Introduction

Qigong refers to Chinese practices designed to manipulate natural energies.

Recently this term has spawned some heated debate. Indeed qigong bears rich and multifarious associations. In mainland China, the recent Falun Gong qigong movement had dramatic political and social implications. Some Chinese hospitals treat patients using qigong exercises and have created departments for the practice and instruction of qigong. There is some history of charlatans using mock qigong to con the gullible. Exceptionally early risers in China can almost always observe the hordes of the elder shaking, twisting, prancing, shuddering, or simply standing in inexorable poses to obtain the riches of health and longevity they are told qigong offers. Even in the West, qigong has its adherents. Some devote themselves to formal forms of qigong, practices which echo the routines of taijiquan (also t’ai chi), while the more cerebral students tend to be drawn to the possibilities of sitting, meditative styles.

Qigong is, at any rate, an enormously complex subject. Those interested in more information should avail themselves of the ever multiplying sources on the subject. The equally scholarly and practically adept master of qigong, Ken Cohen, is an excellent and readily available resource for information.*

The Secret of the Renowned Acupuncturists of Old

The relevance of qigong to the practice of acupuncture is three-fold. First, there is a school of thought which holds that the practice of qigong is essential to the performance of the art of acupuncture. The venerable modern master of acupuncture, Cheng Dan-an recounted his frustrating experience with needling in his records Acupuncture & Moxibustion Formulas & Treatments. Unable to obtain clinical effectiveness in his practice equal to his father’s, he eventually took the advice of his father and began the diligent practice of qigong. As a result of his qigong regimen, Cheng Dan-an was finally able to cultivate unusual clinical prowess and later became one of the founding fathers of TCM medicine. Qigong ostensibly allows the practitioner to sense, reach, and manipulate the forces of qi within the body more successfully than a person who has no daily menu of qi practice. Given the basics tenets of Chinese medicine, this is a logical conclusion.

Energetic Fringe Benefits During Treatment

Secondly, there is the application of qi directly in treatment. Occasionally referred to as “External Qi Healing” or EQH, this has been used by some people as therapy. Customarily involving the placement of the hands in such a way as to allow the unimpeded flow of energy from one person to another, EQH seemingly shares common ground with the more popular energywork methods of therapeutic touch and reiki. Generally speaking, EQH characterizes a concentrated, pure manipulation of energy alone without the employment of other modalities. Nonetheless, this distinction does not necessarily preclude the possiblity that the bounty of healthful qi in a qigong practitioner engaged in healthcare might not be incidentally advantageous to the client. Thus a third possible manifestation of qigong cultivation in the clinic is the unintentional transfer of qi from the acupuncturist to the person being treated. This concept is similar to but different from the actual role of the practitioner’s qi in the practice of acupuncture. The necessity for differentiation lies in the fact that EQH is consciously directed at a specific area of the client’s body and responds to the expectations of the healer and the object of the healing, while the unconscious transfer of qi during a session is more akin to an osmosis from an area of high qi concentration to an area where qi is wanting and is not consciously disease-specific.

First Steps on the Road to Mastery

Finally, qigong practices can be taught to clients. Many people find this reasserts their control over their own bodies, a sense which may be jeopardized by illness. These practices might be chosen from a lexicon of therapeutic qigong techniques with specific relevance to the presenting disharmony. Alternatively, the acupuncturist may simply advocate the regular practice of a fundamental qigong pose or practice set for its long-term effects on creating well-being and harmony. Some practitioners may even formally teach qigong exercises, ranging from visualizations to sitting qigong to the various styles of tai ji.