Qigong (Simplified: 气功; Traditional: 氣功; Hanyu Pinyin: qìgōng; Wade-Giles: ch'i4 kung1) is an increasingly popular aspect of Chinese medicine involving the coordination of different breathing patterns with various physical postures and motions of the body. Qigong is mostly taught for health maintenance purposes, but there are also some who teach it, especially in China, for therapeutic interventions. Various ...

Including:

• Qigong - History
• Qigong - Uses
• Qigong - Beliefs
• Qigong - Criticisms of qigong
• Qigong - Controversies within qigong

Read more here: » Qigong: Encyclopedia - Qigong

Qigong: Chinese breathing exercise while meditating.

(See also: Qigong, Magic, Shamanism, Paganism, Wicca)

Much of the criticism of qigong involves its method of operation. Both traditional Chinese and Western medicine practitioners have little argument with the notion that qigong can improve and in many cases maintain health by encouraging movement, increasing range of motion, relaxation, blood oxygen saturation and improving joint flexibility and resilience. However, the benefits of qigong become much more controversial when it is asserted that qigong derives its benefits from qi acting as an external non-physical force. Many biologists and physicists are skeptical of these claims and see no r ...

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Qigong, Qigong - History, Qigong - Uses, Qigong - Beliefs, Qigong - Criticisms of qigong, Qigong - Controversies within qigong

Read more here: » Qigong: Encyclopedia II - Qigong - Criticisms of qigong

Qigong and its intimate relation to the Chinese martial arts are often connected with spirituality. They have thereby been considered the province of religious practitioners in the popular imagination for many centuries. This link is much stronger than with other techniques in traditional Chinese medicine. Qigong was historically practiced extensively in Taoist and Buddhist monasteries as an adjunct of martial arts training, and the claimed benefits of martial qigong practice are widely known in East Asian martial traditions and popular cult ...

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Qigong, Qigong - History, Qigong - Uses, Qigong - Beliefs, Qigong - Criticisms of qigong, Qigong - Controversies within qigong

Read more here: » Qigong: Encyclopedia II - Qigong - Beliefs

Qigong (also spelled chi gong, and chi gung; originally called daoyin):

1. (Chi Kung, Chinese Energetic healing, Chinese Qigong therapy, Chinese yoga, internal Qigong, Kiko, Qi Gong, Qigong healing) Chinese form of self-healing whose aim is to stimulate and balance the flow of qi (chi, vital energy) through meridians (energy pathways).

It involves contemplation, visualization (imagery), assumption of postures, and stylized breathing and body movements. Gong (or kung, as in kung fu) is a Chinese word that pertains to skill.

The word qigong literally means breathing exercise, to work the vital force, practicing with the breath, or working with the energy of life. Interpretations of the word include energy skill and energy mastering exercise.

2. A vast group of systems and methods of ancient Chinese and twentieth-century origin that encompasses Qigong therapy.

(See also: Qigong, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Zhan zhuang or "standing like a post" is a method of training in many Chinese martial arts in which static postures are used to develop patience, leg strength and stamina. Perhaps the most well-known variety of zhan zhuang training is the "horse stance" or ma bu 馬步. Many styles, especially the internal styles, combine post standing with breathing training to develop coordination for martial and health purposes. Yiquan is known for having discarded most other styles of training found in its parent art, Xingyiquan, in favour of zhan ...

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• Zhan zhuang - Books

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Kirlian photography refers to a form of contact print photography, theoretically associated with high-voltage. It is named after Semyon Kirlian, who in 1939 accidentally discovered that if an object on a photographic plate is subjected to a strong electric field, an image is created on the plate. In controversial metaphysical contexts, Kirlian photography, Kirlian energy, and so on, are sometimes referred to as just 'Kirlian'. Kirlian made controversial claims that his method showed proof of supernatural auras, said to resemble ...

