We’re delighted to be hosting an online Yoga and Qi Gong Flow pop-up on Sunday 22nd November, which is the perfect opportunity to learn more about Qi Gong and the benefits of combining these transformative movement practises. Click here to learn more and to book your spot. And if you would like to explore Qi Gong in a little more depth, we also have our very special ‘A Winter Qigong and Yoga Flow workshop running on Saturday 12th December at 4pm-8pm and you can find out more here.
Why Qi Gong is growing in popularity
If like me, you’re curious about Qi Gong, but have previously bypassed it, in favour of its more ‘fashionable’ Indian cousin, yoga, then be prepared to get acquainted with this ancient Chinese practise. It’s no coincidence that Qi Gong is progressively grabbing people’s attention, and here’s why.
Qi Gong (pronounced chi gong) is a traditional Chinese healing system of movement, breathing and meditation techniques which has been around for thousands of years, yet it’s significantly lesser known than the Indian tradition of yoga, however, with the ever-increasing pressures of modern society, and the rising demand to constantly be connected online and tethered to our phones, this looks set to change, with Qi Gong, or ‘energy work’, becoming an increasingly popular modality of choice to disconnect and rebalance.
It’ll come as no surprise that there’s an upward trajectory of people living in a high state of anxiety, and stress has become an inevitable part of a busy, modern day life. To an extent, stress does serve a purpose by alerting us to threatening situations, provoking an appropriate reaction, and as such has allowed the human race to survive and evolve, however if our stress response levels are continually heightened in our daily lives, and we’re unable to return to a resting state, this can have numerous implications on our health and state of mind.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, every symptom in our body is telling us something, and if left untreated, they will eventually manifest in energy blockages, which will ultimately result in physical or mental illnesses. Our energy flow can get stuck due to a number of reasons, with stress being one of them. This theory, which sits at the heart of the various lineages of Qi Gong, is becoming more and more relevant and resonant with an overtly stressed out society, with more people looking to this ancient practise to restore their vital energy flow, and thus reaping the holistic healing benefits that the Chinese have experienced over thousands of years.
Both Qi Gong and Yoga are movement practises, with comparable purposes, including the goal of achieving a meditative state, however there are some distinct differences between how the two transport us there. At the heart of both is the concept of a vital life force energy, referred to as ‘prana’ in yoga and ‘Qi’ in Qi Gong. Depending on the lineage, yoga can primarily consist of static, angular postures, to varying degrees, whereas Qi Gong involves circles, spirals and slow flowing movements, with less focus on the external, aesthetic look. In Qi Gong, the focus is predominantly internal, harnessing a body-mind approach to movement, removing the underlying concern of ‘doing it right’, as opposed to a more transcendent approach, with emphasis being placed on building strength in order to achieve physical asanas.
So, what happens when you integrate Qi Gong practises with yoga? A fusion of these two deeply healing methodologies can cultivate a more heightened awareness, by synchronizing fluid, intentional and mindful movements with the breath, creating portals to journey into a blissful, meditative state of flow, while simultaneously strengthening the body.
We’re delighted to be hosting an online Yoga and Qi Gong Flow pop-up on Sunday 22nd November, which is the perfect opportunity to learn more about Qi Gong and the benefits of combining these transformative movement practises. Click here to learn more and to book your spot. And if you would like to explore Qi Gong in a little more depth, we also have our very special ‘A Winter Qigong and Yoga Flow workshop running on Saturday 12th December at 4pm-8pm and you can find out more here.