What is qigong and how does it help promote mental health?

President of the All-Russian Federation of Qigong, Health Qigong, Daoyin and Taijiquan

Qigong is an ancient practice of health preservation, which was born in China about 5 thousand years ago. People practicing it live long and do not get sick. And it is not only about physical health, but also about mental health.

Chinese traditional medicine does not separate the “physics” and the psyche. They are interconnected. It is necessary to work with them comprehensively. This is the purpose of health-improving qigong. It is a universal type of practice, which is suitable for rehabilitation and prevention. It is about him we will talk.

What is qigong

What is the meaning of the concept of “qigong” itself? “Qi” is the Chinese name for the energy that surrounds us and circulates within our bodies. “Gong” is about working with that energy, controlling it. It’s about gymnastics, the purpose of which is to establish the circulation of qi. Why?

Chinese medicine states that blockage of qi is at the root of all disease. The cause of stagnation can be both physiological and psychological.

The result is always the same – the failure of certain organs. And since, according to the theory of Wu-Xing (“Five Elements”), everything in the body is interconnected, the system is completely broken down. That is why one of the important principles of qigong is the complex effect.

How the mechanism works

The foundation of qigong practice is understanding how energy moves in the human body. Here we touch on the topic of meridians – special channels through which it circulates.

It is also important to work with biologically active points. The impact on them can be physical – acupressure. There is also internal stimulation – through concentration of attention.

Technically, qigong is a set of exercises. The traditional ones – “Eight Cut Brocade”, “Games of the Five Beasts”, etc. – are arranged in such a way that they work on the points of the body. – are arranged in such a way that the whole system is worked through. There are also special ones – designed to solve specific health problems.

How it relates to the psyche

Qigong is often called gymnastics for body and soul. As I have already said, the reasons for stagnation of qi can be both physiological and psychological. One must be able to remove blocks on all levels. Also, when it is said that the body is a holistic system, it implies the relationship between the body and the psyche.

Psychosomatics is a very popular topic today. So, the Chinese noticed its principles a long time ago – thousands of years ago. According to the Wu-Xing theory, each organ has its own stop emotion – the one that puts it out of action.

The destructive links between emotions and organs:

• anger and irritability – the liver;
• lack or excess of joy, fright – the heart;
• excessive thoughtfulness, anxiety – the spleen;
• sadness and sorrow – lungs;
• fear – kidneys (genitourinary system).

Here it is important to understand – it is a system of mutual influence. Working with a particular organ, we influence a certain area of mental health. In the reverse sequence – by working through a negative emotion, we improve the organ.

And the main thing is that we should not forget about the idea of total interconnection. A favorable emotional background is a guarantee of physical health in general. That is why there is a meditative part in qigong. It helps to create the right mood. And this is not about mysticism and esotericism.

Meditation in qigong is the formation of the skill to enter the correct internal state, disconnecting from external influences. But at the same time we learn not to go into the astral, but always to remain ready to react adequately to what is happening. This is about the very state of “here and now”. There is a lot of talk about it today. In qigong we practice it.