[Edit] June 2019: I’ve added 1 more crazy rule and 1 more good rule to my original post.
“Well, I guess qigong isn’t for me then,” I said out loud.
A woman standing across the aisle looked up at me for a moment, and then looked back at her book.
The year was 1996. I was in a bookstore in New York City, and I was thumbing through my first qigong book.
The crazy sentence that prompted me to make my comment went something like this:
Don’t practice qigong for 24-48 hours before or after having sex.
I was in my 20s, I had a serious girlfriend, and there was no way in hell that qigong was going to work for me if I had to follow that crazy sex rule.
“Sorry honey, but we can’t make love tonight because I did qigong yesterday,” I said quietly to myself.
Thankfully, the book didn’t completely turn me off of qigong. But it was a close call.
Crazy Qigong Rules
If you’ve done any reading on the subject of qigong (or tai chi), then you know that there are a lot of rules. And some of those rules are pretty crazy.
Identifying which rules are crazy is important.
Qigong saves lives. It saved mine. But in order to save lives, it must be practiced.
The #1 problem I see with qigong is that students struggle to practice. Rules that make this struggle worse are crazy and can be ignored.
It’s not that the rules have no merit. It’s risk vs. reward. When the risk of not-practicing outweighs the risk of breaking a rule, then we can ignore it.
Here are 5 rules that make it harder for beginners to practice, and can be safely ignored:
5 6 Crazy Rules That You Can Ignore
1. The no sex rule. The rule usually says not to practice qigong 24-48 hours before or after having sex. But it’s not even about sex; it’s about the ejaculation of semen and the subsequent loss of “essence”. If your body does not have the ability to ejaculate semen — well then you can basically ignore the rule. Even if it does, you can ignore this rule unless you are doing advanced martial or spiritual qigong.
2. The barefoot rule. One of my masters was adamant about not practicing barefoot outdoors. Another master encouraged it. My advice is to experiment with barefoot practice to see if it works for you. I wrote an entire article about my own experiences with this rule.
3. The noontime rule. Some masters say you should never practice at noon, but others say noon is one of the 4 best times to practice (dawn, noon, sunset, and midnight). Traditional Chinese Medicine agrees that noon is a bad time for vigorous exercise. This is because the heart meridian is active around noon. But practicing qigong at noon is fine as long as it’s gentle. Leave your vigorous internal kung fu practices for another time.
4. The not-while-angry rule. Several masters say you shouldn’t practice while angry. This makes me angry. I can safely say that this is bullshit. Qigong is excellent for anger management. For depressives, anger management is especially important, and they should absolutely ignore this rule. If you feel less angry after practicing qigong, then that’s a good thing.
5. The in-person rule. There’s no doubt that qigong is better in person. But some masters go so far as to say it can’t be learned online. This is untrue. It totally can. Yes, it would be better if a student could come to my retreat in Costa Rica and learn in a tropical paradise, but that’s not always possible. For someone struggling with serious health concerns (like major depression), it’s always better to start sooner than later. Learning online allows people to get started without leaving their home, and that’s a beautiful thing.
6. The no-peeing rule. In 2019, I learned about a rule I had never heard of before: Don’t pee for 30 minutes after qigong because qi is stored in the bladder and then circulates. I don’t know where this comes from, but I can’t think of anything in Chinese Medicine that talks about qi being stored in the bladder. In any case, we shouldn’t worry about losing qi — especially negative qi that needs to be excreted! Practicing qigong often gets things flowing. If you need to pee, go pee!
21 22 Non-Crazy Rules You Should Try to Follow
1. Enjoy yourself! If you follow one rule, follow this one. When in doubt, come back to this rule. The process of enjoying your qigong practice smooths out more kinks and solves more problems than any other rule I’ve ever found. You don’t even need to read the other rules because this is the one that really matters.
2. Fall down seven times, get up eight. This is actually a Japanese proverb, but it applies so often in qigong that I added it here. And I added it near the top because it’s so important. Everyone struggles with willpower. You’ll fall down. Get back up as many times as it takes. Eventually, the habit will stick. Trust me.
3. Get results. This should be obvious, but a lot of people forget this rule. You should be getting measurable results with your practice. For example, your blood pressure might go down, or your pain levels might drop by 50%. If you’re not getting results, then try another qigong method. Get the results that you deserve.
4. Make mistakes. The physical, visible form is the least important thing when it comes to healing with qigong. Worrying about something that doesn’t matter is silly. What makes this even more important is that worry blocks the flow of qi (or energy). Stop it. You’re human. Make mistakes, and don’t try to do the form perfectly. See rule #1.
5. Don’t overthink. This often overlaps with rule #4. If you are constantly thinking things like, “Do I breathe in 50%, or 65%?” then you are overthinking. Stop it. See Rule #1 for a solution.
