There are particular energy channels and centers that receive special focus in Qi Kong (QiGong). The three dan tian., or “elixir fields,” are areas of qi generation and storage. The lower, middle and upper dan tian are home to the “Three Treasures” of Jing (essence), Qi (vitality) and Shen (spirit).
These are the places where one symbolically plants the elixir of long life, health and wisdom.
The lower dan tian in the lower abdomen stores jing, “sexual essence,” and acts as a pump to send Qi throughout the body. The middle dan tian, in the region of the heart, stores Qi itself and obviously relates to
respiration. The upper dan tian, between the eyebrows, stores the most yang form of vitality, the shen, the spirit and corresponds to clarity of mind. These “three treasures” are most emphasized in Taoist practice: sexual harmony to nourish the jing, Qi Kong (QiGong) to nourish the qi and meditation to nourish the shen.(Cohen, 1991:21)
The breathing, movement and awareness practices of Qi Kong (QiGong) work to “charge” these three dan tian with reserves of qi for preventative health care and mental and physical well-being.
The upper dan tian is thought of in two possible locations: one is Yin Tang, an extra point between the eyes, at the level of the pituitary; or at the Ni wan or Bai Hui point (Governing Vessel 20) at the crown of the head where yin and yang intersect.
The middle dan tian is at the Conception Vessel 17 acupoint on the sternum,(behind which is the thymus).
The lower dan tian is approximately two inches below the navel and one third into the depth of the abdomen; this varies with body structure. It is usually the lower dan tian that is meant when the dan tian is referred to.
From the Western standpoint, this area is the body’s center of gravity, a source of “gut feelings.” In Japan it is the Hara: “the physical embodiment of the original Life centre in man.” (Von Durkheim, 1962:19)
As “the Sea of Qi” in Chinese thought, it is the home of original qi that has been converted from original Jing; the meeting place of many meridians and the starting place of the circulation of qi.
Abdominal breathing, and more specifically, attention to the breath, gathers qi in the lower tantien and helps send it to the channels. A movement seen frequently in Qi Kong (QiGong) is the drawing of the palms toward the lower dan tian or placing them on that area of the body in-between exercises or when finished practicing. Self massage is done by circling the palms on the lower dan tian all to focus qi in this important energetic center.
The palms are also significant as the location of the laogong points (pericardium 8 acupoint). This is usually the first place that a beginning practitioner will be able to sense qi.
The yongquan points (kidney 1), or Bubbling Well or Bubbling Spring on the bottoms of the feet are comparable to the lao gong points. These points are stimulated and opened during practice to dispel cold qi and take in fresh qi from the Earth to enter and circulate through the body.
A primary route of qi flow is through the partnership of the Governing Vessel (Du Mai) and the Conception Vessel (Ren Mai) two of the eight extraordinary channels, to create the “microcosmic orbit.” The twelve major organ channels depend on an abundance ofQi in this circuit as the Ren Mai supplies the yin channels and like wise, the Du Mai is responsible for the yang channels.
The Ren Mai travels from the tip of the tongue down the front of the body to the perineum (CV 1 or Hui Ym). The Du Mai begins at the coccyx and ascends the back, passing the Ming Men “gate of life,” opposite the navel, an important point for the kidneys, adrenals and overall vitality; it continues up, over the top of the head to the upper palate. The Qi Kong (QiGong) student is advised to rest the tip of the tongue just behind the upper front teeth to connect these two channels.
The circulation of qi can be enhanced by the guidance of mental focus along the path of the microcosmic orbit around the body.
The Chong Mai (Central or Thrusting) channel is comparable to the Kundalini path in yoga. This extraordinary channel transports qi up the center of the body to nourish the brain and spirit.
The next section will explore the way Qi Kong (QiGong) works from the perspective of Western physiology, keeping in mind that cultivating strength and endurance without force is characteristic of Qi Kong (QiGong). The benefits of practice result from creating the ideal circumstances for the wisdom of the body to economize and co-ordinate its resources.

This is an exercise video with a Master instructor focused on Qi Gong (Qi Kong) exercises which help people cope with Hepatitis C. Filmed during the Caring Ambassadors Program retreat to the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York.

