I have been spreading Chinese Qigong in the United States for 25 years and have taught Qigong elective courses at Case Medical University for nine years. Chinese Qigong is an excellent preventive and rehabilitation medicine, and it also has very good medical effects on certain chronic diseases. There are countless examples of this in my decades of teaching. I found that many people don’t know what to learn in spreading traditional Chinese Qigong. There are so many Qigong methods and schools that it is natural for beginners to not know where to start. Based on my personal experience and understanding, I think that we should learn Qigong health preservation from the following three aspects.

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First of all, you need to be able to relax your body and mind, regulate and maintain it. The principles of Qigong can be summarized in three words: relaxation, tranquility and concentration. It can be seen that relaxation is the first and the foundation. Without relaxation, there is no Qigong. Someone once said that you don’t understand Qigong, but if you can keep yourself physically and mentally relaxed at all times, you have already acquired the basic functions of Qigong and the capital of health. Of course, most people still need to learn Qigong to acquire this ability. The relaxation I am talking about does not only refer to the relaxation of the body, but more importantly, the mind, that is, the so-called relaxation of the heart. People live in a complex society with various emotions and desires. Many situations can cause the body and mind to be in an extremely unrelaxed state. By practicing Qigong, we can learn to self-regulate and maintain the ability to relax. Whoever is a Qigong master has the ability to get rid of troubles in the shortest possible time, adjust his body and mind, reach a relaxed state and maintain it.

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Qi and blood flow. The theory of Chinese medicine Qigong says that "pain is caused by obstruction, and if it is unblocked, there is no pain." If the Qi and blood are blocked, various diseases will occur. Learning Qigong means learning how to relax and unblock the meridians through the practice of exercises to keep the Qi and blood flowing smoothly.
According to the principle of Qigong, if the Qi is unblocked, the blood will flow, and if the Qi is blocked, the blood will stop, so it is very important to let the internal Qi flow smoothly. The key to letting the internal Qi flow smoothly is to learn the ability to control it with the power of thought. Qigong has a very famous principle, "lead the Qi with the mind, and the Qi follows the mind." That is to say, when learning Qigong, you must learn to use the mind to lead and control the movement of the internal Qi, so as to keep the Qi and blood flowing smoothly. What is the power of thought? I think there are three aspects to explain the power of mind: the first is the ability to concentrate, the second is the ability to imagine and judge the future, and the third is the ability to clear the mind, which is the so-called "meditation and concentration". For health-preserving qigong and leading the internal qi, the main thing is the ability to concentrate. It can be understood in this way. When reading a book, you can only understand and master the content of the book if you concentrate your attention and understand it. Reading a book requires you to focus your attention on the book outside your body, while qigong power of mind is to learn to focus your attention on the body, to lead the qi with your mind, and let the qi flow freely, so that the qi and blood can flow smoothly.

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Basic physical fitness. Physical fitness and internal organ health are two different things. A healthy internal body or internal organs does not necessarily mean high physical fitness and a strong body. For example, an eight or nine-year-old child may be healthy and disease-free, but may not be physically strong. Therefore, when learning Qigong, you must learn to exercise and maintain basic physical fitness, as well as the ability to move flexibly. And the ability to move the body flexibly. To achieve this, you need to learn and practice the dynamic exercises of Qigong. For example, standing posture, surging Qigong, Ba Duan Jin, Wu Qin Xi and Yi Jin Jing, etc. Of course, you can also practice Tai Chi. Qigong physical training is also different from general sports. It consumes very little body energy to gain physical growth, and the damage to joints is also very small. Intense sports require a lot of body energy to gain physical fitness and improve physical fitness. For young people, there is no problem. For middle-aged and elderly people, if they exercise too much, it is not only not conducive to physical fitness growth, but sometimes it will damage joints and cause unnecessary losses. Among the many dynamic exercises, I strongly recommend the standing posture exercise. Standing posture exercise is simple and easy to practice, highly efficient, and effective. I think it is the first choice for practicing qigong dynamic exercises.

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There are so many Qigong exercises, where should we start? I think there are three basic skills that must be learned and mastered. The three basic skills are standing, breathing and sitting in meditation.

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Breathing. The oldest name for Qigong is Tu Na (Inhale and exhale), where Tu means exhaling and Na means inhaling, so breathing is the core practice of Qigong. Qigong breathing methods can be divided into:
Natural breathing is the way we breathe since birth. Abdominal breathing, controlling breathing with the abdomen, is the method used by people who study vocal music when singing. Reverse abdominal breathing, when you control your breathing with your abdomen, The direction of movement is different. There are also other methods: five-heart bang breathing, body breathing and fetal breathing. For health-preserving Qigong and strengthening the body, it is enough to learn reverse abdominal breathing. Normally, breathing is one inhale and one exhale, but for some special exercises such as Guolin Qigong for cancer treatment and Qigong for weight loss, two inhales and one exhale are used. The two inhalations for cancer treatment are even, while the two inhalations for weight loss are one long and one short.

