What is Qigong

Qigong is originally a part of traditional Chinese medicine, and introducing qigong is actually introducing traditional Chinese medicine, just from a different angle. Because qigong is a simple and easy-to-use method of fitness and healing that does not require any medication or equipment, it has been introduced to the world faster than other therapies in traditional Chinese medicine, such as acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. At present, qigong already exists in many countries and has had some influence in the world. However, due to its simplicity and ease of practice, it is easy to be imitated and easy to be counterfeited. Here we introduce what is real qigong, which will help to improve people's ability to recognize the real from the fake. The definition of qigong in the textbooks of qigong in Chinese higher schools of traditional Chinese medicine is very simple, just a simple judgment sentence, but it contains rich connotations. It is expressed as follows: Qigong is a mind-body exercise skill that combines body conditioning, breath conditioning and heart conditioning into one. Among them, mind regulation refers to the regulation of mental activities; breath regulation refers to the regulation of breathing movements; body regulation refers to the regulation of physical activities, and the state in which the three adjustments are merged into one is called the state of qigong. This definition first explains that qigong practice involves three operations, namely, the three adjustments, that is, the regulation of mental activities, breathing movements and physical activities. It then states that the purpose of the three adjustments is to become one. This is a very important point, stating the specific state to be achieved by the three-tone operation. Next, the definition explains that qigong practice includes both the mind and the body, in which the regulation of the mind is the psychological aspect, the regulation of the body is the physiological aspect, and the regulation of the breath is in between the mind and the body. The definition concludes by stating that qigong is a kind of skill, emphasizing the practical and operative nature of qigong practice, and stating that learning and practicing qigong can not be done by reading and listening to lectures, but must be practiced. The whole definition explains the basic nature and characteristics of qigong, and based on its basic nature and characteristics, it can distinguish qigong from physical exercise, qigong from psychotherapy, and qigong from religion. The difference between qigong and physical exercise lies in whether the three tones are united. General physical exercise also includes the three tones, but the three tones in it are not merged into one. For example, when running 100 meters, at the beginning, we should first make a starting position, hold the ground with both hands, one foot in front of the other, which is to regulate the movement of the limbs, belonging to the adjustment of the body; then we should hold our breath, which is to regulate the movement of breathing, belonging to the adjustment of the breath; and at last we should put up our ears to listen to the sound of the gunshot of the command, and get ready to run as soon as we hear, which is to regulate the mental activity, belonging to the adjustment of the heart. Can be seen. Starting the process of three tunes are available, but the three tunes are done separately, first adjust the body, after adjusting the breath, and then adjust the heart. The three tones are all present, but they are operated separately, which is the characteristic of general physical exercise. Qigong practice is different, the same three tones, but the three tones should be combined into one. Once the three tones are combined into one, they are synthesized into one realm, namely, the qigong realm, which is a state unique to qigong practice. The qigong realm is not very easy to express in words, because it is an inner state, which is generally not visible on the outside. However, the qigong realm is alive and the practitioner himself can experience it. There is a true story to illustrate the realm. Several decades ago, around the 1930s, a European archery champion went to Japan to learn the "Way of the Arrow. Archery can be understood as using qigong to shoot arrows. After arriving in Japan, he approached the most prestigious archery teacher of the time and explained that he wanted to learn archery. When the master and disciple came to the training ground, Sensei said, "I'll show you how to shoot a few arrows first. After shooting a few arrows, the apprentice, who was a champion at the time, realized that the teacher was not paying attention to the bull's-eye, and that seven or eight out of ten arrows were on the side, or even off-target. So he thought to himself, "What am I learning from him? His archery is not as good as mine! At least nine out of ten of my arrows hit the center of the target, while he could only hit one or two out of ten. The teacher read his mind and said to him, "When you come to me to learn archery, I'm not going to teach you how to hit the bull's-eye with your arrows; you're better than I am, so you don't need me to teach you that. What I want to teach you is how to integrate the sport of archery with yourself." He found it refreshing to hear this. He never knew that archery could be shot in such a way, so he decided to stay and learn. He studied for three years, but he learned nothing. Feeling very disappointed, he went to his teacher and said he didn't want to learn anymore. The teacher glared at him and told him to learn for one more year, saying that if he still couldn't learn anything by the fourth year, he should leave because he was too stupid to be carved. When he heard this he stayed and decided to study one more year. Just near the end of the fourth year, out of the blue, one day he went to the teacher and said, "Teacher, I've learned!" The teacher asked him, "What have you learned?" He said something like this, "Originally when I shot arrows, my feeling was that I was shooting arrows; now when I shoot arrows, my feeling is that the arrows naturally come to my hands, the bow naturally opens, and the arrows shoot out by themselves, and the whole thing is done as if it were done automatically, and I didn't have to do anything, and everything came naturally, as it should. It was like a ripe apple falling from the tree to the ground." The teacher patted him on the shoulder and said, "Well, that's it, you did learn!" The realm of experiencing what one does as if it were accomplished naturally is the qigong realm of the three tones of unity, or the realm of the "unity of heaven and mankind" in ancient Chinese philosophy. The difference between qigong and psychotherapy lies in the fact that qigong is three-toned and psychotherapy is one-toned. Some of the therapeutic techniques in psychotherapy are very similar to those of qigong, and some of them can be used interchangeably. But in essence, the two are very different. In addition to the fact that qigong also includes techniques for regulating the body and the breath, there is a fundamental difference even if we consider it only from the point of view of regulating the mind. Psychotherapy tends to design treatment plans from the perspective of solving specific psychological problems, whereas qigong, like traditional Chinese medicine, focuses on overall, internal regulation and does not emphasize specific problems. Moreover, the state of psychological adjustment is also different, as qigong emphasizes the achievement of the above three adjustments in a state of unity, while psychotherapy does not have such a requirement. The difference between qigong and religion is also obvious. The definition of qigong indicates that qigong is a kind of skill, which also indicates that qigong is a kind of knowledge that can be mastered through learning. Skills are a class of practical knowledge different from theoretical knowledge. From the teaching point of view, the mastery of this kind of practical knowledge depends mainly on skillfulness, that is, repeated practice. Religion is different. Religion also has knowledge, but the practice of religion depends mainly on faith, not on skillfulness. The learning of qigong does not require faith, but only skillfulness. If faith is put into the study of qigong, it increases the possibility of qigong deviation due to the loss of objectivity. Religious practice, on the other hand, is centered on faith. Even if a person is familiar with the religious classics and the religious ceremonies, he may not be a qualified religious believer if he does not have faith in his heart. If a qigong teacher asks his students to believe in him, then he has already colored qigong with religious colors; and if a missionary does not talk about faith, but only teaches believers to meditate, then his religion has also taken on some qigong meanings. If one understands the operation contents of regulating the body, the breathing and the mind in qigong practice, understands the realm of qigong in which the three regulators are united, and knows the difference between qigong and sports, qigong and psychotherapy, and qigong and religion, then one is generally equipped with the basic knowledge of learning and practicing qigong, as well as the ability to differentiate between true and false qigong. This is especially important for beginners, for if they do not choose the right path at the beginning, all kinds of problems may arise in their future studies. Excerpted from: "The World of Health and Wellness" by Liu Tianjun

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