Click here to view the embedded video.

Many times I have heard from people who tried to learn Taiji (Tai Chi) that the moves were too complex and the form was too long to remember. Instead of using their class and practice time to learn healthy principles movement, they would mostly be overwhelmed. The Simple Taiji Form solves that problem. This form consists of just two postures repeated six times, plus some transitions. By investing a shorter time in learning the moves, you are able to explore many principles of Taiji Qigong. You aren’t spending all your efforts in remembering (and forgetting).

Accessible Taiji

The Simple Taiji Form is a fun and accessible introduction to the world of Taiji. One repetition of this Qi-building form can be done in only 3 or 4 minutes. This short sequence trains balance, builds strength, improves memory, promotes health, and increases physical stability. Once you learn it, the form has many levels of practice within the same moves: It is a trove of riches of innumerable lessons and blessings. Daily practice of this little form will make your life better, healthier and probably longer.

Simple Taiji is a Qigong Practice

The Simple Taiji form will strengthen your whole body, lower your blood pressure (if needed), improve the health of your spine, replenish your energy resources, improve your breathing, aid your digestion and elimination, and release tension.

I learned this sequence from Minke de Vos in 1997 and 1998. She learned it from her teacher Mantak Chia.

Here is a List of the Principle Articles and Videos on this Qigong Website

Note: These listed articles come from the Blog section of this website. There is also a section of Pages, which contains much information as well. The links to the Pages can be found to the right on any page.

Fun with Qigong Homepage

How to use this site.

Welcome to Fun with Qigong

My first post.

Introduction to Qigong

A video explaining the basics of Qigong.

A Simple Explanation of Qigong

What exactly is Qigong?

Audio Interview

A 55 minute overview of Qigong, along with a sample of the Six Healing Sounds.

The First Principle of Qigong

Practice. Preferably daily.

My First DVD: Fun with Qigong

A video guide to learning the gentle, powerful, principle-based Qigong set called The Five Flows.

Moderation and Fasting

All endeavors seeking health should not be excessive. Excess kills. Moderation heals.

Healing the Heart

Simple approaches to heart health.

Reducing High Blood Pressure

Video detailing some Qigong ideas for lowering pressure.

Breast Health

Exercises and resources from a non-invasive, vitalistic, self-empowering approach. Every woman should learn about these methods.

Inexpensive Acupuncture

Social justice through heartful needles.

Sudden Inhalation Syndrome

Shock breathing is normal but not natural. Learn how to breathe with ease.

Qigong and Fibromyalgia

Decrease pain with Qigong.

Simple Taiji Video

An introductory form to practice the principles and basic movements of Taiji (Tai chi).

Insomnia

Insomnia Article

Thoughts and exercises for working on that night-stealer insomnia.

Insomnia Video 1

Overview of Qigong exercises for overcoming insomnia.

Insomnia Video 2

Charge the Kidneys and connect the Kidneys to the Lower Dantian.

Insomnia Video 3

Warm the feet.

Insomnia Video 4

Draw Qi from the Lower Dantian to the feet. 

Front-loading Qigong

Practice extra amounts of Qigong before travel, expected stressful events, or busy times to come.

Hot Hands of Qi

Qigong will warm and balance your hands.

Qigong and Warm Hands: Part 1

A second class with the heat camera shows some fascinating photos.

Relax Your Shoulders, Descend Your Qi

Sink your Qi to relax your being.

Qigong and the Upside Down Snowman

Get out of your head and center in the lower abdomen. Health and joy await you. Let go of tension and sink your Qi to feel much, much better. [with a video]

You Can Cure Hot Flashes

Make hot flashes a thing of the past with this simple, powerful technique. [with a video]

Qigong, Vitality and “Limitations”

Work within your limits, but don’t let them define you.

Four-Part Protection Process

A Meditation and Medical Qigong Method for staying sane and clear in an insane world.

Alleviating Depression and Other Traumatic Emotions 1

The overview video of the “Old Man…” exercise.

Alleviating Depression and Other Traumatic Emotions 2

The second video of the “Old Man…” exercise. Lungs and sadness.

Alleviating Depression and Other Traumatic Emotions 3

The third video of the “Old Man…” exercise. Open the heart and release armoring.

Alleviating Depression and Other Traumatic Emotions 4

The fourth video of the “Old Man…” exercise. Clear worry, excess emotions, and anger from the middle burner.

Alleviating Depression and Other Traumatic Emotions 5

The fifth video of the “Old Man…” exercise. Putting it all together.

