Articles: Qigong and Meditation
Be Mindful on Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day! Mother's Day is an interesting institution. In the act of honoring women who have children, we can inadvertently bring up heavy emotions. Some women are left feeling that "something is missing" on Mother’s Day. More >>
Qigong for Women: Gynecological Health
Menopause and the menstrual cycle are natural processes that don’t have to cause suffering in women. However, most women find the opposite to be true. Hormone health is inextricably connected to our stress level. Stress doesn’t have a quick fix and can only be improved with gentle but steady attention to our lifestyle. More >>
Qigong Meditation: Methods of Stopping Thought (Zhi Nian)
Before you start, you should understand that there are no techniques, which are absolutely effective for everybody. It depends on the individual. It may also depend on the situation and timing. Remember that the final goal of regulating your thoughts is to reach “the thought of no thought.” More >>
Tui Na (Chinese Massage)
This experience is my favorite, and every year that I go to China, I always make sure to have my Chinese massage. Chinese massage called Tui Na or An Mo, is the oldest manual, natural healing method. It was developed earlier than herbs and acupuncture. At first, humans fought against disease by using their own hands and body parts. Later they developed other natural methods for healing and disease prevention. More >>
Tai Chi for Relaxation: Dealing with Stress
We are faced with many kinds of stress every single day. Modern life is fast-paced. The images we see in advertising and on TV are flashy and rapid-fire. The media and Internet blast millions of images before our eyes and minds every day. Prime-time television is cynical and obsessed with action, murder, and mayhem. More >>
Qigong for Women: Chest Health
Breast health is an important issue for women, but it is just part of the entire health concerns that should be addressed. Many people don't realize that almost ten times as many women die of major cardiovascular disease as die of breast cancer. More >>
Common Sensations Experienced in Still Meditation
When you practice still meditation, regulating your body, breathing, and mind, you enter into deep meditation. Qi readjusts and balances itself, reaching even the smallest place in your body. You have feelings and visions, which cannot be experienced when you are not in meditation. More >>
Common Qigong Phenomena
There are common phenomena experienced in qigong practice. These "rules" have been passed down for hundreds of years to help beginners to find the right path in their qigong and meditation practice. More >>
The Third Eye or Spiritual Breathing
The third eye is located behind the forehead, between the skull and the brain, in front of what is also called the spiritual valley or the crack between the two hemispheres of the brain. More >>
The Eight Extraordinary Qi Vessels - Part 2
As discussed in Part 1 of The Eight Extraordinary Qi Vessels, most of the vessels branch out from the twelve primary channels and share the function of circulating Qi throughout the body. The following are the different types of vessels and their specific functions. More >>
The Eight Extraordinary Qi Vessels - Part 1
The eight extraordinary Qi vessels and the twelve primary Qi channels (meridians) comprise the main part of the channel system. Most of the eight vessels branch out from the twelve primary channels and share the function of circulating Qi throughout the body. More >>
The Twelve Primary Qi Channels - Part 4
At least as far back as the 3rd century A.D., in the Classic on Disorders (Nan Jing) the Triple Burner was regarded as “having a name but no form.” In the Inner Classic (Nei Jing,) the Triple Burner was considered an Organ that coordinated all the functions of water metabolism. More >>
The Twelve Primary Qi Channels - Part 3
In Part 1 of the Twelve Primary Channels there is a short review of the twelve primary channels and the eight extraordinary meridians. More >>
The Twelve Primary Qi Channels - Part 2
You should know that in our body, there are six Yang organs and six Yin organs. Each Yang organ is associated with and harmonized by a Yin organ. More >>
Qigong Healing Practices
There are four main types of Qigong healing practices: Qigong exercise, Qigong meditation, Qigong massage, and Qigong healing. More >>
Latissimus or Side Lung Breathing or Wing Breath
It is not enough to just breathe in and breathe out, or even sigh and linger. You need to develop the skill of moving the air into specific areas within the lungs. Some disciplines call them chambers; some call them sections, and others call them areas, or rooms. I created friendly names and images for the different areas in the lungs—images that will help direct the air or the breath to wherever you desire it to move. More >>
Qigong Training Theory
Every qigong form or practice has its special training purpose and theory. If you do not know the purpose and theory, you have lost the root (meaning) of the practice. Therefore, as a qigong practitioner, you must continue to ponder and practice until you understand the root of every set or form. More >>
Martial Grand Circulation
We always hear stories about Kung Fu (功夫) or Taijiquan (太極拳) masters who have developed incredible skills. One of the reasons why they became so good is because they practiced Martial Grand Circulation. Some martial arts practitioners believe that through Martial Grand Circulation, one can energize the muscles to a higher state of efficiency. More >>
