The Magnificence of Qigong

"If you want to be healthy, and live to be 100,

then practice Qigong."

Dr. Oz

Every Saturday morning a group of us gather together under the big tree at Citrusglen park in Irvine, and practice Qigong. Many of the practitioners have been coming now for over 5 years, while others are new. They vary in age and fitness levels, but all are drawn to the life-affirming benefits of this ancient art; increased energy (Qi), alleviation of stress, lower blood pressure and greater peace of mind. Yet, if you ask someone who has been practicing Qigong for a year or more what brings them to the park every Saturday, they just might give you a mysterious little smile and tell you that it's all about 'spacial awareness'.

"Just what is spacial awareness?" you may ask them, and the answer you might receive will be something along the lines of, "well, it's being aware of the actual space you move through in your life." Or perhaps, they might tell you that you have to discover what it is for yourself. Beyond all of it's many other benefits, this 'spacial awareness' is what practicing Qigong is all about. It's about waking up from the constant movement of the mind, relaxing down into the body, and becoming aware of the space that is not only within you, but surrounds you in every moment of your life. As we wake up to the actual space that we flow through in our life, every movement becomes an act of meditation.

2000 years ago, the Taoist and Buddhist Masters who gave us Qigong, discovered that these simple, easy forms bring, not only strength and vitality to the body, but relaxation and balance to the mind, so that even the simple act of walking becomes a doorway into the power and grace that is available in every unfolding moment. Through Qigong practice we can discover for ourselves, the mysterious spaciousness that allows all forms to arise and supports all life through it's intimate embrace.