Disclousure and cautions: This is not a replacement for seeking professional medical help or seeing your doctor. As an intergrative health practitioner, I advise you to see both western and eastern medical professionals. This is just an adjunct to your managment of signs and symptoms along with doctor’s orders and prescription. Caution: If at anytime you feel headache, dizziness, or discomfort, stop and go do something else.

Tips for successful practice: Choose one of six the methods below based on your current health condition. If you are not sure which one to try, I recommend Roborant Qigong method 1. Start small, maybe try 5 minutes and build up to 20 minutes. You’ll want to eventually get to twice a day for 20 minutes. Sit cross legged, spine straight, tongue on roof of mouth, hands on knees, look at body: head, neck, chest, abdomen, hips, arms and legs and relax them. Breath at lower dan tien just below the naval. Be natural, never force the breathing. Find a quiet place you will not be disturbed so you can be still, silent, and merge with the inner breath.

Internal Nourish Qigong

The internal nourish qigong method was developed in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It uses static postures with Du-na lower diapraghm ‘dan tien” breathing. It can help with the management of Chronic digestive and respiratory issues. The basic method is to Inhale- hold- and exhale. Holding is not a contest in length and volume, it should be relaxed and non-forced. You can use a word, phrase, affirmation, silent chant, or mantra in the holding method. For internal phrase we recommentd just saying “Relax, Let go”, or “Song” which means relax in Chinese. You can do Internal Nourish Qigong by sitting, standing, or lying down, but it is most important to sit still, silent, and relaxed. You will need to build up to doing 15 to 20 minutes twice a day. Beginners should do for 100 days. Breathing should always be natural, non-forced, and relaxed. Trying to force or make something happen goes against the principle.

3 main methods:

• Softly breathing to nourish the yin: this can help those with cirrhosis, constipation, hypertension. Inhale- hold- exhale.

• Hard breathing to nourish the yang: good for those with gastric ulcers, diarrhea. Inhale- hold- exhale, but use a harder type breathing method guttural in body and throat.

• Tonify yin and yang: This can help digestive and pulmonary issues. Inhale, Inhale again and hold, exhale.

Roborant qigong

This method has origins in Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. It nourishes the Kidney Qi which is the root in Chinese medicine. It uses sitting postures. You will do quiet sitting, build up to 20 minutes and do for 100 days, that is the prescription. If you do not do this there will be little positive effect. If you do not take the medication, you will not get better. Roborant qigong is the meditative medication in this instance. Remember, breathe but natural and non-forced. Many quality qigong and neigong teachers will say, “Slow and exact” or “softly and gently”.

Method 1 is for Beginners, elderly, and those with anemia and fatigue. Use quiet sitting, hands on Ren 6 qihai point in acupuncture.

Ren 6: Qi Hai (Sea of Qi)

Indications:Abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, Enuresis, Hernia, Spermatorrhea, impotence, Irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, Emaciation due to consumptive disease.

Functions: Strengthens Kidney Qi and Yang, regulates Qi, benefits Original Qi, treats prolapse.

Method 2 uses deep breathing and the chest cavity expansion and contraction of the ribcage. It is more for Neurasthenia, pain, difficult concentration, lower back pain, cardiac and pulmonary management. hands at Ren 17 on the sternum between the nipples.

Ren 17: Tanzhong (Chest Center)

Indications: Asthma, pain and oppression of the chest, Cardiac pain, palpitations, Insufficient lactation, hiccup, dysphagia

Functions: Opens the chest, tonifies and regulates Lung Qi, subdues rebellious Lung Qi, benefits the breasts.

Method 3: uses reverse breathing for assistance for the nervous system, vascualar diseases, and digestive issues. It uses the Ren 12 point between the belly button/naval and the lowest part of sternum.

Ren 12: Zhong Wan (Middle Cavity)

Indications:Epigastric pain, vomiting, hiccup, acid regurgitation, Abdominal distention, diarrhea, dyspepsia, Cough, copious phlegm, Jaundice, Insomnia.

Functions: Calms Mind (worry, Anxiety, pensiveness), Strengthens and harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach, resolves Dampness, relieves pain.

We hope you will find one of these methods helpful and run with it. Remember, this just serves as a form of guidance in which you will improve over time, but it requires great discipline and diligence however.