Medical Qigong – optimise the body’s natural healing energies
Medical Qigong is a term applied to the use of qigong as a healing modality. By combining a knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its energetic system with specific exercises or energy transmission the Qigong Doctor or Healer will work, in conjuction with the patient to optimise the body’s natural healing energies.
For many years Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has looked towards balancing the body’s energetic system through regulating the flow of qi energy through the key meridians of the body. Throughout the body a series of pathways or meridians carry the Qi energy which feed the major internal organs of heart, lungs, liver, spleen and kidney. When someone is healthy these pathways or rivers of energy move in a regular, free-flowing manner. However when ill-health comes the energy becomes dissapated or blocked and needs to be regulated once more.
The TCM Doctor or Healer, drawing on thousands of years of tradition, has a variety of methods for regulating the energetic system including:
Acupuncture, where needles are inserted into specific acupoints relative to the problem.
Tuina, or Chinese Massage which has a range of techniques including rubbing, shaking, slapping, pressing and vibrating, again around key acupoints.
Herbalism, using plants and animal products with varying qualities of Yin and Yang.
Energy Transmission, although practised less these days, particularly in its country of origin because the authorities want to minimise, if not eradicate the practice of esoteric, un-validated healing systems.
Prescribing Exercises, when the healing practitioner will evaluate the state of the energetic system of the patient and create a programme of exercises designed to optimise their Qi flow.
It is also worth considering that traditional doctors of TCM were paid regularly, as long as their patients maintained good health. However when ill-health came they were no longer paid, being deemed to have failed to keep their patient well. This being the case it was obviously very much in the healing practitioners interest to keep their clients in good health. Realising that this could prove a difficult, if not impossible task in some cases, everything was done to engage the client in the process of well-being. So a series of regular, daily exercises would be prescribed, often with clear dietary advice, all designed to ensure the client stayed well!
Taijiquan (tai chi chuan) and qigong (chi kung) again have become widely regarded as tools to be personally applied to both the achievements and maintenance of good health. These disciplines include a range of exercises which are generally working to bring a relaxed, fluid body in harmony with smooth, even breathing and focussed awareness of the mind to create a feeling of relaxed well-being.
These pages include materal on various aspects of taijiquan and qigong as healing arts.
Author: Ronnie Robinson
Images: Taiji-Europa