Three Types of Qigong Practice: Singles, Sets, and Sequences

Three ways you might practice: Focused, expanded, or sophisticated ways.

Qigong Sets

Understanding what Qigong sets are and how to utilize them.

Qigong Sequences

Understanding what Qigong forms are and how to utilize them.

Five Flows in a Single Exercise

One exercise can take you through all of the flows, if  you stick with it.

Preventing Colds and Flu with Qigong

These gentle, immunity-enhancing exercises truly work.

More on Preventing Colds and Flu with Qigong

Use healing sounds and slow, gentle, movements.

Qigong Strategies for Illness

How, when, and when not to do Qigong when illness is in the picture.

Qigong Workshops

A baker’s dozen of Qigong workshops your group may want to host.

The World-Famous First 64 Form

From Wild Goose Qigong, there is much healing in the intracies of these fun movements.

Reduce Stress with the Super Powerful Method of Belly Breathing

So much of a person’s stress arises from the backward, upside down, unnatural, but entirely common practice of chest breathing.

Pay Attention to Your Feet

With so much heady focus in our world, we lose connection to the whole of our bodies and the sustenance of the earth. Become more whole and balanced by paying attention to your feet as much as to your brain.

Save Yourself from a Lightning Strike

Crouch and survive.

Simplified Exercise Set

Sometimes an entire set is too much.

Open and Move from the Gate of Life

The Gate of Life is so important and so practical and so unknown.

Can Qigong Save America (and the World?)

We desperately need inexpensive, effective healthcare. Qigong is one of the answers to this urgent need.

Slap Yourself Healthy

Gentle tapping methods for wellness.

The Three Intentional Corrections

How to reframe and refocus your experience in the moment with Qigong.

Healing Knee Pain 1

Using the wall sitting exercise.

Healing Knee Pain 2

Success with the wall sitting exercise.

Change Your Life in Two Minutes a Day

Getting a daily Qigong practice started can reward you with big health dividends later on.

Bend Your Knees for Health’s Sake

Bending your knees helps alleviate many chronic pain symptoms.

When in Doubt, Shake

Use the Shaking the Body exercise to release fear, uncertainty, and tension.

Exercise with Ease

Be gentle and moderate with your Qigong to get the most out of it.

Qigong Will Soon Be a Common Sight

“People just have to get used to it.”

Spend a Billion Dollars to Save a Trillion

Qigong could save huge amounts of money, nationally.

Qigong is a Medical Bargain

It is downright cheap. It is gold that takes put pennies on the dollar.

Three Little Words Can Change your Life

The first three principles of Qigong: Practice, Modify, and Refine.

I Healed My Smashed Toe with Qigong

Using the gentleness and gentility of Qigong for giant gains.

Stay Centered or Suffer the Consequences

Multi-tasking leads to injury.

Breathe When You Type

Qigong is cheap medicine, easily accessible.

Train Your Qigong in Calmness

Qigong practice cautions.

The Secret Practice of True Wealth

Invest in Qigong and reap the lifelong rewards.

The Half-Half Rule

At least do some Qigong. You will be happy you did.

The Baby Bowl

Healing babies instead of watching the Superbowl.

 http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa0912611

 http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Fibromyalgia/21749

Science Continues to Support Qigong

Many scientific studies have been done to investigate the healing benefits of practicing Qigong and Tai Chi. “Tai Chi,” in most of these studies, is essentially another type of Qigong: A short movement form done slowly with attention to posture, movement, the body, mind, and breath. Though these short forms are taught to people unfamiliar with Qigong or Tai Chi, they still have quick, predictable, good results.

The Science of Centuries

Qigong, in all of it’s facets has been used as a health practice for thousands of years, undergoing advancement and refinement through all of those centuries. It has been proven over and over again to be a super source of health. Modern scientific studies are coming to the same conclusion.

Low-Priced Health Treasure for the Taking

Qigong and Tai Chi are not just relatively inexpensive way’s to feeling better, they are natural ways to healing that are super-duper cheap compared to modern medicine.

Qigong Methods for Fibromyalgia

Just about any slow moving, body-focused, energy-feeling type of Qigong would help ease the symptoms of fibromyalgia. These self-healing exercises can be the basis for creating a healing lifestyle.

Doing the Five Flows set twice a day would make someone feel better and begin a river of healing. The Five Flows is an introductory set of special movements, similar to a basic Tai chi form. There a several primary healing mechanisms in the set. Shaking and tapping release physical stagnations. Breathing practices revitalize the blood and relax the nervous system. Qi charging exercises build up the internal organ strength and lymph flow. My thesis is that such results–even at the introductory level–will help the healing process for fibromyalgia and a host of other syndromes.

