Qigong is a form of mindful movement that uses energy to initiate healing and bring balance to your body and mind. Find out how this ancient Chinese discipline uses gentle movements, breathwork, and mindfulness to unlock emotional well-being.
Between work, school, family responsibilities, and busy social calendars, life can sometimes feel like a little too much to handle. Fortunately, incorporating a spiritual movement practice like qigong can help you build the resilience and fortitude you need to get through tough situations. Research has shown that this gentle yet powerful practice can have a profound impact on your mental health, helping to regulate your emotions, reduce stress, and promote a state of relaxation.
Read on to learn more about qigong, its benefits and risks, and how it can help you overcome stress and depression.
What Is Qigong?
Qigong, an ancient Chinese practice rooted in mind-body connection, combines coordinated movement, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques. It cultivates your body’s vital energy, known as “qi,” which is a life force or “energy source that powers all life forms and keeps us alive,” says Siu Ping Negrin, a qigong healer, spiritual coach, and author of Stronger Than Your Stress.
Nicole Lee, an internationally certified qigong teacher, tells DailyOM, “The best way to describe qigong is as a gentle and restorative exercise therapy that incorporates a variety of styles of movement, acupressure practices, presence, and stillness.”
The movements and holistic practices of qigong can help you achieve a state of mindfulness and alignment. “While resonating with the universe in this state, through osmosis you can absorb the maximum flow of energy to nourish your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being,” Negrin says.
While it’s easy to mistake qigong for tai chi, a closely connected ancient Chinese martial art that’s evolved into a meditative form of exercise, they’re distinct from one another.
“Essentially, qigong is considered an internal practice and tai chi is considered an external practice and martial art,” explains Lee.
Interested in learning more? Check out Meditation for Anxiety
Is Qigong Meditation or Exercise?
What makes qigong unique is that it’s considered a form of both meditation and exercise.
“It’s both a static and dynamic movement and energy-based practice, based in presence and awareness,” Lee says. When you’re in a relaxed, meditative state, you’re able to better absorb the flow of qi from the universe into your body. When you combine movement and meditation, you not only bring more awareness and healing to your emotional health, but also to your physical health.
Unlike many other forms of exercise, qigong isn’t an intense physical activity. That’s because its primary purpose isn’t necessarily to build muscle or help you break a sweat. Yet because many of the movements involve stretching, acupressure, and rhythmic maneuvers, qigong can help enhance your strength, build flexibility, and improve balance, Lee says.
“Ultimately, qigong can be used for the purposes of meditation, awareness training, gentle exercise, developing qi, spiritual practice, internal alchemy, and self-healing, to name a few,” she explains. “It depends on which practices are used and the intent of one’s practice.”
How Do You Practice Qigong for Healing?
According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), energy flows throughout our bodies via pathways called meridians. These meridians serve as vital conduits, allowing us to understand and address imbalances or blockages in the flow of energy.
“Qigong encourages the flow of energy through this matrix and, as a result, improves the functioning of all systems of the body at a holistic level,” says Lee.
One of the main principles of TCM is that tension is the cause of all disease, Lee says. While tension is commonly associated with physical discomfort, it can also impact our mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
“If we hold onto mental and emotional tension, that creates tension as well,” she adds. “Qigong assists us in processing the tension related to thoughts and emotions, which in turn also improves the energy flow through the body.”
When you release this stress, your body is able to function optimally and potentially resolve health issues that may be related to the energetic blockages you may have been experiencing.
In addition to dispelling pent-up tension, qigong helps prevent the buildup of negative energy and toxic emotions. Case in point: A review published in January 2018 in the journal Focus found that qigong’s gentle, slow movements and breathing exercises help bring awareness to how your body feels, which can help you become less reactive to negative thoughts and impulses.
“The practice plays a valuable role in keeping our hearts calm and our minds clear and focused,” says Negrin.
Can Qigong Help With Anxiety and Depression?
Because the mind-body practice of qigong is so closely tied to emotional regulation, it can be a powerful tool for those dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression.
According to a study published in April 2018 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, just one session of qigong reduced anxiety and improved balance in both the autonomic nervous system and the body in older practitioners.
Qigong can be used for the purposes of meditation, awareness training, gentle exercise, developing qi, spiritual practice, internal alchemy, and self-healing, to name a few.
By utilizing slow, gentle movements and mindful breathing, qigong helps counteract the effects of the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our stress response.
One way qigong helps balance emotions is by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system controls our ability to relax, which is why it’s sometimes called the “rest and digest” state.
“Using our body, our movement, and our breath as our anchor to the present moment can assist in [relieving] feelings of anxiety, which are often attributed to worrying or overthinking about the future, and depression,” says Lee.
Because qigong is a powerful tool for managing various emotional states, it may unearth many intense feelings and thoughts.
“The experience is quite unique to the individual, and initially, some big emotions can arise to be released,” she cautions. If that happens, Lee says the best approach is to nurture yourself in a self-loving and accepting way.
“This might mean we need to stop practice and be in stillness, or allow tears to flow freely, or maybe engage in some self-reflection work to uncover the root of the feelings that are arising,” she says. But in most cases, simply taking a pause will ease any physical or emotional discomfort.
The Benefits of Qigong
Over the years, research has delved into the multitude of benefits associated with a consistent qigong practice. Beyond its well-documented ability to reduce stress and anxiety, it has also proven to be a powerful ally in reducing pain and fatigue.
For example, a small study published in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine in June 2012 suggests that qigong can help ease fatigue symptoms and improve mental functioning in people living with chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Meanwhile, a study published in April 2019 in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies that focused on office workers suffering from chronic lower back pain revealed that qigong played a role in alleviating pain intensity and improving range of motion.
Several studies have even looked into qigong’s benefits for cancer patients. A review published in March 2017 in the journal Medicines found evidence that qigong could positively influence the quality of life, immune function and cortisol levels, and cognition in individuals with cancer. Later that year, research published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice showed that qigong has promise for improving symptoms in cancer patients.
While more research needs to be conducted to fully explore its potential, these findings underscore the transformative power of qigong as part of a holistic approach to health and wellness.
Are There Any Risks to Trying Qigong?
While there are few risks to trying qigong, it’s important to take your personal circumstances into consideration before participating, Lee says. If you’re facing musculoskeletal conditions or mobility limitations, some types of qigong may not be suitable for you. Seek out proper guidance from an experienced healer who can guide you through the movements and assist you in adapting the practice to accommodate your circumstances.
There is no standardized single certification for qigong instructors. You may wish to ask for referrals from people you trust, and inquire about any potential teacher’s training and background. One place to start your search is the National Qigong Association database.
“Qi is powerful energy, and if not approached with proper grounding, the energy can become blocked in specific areas of the body,” says Negrin. When it comes to energy cultivation, only a knowledgeable therapist — whether in person or virtually — can help you restore the balance and flow of energy throughout your body.
Ready to try qigong? All you have to do is commit to an ongoing practice. “It’s really as simple as actually practicing — regularly, persistently, patiently,” Lee promises.
