Qigong, Qi gong, Chi gong: this healing technique has a lot of  different spellings. Pronounced as “chi-gung”, Qigong is an ancient  Chinese technique based on meditation, controlled breathing, and  guided movements.  
An improved immune system, relaxation, reduced stress, and better  concentration are just a few of the many reasons why Qigong is  such an attractive healing method. It’s a very old but effective  practice with many different styles and forms. 
For beginners, however, Qigong, with its different styles, poses, and  exercises, can be very daunting and confusing. 
That’s why we at Mindmonia wrote this Qigong Guide for  Beginners. In this article, we explain what Qigong is and cover the  benefits of practicing it regularly. Finally, we explain the differences  between Qigong healing and Qigong meditation and show you  some techniques with which you can start today. 
Jump ahead to any of the sections below: 
What Is Qigong? 
What Is Qigong? 
Qigong is a natural way to move energy (Qi / Chi) through your  body. It’s often used by Taoist and Buddhist monks, as well as  traditional and Chinese healers. It doesn’t need to be practiced in a  religious context and actually is considered and practiced as a  beautiful art by countless people all over the world. 
The concept of Qigong is based on meditation, breathing  techniques, and gentle movements to move the “Qi” through your  body. 
The word “Qi” is difficult to translate. It comes from the traditional  Chinese culture and means life energy, breath or mind. “Gong”  means cultivation or mastery. Hence, the concept can be translated  as “cultivation of life force” or “control of your own energy”.  
As mentioned above, the concept is based on the basic principle of  meditation and mindfulness and combines it with physical  movements. This is why Qigong is often seen as “standing  meditation”. 
 
When you practice Qigong, you are working both on unifying your  body and your mind. On the one hand you must learn to calm down  and focus on your thoughts and breathing. On the other hand you  have to concentrate on your movements. Just like you do with Yoga. 
Many forms, poses, and postures of Qigong evolved over time.  Some of them include breathing and meditation to promote  spirituality and health, while others are more physical and more  martial. Tai Chi, for example, is a common form of Qigong. 
   
Internal Qigong differs significantly from the external one. Inner  Qigong focuses mainly on your own energy flow – your own Qi or  chi if you wish. 
The postures from inner Qigong serve your own energy healing. We  mentioned that form of Qigong at the beginning of this article. It’s  the type that makes you follow certain movements, breathing  techniques, and meditational concepts. It’s also the better-known  type of Qigong. 
Inner Qigong is all about working on your own inner discomfort. In  the external form, you need a second person to heal you. In this  internal form of the ancient Chinese healing technique, the aim is to  achieve healing from within the body without the help of others. 
In internal Qigong, energy healing can be seen as an “inner  cleansing”. In other words, whenever you practice internal Qigong,  you create energy that you channel into your own body to heal it. 
In the end, it’s up to you to decide how accurate you think this  approach of “inner cleansing” is. 
External Qigong 
This is the form of Qigong that is also called Qigong Healing as it’s  focused on healing others. External Qigong is a very ancient healing  practice that has been used by many healers and masters for  centuries. 
In the external form, you use your own Qi / chi and transfer it to  someone else. You do so by putting your hands on the person you  want to heal. This form is very similar to the concept of Reiki. 
Even today, external Qigong is still used in traditional Chinese  medicine. It’s usually practiced by a qualified and competent healer.  By the way: it takes years to become a competent Qigong healer. 
From a scientific point of view, there is little to no evidence of the  effectiveness and actual healing effect of external Qigong.  
Therefore, we will exclusively cover internal Qigong throughout  this article. 
The Benefits of Qigong 
Qigong is especially beneficial for elders, people with chronic  illnesses or physical disabilities, or office workers and people in  general who have little exercise in their daily lives. 
From a spiritual point of view, Qigong helps to heal the body’s own  energy flow by balancing and strengthening the energy  connections. Also known as meridians. In fact, you will find parallels  with the chakra teachings. 
Besides the spiritual benefits, there are scientific sources that  confirm a variant of benefits. The best known is Roger Jahnke’s “A  Comprehensive Review of Health Benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi”  which gives an overview of existing research in this area and  summarizes the results of the studies. 
Qigong Benefit 1: Enhances Organ Function 
Qigong can be used for the whole body as well as for individual  organs. There are exercises and postures you can use to heal  specific areas of your body or even focus on specific diseases.  Among other things, there are poses that improve your cardiac  function, support your liver or protect your lungs from diseases. 
   
