Here are some insights and tips that may help you maximise your training and experience of these classes.

Is a warm-up important before starting a Qigong session?

Yes, a warm-up is essential before starting a Qigong session, just as before any physical activity. Warming up serves several vital purposes in the context of Qigong practice:

  1. Preparation of the Body: A warm-up gradually increases your heart, breathing and body temperature. This prepares your body for the more dynamic movements and postures of Qigong, preventing the risk of strain or injury and helping minimise the likelihood of strains, sprains, or other physical discomforts.
  2. Joint Mobility: Gentle warm-up exercises help improve joint mobility, which is essential for the full range of motion required in Qigong. Warming up the joints can also reduce the risk of discomfort or stiffness during (and after) practice.
  3. Muscle Flexibility: Warming up promotes the flexibility of muscles and connective tissues. This is crucial for achieving the flowing, relaxed movements characteristic of Qigong.
  4. Mental Preparation: The warm-up phase allows you to transition mentally from your everyday activities to the mindful and focused state required for Qigong practice. It can help you clear your mind and become fully present.

Tailor your warm-up to suit your comfort level, especially if you have any physical limitations or medical conditions, only do as many reps as you feel is right for you.

The ‘Qi Ball‘ and ‘Qi Barrel’.

In Qigong, the concept of a Qi ball is a visualisation and energy exercise. It involves concentrating one’s energy and intention to create a mental image of a ball or sphere made of qi (vital energy or life force). This exercise is often used to develop and focus one’s awareness of qi and harness and manipulate it for various purposes, such as healing, balancing energy, focus and meditation.

The Qi ball is a mental or energetic representation of Qi that participants visualise and manipulate during Qigong exercises. Here’s how it works:

  1. Gathering Qi: In Qigong, you may begin by visualising or feeling the Qi as a concentrated ball of energy. This ball can be located or drawn into your lower abdomen, often at the lower Dantian.
  2. Cultivating and Expanding: Through deep breathing, focused intent, and gentle movements, you can imagine the Qi ball expanding and becoming more vibrant and powerful. This involves cultivating and accumulating energy.
  3. Circulation: Once the Qi ball is cultivated, you can mentally guide it through the body’s energy pathways (meridians and points, like the dantians). This circulation balances and enhances the body’s circulating energy system.

There is also the traditional ‘Qi Barrel’ visualisation during the first section, which is where one imagines she/he is holding a light, empty barrel at the naval for a few minutes, eyes closed ideally, and the barrel fills up with energy which is then ‘taken’ into the lower Dantian point, as a way to increase the energy flow in the body; which is the key aim of Qigong.

Avoid holding your breath during any movement or technique. The breath comes first, then posture and technique.

In various mind-body practices, including Qigong, yoga, and meditation, the breath is often emphasised as fundamental to the practice. Holding your breath while doing the techniques can make you feel dizzy or unnecessarily tired; it also disrupts the flow of Qi in our bodies, causing blockages which can lead to issues later, so it is vital to be mindful of how you are breathing as you do the technique, and while breathing into the diaphragm (deep breathing) is the desired way, if you have to make the breaths shorter and more chest level at any time then that is fine, you have to listen to your body on what feels right, forcing things to happen quickly usually doesn’t work out. In time, your body will re-condition itself, and you will find deep breathing as natural as when you did it as a baby (also called Baby Breathing) and through childhood.

We are taught as children to keep our shoulders back and stomachs pulled in. This merely serves to make us shallow chest breathers, and deep breaths become unnatural, which is a pity. So, in Qigong, a major aspect is to return to deep breathing, but this may take a while to do, so be patient with yourself .


The benefits of breathing into the Diaphragm in Qigong or life in general.

  1. Increased Oxygen Intake: Diaphragmatic breathing allows for a more significant oxygen intake. This helps oxygenate the blood more efficiently, promoting organ function and tissue repair.
  2. Enhanced Lung Capacity: Deep breathing exercises improve the capacity of the lungs, making the respiratory system more efficient.
  3. Relaxation and Stress Reduction: Diaphragmatic breathing triggers the body’s relaxation response by massaging the Vagus nerve (the body’s main relaxation nerve).
  4. Improved Posture: Diaphragmatic breathing encourages an upright and elongated posture, which can reduce strain on the spine and muscles, helping to prevent or alleviate back pain.
  5. Digestive Health: Deep breathing can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting digestion and nutrient absorption. It can also alleviate digestive discomfort associated with stress. Diaphragmatic breathing can also gently massage the organs below.
  6. Detoxification: Efficient breathing supports eliminating waste products and toxins from the body through exhalation.
  7. Mental Clarity: Deep breathing improves mental focus and clarity, making it easier to concentrate and make sound decisions.
  8. Improved Sleep: Regular diaphragmatic breathing can aid in relaxation, making it easier to enjoy restful sleep.
  9. Emotional Regulation: Deep breathing can assist in managing and regulating emotions. It provides a calm space for emotional reflection and better emotional resilience.

Avoid flexing your knees beyond the eye-line from knee to toe.

