One of the most informative and heart-warming people existing today who presents Chinese medicine and health concepts along with Qigong theory in an easy-to-follow manner is no other than the Spring Forest Qigong (SFQ) Founder Chunyi Lin. Also known as Master Lin but who insists that he be called Chunyi, the SFQ founder has put together a number of videos over the years to help bring a world of Chinese health-related concepts to the West in a simple and clear manner, allowing anyone interested regardless of age, gender or religion to apply these concepts in their life for improved health and overall well being.
There are a number of videos people interested in Qigong and Chinese health/medicine can reference for getting started, ranging from YouTube tutorials to complete DVD/CD sets with in-depth information. This article takes a look at where you can begin to understand who Chunyi is, what Qigong is all about, and whether it is something you would like to further pursue in your life.
The earliest video we have found related to Chunyi is an interview that dates back to the early 90s when Gary Rebstock first discovered him while working as a news anchor at Minnesota-based KMSP. In this 8 minute video found here, Gary interviews several people who are by no means actors about their experience studying with Chunyi and the so-called healing qualities they received from practicing Qigong. The interviewees discuss how they overcame illnesses such as migraines and even lung diseases that once required them to use oxygen tanks by using Qigong, and talk candidly how their lives have changed. There is also a clear introduction about the definition of Qigong, how it works and how it can be applied for healing.
Want to know what practices those people were doing to help overcome their illnesses? One of the core practices is a movement called “Moving of the Yin and Yang” found in the Level 1 Spring Forest Qigong book. In this video, there is an excerpt from what can be found in the Level 1 DVD that guides you through this movement, which is aimed at helping clear energy blockages in the body, healing internal organs, opening the heart energy and helping the spine to align.
Another exercise excerpt from the Level 1 DVD called “Breathing of the Universe” can be found here. This exercise is particularly good for the lung channels, which connect to the body’s breathing and skin. People who suffer from lung issues such as asthma, coughing, smoking or unhealthy skin use this exercise to transform their energy by contracting their hands slowly inwards and outwards as if playing an accordion while breathing slowly. It is a general rule of thumb in SFQ when breathing in to store energy in your lower dantian (a point located below the navel) by imagining it coming from all ends of the universe and then breathing out smoky or “dirty” energy from the entire body or from areas in particular that are bothering you. A more close-up version of this video can be found here.
The third core exercise in Spring Forest Qigong that practitioners have been using to increase the body’s energy balance is called “Joining of Yin and Yang.” Yin, being the feminine energy and Yang the masculine, these two forces are the so-called underlying joined forces of the universe that act in accordance with one another. All human beings have these energies from a Daoist perspective, and it is important to keep them in balance as they can get out of line for many reasons including changes in the weather or excessive emotions. To get a glimpse of what this exercise looks like, click here.
For the skeptics out there, there are many research reports and videos from doctors describing their experience with Qigong. You can check out a video found here that interviews leading medical professional Dr. Bill Manahan on how he views Qigong from a western medical perspective and why it helps the body.
Lastly, if you are interested in how Qi can be used to help others, a brief introduction can be found in a technique called Sword Fingers. This technique is a simple introduction to how Chinese Neigong professionals and Qigong practitioners in China have been using energy to transform the energy of others. Keep in mind that from a Qigong perspective, energy exists in everything inherently and cannot be destroyed or created, only transformed. This sword finger technique uses the same principle to describe how easy it is for humans to transform energy, particularly for blockages in the body that may otherwise be causing harm.
For further information on Chunyi Lin’s approach to teaching Qigong and the benefits one can reap from the practice, take some time to watch through this 22 minute interview. Here you will find Master Lin up close and personal from his Minnesota-based office talking about his personal journey to realizing his life’s purpose or “mission” for Qigong, healing, as well as experiencing a healthy and balanced life with unconditional love.