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• Kirlian photography - Explanations
• Kirlian photography - Notables

Read more here: » Kirlian photography: Encyclopedia - Kirlian photography

Manipulative therapy involves use of body work or massage therapy and other physical manipulation of the body for healing, such as osteopathy, and chiropractic. A survey released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine focused on who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), what was used, and why it was used in the United States by adults age 18 years and over during 2002. According to this recent survey, manipulative therapy was the 3rd most commonly used NCCAM classification of ...

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• Manipulative therapy - Further reading

Read more here: » Manipulative therapy: Encyclopedia - Manipulative therapy

The Wudang Mountains (Simplified: 武当山; Traditional: 武當山; Hanyu Pinyin: Wǔdāng Shān), also known as Wu Tang Shan or simply Wudang, are a small mountain range in the Hubei province of China, just to the south of the manufacturing city of Shiyan. In years past, the mountains of Wudang were known for the many Taoist monasteries to be found there, monasteries which became known as an academic centre for the research, teaching and practise of meditation, Chinese martial arts, ...

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• Wudang Mountains - External link

Read more here: » Wudang Mountains: Encyclopedia - Wudang Mountains

Chinese philosophy has a history of several thousand years. Its origins are often traced back to the Yi Jing (the Book of Changes), an ancient compendium of divination, which introduced some of the most fundamental terms of Chinese philosophy. Its age can only be estimated, but it certainly draws from an oracular tradition that goes back to neolithic times. Chinese philosophy - Brief history. Early Shang thought was based upon a cyclic notion of time, corresponding to the seasons. This notion, which ...

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• Chinese philosophy - Brief history
• Chinese philosophy - Great philosophical figures
• Chinese philosophy - Concepts within Chinese philosophy

Read more here: » Chinese philosophy: Encyclopedia - Chinese philosophy

Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine bodywork technique based on the same ideas as acupuncture. It involves placing physical pressure, by hand, elbow, or with the aid of various devices, on different pressure points on the surface of the body (which may be far distant from the symptom, related by what is called the meridian system) to bring about relief through greater balance and circulation of fluids (blood, lymph) and metabolic energies in the body (heat, qi). It is intended to help balance the systems of the body in ord ...

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According to New Age beliefs, an aura is a set of cascading colored outlines emanating from the surface of a person or object. It is a result of the emergence of chakra and it mirrors the supernatural energy field that surrounds and penetrates everything. In addition, an aura can be viewed by the naked eye. Training can improve one's ability to see auras. Many psychics, as children, such as Edgar Cayce assumed that everyone could see auras until they became older. Each layer of aura is separate and distinct yet connected to all the re ...

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• Aura paranormal - Science and Auras
• Aura paranormal - The meanings of the Aura

Read more here: » Aura paranormal: Encyclopedia - Aura paranormal

Mandala (Sanskrit maṇḍala "circle") is of Hindu origin, but is also used in Buddhist context, to refer to various tangible objects. In practice, mandala has become a generic term for any plan, chart, or geometric pattern which represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the universe from the human perspective. A mandala, especially its center, can be used ...

Including:

• Mandala - Mandala in Hinduism
• Mandala - Mandala in Buddhism
• Mandala - Mandala in Vajrayana
• Mandala - Mandala in Nichiren Buddhism
• Mandala - Downloading the Gohonzon from GohonzonInfo Group
• Mandala - Other meanings of mandala
• Mandala - Mandala in Discordianism
• Mandala - Mandala Software

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In Hinduism and its spiritual systems of yoga and in some related eastern cultures, as well as in some segments of the New Age movement -- and to some degree the distinctly different New Thought movement -- a chakra is thought to be an energy node in the human body. The word comes from the Sanskrit cakra चक्र meaning "wheel, circle", and sometimes also referring to the "wheel of life". The pronunciation of this word can be approximated ...

