Blog
On Demand Training is here
It’s been over 5 years since we first ventured into the world of pre-recorded online training using the Udemy platform and having reached over 3000 students in 107 countries we are very aware of the power of this format. Although the Udemy platform has opened our work out to a larger audience than we could…
Qì Fields Part 3 – for personal practice
What you want you get! This was an oft repeated phrase from one of my teachers, but it really should come with a warning: Be careful what you wish for… Building on the ideas presented in part 1 and part 2 of this blog series; the idea of qi needing direction in order for it…
Qì Fields (part 2) – Qi, Space and Information
Following on from the ideas presented in Qì Field (part 1), the second factor that has helped me to come to terms with the idea of the qì Field in practical and accessible ways is the model of: Qì, Space and Information The model of Qì, Space and Information is not always well received, so…
Qi Fields (part 1)
You know that thing when stuff just gets a bit too woo woo? Well that’s how I felt about the idea of qi fields for a long time… Before I go any further, I should say that the Qi Field is a central tenet of Zhineng Qigong. Although the concept undoubtedly exists within other practices,…
Wuji and Learning
Have you ever experienced something that exposes a profound level of understanding with a mind-blowing level of simplicity? Sometimes this can happen when someone inadvertently gives you the missing piece of a puzzle, but on other occasions it is a beautifully distilled insight that is shared, the kind of insight that hides its depth within…
Mirjam Buck on working with young Children using Zhineng Qigong
Mirjam is qigong teacher based in Düsseldorf, Germany. Her work with young children has gained international interest and her perspectives on qigong are insightful and refreshing.
Kobl’s Experiential Learning Cycle in Qigong
Introduction The American psychologist, David Kolb is renowned in educational circles for his Learning Style Inventory which helps us to understand an individual’s learning process. The model is broadly based on the interaction of four key aspects of learning, namely: Concrete Experiences Reflective Observation Abstract Conceptualisation Active Experimentation While we are all likely to engage…
Posture
Our posture is so much more than the mechanics of how we sit or stand; our posture is the way in which we present ourselves to the world, the way in which we fit into our environment and the way in which we can either enhance or inhibit the flow of energy in the body. …
Detachment
Having recently returned from retreat, I find myself reflecting on the nature of detachment. I guess the burning question in my mind is: At what point does an individual’s ability to stay centred and calm tip over into self indulgence and, ultimately, a detached state? As with so many things, there seems to be a…
Marilia Blackburn on Classical Chinese Medicine and Zhineng Qigong
Marilia Blackburn is a graduate of the Qigong Academy’s teacher training programme and a highly experienced acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese Medicine (amongst other things). In this conversation we speak about the differences between Traditional and Classical Chinese Medicine and how these work alongside Zhineng Qigong.
Beautiful Traps – being good at qigong
There are many beautiful traps in the realms of qigong. There are many a cul-de-sac to get stuck in, and many a place to fool yourself that you’ve mastered the practice. In fact, you could argue that there are so many places to get stuck that it’s futile to try and avoid these traps and…
Karen Denise Welch on Spiritual Bypassing
Karen Denise Welch is a graduate of the Qigong Academy’s teacher training programme and a deeply experienced practitioner and trainer. In this conversation we speak about the way in which we can avoid one of the beautiful traps of qigong.
A mantra of laziness? Thoughts on wú wéi (无为)
There are some things that are better learned through application and experience than through discussion and research. To me, wú wéi is one of those things. Often translated as non-action, the concept feels somewhat at odds with the busy modern society that we inhabit. In many ways it is the antithesis of modern day life,…
How Long Should I Practise For?
It’s the perennial question: How long should I practise for? The answer will vary from one qigong teacher to the next and from one student to the next, but here are three simple ideas that can help you to decide what works best for you. Time Dedicated to Practice A number of years ago, I…
The problem with books and online training is…
I’m quite often asked about what books I would recommend about qigong and more often than not, my answer is none of them. Why read a book when you can practise? Why spend time absorbing what someone else is droning on about when you could get off your arse and gain first hand experience? Come…
Levels of Qigong Practice
A while ago I was attending a workshop run by one of my Chinese teachers, who asked: On a scale of 1 to 10, what is your level of qigong? I remember thinking; I guess I’m around a 7, but then he went on to say: …considering level 6 is enlightenment Needless to say, my…
The 8 Phrases (八句口诀 or bā jù kǒu jué)
Chinese poetry is not something I am particularly conversant with, but at the core of Zhineng Qigong is a poem known as the 8 Phrases and it has fascinated me for years. As with all great poetry, the 8 Phrases continues to unfold and provide greater levels of insight the more you work with it,…
Nature as last resort, an interview with Dr Pang Ming
Created in conjunction with the Zhineng Qigong Student’s Hub. In this interview with Dr Pang Ming titled Nature as last resort Qigong and its use to combat fatal illnesses, Dr Pang Ming discusses Zhineng Qigong, the Hua’Xia Zhineng Qigong Center and his work on healing people with a variety of illnesses. He mentions key practices…
Enjoying Practice
If you spend your time feeling comfortable both in body and mind, what do you learn? If you are in huge physical or mental discomfort, what do you learn? In both cases the answer is probably nothing. When we are in a completely comfortable state, we have a tendency to reinforce our existing paradigm, when…
How to get started with Qigong…
Ignoring the elephant in the room that is pre-recorded courses, books and other types of learning that lack the ability for the teacher to interact with the learners (we’ll cover this one in a future post)… The best advice that I can give is to ignore the warnings and grandiose claims of being the one…
Cultural Bias and Qigong Teachers
I’d like to say that race makes no difference, but I would be lying. In the realms of qigong, race counts for a huge amount. The sad fact is that the western audience can be so blinded by this that we end up studying with teachers more because of their appearance than their understanding or…
Zou Ping on Yi Yuan Ti
While Zhineng Qigong has a great reputation for healing, the heart of the system focuses on our true self, known as Yi Yuan Ti… You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers. More Information…
Qigong and Paranormal Abilities
Is qigong a little bit too weird for its own good? Before I go any further, I would like to clarify that the term ‘paranormal’ has been adopted in the realms of Zhineng Qigong as a translation of the Chinese phrase 超常智能 (chāo cháng zhì néng). This is a questionable translation, a more literal translation…
The 16 Characters of Zhineng Qigong
Sometimes, we find a gem within a familiar practice. It’s not that the gem has been disguised or concealed, it’s more to do with experiencing things from a slightly different perspective. The clarity that I have experienced through the perspective of the 16 character of Zhineng Qigong has unearthed many of these gems for me,…
The Three Components of Zhineng Qigong
It might be human nature, it might be a cultural thing, but we seem to have a need to subdivide and categorise things in order to understand them. Within the realms of Qigong there are many ways to subdivide and categorise to help us to explore the concepts that reside within the practice, but unlike…
What to look for in a Qigong Teacher
In the words of the 19th century politician, poet, playwright and novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton: ‘The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself.’ This rings particularly true when you consider Qigong. Qigong is not a dance to be learned, it is a tool…