Medical Qigong Prescriptions

Medical Qigong is the subset of Qigong where very specific movements, meditations, sounds and breath-practices are given for medical conditions. Medical Qigong has prescription exercises that can help with fibromyalgia. My Medical Qigong teacher recommends purging blocked energy from the Liver; and charging the Kidneys and Spleen. Please note the terms “Liver,” “Spleen,” and Kidneys” have different meanings than the strictly anatomical and physiological meanings used in Western medicine. They have a more functional, systems-approach according to the tenets of Chinese Medicine. And Medical Qigong.

Liver, Kidneys, and Spleen

The Liver blockage impairs Qi flow throughout the body and creates too much toxic heat.

The low Kidney energy means fatigue, poor memory, and an inability to control a too-hot Liver.

The low Spleen energy (meaning the digestion is sluggish) also is overwhelmed by the Liver excess. Doing specific exercises daily is what it takes.

Some tutoring might be necessary. Doing these kinds of processes is much like tuning an instrument. The closer you get it to just right, the better it works.

Clear Liver Stagnation

For Liver stagnation, the “guo” sound is a good Qigong prescription. This is a deep, droning, “Gwwwoooo.” Guo is pronounced like cartoon character Elmer Fudd would saw “grow.” Healing Sound Qigong is used to put focus and vibration into target organs, thus leading to the release of stagnation. Always feel healing sounds vibrate in the target organ or area.

Charge the Kidneys

For the Kidneys, the Charging the Kidneys exercise from the Five Flows set is a good choice. You can do it while imagining blue energy filling the Kidneys, like warm ocean water.

Charge the Spleen

For the Spleen, put both hands on the Spleen and stomach area (on the left side of the upper belly ) and breathe yellow into it. Feel it fill up, warm up, and get cozy and happy.

Each of these exercises would need many repetitions, 50 to 100 or so.

Of course, this is just a beginning idea. Everyone has different needs. Fibromyalgia is a kind of a messy attic space diagnoses, and it is not just one thing.

Qigong Can and Will and Does Help

Whatever is going on with someone with fibromyalgia—depression, uncertainty in life, internal Qi stagnation, too much head-thinking, too many years of push, push, push, or whatever—Qigong can help move the Qi along and out and bring back natural, fresh internal flows.

Learn Taiji Qigong (Tai Chi Chi Kung)

Gentle Exercise Series with Robert Bates 

May and June, 2010  

Three Times

• Mondays 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.   
• Mondays 6:00 to 7:00 pm.                 
• Fridays 12:00 to 1:00 pm.

Dates: May 3 through June 25 

Cost:   Only $80 for the entire series                      

Location: 1095 East Axton Road. This is a few miles north of Bellingham. 

Graceful Relaxation and Gentle Strengthening

Taiji Qigong is a set of graceful, meditative exercises based on the healing martial art of Taiji. This 18-movement set is also known as Shibashi. The movements are easy to learn and practice and have many healing benefits. Taiji Qigong is great for those wanting some of the grace, beauty and health benefits of Taiji Chuan but aren’t ready to commit to 10 years of difficult training. 

Taiji Qigong

Taiji Qigong is effective in opening major acupuncture points, balancing the brain and body, and improving the strength and flexibility of the spine. You will develop smooth coordination, gain more body awareness and you will attain a peaceful sense of empowerment. 

With Taiji Qigong You Will Also

• Gather energy
• Heal chronic injuries
• Become more relaxed and calm
• Clear the fog from your brain
• Enhance your immune system
• Improve Posture
• Feel better
• Strengthen internal organs

Vitality

Lee Willis has been benefiting from Qigong for a decade or so. I find Lee to be one of the most present, friendly, happy, helpful and engaging people I know. The photo and article don’t quite show her effervescence. And she vehemently denies–as the article speaks of–that she is a sufferer or victim of any kind. In the decade plus I have known her, I agree with this self-assessment. She leads not just an active life, but a thorough life.

Lee Willis in 2007

Qigong Awareness is Growing

Anyway, read the article. The benefits and joys of Qigong (and Tai Chi) are trickling up, seeping into general consciousness. Maybe we will soon see a bigger awareness of these arts. Most individuals–and the country as a whole–would be better off practicing these internal movement arts.

Lee Willis teaches a short, gentle Tai Chi form that was designed for people with arthritis (whether or not they are victims), but the form is actually great training for anybody seeking better internal and external balance, smoother movement and less pain in their bodies.

