How to Do Qigong Meditation Exercises
Qigong is an ancient Chinese exercise that has been practiced in China for thousands of years to increase health and vitality. Some religious practitioners also use it to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Qigong literally means to “achieve energy," and practicing it can increase the flow of energy and may even help cure illness. Although there are three different types of qigong--active, static and meditative--each type gathers and manipulates Qi or "energy." You will find many different meditation exercises and all of them can be helpful, but meditative qigong can be performed by anyone.
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Instructions
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1
Find a quiet environment. Qigong is best practiced in a comfortable and quiet location without bright lights and distractions. If there is a place nearby with a natural environment, such as your backyard or paddock of trees, try practicing there to add to your qigong practice.
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2
Sit down. You can sit in a chair or on a step with your feet in front of you. You can also sit on the ground with your legs crossed. If you are in a chair or on a step, your heels should be able to touch the ground, but your knees shouldn’t be too high. The closer your legs are to a right angle while sitting in a chair or on a step, the better. If you are sitting on the ground with your legs crossed, try sticking a pillow or box underneath your bottom so that your body is slightly higher than your legs. This may help keep your legs from falling asleep, which can be uncomfortable and distracting.
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3
Sit up with your back straight. You should be straight, but not rigid. Posture is very important. It allows you to breathe freely and the Qi to move freely as well. If you are not used to sitting with your back straight, this may take some practice. It may help to begin in a chair and sit all the way back, allowing the back of the chair to help support you.
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4
Place your hands comfortably in front of you. There are many ways to hold your hands. Some Taoist practitioners rest their hands comfortably on their thighs with their palms up and relaxed, or gently clasp their hands in their lap near Dantian, which is the area near the navel. You can also allow your thumb to touch your middle finger, which helps circulate Qi to the heart.
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5
Close your eyes and relax. Closing your eyes will help you focus, and relaxing encourages the flow of Qi.
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6
Breathe in and out. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, with your mouth slightly open. The breaths should be slow, but natural. The more you practice, the slower you will be able to breathe. When breathing, do not lift your chest. When breathing properly, your abdomen, not your chest, should rise and fall with the movements of your diaphragm.
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7
Imagine the Qi moving through your body. Qi begins in lower Dantian or the navel area and runs up through your head and through the rest of your body when practicing qigong. As you inhale through your nose, imagine the Qi moving through your chest and down to Dantian. As you exhale, imagine the Qi moving through the rest of your body, out to your extremities and through your abdomen and chest.
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8
Focus your Qi once you have mastered Steps 1 through 6. In Chinese medicine, there are five major organs: heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys and liver. As you exhale, focus on each one of these organs at least six times. If you are suffering from an illness or injury, focus on the problem when you exhale. Qi will flow to the area and help your body heal itself.
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Tips & Warnings
Although qigong can be practiced any time of the day, meditative qigong is best practiced at the beginning or end of the day--or even both.
You should not be out of breath when you do qigong. If you feel a little oxygen deprived, you are breathing too slowly.
Active qigong includes movements that usually mimic the movements of Chinese zodiac animals such as the dragon or tiger. Static qigong is similar to meditative qigong, but the practitioner is usually standing instead of sitting. Meditative qigong can be performed sitting or lying down.
If you are easily distracted with noises, try wearing ear plugs to drown out any exterior noise until you can practice without the ear plugs. Qigong is better practiced when things are quiet, but it can be helpful to hear the sounds of nature, such as birds or a stream.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit meditation image by Leticia Wilson from Fotolia.com
