Chinese Soaring Crane Qigong

What is qigong?

Qigong comes from two Chinese words: Qi (chi) means energy and gong (kung) means a skill or a practice. Qigong therefore means a skill or practice of cultivating energy.

There are various kinds of qigong -- broadly categorized as internal and external. Internal qigong is much like meditation, with visualizations in order to guide the energy. External qigong includes movement accompanying the meditation.

Qigong is famous in China for curing chronic disease and promoting health.

Is qigong new?

Qigong is the most ancient of the Chinese arts. It is at the basis of Chinese medicine and the Chinese martial arts.

Why have I never heard of it?

Qigong was suppressed when the Communists took over China. It has only been about 15 years since the government has allowed the practice. Soaring Crane Qigong was the style that led the reemergence of qigong in modern China.

Today qigong is encouraged in China because of the dramatic improvement in the health of those that practice it.

Is qigong like tai chi?

Tai chi is a form of external qigong. Tai chi has more of an emphasis on the martial arts and movement, where qigong has its emphasis on energy and healing.

Do I have to believe in qi?

Qi (chi) means energy and is often a difficult concept for Westerners. You do not have to accept this concept to benefit from qigong.

Explanations of how qigong work can be made using accepted Western concepts:

1. The mind/body connection: We now realize that the state of your mind affects the state of your body. Stress is the clearest example -- people that cannot handle stress are more susceptible to disease.

2. Using visualization to treat disease: Cancer patients often have dramatic results when using appropriate visualizations to stimulate their immune systems.

What is Soaring Crane Qigong?

Chinese Soaring Crane Qigong is an external form of qigong. It consists of slow movements accompanied by visualizations.

The basic form consists of five parts -- called the Five Routines. These Five Routines take about 30 minutes to perform. They activate the main energy channels in the body.

Beyond the basic form, there are various additions:

1. The seven Remedy Routines -- short forms for treating various diseases.

2. Standing Meditation -- a free-form exercise addressing your own specific ailments.

3. Crane Walking Steps -- a simple form for children.

4. Sitting and Lying Meditations -- visualizations without movement.

5. Cosmic Qigong -- a very advanced form only taught in China.

Do you teach other types of qigong?

We have studied various types of qigong -- Essence Qigong, Wild Goose Qigong, and other miscellaneous styles. We incorporate this knowledge into our classes.

When is the next class?

We are teaching beginning classes through Linn-Benton Community College in Corvallis, OR.

To register, contact the Benton Center at (541) 757-8944. Class is located at the Montisori School in Corvallis.

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Last changed 11/28/06