Creating a Qigong Practice
I am often asked, in classes or demonstrations of Qigong, for advice on creating a personal Qigong practice. All these wonderful modalities that I use for healing can only help you if you actually use them! So I offer these ideas to get you started in creating a Qigong practice for yourself.1. Start simple.
I know that after a Qigong class, you can be psyched to get started and incorporate Qigong into your life. I also know that you can start "big" and determine to practice for a full hour a day. Then when you find yourself busy and skip a practice, it can be difficult to get back into it. So instead -- commit to 10-20 minutes. My feeling is that as you do this daily practice, you will start to see the benefits, and that will keep you at it.2. Make a commitment.
Give yourself a chance to anchor this practice into your life -- You may start by agreeing with yourself to practice 4 times a week. You might want to create a chart to keep track of your practices, at least at the beginning.3. Design your practice.
A Qigong class usually lasts an hour or more. And often in a class we do a great variety of Qigong movements, followed by a meditation. If you are going to do just 10-20 minutes of Qigong, you must design your practice. I suggest you start by loosening up, and lead yourself through a relaxation. Choose the movements you like. You can choose to meditate before the active movements or after. 4. Vary your practice.
You don't have to do the exact same practice every day. That can get stale, and you want to remain mindful during your practice to get the most out of it. You may choose a routine and stick with it for a couple of weeks, then try something different. Of course, haphazardly changing exercises every day is probably not the best -- Chinese philosophy teaches about balance and harmony. Find the balance that works for you.5. Evaluate and correct.
Chinese philosophy has taught me that everything changes, and that we need flow and flexibility in our lives. So check in with yourself regularly to see how you feel about your practice. As you take more Qigong classes, you will have a greater variety of exercises to choose from. And you will get tuned in to your particular needs. Energy healing arts teach you to pay attention to subtle changes. For me, this is a great part of the benefit of these arts, and can help you to prevent serious problems by making you alert to ways you may be out of balance before something gets serious. I encourage you to create your own Qigong practice.
Facilitating healing and wellness in central N.J.
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