ZenergyArts.com - Frequently Asked Questions

Chi Kung, also spelled Qigong, is an ancient Chinese health care system that was kept a guarded secret for centuries and was virtually unknown to the West until relatively recently. The art of Chi Kung is an integration of gentle physical postures, special breathing techniques, and focused intentions.

What is the difference between Chi Kung and Qigong?

Qigong is simply another spelling for Chi Kung. Both refer to the same Chinese art, and both are pronounced as follow: chee ("cheese" without the ending); gung (rhymes with rung).

There are many different kinds, or styles of Chi Kung. A few examples are: Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung, Taiji Chi Kung, and Wild Goose Chi Kung. There are also different categories of Chi Kung, like martial Chi Kung (for martial arts) and medical Chi Kung (for healing).

They are similar, but with some important differences. Tai Chi Chuan (also spelled Taijiquan) is a martial art. Chi Kung is an umbrella term for various energy arts (not necessarily ZenergyArts!) that may or may not be used for martial arts purposes. If Taijiquan is practiced in the way traditional masters taught it in the past, then it makes extensive use of Chi Kung. Some Chi Kung movements resemble those of Taijiquan, whereas many other Chi Kung movements are quite different.

There are many wonderful benefits that people derive from practising Chi Kung, and they may be generalized into the following four categories:

Many types of Chi Kung emphasize only one or two of the above categories, but a few cover all four. For example, most styles of medical Chi Kung aim mainly at curing illness, and virtually all types of sexual Chi Kung emphasize promoting youthfulness.

Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung (the style that I teach) is one of the few styles that spans all four categories, making it exceedingly versatile.

Many health care professionals recommend Chi Kung as an important form of complementary medicine. Along with other kinds of Chinese medicine like acupuncture, Chi Kung is going through a period of blossoming, especially in this country.

And no wonder! The soothing and rhythmic movements of Chi Kung help to reduce stress, build stamina, increase vitality, and enhance the immune system. Qigong can improve cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic, musculo-skeletal, and digestive functions.

People who maintain a consistent practice of Chi Kung find that it helps reclaim their vitality and health, as well as speed recovery from illness. Most importantly, Chi Kung can help establish or re-establish the body-mind-spirit connection which, for many people, is an intellectual idea rather than a concrete experience.

In the end, people practice Qigong for a variety of reasons. Some choose this practice to maintain health; others to heal their bodies; still others use it to calm their minds. The overwhelming appeal of Chi Kung is that everyone can benefit regardless of athletic ability, age, ethnicity, or gender.

Yes. There is a growing amount of scientific literature pointing to the benefits of chi kung. The evidence is becoming so convincing that even Prof. Hans-Peter Duerr, the former director of the Werner Heisenberg Institute of Theoretical Physics, said, "I am fascinated by these [Yanxin Qigong] research results. They are within my window of acceptance."

Chi Kung is strongly rooted in the philosophy that direct personal experience is the best of all evidence. Scientific studies can be useful, but they are not always conclusive. Many scientific studies are funded by companies with a vested interest in the results. For example, the tobacco industry spent $220 million over a period of 42 years funding 1,500 scientific studies, yet not a single one of those studies could find a relationship between tobacco and lung cancer or heart disease.

We believe that direct experience is concrete evidence. Students are encouraged to practice the art for a reasonable period of time and then judge for themselves whether or not it is working.

First of all, we must remind ourselves that the Western medical paradigm is only one of many ways to look at health and illness. As the growing popularity of acupucture is proving, Western medicine is not the only option.

As strange as it may seem to our Western mindset, there is no such a thing as an incurable disease in the Chinese medical paradigm. A patient may be incurable if the disease has done damage beyond a certain threshold, but the disease itself can be cured if treated in time.

Incurable disease?

Traditional Kung Fu In Chinese medical theory, no disease is considered incurable because it is natural to overcome all types of diseases -- if our psychological and physiological systems are working the way they should work. Illness occurs only if one or more of these natural systems fail in their functions. When all of our systems are functioning naturally, the Chinese paradigm figuratively describes this condition as "harmonious chi flow."

In other words, the energy that supplies the right information to our liver to produce enzymes for digestion, the energy that provides the correct signals to our immune system when it is needed for defense, the energy that repairs damaged cells by the millions on a daily basis, the energy that carries away toxic waste and negative emotions -- all of this energy is flowing harmoniously and thereby keeping us healthy. If this harmonious chi flow is disrupted, illness or pain occurs.

The strength of Chi Kung is to restore, and then enhance this harmonious chi flow, thus overcoming illness and pain, irrespective of the labels one may use to define its symptoms.

All high-level Kung Fu makes use of the training of energy to develop internal force, as well as meditation for mental clarity. Without this, a martial art remains at an external, mechanical level, considered by Chinese martial artists as "Third Class Kung Fu." The internal force developed in high-level kung fu is not dependant on physical strength or size, and does not diminish with age. Acne Scar Treatment From a Derma Roller to Cellulite Treatment, White Lotus Anti-Aging has it all Acne Scar Treatment, Stretch Mark Treatment and a variety of Natural Anti-Aging products.

More importantly in our modern society, this same internal force can be used in daily living -- to give us more zest and strength for our daily work and play. Kung Fu training which includes Chi Kung, enhances harmonious chi flow, thus promoting health, vitality, and longevity.