Qigong (also spelled Ch’i Kung and pronounced chee-gong,) means “energy work.” It is both an art and science that uses breathing techniques, gentle, almost dance like movements, and meditation to clear, strengthen, and circulate the energy (Qi) in your body. It is a powerful system of healing developed in China that is finding its way into the U.S.. I know that many of you have heard about it and some of you have taken classes and workshops to learn the techniques.
Qigong focuses on repetitive movements and attention to breathing. This allows your mind to let go of intrusive thoughts and elicits the body’s relaxation response which includes a slower heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and drops in adrenaline and cortisol levels. Qigong practice can lead to better health and vitality and a more tranquil state of mind. In the past, qigong was also called nei gong (inner work) and dao yin (guiding energy).
Recently the Mayo clinic announced the results of two new studies which showed that this ancient practice can alleviate chronic pain.
From PRWEB
Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic have found that an ancient Chinese practice can help patients’ chronic pain, specifically Qigong.
two new research studies, one by researchers from the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic, have found that an ancient Chinese practice can help patients’ chronic pain. The practice is called Qigong. The specific style studied is Spring Forest Qigong.
“Subjects with chronic pain who received External Qigong experienced reduction in pain intensity following each Qigong treatment. This is especially impressive given the long duration of pain (>5 years), in the majority of subjects,” writes the study’s lead author, Ann Vincent, MD, MBBS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Seventy million Americans suffer with chronic pain everyday and as the doctors noted in their study, “Adequate clinical management of chronic pain is an on going challenge and a purely pharmaceutical approach has proven inadequate.”
Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that promises to affect the body’s subtle energy system. Qi (pronounced – chee) also called ‘chi’ means energy. Gong means work. There are two types of Qigong, internal or personal practice and external. In external Qigong a practitioner uses his/her ability and knowledge to improve the flow of Qi for the person seeking help.
All of the external Qigong treatments in the study were conducted at the Spring Forest Qigong Center in Eden Prairie, MN. The treatments were provided primarily by Chunyi Lin, who is the creator of Spring Forest Qigong. His associate, Jim Nance, provided the remaining external qigong treatments. Nance is Lin’s student and both men are certified qigong masters.
Lin teaches both internal and external Qigong techniques to his students and maintains that he can teach anyone to do what he does. “Each and every one of us is born with the gift of healing. We can help ourselves to heal and we can help others to heal,” says Lin. “We just need to be made aware of this wonderful gift and learn how to use it.”
Lin has made public a training video where he explains the introductory, external Qigong technique he teaches to all of his students. His basic external Qigong technique is called “Sword Fingers.” You can view a 60 second introductory version of the video or the 9 minute teaching version at SwordFingers.com.
Another independent research study has found that Internal Qigong, or personal practice of Spring Forest Qigong techniques, also relieves chronic pain. This study, by nursing school professor Dr. Jane Coleman, is to be published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing. Dr. Coleman teaches nursing through the Minnesota Intercollegiate Nursing Consortium.
Read the story ~ Mayo Study Finds External Qigong Relieves Chronic Pain