That Yin and Yang are present in all life is expressed in chapter 42 of the Tao Te Ching:
Tao gave birth to One,
One gave birth to Two,
Two gave birth to Three,
Three gave birth to all the myriad things
All the myriad things carry the Yin on their backs and hold the Yang in their embrace, Deriving their vital harmony from the proper blending of the two vital Breaths. (Wu,trans. 1989)
Yin and Yang represent the unification of opposites and the on-going cycle of creation and destruction ordering the universe and the life of each individual being. Synthetic or dialectical logic is a western point of correspondence for this theory that recognizes patterns and change by seeing the part in relation to the whole. Harriet Beinfield, L.Ac. recalls how this similarity captured her imagination:
The relational, interactive, process-oriented thinking of Chinese medicine resembles Hegelian dialectics. This was not altogether coincidence since many European philosophers were affected by Eastern thought. It was this similarity that charmed me from the start. Because Chinese medicine was about interwoven relationships and continuous processes of decaying and becoming rather than a reductionist examination of things in and of themselves, I had eagerly anticipated studying it.
Dialectical logic captures Ym-Yang thinking. Within dialectics the whole is a contingent structure, in reciprocal interaction with its own parts and with the larger whole of which it is part. As parts and wholes evolve as
a consequence of their relationship, constants become variables, causes become effects, and systems develop that regenerate and destroy the conditions that gave rise to them. (Beinfield & Komgold, 1991:49)
Yin qualities are associated with bodily substance, water, cool, dark, passivity, receptivity, the feminine and interior. Yang characteristics are those of functional activity, fire, warmth, light, excitement, masculinity and exterior. One example of the way this applies in the body is that the heart is a yin organ, its beat is a yang activity.
The continuity of the give and take relationship of yin and yang is intrinsic to life as found in natural cycles of activity and rest and the rhythm of the heartbeat and respiration.
The parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system have been compared to yin and yang respectively. (Tang, Sun Ed., 1994:16) An important effect of Qi Kong (QiGong) exercise is to restore the balance of yin and yang forces by regulating the nervous system (this process will be discussed in the section on respiration). The Qi Kong (QiGong) practitioner embodies a simultaneous state of activity and relaxation, recalling the Taoist text Cultivating Stillness:
Yin and Yang, movement and stillness, are in heaven and in the human body … (Wong, trans. 1992:4)
Yin and Yang are integral to TeM and Qi Kong (QiGong) theory and practice. Postures and movements are designed to enhance a fluid current of these two polar energies through the body. Yin energy from the Earth is drawn up from the Bubbling Well (Kidney 1) points on the bottoms of the feet and yang energy from the heavens is received from the Bai Hui (100 convergences) point at the crown of the head.

