Qigong

I started my clinical qigong training back in the summer of 2020 during lockdown With Sifu Anita Mason, at the UK College of Qigong. As an acupuncturist I was familiar with qigong and tai chi but had never had any specific training. I was drawn to this practice because clinical qigong is used to support those with chronic conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, Multiple sclerosis, Stress, Infertility and Chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as general health and wellbeing.  The beauty of this technique is that once you have grasped the movements, breath and visualisation it is something you can do everyday, at home or outside in nature. It has certainly enhanced my life in many ways and I hope it will do the same for others.

How Qigong Helped Me

When I first started practicing Qigong I mainly focused on the footwork, breath and rhythm. I had 80 hours to complete before gaining my certificate so I gradually built up from 10 minutes every morning to 20 minutes a day and it very quickly became second nature. I can't make any claims about this practice but I have certainly experienced many benefits and below I discuss my personal experience and what I feel I have gained from practicing Qigong on a regular basis.

Lung Capacity: As a natural healthcare practitioner I have done a lot of breath work over the years, not only for my practice but also for myself. I have always sporadically suffered with shortness of breath as far back as childhood. I am a strong swimmer but my breath has always let me down, I am also one of those people you are best to avoid at a kids party if you need help blowing up balloons as I won't be much help! My breathing has improved dramatically with qigong. I have been able to expand my chest and breathe much deeper on inhalation and swimming has felt much easier. I have also noticed a difference with exercise, as my stamina and strength have increased, this means I can exercise more efficiently. It is wonderful to know that such a simple practice is supporting my lung health.

Circulation: I know I am not alone when I say I suffer with cold hands and feet. Every year when autumn turns to winter my hands turn to blocks of ice. Since practising Qigong I have not had this problem. I started practice during the summer of 2020 and the last 2 winters I have not suffered with cold hands. I may wake up in the mornings and feel a little sluggish but after qigong it feels like the blood is circulating nicely around my entire body. During practice I start to feel a nice warmth and it remains throughout the day. This may be because it helps release tension from the neck and shoulders, or because of the gentle stretches into the arms and rib cage that increase blood flow to the extremities, for what ever reason I am happy with the results. It is nice to start the day with a warm glow.

Focus: Being a busy mum of 2 my mornings involve me organising two vibrant children for school, this can often be chaotic, noisy and sometimes manic! I have always found it important to prepare for clinic because moving from a loud busy environment to a focused calm state can be challenging when you need to do it quickly! I have many tools I use to help set me up for the day and Qigong is now one of them. I feel it helps reset my mind and body, it takes a couple of minutes but literally seems to gather my thoughts, and set my focus for the day. Because of this the whole day seems to flow better, and I start with a focused mind, calm heart and settled breath.

Anxiety: Its normal to feel worry or anxiety from time to time. Although over the last few years many of my friends and family have experienced heightened anxiety, and myself included. This may be due to Covid and all the loss, stress, and change that has come with it. I have observed that the two times of day where anxiety can be at its worse are first thing in the morning and last thing at night. This is usually because we are without  distraction and consequently have more time to think and ponder. I have always found acupuncture and meditation wonderful for managing anxiety and now I can offer patients the chance to learn a home practice that they can do everyday alongside their treatments. For me it has helped to settle feelings of agitation, worry and my over active mind.

More Energy: My energy levels became more stable and consistent with regular Qigong practice. Though I would like to point out this took more than one morning session to achieve, I noticed it after regular practice. For me this is so important because the more energy I have the more productive I am. If you have ever suffered with fatigue you will know it makes everyday feel hard, and I know this feeling well as I have struggled from time to time with anaemia. Although my energy has been in a good place for some time now qigong has added another layer to it, like giving me an extra battery for the day. I notice I can do more, and it just feels easier.

There are many aspects that can impact energy levels such as health conditions, poor diet, disrupted sleep, shift work and high stress levels, therefore an integrated approach is best when addressing this type of problem. In my opinion Qigong has a lot to offer when working to improve energy and vitality and it is something that I highly recommend.

Where To Go From Here

If you are looking for ways to manage stress, support a chronic condition or your general wellbeing then please check out the information on my site regarding clinical Qigong. It requires 4 sessions that cover the physical, breath and visualisation as well as feedback and practice. This is something that can be used as an adjunct to your acupuncture sessions or separately. This course is not advised whilst pregnant or if suffering some types of mental health conditions. For more information don't hesitate to contact me.

End Note: This post is purely based on my personal experience with Qigong, no health claims are being made. Qigong is simply a natural way to support health and wellbeing.