The Twelve Primary Qi Channels - Part 1
Here will briefly review the twelve primary Qi channels along with the eight extraordinary meridians. You should also know the organ's Yin and Yang. In our body, there are six Yang organs and six Yin organs. Each Yang organ is associated with and harmonized by a Yin organ. More >>
Neck and Spine Exercises for Back Pain
I would like to stress that the following exercises are based on my personal understanding and treating experiences from both the Western and Chinese medical point of view about lower back pain. I urge you to keep your mind open, study, and absorb other sources of information about back pain treatments. More >>
Some Stretching Qigong Exercises for Back Pain
Out of all the Chinese martial Qigong developed in the last fifteen hundred years, there are only a few styles which pay attention to the torso’s strength, especially the spine. These styles are: White Crane, Snake, Dragon, and Taijiquan. The reason for this is simply that these styles are classified as either soft or soft-hard styles of martial arts in China. More >>
Why Meditation is Important in Martial Arts
To reach the full potential as a martial arts practitioner, you must begin by training your mind. One way to accomplish this task is through sitting meditation. Through meditation your awareness, calm, and focus will increase. These are all very important factors in martial arts. More >>
Between Awake and Asleep
Most Eastern arts seek ways for the practitioner to spend more time in a deeply relaxed state, that is, with a meditative mind. This deep level of meditation is an essential step for achievement in all Eastern disciplines. More >>
Two Qigong Categories: Medical Qigong for Healing and Martial Qigong for Fighting
In ancient Chinese society, most emperors respected the scholars and were affected by their philosophy. Doctors were not regarded highly because they made their diagnosis by touching the patient's body, which was considered characteristic of the lower classes in society. More >>
Pilgrimage to Wudang Mountain
During the summer of 2010, my family and I brought several students along during our annual trip to Wudang Mountain. Bringing students to the mountain is one way to pay our respect to the origin of the Wudang arts. More >>
For a busy schedule—Qigong short forms
The practice of qigong can be very flexible so that it can easily fit into your particular lifestyle. Qigong practice will help you to reach a more carefree state and approach your inner being where healing and prevention begins. More >>
Muscle/Tendon Changing and Brain/Marrow Washing Qigong
China has more than seven thousand years of history. The greatest contribution it can make to benefit the human race is to share the knowledge it has accumulated in the field of Qi. More >>
Simple Chinese Medicine: A Beginner's Guide to Natural Healing and Well-Being
More and more people are seeking to understand how Chinese medicine can help them prevent illness and provide a better quality of life. To address this significant trend, my book “Simple Chinese Medicine: A Beginner's Guide to Natural Healing and Well-Being” explains the healing powers of eastern medicine in an easy to understand, relevant and personalized manner. More >>
Daoist Breathing Techniques
Daoist breathing exercises are designed to activate the diaphragm muscle, expand the lungs, and invoke the body's innate relaxation response. There are four major types of breathing (调息tiao xi) used in Daoist practice. More >>
Benefits of Tai Chi Qi Gong for Arthritis
May is National Arthritis Month: One of the challenges we have in this country as well as in the rest of the world, is how to approach the health care goals of the growing wave of our aging population. We are living through special times. We can see a shift towards greater acceptance of new methods and treatments for various debilitating diseases such as arthritis. More >>
Basic Concepts of Qi and Qigong - Part 2
In modern times, we mainly use only the narrow definition of Qi, which refers to the energy circulating in the human body. More >>
Basic Concepts of Qi and Qigong - Part 1
The Chinese word "Qi" translates in English to "energy". Qi is the energy or natural force which fills the universe. The Chinese believe in Three Powers (San Cai) of the universe: Heaven, Earth and Human. More >>
Two Keys for Regulating Your Breathing and Circulating Qi
Two Keys for Regulating Your Breathing and Circulating Qi for health and internal training. More >>
Embryonic Breathing
In China, meditation has existed in almost every level of society. In Chinese medical and scholar societies, meditation is commonly called "Jing Zuo" which means "sit quietly." More >>
Meditation is for Self Awakening, Not Blind Worship
If we attempt to comprehend any profound philosophy, we must first be calm. When the mind is calm and clear, judgment becomes logical and accurate. More >>
A Modern Definition of Qi
It is important that you know about the progress that has been made by modern science in the study of Qi. This will keep you from getting stuck in the ancient concepts and level of understanding. More >>
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Videos and Podcasts...
Episode 1.
Chinese Martial Arts Definitions
Episode 2.
Retreat Center Interview PART 1
Episode 3.
Retreat Center Interview PART 2
Episode 4.
Northern and Southern Chinese Styles