Respiration-qi kong(qigong) breathing
The breath is one of the most influential aspects of qi kong(qigong), both for the extensive health benefits of qi kong(qigong) breathing as well as its central role in meditative practice. Awareness of the breath serves to bridge body and mind and as a sensory focus assisting the mind in guiding the qi.
In Chinese medicine the breath is qi in its most tangible and accessible form. Spiritual and healing traditions of China and India teach awareness of, and to varying, degrees, control of the breath, as a natural starting place for calming the mind and regulating the body.
A silk scroll entitled “Dao Y ill illustrations” was discovered in an archeological excavation of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 8 CE) tomb at Mawangdui. The scroll depicts 44 figures in various qi kong(qigong) postures. One of the few captions still legible instructs: “look skyward and exhale.”
Returning to the soft, full abdominal breathing pattern of a baby is key to qi kong(qigong). This natural breath can be regained by developing awareness of one’s current breathing pattern and gradually shifting to a smoother, more relaxed, deeper way of breathing. Abdominal breathing is also called natural or diaphragmatic breathing or dan tian
breathing.
By becoming increasingly aware of body and breath, the qi kong(qigong) practitioner learns to relax muscular tension and allow the low abdomen, low back and sides to gently expand and contract with each inhalation and exhalation.
The natural movement of the breath also engages the rise and fall of the dome shaped muscle of the diaphragm above the viscera. Movement of the low back stimulates the mingmen or “gate of life” an important acupoint between the kidneys, responsible for kidney function and overall vitality of the body. The mingmen is comparable to the lower dan tian (Sea of Qi) in the low abdomen. This way of breathing provides the internal organs and parasympathetic nerves in the low back with a gentle massage and increases the circulation of oxygen rich blood and qi.
The nourishing and toning effect of this massage is maximized by the fact that qi kong(qigong) movements are done in a relaxed manner, which allows the viscera to be well supplied with blood; this is in contrast to strenuous exercise during which the limbs demand more blood at the expense of the viscera.
With deep breathing, oxygen is drawn to the lower portion of the lungs, where due to gravity, more blood is present, making the transfer of oxygen to blood more efficient and enhancing oxygen availability; the cells are nourished and waste products transported. During qi kong(qigong) the rate of respiration decreases as the depth and volume of respiration increase.
Many people have adopted shallow, chest breathing as an unconscious habit. qi kong(qigong) instructor and author Wong Kit Kew estimates that most people use less than one third of their lung capacity. qi kong(qigong) enhances lung capacity, increasing the intake of air from 500cc to 1500cc per breath. (Wong, 1993: 57)
Ken Sancier, Ph.D. has reviewed and summarized much of the significant Chinese research on qi kong(qigong). In one study conducted to learn if qi kong(qigong) exercise would help prevent altitude sickness in pilots flying rapidly from low into high altitudes, the following was found regarding lung function:
In a lung function study 120 young men were divided into three groups of 40 each. Group one practiced Qiyuan qi kong(qigong) for four weeks prior to entering the highlands; group two, the control group, exercised to radio music for four weeks prior to entering the highlands; and group three was composed of residents living at high altitudes. The results showed that the integral value of symptoms of acute mountain sickness was lower in the
qi kong(qigong) group than in the control group (P<.05-.01). Pulmonary ventilation of the qi kong(qigong) group was significantly improved compared with that of the control group (P<.05-.01), and nearly equal to that of the resident group.
(Sancier, 1996: Vol. 2, No.1)
Diaphragmatic breathing promotes physical relaxation and mental tranquillity by balancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic functions of the autonomic nervous system. The restorative parasympathetic function of the ANS is associated with the “relaxation response” and is qualitatively yin in relation to the sympathetic, yang activity which in excess represents stress or “the fight or flight response.” Tzu Kui Shih explains this balancing effect of the breath:
Clinical and physiological experiments have demonstrated that inhalation in Qi Gong breathing promotes the excitation of the sympathetic while exhalation increases excitement of the parasympathetic nervous systems.
Based on these findings, it is clear that people can regulate and balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems through strengthening their inspiration and expiration.
(Shih, 1994:81)
Many chronic and degenerative diseases are exacerbated by or in some part due to oxygen deficiency or disturbances of the autonomic nervous system. Changing a limited breathing pattern can be a fundamental step toward regaining health. Shallow breathing is associated with anxiety while the opposite is true of natural breathing. Practitioners of meditation, yoga and qi kong(qigong) often find the value of relaxed breathing integrated into their daily lives. Learning to work with the breath can be a source of relief for someone coping with pain or the stress of a threatening medical condition. (Kabat-Zinn, 1990:292, 50)
Dr. Yang Iwing-Ming emphasizes the primacy of the breath throughout the development of the practitioner:
In Chi Kung practice, regulating the breath is the most important training. The first step toward maintaining your health involves increasing your oxygen supply. You must resume breathing deep down in your abdomen like a baby does … Once you have a sufficient supply of oxygen, you are able to relax, clear your mind and circulate the chi. (Yang, 1989:113)
Deeply relaxed movement and breathing support oxygen metabolism and energy
generation. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the fuel of cellular activity generated by the metabolic process. A study presented at the 1988 World Conference on the Academic Exchange of Medical qi kong(qigong) made the comparison between ATP and the zheng qi of the
body. Blood ATP content was found to increase after internal qi cultivation exercises done by a group of qi kong(qigong) masters. After emitting qi, blood ATP content of the qi kong(qigong) masters decreased, to be recovered after rest. (Liu, Tehfu et all, 1988: 60)
Meditative awareness of the breath was recommended by the early Taoist philosopher poets Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi as a way of attaining the Tao or transcendental wisdom. All techniques are abandoned, however, at the highest stage of spiritual insight,
liberation or enlightenment. Returning full circle to the naturalness of a child after comprehending the spirit through discipline is a frequent theme. An attitude of open expectancy seems to guide the practice of “listening with the breath.” Lao Tzu discusses breathing exercises in connection with meditation:
Can you concentrate on your breathing to reach harmony And become as an innocent babe? Can you clean the Dark Mirror within yourself And make it of perfect purity? ..
To achieve inner harmony Lao Tzu himself recommends breathing exercises for concentration and purification. The idea of the exercises for concentration and purification. The idea of adoption of breathing exercises in order to attain to transcendental wisdom is referred to by Chuang Tzu as hsin chai or fasting mind. He describes it in Chapter IV of his work as follows:
Concentrate on the goal of meditation.
Do not listen with your ear but with your mind; Not with your mind but with your breath. Let hearing stop with your ear,Let the mind stop with its images. Breathing means to empty oneself and to wait for Tao. Tao abides only in emptiness. Look at the void! In its chamber light is produced. Lo! Joy is here to stay.
(Chang, 1963:129)
The “Dark :Mirror” to be cleaned is the mind. A clear mind, like a mirror reflects things without retaining them. Meditation and breathing exercises are meant to bring about the spontaneous remembering of this lost clarity.