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When breathing, you must master the five key points: fine, soft, slow, even, and long. Keep your whole body relaxed, inhale and exhale through your nose without making any sound. To coordinate the intention, when inhaling, have no intention, and when exhaling, imagine the qi sinking into the dantian. What is Dantian? It can be understood as the inside of the lower abdomen. The sinking of Qi into Dantian can be felt in this way. When drinking hot water, you may sometimes feel that the hot water is slowly sinking from the chest and stomach to the lower abdomen. Qi sinking into Dantian means that when exhaling, you imagine the qi sinking from the Chanzhong point (the middle of the line connecting the two nipples) to the lower Dantian, which is the lower abdomen, or one inch and seven inside below the navel. Don’t think about whether you can feel it or not. The principle of Qigong is that where the mind goes, the Qi goes. When the mind goes to the lower Dantian, the Qi will go there.

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Meditation. Meditation is commonly known as Meditation in the Western United States. But many people don’t know what meditation is and how to practice it. They think that it is just about sitting there and closing your eyes. Meditation is a major and important practice in Qigong. Many practices for training the mind, relaxing the meridians, and self-adjusting and healing (Self-Healing) can be accomplished through meditation. Breathing can also be integrated into the practice of meditation and self-healing.

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​When practicing meditation, you must first make three adjustments: First, you must adjust your body, which means you must arrange your sitting position so that you sit comfortably and in the right posture. The second thing is to regulate your breathing and adjust your clothes to allow for smooth breathing. Third, you need to adjust your mind, arrange your surroundings and your own stability so as not to affect your concentration and tranquility during meditation.
There are four stages in meditation practice. The first is relaxation, the second is self-healing, the third is clearing the mind and entering into tranquility, and the fourth is entering into concentration. For health-preserving and fitness Qigong, it is sufficient to complete the first three steps. These three steps are as follows:

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​The first step is to relax. You can relax the four key parts I mentioned before, stretch your eyebrows, smile, relax your shoulders and waist and abdomen, so as to relax your whole body. Then, the practitioner can use his mind to guide the whole body to relax from head to toe, one or two times, and then enter the second step, the self-healing stage. For beginners, breathing exercises can be the second step. When breathing, follow the five tips mentioned above: thin, soft, slow, even, and long, and inhale and exhale through the nose without making any sound. The third step is the most important and longest stage of tranquility compared to the first two steps. However, for beginners, achieving a state of meditative calm (入静) and thinking of nothing is impossible. Therefore, in qigong practices, there is a principle and method of 'replacing ten thousand thoughts with one thought,' which is to focus the mind on the lower dantian (lower abdomen). This involves imagining that true qi (vital energy) is circulating inside the lower abdomen, feeling warm and comfortable, and fostering a sense of joy in the heart. By using this single focus on the lower dantian, all other distracting thoughts are replaced—this is the concept of 'replacing ten thousand thoughts with one thought.' Moreover, with prolonged focus, it becomes possible to gradually enter a state of meditative calm. When practicing to achieve this state, there is a very important issue: the eyes must be directed forward or slightly downward at a 45-degree angle, whether the eyes are closed or open. Some practitioners unconsciously look upward or roll their eyes upward, which can cause dizziness, headaches, or nausea. Some may call this 'going astray' or 'entering a demonic state,' but it is actually a matter of the eye's perspective. This principle is also a key precaution in all qigong practices.

​The above is a brief introduction to the three basic qigong practices. Mastering these three fundamental techniques will bring lifelong benefits and provide a foundation for learning more advanced qigong methods. For beginners, to learn these three basic practices, it is essential to seek guidance from an experienced qigong practitioner or teacher. One must not simply practice based on this introduction alone. Without a teacher’s instruction, supervision, and corrections, deviations may occur. In such cases, some might claim that practicing qigong leads to 'going astray' or 'entering a demonic state

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Here’s the translation of the provided Chinese text into English:

"According to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and qigong, the flow of qi in the human body follows the 12 meridians, which are divided into 6 yin meridians and 6 yang meridians. The 6 yin meridians are connected to the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), while the 6 yang meridians are connected to the Du Mai (Governing Vessel). Therefore, when the mind guides the qi to flow through the Ren Mai and Du Mai, it simultaneously activates the 12 meridians, allowing the qi to flow smoothly through them. This is the process of guiding qi with intention to ensure the smooth circulation of qi and blood. As shown in the diagram below:

