Welcome to website of Nei Yang Gong and Tai Ji Quan
Qigong is a Chinese method of exercising mind, body and breath that has proved hugely effective for many in terms of its health benefits, whether by way of maintaining and promoting good health or in the recovery from illness and disease.
Nei Yang Gong Qigong, which translates literally as ‘Inner Nourishing Cultivation Energy Work’ is such a specific system of training passed down through many family generations and which in recent times has become accessible publically, not only within China, but throughout the world.
In Chinese philosophy all illness is considered the result of a disturbance, imbalance, blockage or deficiency in the natural flow of energy throughout the body, and as such both emotions and energy are believed to be important factors in poor health and disease.
Nei Yang Gong Qigong is a system of ‘Medical’ Qigong that has proved greatly beneficial and highly effective in terms of its ability to promote, maintain and protect health of mind, body and spirit. It has also proved highly effective in its ability to play a key role in the recovery from illness and poor health. Since 1949 Nei Yang Gong Qigong has been used in China to successful treat patients suffering from a range of illnesses and conditions including; digestive problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and patients recovering from cancer treatment. Regular practice of Nei Yang Gong Qigong has been found to improve and invigorate the functions of the respiratory system, the digestive and nervous systems and the immune system. Such practice has also been found to help calm and quiet the mind, relieve mental stress and both control and properly focus the mind, helping to ensure that the thoughts it generates are positive and beneficial to our health rather than negative and destructive, as is too often the case
Nei Yang Gong Qigong is also a highly effective system of physical exercise which strengthens and conditions the soft tissues of the body (the muscles, ligaments, and tendons), improving flexibility and increasing the mobility of the joints. It is as just as suitable as a complimentary addition to the program of any serious athlete as it is a regular means of gentle exercise for the elderly and infirm.
Nei Yang Gong Qigong works by strengthening the functions of the body and regulating the flow of Qi (pronounced ‘Chee’) or life force energy, drawing in energy from external sources and enhancing that which already exists within and seeking to restore the flow of Qi to its natural state.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) it is believed that the blood follows the Qi and that the natural flow of Qi around the body through a series of pathways or ‘meridians’ helps stimulate and encourage the circulation of blood and fluids.
Blockages can be formed throughout our meridians (energy pathways) by many factors including stress, improper diet, lack of exercise, pollution and other environmental toxins. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) philosophy, when Qi and blood are circulating freely, then illness and disease are not present
Nei Yang Gong Qigong’s is both a mental and physical effectiveness comes from its treating of the Mind and the Body as a whole.
The practice of Nei Yang Gong Qigong involves exercise of the mind and the body as a whole, and the directing and moving of Qi. This process has the effect of ‘cleaning out’ the meridians (energy channels), clearing blockages of energy, and nourishing the Qi and blood.
Energy can then flow freely in abundance throughout the body nourishing the inner organs and bodily tissues to prevent illness and helping restore the body to its natural state of good health. Qigong connects with our natural potential and natural healing powers enabling us to prevent disease, recover our good health and enable to live our lives to the full.
A Chinese saying often quoted by Liu Yafei, the 7th family successor of Nei Yang Gong Qigong is
"The mind is driven by the emotions like a horse being ridden by a wild ape. The secret is to drive away the ape and tether and control the horse.”
There is no doubt that our emotions and thoughts can have an influence, good or bad, on our health and well being, and taking control of our mind and our thoughts is of primary importance when recovering from illness or poor health in particular.
Zhineng Qigong Pang Ming said “It is easy to train the body and feel Qi, but it is not easy to train the mind. Most of the time we are unable control the mind, yet if you can solve problems in your mind you can solve all problems”
Positive thinking therefore is an important element of any Qigong practice but true believing will often only come as result of actual feeling or experience.
Nei Yang Gong Qigong practice involves both using the mind positively and keeping the mind clear and calm. Only if we know the mind can we truly set ourselves free. Too often our focus is on external things which often can result in wasted energy. Nei Yang Gong practice involves a greater focus within and as a result gathers and preserves that energy.
The Law of Attraction of course dictates that we will attract to us what it is we mostly think about it is important to train ourselves to focus our thoughts and feelings on what want in life, rather than what it is we don’t want.
Bodily reactions to the practice of Nei Yang Gong Qigong should be seen as positive signs that the practice is having an effect on the body, rather than a sign that the condition might be getting worse. That doesn’t mean you should not seek medical advice if you concerned. Instead it suggests that as you do not truly know the answer at that moment then you have a choice as to what to believe and it serves no useful purpose to choose to believe the option that you don’t want or that is bad for you. Indeed the opposite may be true.
As Pang Ming said “No matter how serious someone’s condition, there is always hope” and this thinking formed the basis of the Zhineng Qigong Therapy at the Huaxia centre, known as the world’s largest hospital without medicine, where thousands of patients, or students as they were known, many seriously ill, were successfully ‘treated’ with Qigong therapy.
There are then three important elements in any Qigong practice;
Confidence and the belief that through hard work and regular practice you can return to good health. By reading and hearing the stories and experiences of those who Qigong has helped recover their health you will develop a foundation of confidence and belief in the power of Qigong, and most importantly the power of your body to heal itself.
Determination in overcoming whatever problems or difficulties you will be presented with along the journey and not allowing 21st century life to prevent you from doing what you need on a regular basis. Recovery from poor health is hard work and the more serious the problem, or the longer it has been around, the harder you will have to work. Once you believe that you have the power to heal yourself you are more likely to be motivated to put in whatever effort is required.
Perseverance in refusing to give up your practice when things get difficult, or just as importantly when you see some slight improvement. It is uncommon to see those suffering chronic ill health moving from therapist to therapist in search of the answer to their problems when often the answer lies within themselves.
The key is realising we have the power to heal our problems and that Qigong provides us with the tools we need to do so.
The emotion of helplessness plays an important role in illness and poor health and Nei Yang Gong Qigong offers those suffering from poor health not only a means of helping themselves but the gift of genuine hope.
For those who are lucky enough to enjoy good health Nei Yang Gong Qigong offers a means of protecting what is life’s most valuable commodities and wonderful system of physical exercise.
Nei Yang Gong Qigong is often used alongside that Chinese art of Taijiquan (often referred to in the West as ‘Tai Chi’) to help treat and help hundreds of individuals each year and Nei Yang Gong Qigong treatment has for some time now been offered in hospitals throughout the China healthcare system. It is currently taught at the National Medical Qigong Hospital and Training Facility in Beidaihe, China where thanks to the work of Liu Ghui Zhen, the 6th successor of the system and founder of the Beidaihe Centre, and his daughter and successor Liu Yafei and her staff, Nei Yang Gong Qigong is being made available to groups around the world.
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This website is designed as both a means of promoting this effective method of healing and health maintenance and as a resource for its practitioners and students.
The site offers information about the Nei Yang Gong system of Qigong and its structure and history as well as information about the National Medical Qigong Centre and opportunities to study through classes, personal tuition, workshops and courses around the world, including study courses at the Beidaihe centre itself.
As the daily stress of modern day living produces more and more challenges to our physical and mental health and well being, the ancient arts of Qigong and Taijiquan offer unique and invaluable tools with which we can help make our lives healthier, happier and of course longer.
Note : There are varying spellings of the Qigong that have been used in the process of converting the pictorial Chinese language into the Romanized character used in the West. As a result you will often see the word ‘Qi’ spelt as ‘Chi’ and the word ‘Gong’ spelt as Kung, using the old Wade Giles system. Throughout this site we use the more modern Pinyin system which joins the two words together to create ‘Qigong’.