Mattias Johanssona, Corresponding Author Contact Information, E-mail The Corresponding Author, Peter Hassménb, c and John Joupera

a Department of Health Sciences, ?rebro University, Sweden

b Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden

c University of Southern Queensland, Australia

Available online 11 July 2008.

Psychosocial stress may lead to increased rates of anxiety and depression. Aerobic exercise and mind-body therapies are frequently described as having positive effects on psychological well-being by enhancing mood and reducing anxiety. Few studies, however, have investigated the acute psychological effects of qigong exercise. Fifty-nine regular qigong exercisers (mean age 50.8 years) were randomized to a Qigong or Control group. Pre- and postmeasurements were then compared. POMS-Depression, Anger, and Fatigue, and STAI-State Anxiety scores decreased significantly in the Qigong group but not in the Control group. Results thereby suggest that qigong exercise can produce desirable psychological effects, and Qigong exercise may therefore be included among other activities performed to boost resistance to daily stressors.

Author Keywords: qigong exercise. ; Qi-training; anxiety; mood; emotion

The present study was supported by Sparbankenstiftelsen Nya, Sweden. We also would like to thank T?res Theorell for helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article.

Corresponding Author Contact InformationDepartment of Health Sciences, ?rebro University, SE-701 82 rebro, Sweden.

The following paragraph from the Guanzi, a syncretic text composed between the first and fourth centuries B. C., equates the circulation of energy with that of the mind:
When the mind opens up and energy expands we speak: of the circulation of energy. This movement of the mind is as ceaseless as the continuous revolution of the cosmos.(in Ishida, Kohn, Ed., 1989:49)

Not only the mind, but the spirit (Shen) accompanies the blood and qi through the body. This can be explained in part by defining Xin and Xue. Xue is often translated as “blood.” Misha Cohen provides a more thorough definition:
The Chinese word Xue (sch-whey) is a much more precise description of this bodily substance than blood, which is the common English translation. Zue is not confined to the blood vessels, nor does it contain only plasma and red and white blood cells. The Shen or spirit, which courses through the blood vessels, is carried by Xue. Xue also moves along the channels in the body where Qi flows. (Cohen, 1996:14)

Xin means heart, heart/mind or emotional mind. The heart is closely allied with intention and the will, in the sense of will-to-life and a deep and vital inner knowing. “It comes from the guts and lower belly but resonates perfectly with the Intent and with the Heart.” (Larre & Rochat de la Vallee, 1995)
Claude Larre, S.I. & Elizabeth Rochat de la Vallee have translated and commented on chapter eight of the Lingshu portion of the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine. This section of the ancient Chinese medical classic explores the metaphysical context of TCM. Deemed “superstitious,” this important work has been omitted from many post-cultural revolution translations with a more materialistic bias.

