Qigong (or Chi Kung): refers to a large number of methods aimed at working on our vital energy. Qi can be translated by "energy flow" or "vital energy". The literal translation is "air," "breath," or "gas". It can be compared to the original meaning of the Latin term spiritus "breathing" or to the Sanskrit term prana "breath" ). Qigong is often associated with Chinese martial arts and traditional Chinese medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, good health is a result of a free flowing, well-balanced energy system. The art of Qigong consists primarily of meditation, relaxation, physical movement, mind-body integration, and breathing exercises. Practitioners of Qigong develop an awareness of Qi sensations in their body and use their mind to guide the Qi.
There are two kinds of Qigong. Dynamic Qigong (spontaneous Gong, tapping and massaging, stretching, guiding and stretching, walking, and internal moving postures) and Static Qigong (standing, sitting, and lying postures).
Meridians: channels in traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture, acupressure, and Qigong). Meridians (Qi pathways) are divided into Yin and Yang groups. The Yin meridians of the arm are: Lung, Heart, and Pericardium. The Yang meridians of the arm are: Large Intestine, Small Intestine, and Triple Warmer. The Yin Meridians of the leg are Spleen, Kidney, and Liver. The Yang meridians of the leg are Stomach, Bladder, and Gall Bladder. There is a total of 12 major meridians.
The twelve major meridians correspond to specific human organs: kidneys, liver, spleen, hearth, lungs, pericardium, bladder, gall bladder, stomach, small and large intestines, and the triple burner (body temperature regulator). Yin meridians flow upwards. Yang meridians flow downwards. Meridians are invisible lines through the body that carry energy to every organ and system. Pain on one of the meridians is a warning, an indication of a problem. For example, if you press some points on your hand, you will probably feel more or less pain. Hand charts: (map 1, 2, feet). Organs and time. Talking about warnings, for example, if you wake up at night without any reason, between 1 and 3 am, it is probably connected to your liver. The best time to eat your breakfast is of course during the optimal time, between 7 and 9 am.
• Qigong also relies on a similar model of the human body as an energy system, except that it involves the circulation of energy.
• The Qi, equivalent to the Hindu Prana, flows through the energy channels called meridians, equivalent to the nadis, but two other energies are also important: Jing, or primordial essence, and Shen, or spirit energy.
• The navel or lower dantian (下丹田) is the most well-known "energy centre" (the Hara in Japan), at or below the navel transforms essence, or jing, into qi energy.
• The middle dantian (中丹田) in the middle of the chest transforms Qi energy into shen, or spirit.
The upper dantian (上丹田) at the level of the forehead (or at the top of the head), transforms Shen into wuji (infinite space of void).
Generating Qi
• 吸氣 is often translated by "inspiration" or "air intake". It is a very reductive translation. It should be "energy intake", "breathing" being only a part of the energy that can be taken.
• Diaphragmatic breathing or abdominal breathing 呼吸. Before you sleep, relax on your bed and breathe slowly. Count and see how long you can inhale. The best I can do so far is inhale slowly by the nose during 42 seconds. Block the air for a few seconds in the abdomen. Then, exhale very slowly. The objective is to able to control how much energy you can take and to be able to relax and to focus at the same time.
Most people don't know that many scientific studies have been published on Qigong. Here are a few examples:
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The two Qigong states Characterized by Brain a -Wave, Journal of Chinese Medicine, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 30-46, Oct. 1991, published by China Medical college and the National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Taiwan R.O.C.
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The Generation of "Qi" by Stimulation Methods, Bulletin of the College of engineering, NTU, Taipei, Taiwan. Nr. 46, June1989 pp. 117-125.
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Effect of Emitted Bioenergy on Biochemical Functions of Cells, American Journal of Chinese Medicine, Vol. XIX, Nos. 3-4, pp. 285-292.
