Qigong
Qigong is slow movement, steady breath and quiet attention, practiced in Chinese parks every morning.
Your first ten minutes
Stand like a post
Feet shoulder-width, knees soft, arms rounded as if holding a tree. This is zhan zhuang. Start with two minutes.
Settle body, breath, mind
Loosen the shoulders. Breathe slow and low. Rest your attention on the dantian, an area below the navel.
Learn the Eight Brocades
Eight simple moves, each repeated. The first, holding up the sky, lifts both palms overhead. The full set fits in a small room.
Breathe out the old, breathe in the new.
Qigong is a wellness practice, not medical treatment, so never stop medicine for it. Stop if you feel dizzy. Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or have heart or mental health conditions.
Good to know
What is qigong?
Qigong is a Chinese practice joining slow movement, breath and attention. The name spread in the 1950s, but the exercises are older. A silk painting from the Mawangdui tomb shows daoyin postures from the Han dynasty.
What is the difference between qigong and tai chi?
Tai chi is a martial art with a long fixed sequence. Most qigong repeats a few simple moves for health, not fighting, though martial schools keep their own hard qigong. Many people practice both.
What are the benefits of qigong?
People practice qigong for calm, balance and gentle movement. Some describe warmth or tingling in the hands, and others feel only quiet. Research is limited, and it does not treat disease.
