Hi friends.
As you may have noticed as of late, on several occasions I have alluded to the fact that I recently decided to explore the world of qi gong.
If you’re not familiar with qi gong, it “is an ancient Chinese mind-body practice that restores wellness, builds mental and emotional strength, reduces stress, and increases vitality. […] Sometimes called the grandmother of tai chi, is one of the four major branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Because Qigong incorporates a variety of gentle breathing methods, flowing movements, and mindfulness meditation, it can be practiced by absolutely anyone, regardless of their age, health, religion, or fitness level.”
That definition comes to us courtesy of The Flowing Zen academy–of which I am a paying student. If interested, you can check out their handy Qigong FAQ blog post for more of an inside scoop of the ‘gong.
While I could probably talk for hours on the Hows and Whys of my decision to invest time and energy into such an endeavor, I feel like it’s worthwhile to at least provide some context in that regard.
Much of it boils down to investing in my own well-being. I am on the edge of 40, and within the past year had a minor health scare that made me think much deeper about how I go about “building my tomorrows out of today.”1This is in reference to a fantastic song by The White Buffalo released only last month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-X5yhH51Bg.
Long story short, I don’t have any interest in spending the last decade or so of my life clinging on to the shitty hopes provided by a largely unnecessary pharmaceutical cocktail. Frankly, it breaks my heart to think of the several people close to my heart that have gone on before me in such a manner.
What I realized is that I am at a critical junction within my lifespan where I have some relative control over the arc my health takes from here on out. My lifestyle choices now–both large and small–will determine the quality of life I will be able to enjoy 20 years from now.
In other words, carpe diem.
You can think of practicing qi gong as part of a larger plan of preventative health care. I could live a more convenient Western lifestyle now and play out my life as an average American.
But come on, Be Real Talk here: look around and ask if that is something worth aspiring to at all?
Like I said earlier, I’ve seen how that played out for someone with essentially the same genes and UV ray exposure as me, and I have no desire to follow in their footsteps.
Well, at least you have some background info now, albeit somewhat half-assed.
A key plot point here is that I committed to the year-long Qigong 101 online class back in January. You know–when the new decade was full of nothing but hope and optimism.
Oh, and sorry to disappoint you, but the practice of qi gong does not entail a newfound ability of discerning the future. I was/am just as taken by surprise as everyone else by the real shit-show that 2020 is shaping up to be.
So, I didn’t originally go down this path with the immediate need of intense stress relief, etc.
But, just like everybody else, I am finding that it is helpful–no, imperative–to have extra tools to help me navigate this fucked-up epoch in which we find ourselves, in hopes of leaving some shred of my sanity intact.
What this might look like is surely different for everyone, but either way I hope that you have found something to moor yourself to through this storm.
To that end, I want to make sure that everyone knows about the invaluable gem the qigong is, in case maybe–just maybe–that is exactly the right thing for you in these weird times. In these ----- weird as shit times…
Sifu2”Teacher” in many Eastern traditions–if you chuckle at using this term than congratulations! You’re as big of an asshole as I am! Anthony–the heart and soul of Flowing Zen Academy–has graciously modified one of his paid online courses and turned it into a free qigong-based resource for anyone interested in exploring it and its many benefits. From what I understand, it covers quite a bit of ground, giving one a solid foundation for practicing and enjoying the benefits of qigong longer term.
Mind you, I am paying good money for much of this information, so I can attest that even though it is offered for free, it is actually pretty high in value.
Check out the course here.
Honestly, I did not plan on writing about qi gong when I sat down at the computer this morning.
But today being Thursday, around noon I received my weekly email from Sifu Anthony with the links to this weeks Qi Gong 101 videos and material.
Acknowledging the moment we find ourselves in, not only with COVID, but also with the long hard look in the mirror America finds itself currently staring down, he shared some words that I thought was worthy of passing on to any ears that might be listening:
I am inviting you to go deeper, to learn and to practice so that you become someone who has a great capacity for being solid, calm, and without fear, because our society needs people like you who have these qualities, and your children, our children, need people like you, in order to go on, in order to become solid, and calm, and without fear.
Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese monk and Zen Master
No matter how you get there, here’s hoping that you’re able to find your way to becoming solid, calm, and without fear.
People like you3This may, in fact, NOT describe you. Or at least not in this moment. Maybe it’s time to find out what you’re really made of, and I have faith in your ability to rise to the challenge. are needed now more than ever…
If interested in learning more about the incredible life of Thich Nhat Hanh, a good place to start is here.
Disclaimer: I am not compensated in any form by The Flowing Zen Qigong Academy. On the contrary, I compensate them for a worthwhile and quality-of-life-improving product.
Content created on: 4 /6 June 2020 (Thurs/Sat)
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