Modern life is hectic and full of difficult situations, emotional upheavals and unforeseen challenges which cause stress in the body and have an effect on all areas of our health. Qigong offers a holistic and integrated way to reduce stress, increase energy, improve the immune system and calm the mind.
Qigong is an ancient Chinese internal martial art that combines physical movement, postures, breathing techniques and concentrated awareness to calm the mind, vitalise the body and cultivate compassion.
THE FIVE ELEMENTS
It is said that a flowing river never becomes stagnant and so it is with the body. Qi is life force energy. Gong’ is roughly translated as skill. Qigong is therefore roughly translated as a ‘skill at working with the life force energy’. Qigong is part of the ancient system of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This includes the holistic five elements system based around the five vital yin organs and includes all the associated acupuncture meridians and their interactions with one another. It is an ancient internal martial art that helps integrate the mind, body and emotions to create greater balance and harmony within the body as a whole.
METAL
LUNGS
WATER
KIDNEYS
WOOD
LIVER
FIRE
HEART
EARTH
SPLEEN
DEEP
BREATHING
CALM
THE MIND
REDUCE
STRESS
INCREASE
JOY
GROUNDING
& BALANCE
“And yet this ineffable Tao is the source of all spirit and matter; expressing itself, it is the mother of all created things…Yet these two things, matter and spirit, so different in nature, have the same origin. ”
TAO DE CHING
QIGONG PRECAUTIONS
Although I am trained as a professional psychotherapist, I am not a medical Doctor. Physical illness and medical issues occur in the body for complex reasons including genetics, lifestyle choices, environmental factors, childhood history and mental and emotional history as well as some unforeseen and unconscious factors. Qigong is not a panacea and it is not a cure all for medical conditions. Qigong practise is also in no way intended as a substitute for medical advice with a licensed medical physician or as a substitute for regular psychotherapy with a professional therapist.