Qigong is a holistic approach to well being and is a powerful tool for overcoming illness if you have it. It brings physical, emotional, mental and spiritual benefits. I'll take each one in turn and explain just a few of the improvements you can expect to experience in your life when you practice qigong.
PHYSICAL - your resistance to coughs and colds increases, I've lost count of the number of students who pre-qigong only had to be looked at by someone with a cold and by the next day they'd have it. Practicing qigong they hardly, if ever get caught out by some 'bug'.
There's a really good reason for this, as you practice qigong your energy starts to flow harmoniously through the energy pathways (meridians) of your body and this enhances your bodies NATURAL power to deal with all 'dis-ease- causing agents BEFORE you even know there is a problem.
Your ability to handle the natural stresses and stains of modern life will increase. You know those things in your life that currently 'press your buttons'? Gradually their ability to get to you will decrease as you take it all in your stride.
You'll find yourself waking earlier in the morning (naturally), feeling clear headed and ready to start the day. Though when this first starts to happen, you'll convince yourself you need more sleep and wake up at your usual time feeling groggy and thick headed - I did it and so have many of my students.
EMOTIONAL - Every time you practice qigong you are learning how to 'open your heart' more and more. And I don't mean the 4 chambered muscle in your chest. I'm making reference to Chinese 'version' of the heart. In TCM the heart is considered to be the 'The Emperor' it is the supreme controller - it houses the Shen (mind/spirit) - i.e. it's very important!
As a result your emotions will become more balanced, you'll no longer feel like you're on a roller coaster with dizzying highs and crushing lows. You will experience more tranquility and joy.
The longer you continue to practice qigong on a daily basis the more familiar and substantial these states will become.
MENTAL - If you're like 99.99% of the population, your mind will normally be filled with lots of pointless chatter, most of it unconscious. If you stop reading this for a minute you can check that statement out for yourself.
How often does a song (that you probably don't even like very much) get stuck in your mind on endless loop? How often do you go into a room and forget what it was you went in there for? Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and completely forgotten that really important point you wanted to make?
Qigong students regularly comment on significant improvements in their mental clarity. This should not come as a surprise when your realise that qigong practice actively develops mental clarity.
But what is mental clarity? Mental clarity is a mind that is clear, but clear of what?
Clear of all thoughts.
So if you have improved mental clarity does this mean you'll no longer be able to think? That you'll become a moron? No, quite the opposite.
What it means is that when you need to focus on something be it a problem in need of a solution, or just deciding what to have for lunch, you have no distracting thoughts that rob your mind of its immense power.
For example - normal thinking is like the suns rays, warm. Thinking with the benefit of mental clarity is like holding a magnifying glass and focusing the suns rays to a fine point. Now you have the power to burn holes in things!
SPIRITUAL - Your Spirit/Shen is responsible for your ability to create, it directly effects your intelligence, memory and ability to articulate thought clearly.
You'll notice that there is an overlap between the emotional, mental and spiritual benefits of practicing qigong and there's a really good reason for that.
You see from the western perspective, holistic health is viewed from the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects. But from the qigong perspective there is only the physical and the heart. With the 'heart' relating to the emotional, mental and spiritual. So emotional and mental illness is considered to be an illness of the heart.
Depression is perhaps the most common illness of the heart effecting not only your 'spirit' but also having a negative effect on your emotions, mental faculties and physical well being. But I am happy to say that there are numerous examples of qigong practitioners who through their qigong practice have released their hearts/spirit from the tyranny of depression. Myself included. Discover the best qigong exercises for overcoming depression.
Unfortunately too many people neglect the spiritual aspect of their lives and the spirit is so important for health, happiness and well being.
Conclusion
Qigong has the potential to overcome pain and illness, promote health, vitality, longevity, mental clarity and spiritual cultivation. It is a powerful tool for Total Health.
