Questions and Answers About Chi Kung Training

Here is a sample of questions and answers about my Chi Kung Practice as a practitioner of Chinese Medicine:

• What have you noticed creating a regular Chi Kung practice has done for you personally?

Chi Kung has allowed me to stay well and healthy as a practitioner of Chinese Medicine, it rejuvenates me between long days in the clinic. Helping to ensure I do not take on any sick energy from the dynamics of the client/therapist situation. It has improved my understanding of other people and given me some new insights into life. Most of all it gives me space to just be with myself and work on improving my own mental health. It has helped me temper my emotions so that they are less extreme in their movements. My internal digestion is greatly improved and so is my sexual health and vitality.

• What’s your attitude to practising Chi Kung?

It varies; at times it can be a challenge. Generally I look forward to the time it affords me to settle my energies, once I get started I can really get into the flow. I set myself a minimum time of 20 minutes and a maximum of an hour and that generally helps me. However some days I will do 2 -3 sessions a day broken up in-between different free slots. I try not to be too critical if I have periods of days when I do not practice. I enjoy most of all practising in a place that is quiet.

• How regular and for how long each session do you think you have to do Chi Kung to gain something tangible from it?

I have gained the most when I practice 5 days a week for 30 mins to an hour. Sometimes I only gain something tangible when my practice is consistent over a period of days.

• Would you recommend it to others and if so why?

I recommend to all my clients and student, as once learned it is the easiest way to cultivate energy for free. It costs nothing to tap into the Tao.

Section 2 Chi Kung Theory

• What do you understand by prenatal Chi?

This is the Chi we inherit from conception. It is the map for the building blocks of the body. It determines our development and our constitution.

• How does the health of your diaphragm effect Chi?

The diaphragm is a part of the body that is controlled both subconsciously and consciously. A healthy diaphragm promotes healthy breathing. Therefore a person can acquire Chi with less effort that a person with a tight or collapsed diaphragm. Chi is said to enter the lungs and become transformed into pectoral Chi which is mixed with the primordial chi and the chi of food. Diaphragm restrictions mean poor distribution of this vital energy around the body. The Chinese also have a saying that ‘children breath from the belly’, adult’s breath from the chest, and the dead breath from above the neck. The diaphragm is also the separation between fire and water (+ and-) its descending and ascending creates a current of energy like a relay switch.

• Why does the spine play an important role in the movement of Chi?

The spine houses the penetrating vessel which is a major controlling meridian of energy linked with the CNS. It joins with the conception and governing vessels to create a circuit of energy that ensures the yin and yang channels of the body are adequately supplied, and the extra meridians are re-fuelled for emergency purposes. Its alignment and integration allows the joints and sinews to relax deeper to enable chi to flow smoothly around the body. In addition the spine contains cerebral spinal fluid which is essentially a substantial for of chi and jing that circulates via the cerebral spinal pump. Any impediment in the spine will slow down or dampen the flow, and hence the chi circulation. 

• What’s so important about the function of the heart and Chi?

The heart is said to be the seat of the mind and dominates the blood vessels. The heart is the motive power for circulating blood around the vessels, and poor circulation from the heart means that the blood and chi cannot nourish mental activities. In addition because blood is the mother of chi and chi commands blood, without the motive power from the heart there is a lack of chi of the whole body as well problems associated with lack of chi. 

• Why is the concept of Wu Wei so important to the art of Chi Kung?

Wu Wei is an important concept that has its roots steeped in Taoist philosophy. In Chi Kung the concept of Wu Wei is used as a state of non action, from which action has the potential, but without the need of attachment to that potential. It is often translated as ‘effortless action’. This concept allows the practitioner to detach from the outcome and work within the moment.