Chi Kung exercises for anxiety and serenity

They say that the inhabitants of ancient China, observing the sky, noticed the rhythms with which the light slipped from noon to afternoon, from afternoon to sunset and twilight. To then slowly but surely enter the deep and starry night, and begin the path back to day.

The harmony, regularity, precision and the way in which this movement was produced inspired his idea of the energy that moves the entire Universe and they called it “chi”.

In addition, they discovered that the celestial movement was reproduced in five great seasonal cycles, which, in their evolution, constituted a spiral that influenced the phenomena of nature. And that these, in turn, presented structures in the form of circles, ellipses and spirals, such as shells, the rings produced by the trunks of trees as they grow, the orbits of the planets or the waves that originate when a stone is thrown. in a pond.

Finally, they observed that this energy and its forms were also noticed in the human being. The chi, they concluded, is the energy that coordinates the elements of our organism and keeps it at a constant temperature, making it easier for your systems to work optimally. It can also be understood as the information that each cell of the individual transports and transmits to fulfill a function.

the benefits of chi kung

The purpose of chi kung is to restore harmony at any time, not only to heal but to prevent any bodily disease, to balance energy so that it flows freely, to store, increase, compensate and refine energy; acting on a physical, psychic and mental level.

His ultimate goal is to transcend body and mind, and refine the energy in such a way that it leads the individual to an experience of a spiritual type.

The benefits to be gained from regular and periodic practice (very important point!) of Chi Kung depend on its characteristics.

The slowness allows the internal movements of the body to be followed. For example, the moistening of the eye, the skin, the movements of the digestive system, the kidneys, the lymphatic system, etc. This is how it develops and facilitates the functioning of physiological organs and systems, avoiding illnesses and illnesses.

Circular and spiral movements follow the structures of bones and muscles; toning, invigorating and consolidating them. By positioning the coccyx naturally, the lumbar vertebrae are opened and the spine is protected; back pain is avoided and body position and alignment is improved.

Chi Kung is an ideal exercise for before or after any continued physical exertion, such as a tennis match, an aerobics class, a long trip by car or plane, etc. The concentration and unity of body and mind that derives from it reduces stress, arouses attention without stress, increases defenses, improves balance and helps prepare activities that require energetic concentration. It is important to remember that the practice of chi kung is pleasant and that it puts us in contact with the body and, through it, with the millions of materials that it produces, and the cells that continually manufacture them. It is a lesson in affirmation and optimism that we experience and connects us with the miracle of changes: through body movement we relate to the planet that moves within the galaxy. And through breathing and air we approach the eternal energy, silent, invisible and without limits that gives us existence, allows movement to be born and feeds the universe: spiritual energy.

Differences between tai chi and chi kung

both one and the other they reduce stress, activate energy, increase the ability to relax and concentrate, improve stability and orientation, and balance emotions and the relationship with the environment. The objectives of both techniques are the same because tai chi is part of chi kung. Tai chi can be described as chi kung with displacements. If you want to practice at home, it is easier to do chi kung, because it requires only a space of one square meter. On the other hand, tai chi requires a room with ten steps free of furniture. Chi kung exercises can be easily followed. They work the breath and the effects are noticeable immediately. Instead, with tai chi, you must first learn the figures of the sequence and internalize them to obtain results, which takes a minimum time of three to six months. The wait is worth it. On the one hand, the virtue of patience is exercised. On the other hand, the movements typical of taichi allow you to work on your physical, mental and spiritual balance. And every kind of tai chi begins or ends with some form of chi kung.

Types of chi kung exercises

In China, some three hundred kinds of chi kung exercises. Among them can be highlighted:

those who imitate animals: the tiger, the bear, the crane, the deer or the monkey. Those inspired by some natural element: the tree, the silk, the sky or the earth. Those that are based on the functioning of the human body, called “long life”, which allow prevent disease and consist of 36 exercises divided into 6 groups. The first three work the neck, shoulders, waist, and legs. The following alleviate disorders of the internal organs. Those that are carried out with displacement. In ancient times they must have started as dances of gratitude or to dispel negative mental states, later they evolved and they became tai chi or taichichuan. This, therefore, is a form of Chi Kung. Martial Arts They come from the Shaolin monasteries. The circus shows that we know in the West are put on with them. Those that, in Maoist China, became part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and that are applied in hospitals to cure specific diseases. Those linked to the three worldviews of China: Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. In recent times there have appeared exercises linked to religious sects such as Falung Gong.

