A Look Inside Spring Forest Qigong Fundamentals

For anyone interested in exploring Qigong through the Spring Forest Qigong (SFQ) system, the essential starting material is the Spring Forest Qigong Fundamentals Level 1 | Complete Self-Study Program. This package includes the Level 1 book, which introduces the basics of Qigong theory and provides detailed guidance on living a balanced life according to Chinese medicine. The package also contains a CD titled “Small Universe,” a guided meditation designed to help clear energy blockages in the body. Additionally, the Level 1 DVD features founder Master Chunyi Lin, who guides you through the basic Qigong movements that are core practices in the SFQ system.

Qigong Theory

If you’re new to Qigong or want to deepen your understanding of how Qi operates and affects human well-being, Lin offers over 70 pages of detailed yet easy-to-digest material. He explores how the mind, body, lifestyle, breathing, emotions, and diet interact to shape the “Qi” or energy within the body. By understanding how the environment, emotions, and other factors influence our Qi, Lin suggests basic ways to balance the body’s energy and provides tips on alleviating stress and improving energy levels.

SFQ Qigong centers around one basic principle: You have the ability to heal yourself in a simple manner. While Qigong involves complex breathing techniques and movements, Master Lin believes they can be simplified into a few core, easy-to-follow exercises and meditations, which we’ll outline below.

Qigong Movements

Moving of the Yin and Yang

This is the fundamental exercise of SFQ that balances and helps heal internal organs as well as opens the heart and aligns the spine.

Breathing of the Universe

This exercise heals the lungs and skin and balances the energy inside and outside of the body.

Joining of Yin and Yang

This balances the energy of the body.

Harmony of the Universe

Doing this helps open blockages, heals the body, and balances the energy between the left and right brain.

Seven Steps of New Life

This exercise balances energy in the body and is particularly good for cold hands and feet as well as arthritis.

All of these exercises can be found in the Level 1 DVD that is in the Fundamentals package. There are also closing exercises that SFQ coins as “Harvesting the Qi.” To harvest the Qi means to balance the energy at the end of the movement. This is done in every Qigong practice except for certain ones that already have closing elements built into them. They are all simple to do and you can choose which ones you like best and stick with them, although we do recommend incorporating all of them if possible or dividing them on different days. Overall, sticking with one regimen and going deep into it will help you achieve the best results.

Going Deeper into these Exercises

Visualization methods play a crucial role in both the DVD and reading material, helping you stay focused and enhance energy circulation. Before starting these exercises, it’s important to relax deeply, releasing any worries, fears, or distractions. To achieve this, focus on the visualizations associated with the exercises, as described in the book. These visualizations will help transform your focus and elevate your Qigong practice.

Master Lin also emphasizes entering “The Emptiness.” Although the concept of emptiness deserves its own discussion, it can be briefly described as a mental state where the mind is free, fully immersed in the present moment, and in complete harmony with whatever you are doing.

Continuing Mental Practices – Small Universe Meditation

For a complete review of the Small Universe Meditation, check out our full review here. This guided meditation leads you through the two main energy channels in the body: Renmai, along the front of the torso, and Dumai, along the back. These channels correspond with two key energy points, Dantian and Mingmen. Whether sitting, standing, or lying down, Master Lin guides you through a series of energy points along these channels. You collect energy from the universe, send it to these points, and allow it to purify and cleanse the areas.

The movement follows a circular path, starting from the Dantian, moving down below the navel, up the back, to the top of the head, and back down to the Dantian, covering a total of 12 points. This rotation forms the “small universe,” corresponding to the 12 main energy channels in the body. This meditation, central to SFQ, helps keep the body’s energy channels open and can be performed in 30- or 60-minute sessions.

Spring Forest Qigong Fundamentals Lessons and Practice Groups

At Qiful Life we are certified Spring Forest Qigong instructors. If you would like to conduct a private 1 on 1 class online for any of the spring forest qigong fundamentals, feel free to sign up for our private classes.