The Huang-De-Nei-Jing, one of the earliest Chinese classic medical documents, states that "when one is simple and empty-minded without desire, the true Qi (the essence of vital energy) follows, with consciousness and intention internally focused, nowhere can disease be near. By guarding the inner being of healthy Qi, sick Qi cannot invade. When illness prevails, it must be due to lack of Qi." This document clearly indicates the correlation between Qi, emotions, and illness.
Inherited and Acquired Qi: When we are born, we have a certain amount of energy (Qi) that is given to us. This is inherited Qi. As we go through life, almost everything that we do (work, play, eat, walk, eat, etc.) uses up this energy. Someone explained that Qi is like money in a bank account. If we keep making withdrawals, than the money in the account will continue to decline. When we practice Qigong, however, we release acquired negative energy from the body and acquire healthy Qi from nature around us. If we continue to gather healthy Qi and not use all of it, this energy is stored and becomes available for future use. Using the bank account analogy, it is like earning interest.
Qigong healers will often practice several hours a day to maintain high levels of Qi. Healers use this energy for diagnosis, massage and energy transmission to help their patients. A good Qigong healer will also teach their patients Qigong exercises that they can practice on their own. In this way they can help heal themselves and know how to keep themselves healthy. If the patient practices regularly, he/she will slowly build up his/her own energy. Eventually, this energy will be built up (the bank account) so that it can be used to heal others.
Drug Therapies: About 1,500 years ago, the ancient Zen founder Puti-Damuo predicted the disadvantage of using drugs in treating illness: "Since there are effective and ineffective drugs, drug therapy should not be considered as a first choice of treatment. All drugs cause negative side effects; despite the temporary elimination of symptoms the source of illness remains. The disease will strike again as long as the patient has the same life style, diet, and seasonal changes. Hence, for those who pursue the discipline of Qigong, they must not resort to drug use, but to the discipline itself." This statement reveals the truth about drug therapy only bringing temporary relief without restoring a person's health.
In modern medicine, lifetime dependency on medication has become the most common "remedy." Although these drugs may reduce symptoms, they bring no cure. Patients of chronic disease risk long term accumulation of toxic effects by using drugs. Over a period of time, the side effects damage other organs, which further complicate the illness. Worse yet, the patient's immune system and self-healing capability are severely reduced and suppressed. The detrimental result is often passed onto the next generation. (Drug-Free Remedy, by Binhui He)
Qigong's Therapeutic Properties: Throughout its history, Qigong has been employed and developed as a method for curing illness and strengthening the body. Qigong's main therapeutic properties lie in its regulation of the activity of the cerebral cortex, the central nervous system and the cardio-vascular system. Qigong is also extremely effective in correcting abnormal reactions of the organs, massaging the abdominal cavity and other organs, and its effect as a means of self-control over the physical functions of the body.
As far as electro-encephalogram response is concerned, there is a clear difference between practitioners and non-practitioners. An electro-encephalogram for a non-practitioner in an ordinary waking state shows a great quantity of low amplitude, high frequency waves of about fifty micro-volts, with different regional brain waves showing poor synchronization. In contract, the brain waves of a Qigong practitioner shows large frequency "A" waves of around eight hertz with amplitudes as high as 180 micro-volts, as well as a tendency towards greater synchronization of the regional brain waves. These characteristics are even more apparent in the frontal lobe and parietal lobe of the cerebrum. The frontal lobe is the highest center of the C.N.S., controlling mental activity. The longer one practices the better the synchronization of the "A" wave band and the greater the expansion of the low frequency wave band greatly increasing the functions of the cerebrum. (Chinese Qigong: A Unique Fitness Art)
Respiration: When one is practicing, the rate of respiration decreases while the duration of each breath increases. The increase in the period of inhalation and exhalation improves the diaphragm muscle, causing a greater flow in the volume of air, increasing the practitioner's lung capacity. When one practices deep Qigong breathing, the breath often seems to stop. What really happens is that a series of micro- movements of the breathing muscles occur. Through deliberate regulation of the respiration and deeper breathing one can promote the stabilization of any functional imbalance of the autonomic nerve system.
Metabolism: When practicing sitting or lying Qigong it has been shown that the body's consumption of oxygen decreases by about thirty percent. The metabolic rate will also drop by about twenty percent. This condition of lowered metabolism is an aid to reducing the patient's physical consumption of energy, fostering the body's strength, and providing the basis for the body to combat and defeat illness.
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