Rochat & Larre attribute the following attributes and responsibilities to the heart:
Heart, spirit, intimacy, intelligence, thought, mentality, moral conscious, feeling, emotion, humor, intention and attention.

The authors describe the heart’s establishment of order that is maintained with the help of the blood:
The circulation of the blood under the heart’s authority carries regularly, everywhere, the double maintenance of life, which is both nutritive and spiritual. It reconstitutes vitality while also permitting sensitivity and the going and coming of information between the inside and outside. The quality of the blood and its governance by proportioned breaths are judged by the pulsations of the network of animation, which are the pulses, and by the color of the face (complexion).(Rochat & Larre, 1995:174)

Reaching an enhanced quality of stable awareness in which the energy of the mind fills the entire body is called the “complete mind” which manifests on the outside of the body as a radiance:

The complete mind cannot stay hidden in the body. Rather, it takes shape and appears on the outside. It can be known from the complexion of the face. When people meet someone whose appearance and mind are full of positive energy, they will feel happier than if they had met their own brother.

On the other hand, when people meet someone with negative energy, they will feel more hurt than if they had been confronted with arms. His words without words (his radiance) will sound better and farther than an eightsided drum. When the complete mind appears on the outside, it shines brighter than the sun, and people recognize such a person easier than their own children. (in Ishida, Kohn, Ed., 1989:57)

As the flowing complete mind infuses the body with spiritual sustenance, so does energy fill the world. Mencius wrote:
Such is energy. It is exceedingly great, and exceedingly strong. Nourishing it straightforwardly without harming it, it will fill up
everything between heaven and earth. (in Ishida, Kohn, Ed., 1989:58)

According to the Taoist transformational practices on which Qi Kong (QiGong) is founded, the humble task of working with what we are given, beginning with the body, has a healing purpose that transcends the body. Although this alchemical route to individuation and spiritual realization is beautifully mapped, by nature, such a profound path includes circuitous detours, set backs and blind spots as part of the terrain.

Thomas Cleary has translated The Book of Balance and Harmony, a 13th century anthology of Taoist writings. In these classic teachings, the alchemical process of “gathering medicine” is seen to potentially mature beyond technique and linear progress:
Gathering medicine means gathering the true sense of the essence of consciousness within oneself. This is done by first quieting the mind to still the impulses of arbitrary feelings; when stillness is perfected, there is a movement of unconditioned energy. This is the energy of true sense, and its first movement arising from stillness is called the return of yang. This is to be fostered until sense and essence, energy and spirit are united. After that, withdraw into watchful passivity, because if you persist in intensive concentration after the point of sufficiency, your work will be wasted. (Cleary, 1989)

“Watchful passivity” implies activity and passivity at the same time, an on-going theme of Qi Kong (QiGong) and Taoism. The text cautions against the imbalance of compulsive, selfdefeating, over-work, and respects a natural spiritual rhythm.

In the same collection, Cleary defines the completion of Outer and Inner Medicines:
The outer medicine can be used to cure illness and prolong life. The inner medicine can be used to transcend being and enter into nonbeing.

Learning the Tao usually should start from the outer medicine; after that you come to know the inner medicine on your own. Advanced people who have already developed basic worthy qualities know it spontaneously, so they cultivate the inner medicine without cultivating the outer medicine. (Cleary, 1989:21)

The “outer medicine” is a system and a map for promoting health and potentially as preparation for spiritual development as consciousness brings the unconscious to light. Cultivating the “inner medicine” is the search for the Truth, the “ever changing changeless,” a path that depends on faith.

Lymphatic fluid bathes all the tissues of the body. Qi Kong (QiGong) exercise improves the circulation of lymph nodes where lymphocytes and plasma cells are produced. Critical to immune activity, lymphatic fluid, itself rich in lymphocytes and macro phages, carries antigens such as bacteria and virus to the lymph nodes where they are neutralized.

