 What is qigong? Qigong (pronounced “chee gung”) refers to a diverse set of practices that coordinate body, breath, and mind. It is one of the major branches of Chinese Medicine (CM) which includes food therapy, massage (tuina), acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine.
Why should you practice qigong?
Qigong integrates all the benefits of being present, breath control, and LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) exercise. Plus you can practice it anywhere, it requires little space, and does not need special clothing or equipment. Who can practice qigong? Qigong is a very gentle system of exercise using flowing movements, natural breathing methods and relaxed awareness. So it can be practiced by anyone irrespective of age, race, religion, and fitness levels. One of the marvellous things about Qigong is that you can improve your overall mental and physical wellbeing through practicing a gentle, simple and very enjoyable set of exercises for between 10-15 minutes each day. It’s very easy to learn. We can teach you the foundational practices in a day. The results come through daily practice. What are the reported benefits of practicing qigong? There is a lot of scientific research showing the positive impact of practicing qigong. The reported benefits are summarised here :
Why should you study qigong from us? We are not affiliated to any school, style or tradition of qigong. So there are no associated formalities, rituals or hierarchies. The main focus of our method of qigong is on teaching you how to access your own health & healing. This can either complement the treatments you have with us or it can be used as a stand alone self healing practice. We have distilled the teaching and practice of qigong to its essence. We present it in a way that is accessible and suitable for modern day people. Our method of qigong takes just 15 minutes to practice each day. We offer this as one on one sessions or at live or online workshops. Click here for next qigong workshop. About Dr Hung D Tran My name is Hung Tran. I have been practicing medicine for almost 20 years. At first I worked as a medical doctor & GP in the NHS (hospital & general practice) and then as a classical acupuncturist. During this time I have treated well over 30,000 people presenting with a wide range of illnesses. When I first learned qigong it took around 6-8 weeks to learn the basics. You’d watch the teacher, mimic their movements and just practice as best you could. Little further instructions were given. My daily practice would take at least 30-45 minutes each day. Results were sensed many months down the line. It felt like an act of blind faith and shear willpower in the first six months of learning & practicing. This was how things were done back then. You just had to work it out. It was very difficult to sustain. Also you wouldn't necessarily know what worked and what didn't because self-reflection was not part of the learning process. Over the years I've had my own health challenges and have utilised qigong as an part of the healing process. I've also studied with many teachers and researched the available literature. Each teacher imparted something special and important. During this exploration a few things became clearer to me. The culmination of my unique background and immersion in the practice of Western & Oriental medicine has given a very privileged insight into medicine and the human condition. It is from this background and a passion for sharing these transformative practices with others that I draw from when I teach. Drawing from my practice and clinical experience I teach a simple, very safe and effective method of qigong. Is qigong safe to practice? Under the guidance of an experienced teacher the practice of qigong is very safe. Are there any side effects? Overall the side effects are minor. In extremely rare cases, there may be an exacerbation of a pre-existing psychological disturbance. All these side effects can be remedied with proper instruction and simple methods. On balance these side effects, although uncomfortable, are still much safer than many over the counter or prescription medications. What does qì gōng (氣 功) mean? Qi means “vital energy”, and gong means “cultivation”. Essentially qigong means the art and science of cultivating vital-energy. What is Qi? On a practical level Qi is the animating force behind life processes. Qi the energy arising from all forms of interaction or relationship between things. So this energy can be that of the sun influencing life process on earth, that keeps planets in orbit, influences atmospheric pressures, influences tidal systems, interaction between people. It is also the energy that enhances life processes such as extracting nutrients from food, functioning of the immune system, or the energy exchange of our cells. This is all qi. Is it religious? Qigong is a non-religious method of personal cultivation of body & mind with the aim of enhancing human health & wellbeing. In the early days of qigong (or daoyin as it was then called) practice ,circa. 1100- 206 B.C., there were no religious associations. However the principles of qigong were later integrated by Buddhist and Daoist practitioners to improve their health and thus helped in their spiritual cultivation. When practicing qigong you may discover that you enter into a deeply relaxed and more expanded state of awareness. This is a very pleasant and entirely natural effect of qigong practice which may facilitate a spiritual experience. The practice of qigong can put the person at ease and give more a sense of connection within themselves and to their surroundings. What makes our qigong different? Our approach to qigong teaching & practice is as part of a self-care programme called Care for Your Qi. This integrates the aspects of breath, food, and relaxation as the foundation of a balanced state of health. Though we respect people from all backgrounds we are not affiliated to any religious organisation or tradition. Qigong stands very well as an art, personal practice and medicine in it's own right. Comments are closed.
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