Maintaining proper knee alignment during exercise, specifically ensuring that the knee does not flex beyond the point where you can see the toe (commonly referred to as “knee over toe” alignment), is essential for several reasons:

  1. Injury Prevention: When the knee extends significantly beyond the toes, it can strain the knee joint excessively, increasing the risk of injury.
  2. Joint Health: Excessive knee flexion, significantly beyond the toes, can lead to wear and tear on the knee joint over time.
  3. Spinal and Postural Health: Misaligned knees can lead to compensatory movements and imbalances in the hips, lower back, and feet.
  4. Efficient Movement: Proper knee alignment ensures the load is distributed correctly across the knee joint.
  5. Muscle Engagement: When the knee tracks in line with the toes, it helps distribute the load evenly among the quadriceps and other surrounding muscles.
  6. Improved Exercise Performance: Proper knee alignment is essential in various exercises, such as squats, lunges and other weight-bearing activities. Correct alignment enhances performance, stability and safety.

To ensure proper knee alignment during exercise:

  • Pay attention to your form and technique. Keep the knees aligned with the second toe and the hips.
  • Use your ‘core’ muscles to support your posture and alignment. {The deep abdominal muscles, together with the muscles in the back, make up the ‘core’ muscles.
  • Stay mindful of your foot positioning and weight distribution.
  • Start with proper body mechanics and gradually increase the intensity or load as your strength and flexibility improve.

Why do we visualise standing or being in water in Qigong?

In Qigong practice, visualising standing or being in water is a common technique to enhance the mind-body connection and promote relaxation and energetic flow. This imagery serves several purposes and has several benefits:-

  1. Relaxation: The sensation of standing or being immersed in water can create a sense of weightlessness and buoyancy. Floating in water often promotes relaxation and relieves tension in the body and mind.
  2. Mindfulness: Visualising water requires focus and attention, a fundamental aspect of Qigong’s mindful practice.
  3. Enhancing Fluidity: Water is associated with flow and fluidity, by visualising water, participants can enhance their perception of the body’s movements as smooth and continuous, helping to develop graceful and harmonious Qigong movements, and help stimulate better production and spread of synovial fluid in the body.
  4. Energy Flow: Visualising water can help enhance one’s awareness of Qi flowing within one’s body.
  5. Cooling and Calming: Water is associated with coolness and calmness. Visualising water can have a cooling and calming effect on the body and mind.
  6. Emotional Release: Water is often seen as a symbol of emotions and their fluid nature. Visualising water may help people connect with and release any emotional tension.

The benefits of doing Qigong in a Group.

Practicing Qigong in a group setting can offer several benefits compared to practicing it alone.

  • Social Connection and Interaction: Group Qigong generates a sense of community and belonging.
  • Motivation: Group settings can provide motivation and accountability. Establishing a routine is easier when you have a regular schedule with a group.
  • Structured Learning: This environment can help you progress more effectively in your Qigong practice.
  • Feedback and Support: The instructor can provide feedback and support in a group setting. This can help you refine your movements and deepen your understanding of Qigong.
  • Collective Healing (“Sharing the Energy”): In some Qigong traditions, it is believed that group Qigong sessions can have a collective healing effect, benefiting individual participants and contributing to healing energy beyond the group.

The Benefits of music while you practise Qigong.

Integrating music into your Qigong practice can offer several benefits and enhance the overall experience. While music is not essential to Qigong, it can create a more enjoyable and focused environment for your practice. Here are some of the potential benefits of incorporating music into your Qigong practice:-

  1. Music with soothing melodies can promote a relaxed mind and body during your Qigong practice. Music can help reduce anxiety, allowing you to let go of tension and mental distractions better during your practice.
  2. Music with a steady rhythm can complement the rhythmic movements of Qigong exercises. This helps to maintain a consistent pace and flow.
  3. Some attendees find that instrumental music, nature sounds, or specific types of music that resonate with them help enhance concentration and mindfulness during Qigong. The music can serve as a point of focus for your mind.
  4. Music often evokes emotions and memories. In Qigong, this can help you access and release emotional tension or blockages.
  5. The aesthetic and sensory experience of listening to beautiful music can enhance your overall sense of well-being and can motivate you to regularly engage in your Qigong practice.

What is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)?

EFT is a form of acupressure that uses tapping with the fingertips on a set of select meridian points on the body while focusing on a particular problem or issue. It is used to address a variety of psychological/emotional issues, such as stress, anxiety, phobias, and even trauma.

Here is a brief overview of the process:

  1. Identify the issue: Recognize the problem or emotion you want to address.
  2. Rate the intensity: On a scale of 0 – 10, rate the intensity of the emotion or issue.
  3. Setup: Tap the karate-chop point on your hand while repeating a setup statement, acknowledging the issue and affirming self-acceptance. For example, “Even though I feel anxious about [the issue], I deeply and completely accept myself.” (source 1.)*
  4. Tapping sequence: Tap on 9 specific meridian points on the body, see diagram on right –>
  5. Reassess: After completing a round of tapping, reassess the issue’s intensity.
  6. Repeat: Continue tapping and repeating the process until the issue’s intensity decreases or resolves.

EFT is based on the belief that emotional distress is caused by disruptions in the body’s energy system and that tapping on these meridian points can restore balance and alleviate negative emotions. Proponents claim that tapping the body can balance your energy system and treat pain. It is based on Energy Medicine or Energy Psychology.

Sources:

  • * What is Emotional Tapping? https://www.thewholenessnetwork.com/post/what-is-emotional-tapping.
  • Benefits of EFT – AIHCP. https://aihcp.net/2023/09/15/benefits-of-eft/
  • How to Tap – Emotional Engine. https://emotionalengine.com/what-words-do-i-use-for-tapping/

EFT Tapping Points
(Source: https://www.thetappingsolution.com/blog/eft-tapping-chart-getting-to-know-the-9-main-tapping-points/ )

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