The practice of Qigong is becoming increasingly common in Australia. This followed on the coat-tails of many other eastern practices that have increased in popularity over the years, including yoga and meditation. Just like these practices, Qigong is popular because it can lead to a better, healthier life; it can change you physically and mentally. Qigong can help you to overcome distress, depression and addiction and it can turn your life around.
The Immediate Benefits
Not so long ago, practices like meditation were unheard of here in Australia and in countries like the United States. In the 1960s and 1970s these practices were popularized by rock groups and other stars, but they were still considered to be counterculture, practiced by hippies only. In another couple of decades, we all awoke to the benefits of meditation, learning something that they had known for thousands of years in the east.
Meditation, at its most basic level, is something that can help you to relax, something that can help you to reduce stress and anxiety. The simple act of taking the time to sit, to distance yourself from the chaos of the world and your life can help you to reach a calm and content state. This, in turn, can help with all sorts of problems, including:
- High blood pressure
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Panic disorders
- Stress
- Anger issues
The same goes for the exercises that are performed in Qigong. These exercises are similar to what you would see in yoga and Tai Chi and, just like meditation, even in their simplest form they can help with an array of problems. These slow-moving exercises are basically moving meditations, so they can help with everything mentioned above and so much more.
And then there is acupressure. This was ignored in Australia until very recently, when studies were performed that suggested this was as beneficial as the Qigong masters claimed they were.
Energy Healing
Of course, Australian doctors believe that the benefits of everything mentioned above come from a different place to what a Qigong master will tell you. But they don’t always know what this place is and while many doctors will prescribe acupressure and acupuncture, they will shrug their shoulders when you ask them why it works.
Qigong has the answers for this. Qigong is based on the belief that the world is full of energy and that this energy runs through your body. If it is allowed to run freely then you will be healthy and happy, but if there is an imbalance or a blockage, then you will become ill. Simple as that. As a result, Qigong can go much deeper than the benefits mentioned above. In fact, it can literally cure every ailment, every pain and every disease. That’s because everything is caused by a blockage, and if you can locate that blockage and eliminate it, then you’re good to go.
Qigong combines a number of meditations, exercises, techniques and more, all of which are focused on restoring the flow of energy in your body and on ensuring that the energy is properly balanced. It will tell you how to eat, how to move, how to sit and how to think, and if done as instructed you will be healthier than ever.
Where to Learn Qigong
One of the main schools of Qigong is the Spring Forest Qigong Centre. They practice their own branch of Qigong here, one that is tailored towards a western audience, without losing touch with the traditional concepts that make this such a life-changing practice. Spring Forest Qigong is accessible, easy-to-perform and it can help everyone, from young and fit athletes, to old couch potatoes.
To join the Spring Forest Qigong Centre and to start learning from SFQ masters, simply pay a visit to the website and choose a course that suits you. If you are new to Qigong then you should begin at level 1 and work your way up to level 5. It will be a long road, but the journey is as fulfilling as the destination and you will learn some amazing healing techniques along the way.
You can also take part in some Spring Forest Qigong seminars and retreats. These are held throughout North America, and while that is a little out of the way for Aussie students, it’s well worth the trip if you can make it. If not, don’t worry, as there are just as many home study courses and you can also connect with the SFQ via the phone, with group healing sessions, one-on-one sessions, remote healing and much more.