Circulation oflymph is brought about by the compression of vessels by muscular movement; by the movement of respiration and by increasing the volume of lymph, thereby stimulating the lymphatic pulse to propel fluid as vessels contract when they are stretched to fullness.
These forces also draw proteins trapped in the interstitial fluid back into the blood stream via the lymph. Trapped proteins create a stagnant condition in the tissues, upsetting the electrical fields of individual cells and their delicate mineral balance, as well as depriving the tissues of oxygen. (Anglen, 1995:13)

Lymph nodes are found throughout the body especially in the neck, the inguinal region, arm pits and in back of the knees. These areas are kept relaxed and open in Qi Kong (QiGong) movements as the weight shifts, the body twists and stretches and arms circle and swing. Qi Kong (QiGong) self massage specifically addresses lymph nodes and glands in the neck and stimulates areas of the thymus and spleen as well as the skin, the body’s first line of immune defense.

There is a dense concentration oflymphoid tissue above and below the diaphragm, again calling attention to the motion of breathing, called the thoraco-abdominal pump because of its action. Lymph is pumped through the thoracic duct above the diaphragm
into the blood at the sub-clavian vein where it is transformed into blood serum.

The phagocytic rate, a measure of immune function, was found to be increased in cancer patients who practiced Qi Kong (QiGong). Phagocytes are large white blood cells that ingest microbes and foreign particles. In A Clinical Observation of Qi Kong (QiGong) as a Therapeutic Aidfor Advanced Cancer Patients (Sun & Zhao, 1988:97) 123 patients were divided into two groups. While all patients received drug therapy, 93 practiced Qi Kong (QiGong) for over two hours each day for between 3-6 months. The control group of30 received only the drug treatment. Participants in the study had been diagnosed with malignant cancers of the stomach, large intestine, mastocarcinoma and cancer of the esophagus and cardial carcinoma. Phagocytic indices of the Qi Kong (QiGong) group increased y 12.31% and decreased in the control group 7.87%.

Researchers have observed a correlation between Qi Kong (QiGong) training and an increase in the ratio and absolute number ofCD4+T lymphocytes in human peripheral blood. (Ryuet al, 1994:27-36). In presenting their findings the researchers call attention to studies of physical and psychological stress as modifiers of immune function and suggest the relevance of Qi Kong (QiGong) as a means of behavioral modifications of the immune system.

Exercise (Kobasa & Maddi, 1984) and relaxation (Kiecolt-Glasser, 1986:5-21) are conducive to improved immune function. The physical and psychological benefits of exercise and relaxation are inseparable contributors to the larger picture of Qi Kong (QiGong) as a healing practice.

The motion of the diaphragm in Qi Kong (Qigong) breathing provides a massage to the internal organs including the small intestine and cisterna chyli to promote peristalsis and improve digestion and absorption of nutrients. Qi Kong (Qigong) also enhances digestion by stimulating production of saliva and gastric juice as well as the secretion of bile by the gall bladder. Digestion is strengthened by the increased volume of blood flow to the viscera as the body moves in a state of relaxation.

Many of the effects of Qi Kong (Qigong) are overlapping, interrelated and bi-directional, depending on whether the imbalance in question is one of excess or deficiency. Tang You-Yue describe the homeostatic effect of Qi Kong (Qigong) as it applies to the digestive system:

Qi Kong (Qigong) exercise has a diphasic effect on the digestive system, i.e. The peristaltic frequency of the stomach increases in people with gastrointestinal bradykinesia. There is simultaneously an inhibitive response experienced by people with hyperperistalsis.

(Tang, Sun Ed., 1994:15)

The previous section discussed the role of diaphragmatic breathing in improving blood circulation and consequently the cleansing and nourishing effect of oxygen distribution. The movement of the diaphragm during natural breathing also helps circulation by creating a tide-like pull that assists the venous return of blood to the heart. Cardiologist Dean Ornish describes the action of the diaphragm:

Your diaphragm is a large muscle located between your chest and your abdomen. When you contract it, this large muscle is forced downwards, causing a partial vacuum that forces air into your lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing increases the suction pressure in your chest, thereby improving venous return of blood to your heart. (Ornish, 1990: 167)

This simple practice, free of cost and negative side effects is valuable in regard to hypertension. Alan Hymes, M.D. has recognized this value in his writing:

In addition to being an excellent regular mode of functioning, diaphragmatic breathing has shown potential as a therapeutic tool in dealing with several abnormalities. Essential hypertension (high blood pressure of unknown cause) has been shown to respond favorably to a daily regimen of diaphragmatic breathing. This is especially encouraging when one considers the number of deaths per year in the U.S. from heart disease alone, that are associated with hypertension. (Hymes in Swami Rama, Ballentine & Hymes, 1979:4)

There are other important bio-mechanical factors at work in Qi Kong (Qigong) that aid the circulation of blood. The very gradual relaxed movements of Qi Kong (Qigong), particularly those using the large muscles of the legs, as when shifting weight, also helps pump the venous flow of blood as it returns to the heart.