 
Qigong not only helps with injuries, it prevents them. It  demonstrably improves your balance, stretches joints and muscles,  relieves existing tensions and puts the entire body in a state of  relaxation.  
Since tension and cramps can lead to injuries, Qigong is a good  way to stretch and relax your muscles and banish tension. 
Qigong also helps the immune system. Studies showed that it  stimulates the formation of white blood cell types, which is  beneficial for the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system, in turn, is  an important component of a strong immune system, since the 
Qigong Benefit 3: Reduces Stress 
There is much evidence that stress is harmful to your health. Just  the fact that Qigong is proven to help reduce stress (here is the link  to the study) should be reason enough to practice it regularly.  
Although Qigong has far more advantages to offer, stress reduction  is certainly one of the greatest. The gentle movements focused  breathing and standing meditation create a state of relaxation and  balance. This slows down your brain waves and helps your brain  relax and reduce stress. 
Much of the new literature shows that one of the biggest factors of  stress is your emotions. Many do sport, which is a solid option for  relieving stress, but not for the purpose of balancing your own  emotions. 
Exactly this is the ingenious thing about Qigong since it combines  physical activity with meditation and is therefore not only  demanding for the body but assists your mind, as well. This makes  it an ideal companion in the fight against stress. 
   
Qigong Benefit 4: Boosts Muscles and Joints 
The natural movements of Qigong help your muscles and joints to  improve their blood and oxygen supply. In this way, they regain  their natural flexibility and strength. 
If you’re spending a lot of time sitting or generally don’t move much  in your daily life, you should give Qigong a chance. 
While in most western cultures it’s rather common to build muscles  through strength training, in eastern cultures, there tends to be a  different understanding of strength. It’s called effortless strength.  Effortless strength, as the name implies, comes from within you and  without effort.  
The already existing strength is only activated by natural and  comfortable movements so to speak. 
Qigong Benefit 5: Improves Sleep 
Like meditation, Qigong helps you dealing with your thoughts. This  will make you feel more “in balance” and you will have fewer  problems falling asleep. It was also shown to reduce stress, which  is a factor that contributes to a better quality of sleep. 
Find further tips on sleeping here. 
   
People 
 
There are people for whom it is more difficult to do sports due to  their age, physical injuries or limitations. Qigong’s many different  styles and exercises are beneficial for these people, because it can  be practiced with simple movements or even sitting or lying down. 
   
Qigong Benefit 7: Supports Digestion 
Histamine, gluten, lactose and fructose intolerance are just a few of  the many food intolerances and allergies that plague many people  today.  
To slightly support your digestion, you can practice Qigong. There  are certain postures that support your digestion, such as “Buddha’s  palms” and “Looking up at the sky”. 
These poses are characterized primarily by the fact that they  massage the digestive organs. This increases the oxygen content in  the blood and supports and improves the function of the digestive  system. 
Qigong Benefit 8: Lowers Blood Pressure 
Studies showed that Qigong can help lower blood pressure. A  30-year long study concluded that people who train regularly were  able to reduce or entirely stop their blood pressure medications. 
Because exercise improves blood flow, it increases the elasticity of  blood vessels. Since both low and high blood pressure are problems  associated with vascular elasticity, Qigong can help with both. 
Qigong Benefit 9: Supports the Nerves 
The nerves are the connection between your body and your mind.  Because of them you are able to know and feel how your body is  doing. There are several nervous systems in the body that all have  different tasks. For example, there is the peripheral nervous system 
with which you perceive information through your skin (touch, pain,  cold). 
From a biological point of view, the nerves are the first step to  mindfulness because they are the recipients of stimuli and  moments. Information is then transmitted to the brain. The brain’s  job is then to react to the stimuli and moments. 
Much of the initial Qigong practice, which is about getting in touch  with the body, is done through the nervous system. As you meditate  while standing, you strengthen the attention to the present  moment. The receptors that let us feel and experience the present  moment are the nerves. That’s why Qigong is supporting and  strengthening the nerves. 
   
