulation of qi can be governed by the mind. Concentration and relaxation are essential, assuring that qi will flow strongly and without obstruction during practice
conducted in China have found that Dayan Qigong can have a therapeutic effect on hyper- and hypotension, weakness of the heart, insomnia, disturbances of the nervous system, intestinal infections, skin diseases, and mental illnesses. Scientific instruments have detected infra-red and electromagnetic changes in qigong
masters and have detected the presence of specific germs and viruses in the air around practitioners after they have expelled the negative chi from their bodies.
History of Dayan Qigong Four thousand years ago in ancient China, it is said, the legendary Yellow Emperor invented a technique of breathing and movement to vitalize mind and body
Records that describe breathing exercises exist from about 1000 B.C. The Chinese, like the ancient Greeks, believed in a healthy mind in a healthy body, and discovered many techniques that were supposed to
enhance health and well-being. It is not known exactly where or when qigong as we now know it began, but there have been many different styles that have evolved through the years.
About 1,800 years ago a venerable Buddhist monk named Dao An developed a form of qigong which he called "Dayan Qigong". Years later another monk named Wan Yi revised and perfected the set. Dayan qigong was handed down from master to student as a secret or esoteric doctrine. It was only in recent years that its potential and benefits have been known to the general public, and today, it is widely taught in China.
In the 19th century, during the Qing Dynasty, Yang Mei Jun's grandfather learned Dayan qigong from a monk. It wasn't until master Yang's grandfather turned 70 that he decided to teach his granddaughter the form. Now Master Hui Liu is teaching the set here in the United States after she had learned the set from Yang Mei Jun. Master Yang herself is a living example of how beneficial Dayan qigong can be. She has been known to cure the terminally ill using only the power of the "qi" from her hands. She can hold a sword in her hands and illuminate the tip with her qi. In the dark it is possible to see two beams of light originating from her eyes. And, just by using her body's qi, she is said to be able to evoke the scents of five different flowers. This last amazing feat was performed recently in China before an audience of over 2,000 people. For over half a century Master Yang practiced in secret, often late at night, so that even her husband knew
nothing of what she was doing.
For ten days his life remained in danger until Master Yang applied the power of her qi to heal the man's injuries. The government then declared that Dayan qigong should be available to all who desired to learn it. Recently the form has become widely taught, and Master Yang herself has become a special kind of
"national treasure" in China. "Dayan" means "wild goose". In the Zhou Dynasty a wild goose was included in wedding gifts as a symbol of marital fidelity. In later times a wild goose was embroidered on the court robes of officials who had advanced in the civil examination system to the third highest level. The wild goose exemplifies high culture and in ancient China it was not customary to kill them for food or game.
According to traditional Chinese thoughts, the wild goose embodies the Five Constant Virtues: "Ren"--ethics and perfect virtue free from selfishness; "Yi"--right conduct, loyalty, and faithfulness;
"Li"--respect, reverence, and good manners; "Zhi"--wisdom, knowledge, cleverness, and prudence; and "Xin"--truth and sincerity. Wild geese migrate long distances, flying 1000 miles or more. They fly in a "V" formation, following naturally in a line. They always migrate on the same day to the same place. They supposedly mate for life. When a mate dies the survivor laments and does not seek another mate. When the flock sleeps, they post sentries to warn of approaching danger. Though they are water birds, they are generally vegetarian. Thus, say the ancients, "to be a good person one must be like a wild goose."