At body techniques that act on the vital energy of the person’s personal and put it in contact with the environment were called chikung or qi-gong (in both ways it is Latinized). It means to exercise or cultivate the chi or vital energy.

chi characteristics

To apply chi kung techniques it is convenient to know the characteristics of chi. They are the following:

Its shape is changeable. We observe it in the hair, nails, bones, muscles, cells and any part of the body. The chi takes different forms for each part, it is the engine that makes them progress and provides them with vitality.Its movement is continuous and cyclical. Digestion, respiration or the circulatory system do not stop for a moment. They repeat the evolutionary cycle of absorption, transformation and expulsion from the body, matching the rhythm of the Earth around itself and the sun.Balance the body. Chi tends to seek its balance as it circulates through the body, but it can become blocked. If the chi is not circulating in the back, we have an imbalance that, if not corrected, will begin to bother us and end in back pain. Listening to the body when the blockade begins allows us to recover harmony. The pains that disappear when we rest or sleep are good proof of this.

Features of the ckikung

It adapts to the needs of each person, to your situation, to the moment you are living: times of the year and part of the day. There are exercises for all ages. It has two main aspects: one, interior, sweet, soft, meditative and slow movements; and the other external, dynamic, martial and with fast and syncopated movements. Not only parts of the body are worked on, but the organism and the individual as a whole.Acts from within the human being through the organs, breathing and thought.It also intervenes from the outside through food, baths, diets, sexual techniques and exercises themselves.

meditative chi kung

Below we explain the characteristics of the meditative chi kung. Its fundamental bases are position, movement and meditation.

An adequate body position is the basis for a good disposition and to improve the attitude. is the one align the center of the head with the ears, shoulders, hip joint, and the center of the heels on the feet.This alignment is not a stationary bar but rather must be flexible and adapt to circumstances, must have mobility as a prerequisite and be able to recover the aligned form from any position. For example, the legs should not be fixed like two sticks, but loosened by the knees, which gives them more firmness. The back and trunk follow the line that anatomically belongs to them, they should rest on the pelvis and the feet in one line . In any movement that we make, such as climbing stairs, the most appropriate thing is to bring the tailbone and with it the entire abdomen slightly towards the thighs. Finally, the arms rest at the sides of the body and the head is aligned with the shoulders, free and ready to start any movement. The feeling that accompanies this position is that of rooted lightness. And it is the moment in which the energy circulates throughout the body and feeds the spirit.

bodily exercises

There are exercises that are performed without visible movements. One of them is simply to stay upright.

One of the most classic is done while standing, with legs shoulder-width apart, knees bent, arms spiraled forward and at chest level, palms facing out and thumbs down.

We hold the position for three minutes and observe. First, the feet and the weight distribution, to continue with the legs and hips, which should feel free, like a bowl hanging from the sky.

We continue upwards through the trunk, the spine, the organs, the arms and the head towards the sky. from position we continue with the thought the breath (without forcing it) and the flow of thoughts itself.

This exercise also can be done lying on your back with your legs bent and the soles of your feet on the floor or sitting on a cushion or chair.

You can add the micromovement of the arms and hands pushing both out and then giving in. Energy changes will be activated, we will feel the heat we produce and its movement in the body.

A feeling of calm vigor will begin to envelop us, it will restore us to calmness and calm and we will feel how the thoughts are quiet.

This stillness is not a lethargy, it is a plenitude in which the forces of the body find their way and do not faint or vanish pushed by speed and restlessness. It is time to move on to the third phase of chi kung.

Meditation deals with conducting the most important movement: breathing, which allows us to be present and being with the present, feeds us and gives life. Chi Kung teaches to observe the changes that occur in the breath, which reflect our evolution and the relationship with…