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Some people say that 'opening the Ren Mai and Du Mai keeps you healthy.' I personally believe that the principle is correct, but the term 'opening' and its interpretation are inappropriate. From birth, the Ren Mai and Du Mai are already connected; otherwise, survival would be impossible. However, there are areas where the qi flow is weaker, such as around the perineum and the upper dantian, near the Baihui point. This is like a river channel that exists but does not have uniform water flow everywhere; poor flow affects the irrigation of surrounding fields. Therefore, practicing the Small Heavenly Cycle (Xiao Zhou Tian), guiding qi with intention through the Ren Mai and Du Mai, aims to keep the qi flow smooth in these channels while simultaneously activating and strengthening the qi circulation mechanism of the twelve meridians. This ensures the smooth flow of qi and blood, naturally leading to a healthy body free from illness. Therefore, I believe it should be said, 'When qi flows through the Ren Mai and Du Mai, health is always present.'

Some people ask whether practicing Tai Chi or engaging in various physical exercises can also promote the smooth flow of qi and blood. The answer is yes. However, I believe this is an indirect effect. In contrast, the Small Heavenly Cycle, where intention guides qi through the Ren Mai and Du Mai to activate and enhance the smooth flow of qi in the twelve meridians, is a direct, proactive, and readily applicable method. Many qigong practices are based on the Small Heavenly Cycle, such as the 'Nine-Nine Linked Elixir' and 'Ten Breaths to Open the Eight Channels,' among others. Learning the Small Heavenly Cycle must be done under the guidance of a teacher who instructs and supervises the practice. One must not self-study or practice solely based on books or diagrams, as this can easily lead to deviations.

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"4. Understand and practice 24-hour qigong cultivation.

The purpose of practicing health-preserving qigong is to keep the meridians open and ensure the smooth flow of qi and blood. In other words, to truly achieve health and longevity, one must maintain open meridians and smooth qi and blood flow 24 hours a day. How can this be achieved? Here are several key aspects:

First, always adjust and maintain a relaxed state of mind and intention. If a person is constantly in a state of tension, anxiety, worry, fear, sadness, or anger, it’s clear that their body cannot be healthy. Modern medical research has shown that many cancer patients develop their condition due to emotional factors. So, how can one achieve this relaxed state? This relates to the first of the three abilities I mentioned earlier: the ability to self-regulate the body and mind to achieve relaxation at any time. To do this, continuous practice is required, along with learning and mastering the philosophical principles of qigong to cope with the influences of a complex society and how to handle the pursuit of material pleasures. There are ten philosophical principles of health-preserving qigong, which I will introduce one by one in future articles.

Second, organize your daily life rhythm to keep the body in a balanced state of tension and relaxation, alternating between activity and rest, and combining work with leisure. At every possible opportunity, practice the Small Heavenly Cycle (Xiao Zhou Tian), guiding qi with intention through the Ren Mai and Du Mai to keep the meridians open and ensure smooth qi and blood flow.

Third, manage and maintain a healthy sex life. Sexual activity is a universal need, and making it a joyful, happy, and healthy part of life is also a component of 24-hour qigong cultivation. Qigong includes many teachings and practices related to sexual activity, such as Iron Crotch Qigong, Dual Small Heavenly Cycle, and post-sex qi-balancing methods, which I won’t elaborate on here. Generally speaking, a healthy sex life requires both partners to be harmonious and happy while achieving a balance and mutual complementation of yin and yang, fostering warmth and comfort. Otherwise, it can be detrimental to health. For those with health conditions, moderation and restraint are even more critical to avoid harming the body or shortening lifespan.

The fourth aspect concerns diet and lifestyle habits. Diet and lifestyle are part of daily life, so they require special attention and proper management. This includes not smoking, avoiding excessive alcohol, not staying up late, and arranging a regular schedule. In particular, eating healthily is crucial, and there are now many specialized discussions on this topic. A key principle in qigong is that no matter what you eat, each meal should only fill you to 70–80% capacity. At appropriate times, use qigong weight-loss breathing techniques or practice fasting for a period to regulate the digestion of residual food and balance the functioning of internal organs. I will elaborate further on this point when the opportunity arises.

Finally, allocate specific times to focus on practicing the three basic qigong techniques. For people in good health, this can be done three to five times a week, with each session lasting 1.5 to 2 hours. For those with chronic illnesses or recovering from surgery, it’s best to practice at least 2 hours daily, or more if possible.

Lastly, I want to emphasize not to easily believe the exaggerated claims of certain qigong promoters. Some qigong practitioners overstate their personal role, using various methods to mislead students into revering them as divine figures, which is incorrect. It should be recognized that qigong is a science. In China, it is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and in the United States, it is classified as Alternative Medicine. Practitioners who earnestly study the techniques and practice diligently and consistently will surely achieve unexpected and excellent results.

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