Qigong? Chi Kung? Cheese Gong

"Healing is a simple process from a qigong perspective."

According to Master Chunyi Lin, creator of Spring Forest Qigong, states of dis-ease occur when the qi, or life energy, in our body channels becomes blocked and stagnant. Thus, qigong, literally "energy work" involves moving the energy and making it free again. Like a lifestream, it courses through the body via meridians and channels, and also permeates freely. Our health is dependent on our ability to keep this lifestream pure and unhindered.

"Where awareness goes, energy flows."

I know the usual saying is "where attention goes..." but I believe awareness is a better description. When we allow our awareness to move in certain ways, it affects the streams of qi coursing through the body. This is, in essence, the point of qigong.

Most practitioners are also familiar with the active aspect of qigong, which involves certain movements. The physical movement moves the ethereal channels of qi, thus creating an extra mode of influence. Most schools will have an active and passive component to their practice.

"Which qigong?"

There are quite a few different schools of qigong, each boasting its own successes. It is perhaps more useful to regard their applications first. There is martial qigong, which is all about making the body strong and the martial applications of qi. There is medical qigong, which focusses on health. Spiritual qigong pursues the more ethereal goal of enlightenment and refinement.

Within each category, there are many different branches, and it is not unusual for a qigong system to span more than one. While it is certainly possible to be a qigong junkie, it is not advisable, as each regulates the body energy system in different ways. It's okay to shop around, but find one that is suitable and stick with it.

"Baloney!"

Maybe. Maybe not. If it's scientific studies you want, I refer you to the Learning Strategies website (http://www.learningstrategies.com/Qigong/Study1.asp) as a start-off point. I'll grant it's a commercial website, but it's a useful resource to begin Googling with regardless. Personally, I'm inclined to say try it yourself and be the judge of that.

"You're trying to sell product!"

Nope. I don't get a cut from anyone from printing this. It's just an introductory piece on qigong. This post is not meant to sell you anything and I am not a representative of any party. However, I do think this resource is underused and it would be nice to see more people benefit from it. More technical posts to come!

Rising Fuel Prices...Bravo?

Well, I'm back in Malaysia for a stint, and beginning to realise that the rising fuel prices aren't all a bad thing. Keep in mind that Malaysians have enjoyed heavily subsidised fuel for donks (all my life). I suppose it is hardly surprising that the economy change hit them. Whilst in the little town of Penang (that's the blip of an island that looks like a turtle to the northwest of Malaysia), I noticed a distinct shift in drivers' mentalities.

Keep in mind that here, every car owner believes he has supreme ownership of the road and is not afraid to show it. You may not pass your driving test until you can obstruct at least two lanes at once, and woe betide if you don't speed up before the light turns red, because the car behind you certainly will!

Well, the fuel prices seem to have done wonders. Now, in the spirit of saving fuel, cars no longer accelerate to unbelievable speeds on small country roads. In an attempt to save on acceleration and deceleration, Penang drivers are now actually driving under the speed limit. It's unbelievable. It seems that the economists were right this one time. Hitting the purse was the way to go in reforming the culture of faster-than-thou. Who knows, maybe next we'll actually see the recycling campaign take off!