What is Medical Qigong?
Medical Qigong is one of the holistic branches of Chinese Medicine. Somtimes spelled medical chi gong, it is recognized as a standard medical technique in China. Two kinds of therapeutic or medical Qigong are practiced to balance and harmonize the body, improving overall health and well-being:
- Internal Qigong which can be practiced as a meditation in motion using slow, gentle movements while focusing on the breath
- External Qigong which involves treatment by a therapist who directs qi through energy meridians.
What Does Medical Qigong Treat?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Qigong can also be practiced for alternative medicine purposes, preventive medicine, self-healing, self-cultivation, and meditation. Studies have shown that medical Qigong stimulates the central nervous system, lowers blood pressure, relieves stress, and helps with digestion and waste illumination.
The ancient Chinese believed that our bodies are made up of a life force energy called Qi (Chi). Qigong literally translates as “energy work”. Read more about Qi.