Including:

• Chakra - Introduction
• Chakra - The Seven Basic Chakras
• Chakra - Origins and Development
• Chakra - Chakras and the endocrine system
• Chakra - Various models
• Chakra - The Tantric Chakras
• Chakra - Hesychastic centres of prayer
• Chakra - Scientific basis
• Chakra - References in Fiction
• Chakra - Reference Material and Books

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** minor symbol numbers The concept of yin and yang (Traditional: 陰陽; Simplified: 阴阳; Hanyu Pinyin: yīnyáng; Korean hangul: 음양; hanja: 陰陽; revised: eumyang; McCune-Reischauer: ŭmyang; Vietnamese: Âm-Dương) originates in ancient Chinese philosophy and metaphysics, which describes two primal opposing but complementary forces found in all things in the universe. Yin, the darker element, is ...

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• Yin and yang - Meaning of terms
• Yin and yang - Principles

Read more here: » Yin and yang: Encyclopedia - Yin and yang

Kundalini is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning either "coiled up" or "coiling like a snake". There are a number of other translations of the term usually emphasizing a more serpent nature to the word— e.g. 'serpent power'. The caduceus symbol of coiling snakes is thought to be an ancient symbolic representation of Kundalini physiology. The concept of Kundalini comes from Yogic philosophy of ancient India and refers to the mothering intelligence behind yogic awakening and spiritual maturation (Sovatsky, 1998). It mig ...

Including:

• Kundalini - Historical source text
• Kundalini - The interpretation of Kundalini
• Kundalini - Kundalini Yoga
• Kundalini - Kundalini in the world's religions
• Kundalini - Kundalini rising
• Kundalini - The Kundalini Syndrome
• Kundalini - Kundalini and development
• Kundalini - Kundalini and physiology
• Kundalini - Pathological Kundalini

Read more here: » Kundalini: Encyclopedia - Kundalini

QIGONG: Qigong (also referred to as chi-kung) is an ancient Chinese exercise that stimulates and balances the flow of qi, or vital life energy, along the acupuncture meridians (energy pathways). Like acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, the qigong tradition emphasizes the importance of teaching the patient how to remain well.

In China, the various methods of qigong form the nucleus of a national self-care system of health care maintenance and personal development. Qigong cultivates inner strength, calms the mind, and restores the body to its natural state of health by maintaining the optimum functioning of the body's self-regulating systems.

(See also: Qigong, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Qigong: (also spelled "chi gong," and "chi gung")

1. (Chi Kung, Chinese Energetic healing, Chinese Qigong therapy, Chinese yoga, internal Qigong, Kiko, Qi Gong, Qigong healing) Chinese form of self-healing whose aim is to stimulate and balance the flow of qi (chi, vital energy) through meridians (energy pathways). It involves contemplation, visualization (imagery), assumption of postures, and stylized breathing and body movements. "Gong" (or "kung," as in "kung fu") is a Chinese word that pertains to skill. The word "qigong" literally means "breathing exercise," "to work the vital force," "practicing with the breath," or "working with the energy of life." Interpretations of the word include energy skill and "energy mastering exercise.
2. A vast group of systems and methods of ancient Chinese and twentieth-century origin that encompasses Qigong therapy.

(See also: Qigong, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Qigong: Practiced by nearly 200 million people every day, Qigong (also known as Chi-Kung) combines movement, meditation and breathwork to increase the flow of vital "qi" energy in the body, improve blood circulation and strengthen the immune system.

(See also: Qigong, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

QIGONG

This traditional Chinese treatment combines hands-on and hands-off techniques that balance the flow of qi (energy) through the body, move and relieve qi blockages, and improve circulation.

Qigong is also a combination of timed breathing and gentle flowing movement, meditation, visualization, and conscious intent all working together to achieve an integrated adjustment of mind and body in order to better cultivate, circulate, and balance qi, or life force.

Qigong theory is the basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine and is used to treat many serious illnesses, as well as for relaxation. See Qigong Meridian Therapy.

(See also: QIGONG, Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)