Postural guidelines followed in Qi Kong (Qigong) adjust the skeletal and soft tissue structure around the pathways and junctures of major veins and arteries, freeing them from compression. These anatomical concerns are of course also significant in terms of qi circulation. The following are just a few aspects of posture attended to in Qi Kong (Qigong) practice: The hip joints are open; the area of the inguinal crease (kwa) is active; the shoulders are soft and open in front and under the arm pit; the scapulae mobile; the occiput open as the head is slightly lifted.

The sense of posture is that of the body being open, rounded and fluid, simultaneously supported from below and suspended from above.

Qi Kong (Qigong) supports the heart in its steady work by imparting a strength and resilience to the blood vessels. Kumar Frantzis, Ph.D. points out this over-all conditioning effect:

Concerning the circulation of the blood, the object of Chi Gung is not to make the heart pump more strongly, but to increase the elasticity of the vascular system. As the vessels expand and contract with more vigor, the heart doesn’t need to pump as strongly, which provides it with more rest. Thus the beneficial consequences of Chi Gung, and the internal martial arts are primarily vascular, rather than cardiac in nature. (Frantzis, 1993:15)

Qi Kong (Qigong) has been found to be effective in reducing hypertension and many cerebro-cardiovascular risk factors. Tranquillity induced by Qi Kong (Qigong) activates the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, decreasing heart rate, lowering blood pressure and increasing micro-circulation.

When a person is sleeping soundly, the blood pressure drops to the lowest level in a 24 hour period. However, it has been shown that when doing Qi Kong (Qigong) exercise, the practitioner’s blood pressure drops lower than that of a deep sleeper who does not practice Qi Kong (Qigong). therefore, the anti-hypertensive effect of Qi Kong (Qigong) exercise is measurable and can be regarded as positive.

(Tang, Sun, Ed. 1994:16)

Qi Kong (Qigong) has demonstrated a normalizing effect on cerebral blood flow, lowering or recovering the normal level of blood flow to the brain. (Liu Y. et al, 1993:125) In a study of 158 subjects with cerebral arteriosclerosis who practiced Qi Kong (Qigong) for 1 to 6 months, researchers found improvements in memory and such symptoms as dizziness, insomnia, tinnitus, numbness of limbs and vertigo headache. (\Vang C. et al, 1991: 11 (4): 296-301) Also reviewed in (Sancier, 1996; (2) #1,45)

Liu Wen Qing and other researchers at the Shanghai Traditional Chinese Hospital studied 88 patients with coronary heart disease to determine the effects of Qi Kong (Qigong) on their cardiac health. For over two months, 24 women and 64 men practiced a form of Qi Kong (Qigong) combining meditation and gentle movement. Ken Sancier, Ph. D. summarizes the results:

The patients showed improvements in their brain wave patterns (EEG), heart rhythm (EKG), and other clinical symptoms. Laboratory tests of blood chemistry factors also showed significant improvements. For example, triglyceride, whole blood viscosity and plasma viscosity were lowered with good statistical significance (p<0.005-0.001).

According to the researchers, the laboratory results indicated that Qi Kong (Qigong) practice had stimulated capillary and peripheral blood flow and also had decreased the degree of blood agglutination (adherence of blood cells in clumps that can lead to heart attack). These changes reduced the degree of sticking platelets to the heart wall and improved cardiac function. The decrease in blood agglutination promoted interconnection of myocardial (heart) blood vessels so that the heart walls had a chance to repair themselves. These changes of function and metabolism are the foundation of prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease. (Sancier, 1992, 1)