Qi Gong: The Meaning Behind the Movements

Qi and Gong: what do they mean, and how can they help your body reach a state of harmony?

Qi is the life force that powers you. It is what animates you and makes you unique. Your individual Qi is unlike that of anyone else in the Universe—it was there at your creation and will be with you throughout your life. There are two kinds of Qi. The first is inborn Qi, or what you inherited from your parents. Some people were born with a wealth of inborn Qi, while others inherited very weak Qi, which may have resulted in disease or other health problems that surfaced either at birth or soon after. Still, no matter what you inherited, you have the power to make your life healthy, happy, and peaceful. How? Through the second type of Qi—acquired Qi. This is what you build up on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis through your lifestyle (sleep, stress, eating habits) and energy practices, like Qigong.

Qigong’s gentle movements do much more than stretch your ligaments and muscles; they work to harmonize your body. Certain movements help your Qi, or energy, move through the various meridians in your body. When your Qi can flow freely through your body, you remain as Nature intended—healthy and balanced.

Clearly, Qi is an important part of our lives. But what does the other half of Qigong—gong—mean? Gong is effort and discipline. Qigong requires practice. Someone can give you the gift of Qigong movements, but in order to reap the benefits, you must put in gong. You must practice.

How does a baseball player reach the major leagues? Practice, practice, practice!

How does one discover Universal life? Practice, practice, practice!

So why should you practice Qigong? What benefit will you receive?” The benefit is entirely up to you. It depends on the level you want to achieve. If you want to reach a higher level, you have to pay a higher price. But it’s not money that you pay, it’s your effort and your mind.

Nowadays, we all live in our minds—our to-do lists are half a mile long, our schedules are jam-packed, and we stare at the computer screens for the majority of our days. So, can you let it all go? Can you drop your mind?

It’s much easier said than done, but if you continually live in your mind, you can only discover the body. At this level, you cannot see the whole truth. If you can drop your mind, however, you can discover the spirit. You are a complete being—body, mind, and spirit. Letting go of the mind helps you connect to that higher level that most of us have lost touch of, where all parts of your being are connected.

Most people find Qigong when they’ve been given a dire diagnosis. The doctor says, “You have cancer; you only have a few months left to live.” When those people practice, they still receive a benefit. Qigong can benefit and impact every person in every life situation. Why?

Because Qi is Universal life. Qi has a consciousness and a wisdom. If you practice Qi properly, you can access that wisdom.

So why is your body sick or ill? You lost the information. Your body is out of balance! Practicing Qigong is like going to the source—the Universe—to download the correct information. Once the information is received, your body knows how to heal itself. That’s the gift—Qigong awakens your innate healing powers.

So practice, and then practice some more, and let the beauty of your inner being unfold.