It doesn’t matter what the subject is or how reputable the company is, if it exists on the internet and if money changes hand for it, then people will ask whether it is a scam or not. The truth is that scams are not as prevalent as they once were, but they do exist and you should remain vigilant.
We have personally never encountered a Qigong school or service that is a scam. But there are many customers new to this practice wondering if it all isn’t just one big scam. After all, to a westerner, the idea of the body being made-up of energy and of simple massages and meditations being able to cure a host of illnesses is a little far-fetched. But if you open your mind a little, if you disregard those preconceptions and begin to look at the science and the history behind Qigong, you begin to understand that this is definitely not a scam and that it really can help you.
History of Healing
Qigong has existed for thousands of years. Of course, that doesn’t mean that it is effective. Religions have existed for just as long and while we’re not saying that all of them are wrong, statistically, most of them have to be, and if people can be wrong about something so big for so long, why can’t they be wrong about Qigong?
We have heard that argument a few times, but it simply doesn’t add up. Religion is based on faith, and as most religions acknowledge that god will not come to earth to verify himself and prove his existence, there is no way to prove them. With Qigong, however, you have millions of practitioners who have benefited directly from it, people who have experienced some form of illness or pain, only to see that disappear after practicing Qigong.
It is true that people can be wrong for so long, but with so many experienced practitioners arguing to the contrary, it is highly unlikely. And many modern doctors would agree, because there have been countless studies performed on Qigong and its benefits.
Qigong Studies
The Spring Forest Qigong Centre is one of the biggest Qigong schools in the world, and it has opened itself up to scrutiny from the medical community. It wanted to ensure that it had a place in the healthcare industry, that it wasn’t just an “alternative school” for a small number of people interested in Chinese medicine. This was an unusual move for a Qigong school, but it worked out, as all of the studies determined that this school and its courses really can do what they say they can.
Such studies were performed by all of the following:
- Mayo Clinic: One of the most respected and well known medical research centers in North America, the Mayo Clinic performed a study on many of the basic SFQ courses, determining that, “Subjects with chronic pain who received external qigong experienced reduction in pain intensity following each qigong treatment.”.
- Gustavus Adolphus College: Jane F. Coleman from the aforementioned college performed a study to determine whether SFQ courses would be helpful in reducing physical, mental and emotional pain. The conclusions were positive and Coleman reported that, “There was a significant decrease in the perception of physical pain and emotional distress for the majority of participants during the study timeframe. Also, symptom variables (sleep, concentration, decision-making, appetite, loss of interest) improved in the majority of subjects.”
Western Medicine
Qigong has existed for thousands of years, but there has been a divide between east and west throughout that time. That divide is getting smaller though, as the west takes more aspects of eastern medicine into consideration.
Meditation is a good example of this. This has been common for thousands of years in the east, but only recently has its calming, stress reducing and blood pressure lowering properties been realized in the west. These days it is commonly prescribed by doctors from the US to the UK. The same goes for Tai Chi exercises and massage, both of which have always been practiced in the east.
Acupuncture and acupressure is another good example of this. It was frowned upon when it was first introduced in Australia, but within a few decades the benefits were realized and these days it is as common here as it has alway been in China. So, don’t ask yourself whether these new techniques that you are hearing about are “scams”, and instead ask yourself just how long it will be before you are prescribed them by your doctor.