Meditation is an integral part of self-care. It is a practice that teaches you how to develop deep intentional focus and minimise your thoughts and worries about the past and the future. Getting to this point requires you to train your awareness and attention by focusing on a particular object, activity or thought. In doing so, you attain emotional calmness and stability and mental clarity.
Numerous cultures have practised meditation for millennials. Therefore, they have developed different meditation techniques that reflect their cultural origins. As a result, many people today consider meditation a form of mind-body medicine. And so, in taking up the practice, there is some belief that you may find some healing.
One prominent form of meditation is known as Qigong. Many experts provide instruction in this meditation form through seminars, classes and private instruction. This article further explores Qigong and presents this meditation form’s basics and fundamental aspects.
A Brief History of Qigong
Qigong (also known as Chi Kung, Chi Gung or Chi ‘ung) is a mind-body exercise that uses a coordinated system of meditation, movement, body posture and breathing to enhance spirituality, health and martial arts training.
Qigong originated in ancient China and Tibet, where it was considered a form of traditional Chinese medicine. That belief persists today where practitioners enjoy numerous benefits, including:
- Learning how to feel and direct your internal energy (Chi, Qi).
- Learning how to handle and use the abundant energy around you.
- De-Stressing.
- Connecting with Yourself.
Meditation and Qigong
Combining meditation and Qigong brings you to a process trainers refer to as ‘The Internal Way’. This program combines numerous years of Kung Fu and Qigong training with ancient Taoist practices that define the Universal Healing Tao (a practical system of spiritual development and self-cultivation created by Grandmaster Mantak Chia).
This system focuses on balancing the physical, spiritual, emotional and mental aspects of the self. It enables you to start learning about self-mastery by connecting to yourself, balancing your emotions and developing a state of self-love. All of these bring about a greater connection with everything around you.
As a student of this technique, you will go through a series of practices where a teacher guides you in mastering various styles from the basic level until you progress to ancient Chinese meditative and internal energy exercises. Through these techniques, you learn to release emotional, mental and physical tensions, increase physical energy and improve your health.
The Four Levels of Qigong Training
Foundation Part 1
A PATHWAY TO EMOTIONAL MASTERY
This first stage introduces you, the novice practitioner, to the foundational aspects of Qigong. From this starting point, you set off on a defined path of self-development. Here, you learn about balancing your emotions, how to increase your energy levels, how to feel and direct your life force and how to distinguish the different energy characteristics around and within you, then connect to the source. Here, the focus is on bringing balance to the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual parts of your being.
Foundation Part 2
A PATHWAY TO A GREATER CONNECTION
As you gain more awareness of the connection between all things, you begin progressing further into the program and getting into level two. The practices at this stage will help you experience this greater connection more deeply. For example, you will discover how to connect with the forces within the earth, cosmos and universe. You will also learn the Microcosmic Orbit- a meditative practice that educates you on directing the flow of energy (Qi) through major bodily pathways.
Foundation Part 3
A PATHWAY TO A SPIRITUAL UNION
This level focuses on creating a compassionate heart. It also expounds on the importance of the heart’s growth, its necessity, and the changes it will inspire in your overall being.
You will also learn crucial physical health techniques to help prevent different cancers and other ailments.
Neidan Tao 1
A PATHWAY TO SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT
Once you have completed cleansing the physical body and mastered balancing the five elements, you now embark on a journey of creating spiritual bodies and energy. At this point, you delve into the fusion of the five elements and begin the practice of internal alchemy. This Taoist process induces the interaction and transformation of the five elements into a well of high-quality energy. This level is considered the pathway to spiritual enlightenment.
Learning and practising Qigong and meditation introduces you to exercises that optimise the energy within the mind, body and spirit. As a result, they help maintain and enhance your well-being, thus increasing the possibility of personal growth and improvement.
