PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALING WITH MEDITATION AND EXERCISES

Qigong meditation is an ancient Chinese healing practice that combines controlled breathing, gentle movement, and meditation to promote good mental, physical, and spiritual health. Similar to tai chi, qigong meditation is believed to treat a variety of health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue, insomnia, and leg and back pain, among others. Yet, research backing these claims is limited. With qigong meditation growing in popularity, you may wonder whether it's something you should try. This practice is meant to cultivate the energy and strength of nature into one's body to promote better mental, physical, and spiritual health.

Qigong is popular in China for exercise, recreation, relaxation, preventative medicine, and physical and mental healing. Plus, it's even employed in martial arts training. Despite its widespread use, research to support the theory of qi energy is lacking. While there are many ways to practice qigong, there are two main categories: active (dynamic) qigong and passive qigong. Active qigong uses controlled, slow movements, while passive qigong involves stillness and calm breathing. Regardless of the form of qigong, the goal is to allow energy to freely move throughout the body and reconnect with the earth for healing.

Active qigong also known as dong gong involves intentional, active movement and breathwork that enhances yang energy. In TCM, yang represents active energy, strength, and vibrancy, while yin depicts passive energy, calmness, and gentleness. It includes repeating gentle, coordinated movements to promote blood and lymphatic drainage, balance, muscle strength and flexibility, and a greater awareness of one's body in space (known as proprioception). This type of qigong is considered exercise but shares mutual characteristics with passive qigong, such as good posture, controlled breathing, focus on relaxation, and visualization.

Qigong offers many benefits. Some of them are backed by research, including improved balance and gait, as well as reduced stress levels. Other purported benefits include a lower risk of chronic disease and improved focus. Qigong focuses on controlled, slow movements of the body to improve your proprioception, or awareness of your body in space, which helps increase balance, muscular strength, and flexibility. Qigong involves meditation, controlled breathing, and gentle movements, all of which have all been shown to help lower stress and symptoms of anxiety.

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