Today, qigong is enjoying recognition. Modern science agrees that the relaxation and qigong regulate the activity of the cerebral cortex, thereby reducing stress and allowing the body to function more efficiently.
"Qigong" is a part of China's cultural heritage and according to written records, has a history of 2000 to 3000 years. "Qigong literally means Qi-energy, breath and Gong-skill, work. It consists of exercise for relaxation, for training respiration and breath control, and for mental regulation also known as meditation.
Qigong can be divided into external and internal, moving and standing, sitting, reclining and laying, sound and silence, rubbing and pressing. There are many varied schools of Qigong. One school teaches precise techniques of controlled breathing combined with slow exercises, while another advocates meditation by concentration on certain points of the body. A third school teaches exercises, which imitates the movement of animals. Our philosophy is that we are researchers and can learn from all.
Qigong calls for unity of mind, posture and respiration regulation with these three forms complementing each other. Regulation of mind keeps the cerebral cortex in a state of inhibition so that the central nervous system may "feel with awareness" to adjust and balance the regulation of the body.
Qigong Therapy involves balancing the body's yin and yang, keeping the arteries, veins and meridians open, bringing about the inter-flow of all the circulatory systems of the human body: blood, respiratory, meridians—qi. Qigong practice can increase immunity to disease and the metabolic rate. This art of controlling breath and movement invigorates the spirit, improves the function of the nervous system and exercises the body's internal organs.
Welcome to the East Brunswick, New Jersey branch of the Chinese Healing Arts Center. The Chinese Healing Arts Center (CHAC) was founded in 1982, in Danbury, CT, by the Grand Master of the school, Doctor Tzu Kuo Shih, O.M.D., L.Ac. Grand Master Shih comes from a long line of qigong masters and classical Chinese medical doctors. He himself represents the fifth generation of Chinese medical doctors in his family, with more than 50 years of personal experience in the Chinese healing arts.
The Chinese Healing Arts Center is truly a unique school in the West because it teaches ancient Chinese healing arts according to a family tradition and lineage. It is our hope that people can learn qigong and Qi healing to improve their health.
The East Brunswick branch of the Chinese Healing Arts Center is directed by Andy Lee. It is fully sanctioned by Grand Master T. K. Shih. We are happy to share the transmissions, and the teachings of 20 years of studies. The style of qigong taught is medical in nature. It includes self-cultivation methods to strengthen the practitioner’s own condition and Qi healing techniques to help themselves and others. Many techniques in the school reflect the lineage of Grand Master Shih and B. P. Chan.
What is Qigong, in more detail.
Qigong pronounced “Chee Gunn”. (The alphabetical spelling of modern Chinese has been attempted many times in the twentieth century. These Chinese phonetic alphabets are Pinyin, Wade-Giles, Guoyeu Romatzyh, Yale Romanization and Zhuyin Fuhao. It should be explained that the Mandarin pronunciation does not change. Our transcription of these sounds into a more familiar written representation has changed, most recently to Pinyin. The committee for the reform of the Chinese written language approved the Hanyu Pinyin Orthography; consequently, you can find the transcription of the Chinese characters for Taijiquan as taiji Quan or T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Chi Kung as Qigong or Chee Kung. Chinese transcription to Romanization has many variations. However, in 1956 the People's republic of China adopted the Pinyin form of transcription or Romanization.)
About "qigong/chi kung". In the Chinese language every syllable is a word: a prefix, a root or a suffix. Every word has many possible meaning and may be used differently in different context. Qigong is made up of the two syllables "Qi/Chi" and "Gong/Kung". For our purpose we can translate "QI" to be "life force". I believe this to be the most accurate interpretation in relationship to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Most of the time the word used is --energy. Sometimes it may be interpreted as "breath" or "breathing". It is correct, but I believe not complete for our purpose. "Gong/Kung is translated as work, exercise, skill, and practice. The most often translation is energy exercises, energy work, even breathing exercises. These are right, even breathing exercises is acceptable because regulations of the breath is one of the three main requirements of qigong. However, this is a partial understanding which can send your practice in the wrong direction.
Consequently, "gong" means "effort put into something over a period of time in order to achieve a result."-- Implied in the word is the concept of time. Originally the word was applied to the "work" through practice over a period of time. The word practice implies an investing of effort over a period of time. I believe this is closer to the truth. Because when I did something wrong with my qigong work, Dr. Shih's correction would be that I was not doing "Qigong" but doing an exercise. Qigong is done with full attention, full awareness and that awareness deepens with time and practice. It is never done by rote. Exercise is something you can learn quickly and then little or no further "thought" is needed.
I just want to add one thing: although Qigong may be applied martially, it is not a martial art. Qigong may be applied medically but it is not medicine. Qigong may be applied for spiritual development, but it is not a religion. It may be applied to improve the quality of life. Qigong is the internal art of circulating body energies to promote health and eliminate blockages. Proper body alignment, release of tension, regulation of breathing and quieting of the mind are integral components of qigong practice.
Key Benefits
- Stimulating vital energy (Qi) so as to strengthen immunity to disease
- Adaptability to the external environment
- The ability to repair internal damage.
It has been practiced for centuries as part of traditional Chinese medicine for healing illness, because energy or Qi that does not move make you sick--stagnant Qi. Consequently, a practitioner enjoys good health.
To a great extent, all Chinese martial arts rely on the mastery of qigong techniques for the attainment of mental and physical harmony.
Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong , together are a unified complementary form of exercising.