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Ma, James.: The mechanism of Chikung. Abstracts of Int. Conference on Bioenergetic Medicine, Past, Present and Future. p.71 ept. 30-Oct.7, 1989, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
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Yan, Xin; Lin, Hui; Li, Hongmei; Traynor-Kaplan, Alexis; Xia, Zhen-Qin; Lu, Feng; Fang, Yi; and Dao, Ming; "Structure and Property Changes in Certain Materials Influenced by the External Qi of Qigong", Material Research Innovations, 2 349-359 (1999).
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Wang, Yaolan; Lu, Zuyin; and Yan, Xin; "A Method of Detecting Qi-Field --- In Situ Measurements Conducted during Qi-Emitting Lectures," in Proceedings of the Second National Academic Conference on Qigong Science, Qingdao, China, August, 1988.
Chinese character
醫 yi: To cure, heal (医 in simplified Chinese)
Sickness was attributed to evil influences. Healing was the result of drawing arrows (医 yi: To cure, quiver; 矢 shi arrow) from the quiver to shoot (殳 shu spear, kill, weapon, shoot) at the demon of illness. Wine was used as an elixir (酉 you wine, jar).
About food
Cool and warm food This refers in Chinese medicine to the energetic properties of the food we eat. It is called "thermal properties of food". Foods are broken down into many categories; those being, Direction - does the food influence qi, blood, or fluid upward, downward, inward, or outward, Flavors - sweet (help digestion), sour (astringent/ drying) , pungent (spicy/ stimulate circulation, ie Garlic), salty (soften) and bitter- (aid digestion). Meridians what is the foods effect on specific organs spleen/ pancreas/ stomach (warming foods), Lung/ Large Intestine (moistening foods), Kidney/ Urinary Bladder (sweet), Liver/ Gall Bladder (cooling foods), then there is Temperature this has to do with the way you feel after you have eaten - cooling, warming, hot, and neutral. And in addition, we need to consider a way to balance the Seasons- spring/ summer (cleansing)- and fall/ winter (warming/ nourishing). Here.
Temperature
Growth time -- Foods that grow quickly, like bean sprouts, cucumbers and summer squash, tend to be more cooling than foods that take longer to grow, like cabbage, carrots and winter squash.
Color -- Blue, green, or purple colored foods are typically more cooling than similar foods that are red, orange or yellow. Thus, a lime cools more than a lemon. Blue fish is more cooling than salmon.
Region -- Tropical and sub-tropical foods tend to be more cooling than temperate-zone foods. Strawberries and cherries are more warming than mango and pineapple.
Water content -- Juicy foods tend to be more cooling than dry foods. Therefore, Chinese cabbage is more cooling than cabbage and milk, more cooling than cheese.
Food preparation also affects a food's thermal properties. Raw foods are more cooling than are cooked foods. Of course, don't forget that vegetable and fruit vitamins die quickly. Don't overcook (green vegetables like spinach boiled around 1 minute) and eat them as fresh as possible.
Electroencephalography
•Recording of electrical activity along the scalp. Hans Berger (first human EEG in 1924) named the first rhythmic EEG activity he saw as the "alpha wave".
•Alpha is the frequency range from 8 Hz to 12 Hz. It emerges with closing of the eyes and with relaxation, and attenuates with eye opening or mental exertion.
Beta is the frequency range from 12 Hz to about 30 Hz. Beta activity is closely linked to motor behavior and is generally attenuated during active movements.
•Delta is the frequency range up to 4 Hz. It tends to be the highest in amplitude and the slowest waves. It is seen normally in adults in slow wave sleep. It is also seen normally in babies.
•Theta is the frequency range from 4 Hz to 7 Hz. Theta is seen normally in young children. It may be seen in drowsiness or arousal in older children and adults; it can also be seen in meditation. This range has been associated with reports of relaxed, meditative, and creative states.
Gamma is the frequency range approximately 30–100 Hz. Gamma rhythms are thought to represent binding of different populations of neurons together into a network for the purpose of carrying out a certain cognitive or motor function.
