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In
China Qi-gong (Pin Yin) or Chi-kung (Wade Giles) is regarded as one of
their cultural treasures. Prized for the health restorative and life
extending potential, this meditative practice synchronizes physical
movements to increase brain and cognitive development to achieve a state of
subjective connection of the body, mind and spirit with nature.
Some scholars believe that Chi-kung (CK) history can be sub-divided
into four periods however the accuracy of this debatable. Although
Chinese medicine can be traced back to the Neolithic era (about 3500-1500
BC) by stone needle and inscribed
tortoise shell artifacts, many believe the first period started at the time
when the "Yi Jing" (Book of Changes) was introduced sometime before 1122
B.C., while others associated its origin to Huang Ti,
the Yellow Emperor or the first emperor of China. Some believe that
the second period
started with the construction of the Han dynasty (206 B.C.) when Buddhism
made its way to China from India with many meditative methods. This laid
the basis for Chi-kung methods to acquire religious overtones along do’s and
don’ts on spiritual virtues.
 The Chi-kung in the third period, the
Liang dynasty (502-557 A.D.), integrated into the martial arts, especially
with the contributions an Indian priest Bodhi-Daruma, or Damo, made
by integrating martial arts and Chi-kung training at the now popular Shaolin Temple. This
integrative work by Damo quickly influenced and spread to many other martial
art styles in China and Asia.
The fourth period started with end of the
Ching dynasty in 1911; from that point medical Chi-kung evolved beyond its’
national borders and became more international and less religious and
traditional. Integrative and complementary methods soon made terms such as
energy healing more popular.
Chi-kung
is a compound word. Defining Chi can be both simplistic and complex at the
same time. We can view it as energy, which is the author’s choice word, or
as an intrinsic energy value of a thing so any thing may be said to have Chi
and will share another compounding word describing what that thing is. For
example “Da-Chi” means air energy while “Gu-Chi” means food energy. There are
easily over a hundred of such compound words. kung associates skill, work
and training into one so both words together imply that a practitioner of
energy is involved.
The
Chi-kung concepts and theories share no equivalent counterpart with western
health concepts and theories. The ancient Taoist creation theory myth of
the universe and its intrinsic energy called “Chi or Chi” that permeates and
animates all things with values of “Yin and Yang” has similar counterpart
equivalents with theoretical physics and the “Big Bang Theory” and its
binary energetic properties of the four fundamental forces but without
similar vocabulary.
Because of Chi-kung's ancient origin, many of its concepts and theory have strong shamanistic
origins that are easily recognized as subjective to skeptic minds. Since the practice of
Chi-kung is intended to “train” the brain, over the years it has acquired
mystical and even religious aspects.
This is partially due to the sensations and phenomena practitioners
experience during CK training, and these personal experiences have led to
associated mystical or religious terminology to explain the sensations
experienced.
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There are many methods and schools of chi-kung, but similarities far
outweigh differences. Guiding the Chi with awareness along acupuncture meridians and
activating various acupoints mentally while coordinating inhalation and
exhalation to the adducting and abducting body movements are basic to all
styles. To think and then to move is not Chi-kung but rather to be aware and
to move at the same time is Chi-kung. These self-help exercises are what many
call “medical chi-kung”; however, they share almost no resemblance to
western health science or sports.
There are three levels or steps to
mastering CK and practitioners of CK regard its methods as the practice of
internal alchemy by believing they can strengthen themselves
enough
to cultivate
and transform “Jing” (essence or matter) into Chi (energy) and then
Chi into
“Shen” (mind/consciousness/spirit).
Basic level training (Jing-kung) is
primarily more physical than the other levels and it requires the
practitioner to condition their body by coordinating their mind and breath
with movement. There are three anatomical points of the body called Dan Tien
which the lower point is activated and strengthened first. The goal is
to conserve and accumulate "Kidney Jing-Chi", which is regarded as the
source and foundation for the other levels to build upon.
 Intermediate level training (Chi-kung) includes the basic training methods
but advances to mentally visualize this intrinsic energy, Chi, and circulate
it around the center back and front meridians (Du and Ren meridians) point
by point, coordinating each Chi progression with slow unlabored rhythmic
breathing while maintaining minimal soft tissue tension. This level is
completed when the practitioner is able to qualitatively “feel the Chi”
point-to-point around the meridians and has reached a point of qualitative
increased physical vitality and awareness. Next, extremity meridians (both center
and extremity meridians are part of the 8 extra meridians) are activated until enough
energy is generated to "emit" the Chi through an acupoint located
on the palm called Lao-kung. This is combined with channeling an
assumed "Universal Chi" from space that enters through the practitioner's
head to unite with the meridian Chi at the middle Dan Tien. This is
referred to as the “emitting Chi” method and is used to restore health to
oneself or others. The mechanism of this is not understood, however
many research has been done to observe this healing event. The
intended idea of the practitioner is to reduce what is over-active and
increase what is under-active. Advancement to Shen-kung is the next stage
and is undertaken when the practitioner achieves a consistent state of
higher body and mind energy level and transcendent awareness.
Advanced
level training (Shen-kung) is all mental and does not incorporate any
breathing or intended body movement to achieve its goal of healing oneself,
or others. The practitioner, while in a transcendental state of awareness
and subjective connection with the universe, simply connects and nonverbally
communicates specific corrective directives to their target in someone’s
body. For example rather than using the hand to emit Chi over a sprained
ankle to disperse stagnant Chi and blood, the practitioner will directly
connect and communicate directives (preferred result directives or PRD), to
achieve the desired effect. The mechanism for this is not understood. |
