Qi Gong is a form of exercise that originally developed in China. This form of exercise energizes the internal organs by combining disciplined breathing techniques with subtle but focused movement. Qi Gong does not employ as much movement as Tai Chi and is not as physically strenuous as Yoga, but will move and enhance your "qi" or "prana."
"Qi" or "prana" are Chinese and Indian terms for internal energy. Internal energy is an abstract concept which means "that which animates you" or "that which gives you buoyancy" or "life force." Qi has not been quantified according to the standards of Western science and medicine, but our medical community does not deny the positive benefits people who practice Qi Gong enjoy.
Some of these benefits include a deepening of the breath which leads to
increased oxygen utilization and greater lung capacity, more mental
concentration and focus, a feeling of greater psychological and
emotional well-being,
an increase in energy levels, greater flexibility and an improved ability to functionally move.
Qi
Gong can help people with high blood pressure. It can help people
recovering from a traumatic event like an accident or a battle with
cancer. It can give seniors more energy and vitality. It is an
alternative therapy for people with chronic problems like headaches,
sinus problems, allergies or asthma.
For already healthy people,
it can help keep the connective tissue vibrant, strong and healthy. It
will help correct muscle imbalances to improve movement efficiency. It
will increase oxygen utilization. It will stimulate the internal
organs, working on keeping you well from the inside out, as opposed to
the outside in and it is a good complement to more physically demanding
forms of exercise.
Students in the Shaolin Qi Gong class begin
by learning a famous Chinese Qi Gong set called the Ba Duan Jin,
sometimes called the "Eight Sections of Brocade." There are eight
movements that are performed in various numbers of repetition that help
to correct postural alignment, increase shoulder, neck, waist, hip and
leg flexibility, work the heart and lungs, stimulate the main twelve
energetic meridians in the body, massage the kidneys and spleen,
stimulate the stomach and intestines, and increase vitality and muscle
strength.
Though the movements are easy to learn, the type of
breathing required demands mental focus and a fully present effort in
order to get the full benefit. This exercise does not fit the mental
image we commonly have in the West of physically strenuous exercise.
Regardless, it creates a different type of demand on the body and does
require an honest and concentrated effort on the part of the
participant.
Currently, we only offer private Qi Gong classes at the
HealthKick location. Group Qi Gong classes are offered every day of
the week at the Chicago Shaolin Temple in Bridgeport.
Master Shi Yan Ju, a 34th generation Shaolin master, teaches the Qi Gong classes at the Chicago Shaolin Temple.
