Health Qigong is not only a sports featuring simple movement and good effect for body building, but also is an important carrier for traditional Chinese culture containing rich cultural connotations. Therefore, it possesses an important meaning for the improvement of Qigong exercise effect through understanding the main ideas of Qigong theories in the view of the traditional culture and being guided by it. Taking Health Qigong as an example, this article will discuss how to direct the excise of Health Qigong by applying the holistic approach, the Yin and Yang theory and the science of channels and collaterals.

To Guide Exercise by Applying Holistic Approach

Holistic approach is a view for the unity and integrity of things derived from the ancient philosophical thinking of China. It’s an overall acknowledge for the biological phenomenon of human as well as the things concerned and carries out its analysis and cognition by uniting “Heaven, Earth and People.”

First, it refers to an organic entirety linked the whole body organizations and systems such as five body constituents (skin, collateral, flesh, muscle and bone), the apertures (eye, nose, ear, tongue, external genitalia and anus) and arms and legs as well as skeletons by main collateral channels, which are centered the five viscera of the body. On the one hand, according to the law of Yin and Yang balance, it coordinates the Yin and Yang of Viscera; the lifting and decline of Qi (Vital Energy) and blood and boosts the body health development towards Yin and Yang in equilibrium. On the other hand, it prevents diseases and weakness by coordinating the balance of any viscus among all viscera according to the law of the mutual restriction the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth). The health promotion principle of the Health Qigong is to strengthen the all-directional communications of all viscera, arms and legs and skeletons as well as various apertures with the help of the functions of channels and collaterals; fulfill and cultivate Jing, Qi, Blood and body fluid and then optimize the biological activities of human body. For example, concerning Wei Tuo Presenting the Pestle 2 in the Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing and the movement of “make the eyes glare” in the movements of Displaying Paw-Style Palms like a White Crane Spreading Its Wing and Tiger Springing on Its Prey. The actions of “make the eyes glare” plays a role of smothering the liver and improving vision by spilling the foul smell and adjusting the functions of liver (because liver and gallbladder subordinates for each other which magnificent are expressed by claws; Fulfilled by muscles and have their ideas straightened out from eyes).

Second, it refers to the unity of form, Qi and spirit. Ancient people consider form is the basis for the life activities of human; spirit is domination and Qi is a special matter combining form with spirit as an entity. The Health Qigong extremely stresses form regulation (body regulation), practicing Qi and cultivate spirit, namely, the integration of the body regulation, breath regulation and mind regulation. Just the words from the ancients: “awry form leads to unsmooth breath; the unsmooth breath leads to inquietude ideas and the inquietude ideas make scattered spirit.” Its connotations ask us to actively and consciously adjust and exercise our body postures, movements, breath, spirit consciousness and thinking activities in the practice and gradually reach the requirements and objectives of Qigong practice and then attain the whole effect of “commonly cultivate form and spirit inside and outside” of a healthy body and vigorous mind.

Third, the Health Qigong emphases the harmony and unity between human and nature; human and society, namely, the exercise of Health Qigong needs to combine the physical conditions of exercisers and also needs to integrate the specific situation of society and thus reaches a harmonious and united situation between  the exercisers and all thins in nature. Accordingly, suitable practicing measures, time and a peaceful and comfortable combining season climates and the physical conditions of the exercisers, as an important matter, should be considered prior to practice. For example, a location with suitable temperature, quite without outside distraction, fresh air without pollution instead of the atrocious weather such as dense fog, fierce wind, rainstorm, thunder and lighting as well as erratic feelings like great rejoicing, rage, sorrow, sad, panic and horror should be chosen for Qigong practicing. Moreover, in the process of living and practicing, some means for health promotion like diet, getting up and sleeping as well as morality cultivation should be reasonably adjusted and cooperated to avoid unnecessary contractions and disputes as possible as we can; overcoming the psychological fluctuation or biology sickness brought by social environment.

(By Jian Cui)