20 reasons Qigong makes the Day better

A few months back I was lucky to be invited to a friend that wanted to share the wonderful art of qigong with me. She taught a mini class and learned me to fall in love with this slow, balancing movements and I find it a wonderful way to start the day.

At that time I did understand this could be a great way of finding balance. Little did I know how much impact these simple, slow movements have on the body and soul.

Qigong is an ancient form of Chinese yoga that cultivates “qi” (life energy) also known as chi and incorporates deep breathing and stretching. Chinese shamans, Taoists and Buddhist monks originally practiced qigong thousands of years ago as a way to seek peace and harmony with nature.

The method I learned from my friend is medical Biyun Qigong as thought by Fan Xiulan.

There are however many ways of doing qigong. I’m convinced you’ll find a method that’s good for you and that you’ll find it wonderful and important for your health and balance.

Here are 20 benefits of doing qigong daily:

1 Reduces stress. Qigong is an exercise that works both the body and the mind. As you chi flows through practice, your mind and body begin to relax and as you being to relax, your stress reduces.

2 Balances emotions. As your stress reduces, your emotions become balanced and you’re able to develop a clear and tranquil mind. These benefits can help those suffering from depression and anxiety.

3 Improves overall well-being. Because qigong strengthens the body and the mind, a regular practice will give you an improved sense of well-being.

4 Increases focus. Studies of qigong practitioners have found a boost in beta waves which indicate a strong focus and sharpening of the mind.

5 Improves memory. Given that qigong sharpens our focus, it helps to improve our

6 Increased Energy and Vitality. Qigong improves chi flow which naturally leads to increased energy and vitality.

7 Aids indigestion. Your digestive organs get massaged during this practice which brings more oxygenated blood to them. This improves the overall function of the digestive system.

8 Builds bone density. Studies have shown increase in bone density amongst qigong practitioners, most noticeably in post-menopausal women.

9 Builds the immune system. A study conducted showed that practicing qigong increased the monocyte and lymphocyte quantities which are 2 white blood cell types that make up most of the lymphatic immune system.

10 Builds power. Qigong is an internal art that builds “relaxed power”. Instead of fighting and straining like in traditional western exercises, it loosens you up and allows the energy to flow.

11 Clears your skin. Practicing qigong allows your body to eliminate toxins which in turn, gives you a clearer complexion.

12 Lowers blood pressure. In a 30 year study, researchers found that qigong practitioners were able to decrease their blood pressure medication or get off the blood pressure drugs altogether.

13 Improves sleep. The deep relaxation and mental quiet you get from practicing qigong help you to enjoy a deeper and more restorative sleep.

14 Slows respiration. Practicing qigong over the long term slows down breathing. This slowing of the respiration allows us to take in more oxygen.

15 Improves circulation. By increasing the elasticity of the blood vessels, the practice of qigong helps to improve circulation.

16 Improves flexibility. The movements of qigong have been shown to increase the flexibility of its practitioners.

17 Improves posture. The muscles used for respiration are also the muscles that support the posture. Because of qigong’s focus on correct deep and relaxed breathing, the posture is also improved.

18 Increases balance. Due to qigong’s low impact deliberate movements, it can help to improve the practitioners balance.

19 Speeds recovery. One can practice qigong after injury or surgery. Doing the gentle movements using your uninjured parts can help speed recovery by increasing circulation and energy flow to all parts of the body.

20 Loosens muscles. As qigong builds relaxed power, it helps to loosen the muscles.

As you can see, qigong has quite a few benefits.  Old, young and all kind of people can experience improved mental and physical health by practicing this gentle art.

If you’ve been practicing yourself, please share your experiences and any qigong benefits you’ve experienced first-hand in the comments below.

Please be aware: I have used my own experience, I’ve read and used reliable resources to write this article. I’m not a medical professional and this post is not intended to be professional medical advice.  The information on this post and website are intended for educational purposes only.  If you have any health concerns, please see a medical professional.

references:

https://www.biyun.no/media-og-forskning/fan-xiulan

https://www.adlibris.com/no/bok/qigong-etter-biyunmetoden-9788274191204

http://www.awaken.com/2015/12/scientific-knowledge-about-the-wisdom-energy-method-five-elements-qi-gong/