Modify Your Movements When You Need to

Lee mentions the principle of modifying in the article, which is so key in making a practice work for whatever your current physical needs, abilities, and areas of concern. To restate the principle of modifying: Find a way to move that doesn’t hurt, whether this means using less effort, doing slightly different movements, or making the range of the motion smaller. By modifying as necessary, you engage your body in relaxation, which engenders healing responses at all levels of your being.

The Omnipresence of Limitations

Another point she touches upon is the fact that most of us have some “limitations” in our health to deal with. Actually, everyone does. Working within the boundaries of whatever your current abilities are–rather than fantasizing or blithely stepping into the dangerous water of overdoing–is so much of what Qigong is all about. When engaged in healing practices, activated movement within relaxation is necessary. Working within your limits is both wise and pleasurable. Pushing into pain is the path to problems.

Sequences

A Qigong sequence is a series of movements put together into an artistic form. I often call these forms, but many people use the word “form” for a single exercise or a set. I’m playing with the word “Sequence” as a more accurate, separate descriptor.

In a Sequence–or form–one exercises follows another in an arranged order. Sequences usually cover some ground with different types of steps, arm movements and torso movements. These patterned forms usually face all directions within the series of moves.

Forms are Artistic Patterns

Forms–or Sequences–can be seen as patterns performed on the ground, in time, and in the space around you.

Sequential forms are a more advanced way of practicing than Single Exercises or Sets (though not necessarily better.)

Sequences are like books or encyclopedias of skills and knowledge. Often Sets are created by taking and adapting movements from forms into successive drills. I have done this with the Primordial Qigong Sequence, creating the exercise Set I call the Delightful Dozen out of it.

Whereas the Delightful Dozen faces one direction and calls for about a dozen repetitions of each exercise; Primordial Qigong faces each of the cardinal directions eight times in a circling sequence and with varying numbers of repetitions for each sequential movement within the form.

In the formal sequence of Primordial Qigong, each exercise has it’s own number of reps to do—between 1 and 10 reps—before  flowing into the next exercise

Other examples of Sequences include much of the system of Wild Goose Qigong, including The First 64, The Second 64, Soft Palms, Spiral, etc…

Yang Style TaiJi (Tai Chi)

Every system of Tai Chi (at least 6 different major systems out there) has it’s short and long forms as a major part of their training. The Yang Style of Tai Chi Chuan, for instance, has a widely taught beginner form of 24 movements; the intermediate  20 minute (or so) long 108 movements form; and another, rarely seen, more complex, 108 move form.

New Frame Chen Style Tai Chi Form

In my Chen Style Tai Chi class with Bob Lau we practice something called the New Frame. This very long and complicated form (which I have a long way to go to really understand in a significant way) is made of 83 moves. However, most moves have several sequential components to them, so 83 is a but a method of naming. There seem to me to be about 250 separate moves. “Whew.” I’m currently learning a Sequence called Spiral Taiji from my internal arts teacher Bob Lau.

Advantage of Sequences

An advantage of working with Sequences is that they force you to be present and fully conscious as you are training. Spacing out and not paying attention leads to missing your next steps and getting lost. Sequences are a magnificent as moving meditations.

With the differing numbers done of exercises, the exact sequences, the steps being taken and directions to face, sequential forms are masterful ways of training your memory.

Sequences also encourage a the building of artful skill. Forms add a tapestry of artistic color and nuance to Qigong.

And they are fun!

There are a number of ways to look at Qigong in order to understand it better, methods of breaking down aspects of it into categories. In future posts I’ll talk about several different such ordering methods.

One way to look at Qigong in terms of how the exercises are organized: whether you are doing a single exercise repeated; a set of exercises drilled repeatedly and in order; or a sequence of exercises done in a flowing pattern.

For Simplicity, I Call These the Three “S”s

• Singles
• Sets
• Sequences

Single Exercises

Single exercises are done by themselves, repeatedly. These are usually drills of foundational movements or meditations that help you gather a particular energy or develop a particular important skill.

These drills might also be taken out of a set or sequence and practiced alone. A single exercise might be a prescription for your condition. Two examples are doing lots of Shaking the Body to release tension, or performing many reps of the Inner Qi Shower to release and descend excess heat in the head.

Another example of this is building balanced energy in your hands for healing with the exercise Charging the Qi Ball.

The Golden Ball (also called 8 Actions of Qi) is an 8-movement single exercise I learned from my Medical Qigong teacher Jerry Alan Johnson. The Golden ball is particularly good at balancing your body’s Qi field.

Swimming Dragon is a sophisticated Single Exercise that is great for the spine and other joints of the body.