 
Now that we introduced you to the benefits of Qigong, we show  you the most important Qigong exercises for beginners. Before you  start, you should prepare your body. Stretch your arms, joints,  fingers, knees, and shoulders to avoid any injuries.  
In order for the exercises to be effective on your body and mind, you  should do them regularly. Just like meditation, Qigong delivers the  best results when you establish a fixed routine in your daily life. 
To start with, you can train twice a week for 20 minutes each.  Depending on what purpose you want to use Qigong for, you can  form a routine from different exercises. The length of the pose and  the number of repetitions vary from exercise to exercise. 
Awakening the Qi 
Stand calmly and relaxed so that the toes point to each other. Keep  your knees slightly stretched. Let the whole body hang slightly and  stretch your hands vertically away from you. Start at the lower level  of your pelvis and pull your hands powerless upwards.  
At a certain height (about shoulder height), turn your palms away  from you and let them slide gently and slowly down to the pelvis.  Sometimes it also helps if you imagine that you have strings  attached to your fingers. 
MaBu (Horse Stand)  
Qigong without MaBu doesn’t work (video here). This pose is one of  the best for beginners because it trains both: mind and body.  
First, take a broad posture and lower your hips to the knee level.  Your back should remain straight. Make sure your ankles are at 90  degrees to your shin and your knees are at 90 degrees to your leg  and shin.  
Now turn your feet outwards, about 45 degrees. The hip remains  stretched out in a straight upward position. Ideally, “pull” your back  a little behind your shoulders. 
Point your head forward and stretch out your hands directly in front  of you. Bend your elbows behind your shoulder so that your hands  are at the height of your lower chest. The two index fingers (the 
Keep this position for about 10 to 30 seconds.  
MaBu is practiced regularly in Tai Chi and many other martial arts  (video here). 
Lifting the Sky 
   
 
Meditation is an integral part of Qigong. Qigong without meditation  is practically impossible. That is, among other things, why Qigong is  also called standing meditation. What is also possible, is a  meditation with a focus on Qigong (Chi meditation). 
If you are interested in such a special meditation, you can simply cut  out the movements and concentrate completely on the inner  purification of your emotions and thoughts as well as on your  breathing. 
Qigong meditation can be practiced standing, sitting or lying. 
As with all other types of meditation, the focus of Qigong  meditation is on calming the mind and perceiving the thoughts as 
FAQ 
In the last chapter of our guide, we have compiled and answered a  list of the most frequently asked questions and misunderstandings. 
What Is Silent Qigong? 
Silent Qigong is a certain style of Qigong that aims at internal  purification. This means that it focuses on the purification of  emotions and thoughts and is usually not very physical. This type is  very similar to meditation. 
Do I Need Qigong Clothes? 
No. Special clothing is not necessary. Just make sure you feel  comfortable during the training sessions.  
What Is a Qigong Stick? 
Qigong sticks are available in different designs and variations. It is  said that a Qigong stick activates energy, but the effect has not yet  been confirmed. There are different types of Qigong poses that you  can perform only with such a stick. However, let it be said that  these poses are not necessarily better than the ones without it.  They only have a different effect on your body. 
Qi Gong, Qigong or Chi Gong? 
Since Qigong is an art from ancient China, there are different  spellings and different transcriptions. The bottom line is that you  shouldn’t care if you write qi gong, Qigong or chi gong. It’s  important that you understand the meaning behind it and that you  can get the most out of it for yourself and your body. 
What Are the 5 Elements of Qigong? 
The 5 elements of Qigong are:  
Fire (Huo) 
Water (Shui) 
 
Each element stands in a metaphorical sense for a state of feeling.  Water stands for peace, wood for (inner) growth and earth for  adaptability. Since we at Mindmonia are rather critical when it  comes to spiritual topics that aren’t backed with scientific studies,  we won’t go into the connection between elements and emotions  here.   
Do I Need Qigong Balls? 
Qigong balls, like the Qigong stick, are a tool that you can but don’t  have to, use during your training. Qigong balls are designed to  make sounds when you work out with them. 
If Qigong balls help you relax through their sounds and vibrations in  the palms of your hands, use them. We at Mindmonia believe,  however, that beginners should practice without balls and sticks.  Otherwise, there is a danger that you won’t be able to practice  properly without them, because you won’t be able to relax. 
Conclusion 
Qigong is a mixture of meditation, breathing techniques, energy  healing, and physical movements. Qigong has always played a  major role in Chinese medicine and became increasingly popular  worldwide.  
Even without the spiritual aspects, Qigong, like meditation, has  many scientifically proven benefits to the body, such as reducing  blood pressure or stimulating the nerves. 
There are countless different styles, exercises, and poses, all of  which serve their individual purpose. Just try out which training  sessions are best for you and your body. 
As with so many things, Qigong works best when practiced  regularly. Try to start with simple poses to not lose your motivation  and don’t overdo it at the beginning to avoid hurting yourself. 
Ideally, you should integrate a couple of minutes of Qigong into your  daily routine twice, once in the morning and once in the evening. 
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