| Feature Article
The Impact of Qigong on Our Lives
–
Chief Instructor Brett Wagland
Human suffering, such as sickness, pain, difficult
relationships, etc., exists in many areas of our lives. You don’t have
to look far to find it. It seems that many things have the potential to
cause suffering.
The philosophies that shaped Qigong, Buddhism and Taoism
all point to our mind and our behaviour as the major causes of our
suffering. Ignorance, greed and hatred are all possible causes.
Conversely, they can also be the door to liberation. If we are willing
to learn and grow, ignorance will not control us. If we can make do
with less and be happy, greed will not colour our vision. If we can
feel compassion for our weaknesses and other people’s hatred, we will no
longer be our own enemy.
Qigong is the art of meditation, relaxation, breathing
and movement. It is based on the yin yang philosophy. It regards
harmony as the essence of ilfe. Sickness and other problems are
indicators of lack of balance or harmony. If we can restore balance,
everything will follow the natural order.
Within Qigong, there is a number of important factors.
The first is open mindedness, that is, willingness to try something
new. Usually, most people tend to think of Qigong or meditation as
strange, meaningless and time wasting. In China, Qigong has a history
of thousands of years. If Qigong has no merit, why is it still
practised?
The second factor is determination. Once you begin
practising, resolve to do it regularly. Don’t make excuses. The more
you do, the more you feel. Qigong training strengthens the body and
mind. By practising every day, we are able to calm the mind more
easily. As our bodies become stronger, we feel less pressured by the
many demands put upon us.
Perseverance is another important factor in being able to
reap the benefits from Qigong practice. If we think we have done enough
and stop too early, we will never understand. There is great depth in
the art of Qigong. We can always develop further. Great Qigong masters
can control their bodily functions at will.
The more we practise, the more confidence we have in the
art of Qigong. Once you feel the regenerative power of the internal
energy and the benefits from a stronger mind and body, it becomes much
easier to continue practising. As your training begins to develop, you
will understand your own weaknesses and know how to remedy them. You
will see where your thinking needs to be challenged and how this further
reinforces your training.
All
of us will face some suffering and difficulties in life. However, it is
our attitude that determines whether we learn and grow from these
experiences, or allow them to make us bitter and resentful of our lot in
life. Ultimately, training the mind enables us to develop a certain
spaciousness around ourselves and our problems. Gradually, problems are
no longer perceived as problems. By our willingness to face them, they
become situations or conditions that we can use to strengthen our minds.
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