Reasons to Practice Single Exercises Include

• to really deepen a skill,
• to drill and drill for a particular need, such as an exercise prescription
• to built a foundation necessary for later practice needs
• because you are short of time

Get in a Groove

The best way to practice Single Exercises is to do them for a period of time, rather than a set number of repetitions. For instance you could decide to practice the exercise over and over for 5, 10 or 20 minutes. After a few minutes you will get into a groove. You’ll be riding a wave of a rhythm that takes you with it.

In my next post I will talk about Sets.

Here is his email

“Hi everyone,

By special request, I will start teaching Yang Style Tai Chi at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center on Mondays, beginning Monday Nov 2, 2009. Class time will be starting at 10:45AM and will be a 1 hour class. The cost of the class will be $45/month.

I hope to see you all there.

Questions: email me [boblautaiji@yahoo.com]or call 360-734-2847

Bob Lau”

p.s. Bob is a down-to-earth personable teacher with a great deal of knowledge and skill in the important healing aspects of the internal martial arts. I recommend him highly.

The World’s Population is Getting Older

An article from the Associated Press on June 23, 2009 states that the population of over-65 people in the world will triple by 2050. The estimate is that there will be over one and a half billion people 65 years old and older.
By 2030, 20 percent of people in the U. S. A. will be over 65.

How can we get people to be 65 yet younger?

I learned a long time ago this simple formula

Movement equals health
Stagnation leads to disease
Movement is life

Or as a Haiku

Stagnation is death
Move at every level
To flow is to live

Or as a limerick

There once was this guy on earth
Who, confused of health’s true worth
Refused to train his body
Which was always shoddy
From the movement dearth

Qigong Can Help Solve the Health-Price Crisis

Qigong practice is not just a good idea or a fine practice for those that are into it. It is a super-inexpensive health regimen. The world is going to need it soon. There is no way  the developed world can continue to pay the gigantic amounts of money we currently do for disease care.

Get Healthier by Getting Back to Nature

We will need to allocate our resources of money better. There will be fewer expensive doctor’s visits, costly machine-produced tests, long hospital stays, or high-priced medications.

Society won’t be able to afford them.

We will need cheaper—much cheaper—alternatives.

I suggest Qigong practice as an important and effective piece to solving this monster-sized money puzzle.

Qigong Works

One of the safest, most reliable, and most amazing method of retraining and maintaining healthful movement is the practice of Qigong.

Qigong is good for everybody but it is particularly apt for seniors (older folks, not those finishing high school or college.)

For instance, Qigong practice can help seniors in the following ways:

Qigong is Good for the Joints

Qigong is not only easy on the joints, it helps articular function, bringing more full range of motion, easier movement, more space, and better relationships between bones. With good joint health older people (and younger) will use their body more, moving in more ways and for more miles.

Qigong Enhances Breathing

Qigong teaches the supra-important skill of how to keep breathing. Qigong breathing has the potentially to literally add years of health to one’s life.

Some Ways Qigong Enhances Breathing:

–Deepening the breath
–Drawing the breath lower in the torso
–Strengthening the correct breathing muscles
–De-training (untraining) incorrect methods of respiration
–Fostering the ease and smoothness of breath
–Equalizing inhales and exhales

Qigong Helps Ease Pressure on the Heart

More blood is pumped through one’s body with greater ease by simply relaxing the blood vessels. Instead of forcing the blood to plow through tight arteries and veins, Qigong practice opens these vessels through internal relaxation.

Qigong is a Dementia Preventia

The many sequences of movements train the mind, build new synapses in the nervous system and strengthen the focus power of your brain. Qigong also teaches the amazingly important skill of centering your energy and consciousness low in your torso instead of in your brain; by doing this you build body wisdom and avoid jagged, jolting thinking habits.

Qigong Fosters Equilibrium

With the gentle and slow movements that much of Qigong consists of Qigong can build leg strength, increase walking confidence, and reduce the number of falls. Studies of Tai Chi–the brother of Qigong– show that in just 10 weeks of practice a senior citizin can decrease falls by 40 percent.

Qigong is Good for the Lymph System

Qigong has magnified effects on lymph flow and lymph gland function. You want this so as to clear out the body and prevent disease.

Thirty to forty minutes of Qigong can increase white blood cell count by 40 to 200  percent and keep it there for a day or two.

Qigong is Pleasant and Pleasurable

Wouldn’t you rather engage in some pleasant exercises in your yard or living room— or down at the Park or local rec center with some friends—rather than need endless medical procedures.