Qi Gong is the precursor to Tai Chi, Kung Fu, and other forms of martial arts. As a Mind / Body Fitness Technique it left me fired up and ready for more!
I'm indebted to Decatur Healing Arts for a warm and welcoming introduction to Qi Gong (or qigong, the “q” is pronounced with a “ch” sound) this evening, where my boyfriend and I attended a one-hour class.
He went in feeling sluggish and tired from workday and commute. I was curious and very nervous.
I have tried Tai Chi in the past, and I found the fluid standing motions to be daunting, especially in sequence. I know that I attach a bit too much to the outcome - concerned with being graceful, with moving in slow, soft lines. I also know that my inherent goofiness prevents me from this finesse.
Susan's Qi Gong class was taught in the lineage of Master Chen of the Wu Dang Monastery, and we practiced a series of movements called "Wu Dang Yang Shen Gong" in tonight's class. I was enchanted.
Much of the focus of attention was on the breath, which took my attention off of my oafish feet and hands and allowed me to simply follow the movements. We pushed and pulled the energy, and built a lot of heat in a powerful standing meditation pose that circulated energy and attention across horizontal and vertical planes.
By the end of the class, I had worked up a light sweat and felt far more graceful and relaxed than I'd started out. Brett felt a lot more alert and awake, and we were both hungry!
This is definitely a practice I'd love to explore. The movements were simple enough to learn, the real challenge was being aware of the breath while performing them - a true Mind-Body experience!
