Qi Gong is a Chinese spiritual practice in which physical exercises or movements are performed in a meditative state with the purpose of aligning the body, breath, and mind and cultivating and balancing qi (chi), or “life energy.” Qi Gong is a part of many healing and spiritual practices as well as martial arts training techniques. The term Qi Gong comes from the Mandarin qigong: qi, meaning “air, spirit, energy of life,” plus gong, meaning “skill.”
Qi Gong is estimated to be more than 4,000 years old, with roots in ancient shamanic rituals consisting of meditative practice and gymnastic exercise. Over time, Qi Gong was adopted into other practices and traditions, such as Chinese medicine, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Two important figures in modern Qi Gong are Jiang Weiqiao (1873–1958), who was one of the first Qi Gong experts to introduce the exercises to the public, and Liu Guizhen (1920–1983), who is credited with coining the term Qi Gong.
Qi Gong is not only an enlightening spiritual practice; it also has numerous health benefits, from stress relief to increasing flexibility and strength. The best way to get started is to attend a class or workshop so you can receive in-person instruction and guidance from an experienced teacher. If there are no offerings in your area, don’t worry; the Internet has plenty of Qi Gong information and tutorials. The National Qigong Association hosts an annual Qi Gong conference, and their website (http://nqa.org) is a terrific source of information about the practice as well as upcoming events across the country.