6. Don’t breathe hard. Breathe gently. Although there are some forceful breathing methods in qigong, start with gentle breathing. How gentle? If you have to ask that question, then breathe gentler.
7. Relax your jaw. Your jaw should be so relaxed that the mouth hangs gently open (like you were taught NOT to do in school). Relaxing the jaw relaxes the entire nervous system (via the vagus nerve, for those who are curious). This rule is more important than it might seem.
8. Less is more. Some beginners are so enthusiastic that they practice for 2 hours a day. Of course, they burn out within a few weeks. With my qigong method, we focus on high-quality sessions that last about 10-15 minutes. This is totally doable, and gets great results.
9. Practice somewhere safe. We typically close our eyes during practice, so make sure the space around you is safe. Don’t practice on a cliff, for example. This rule is especially important for those who’ve learned Flowing Breeze Swaying Willows (a skill that I teach in my 101 program).
10. Avoid unclean spaces. The energy in bathrooms, cemeteries, and near garbage bins is unclean or negative for humans. This isn’t woo woo. It’s common sense. Going to these places is fine, but going into a meditative state to cultivate energy in these places — not good. Since it’s easy enough to find another space to practice, I’ve kept this rule. I understand that it’s sometimes convenient to sneak into the bathroom for quick stress relief, but just sneak outside instead.
11. Avoid thunderstorms. Not because you’ll get struck by lightning, but because the energy is too charged. I learned the importance of this rule the hard way when I moved to the lightning capital of the United States. Thunderstorms are so common in Florida that this really interfered with my practice. What I found was that I could count between the flash and the thunder. If I could count more than 30 seconds between them, then it was okay to practice. Otherwise, it was better to wait. (If I didn’t wait, then I would feel wired and might have trouble sleeping that night.)
12. Avoid strong winds. A gentle breeze is fine, but if the wind is too strong, it may disturb your energy. This follows the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It’s easy enough to avoid strong wind, so this rule is okay.
13. Air circulation matters. Practicing outdoors is better, but indoors is fine if you have good air circulation. When I lived in NYC, I opened the windows up wide, and turned on a fan, even in winter. Not great for the environment, perhaps, but better for my qi.
14. Practice in the morning. Ideally, we would all do a nice practice session at dawn. But it ain’t easy. A compromise for those who struggling in the morning is to do 2 minutes of Lifting The Sky. Start there. The thing about morning practice is that you set the tone for the entire day. And if you practice in the morning, you have the choice to practice again in the evening!
15. Be patient. Traditionally, many qigong masters would tell you to wait 3 years before getting results. My method is much faster, and I tell students to expect to start seeing results after 30 days of daily practice. But patience is still a virtue. Don’t expect to heal a 10-year-old chronic illness in 10 days.
16. Keep the eyes mostly closed. Look, we’re all easily distracted by shiny objects. Even beautiful scenery can distract us from our meditation. Try to keep your eyes gently closed, or at least mostly closed.
17. Be comfortable. Don’t become Goldilocks, but the temperature should be comfortable for you. Your clothing should also be comfortable. And your shoes. Everything should be as comfortable as possible.
18. Eat if you need to. The general rule is to leave 2 hours before or after eating. This will make morning practice impossible for some people. If you can’t relax with an empty stomach, then go eat! Most people find that they can practice comfortably 20-30 minutes after eating.
19. Aim for twice daily. The dosage is important in qigong. And for some reason, twice a day is more than twice as powerful. Practicing twice a day seems to create a momentum that you can’t get with once a day. Also, if you shoot for twice a day, you’ll still do once a day on bad days. If you shoot for once a day, you’ll skip practice entirely on bad days.
20. Don’t shower or bathe. Two of my teachers warned against showering or bathing right before or right after qigong. I’ve experimented with this for years, and I admit that there’s some truth to it. The water seems to affect the energy somehow. Don’t let this rule interfere with making qigong a habit, but once the daily habit is solid, experiment with creating more space between your shower and your practice. Or if you practice twice a day, then don’t worry since you’ll have at least one session that is shower free. I mention it here simply because I can’t dismiss this rule entirely, but please don’t worry about this. It’s a minor issue.
21. Experiment with when. Students often ask if they should do qigong before or after yoga/meditation/running. I’ve found that some students prefer to do qigong first, and then go for a run. Others prefer the exact opposite. Experiment, and find what works for you. If it’s a mind-body practice (like yoga), then you can count it as one of your daily practice sessions. For example, if you do yoga in the morning, and qigong in the evening — then it counts as a twice daily qigong practice.
22. Be skeptical. But stay open. Be skeptical of what qigong masters say (including me). But stay open. Stay open enough that you are willing to experiment. I was skeptical of qigong in the beginning, but I stayed open. And I’m so grateful that I did.
There you go. The modern rules of Qigong. Did I miss any? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. From the heart, Sifu Anthony
Can you comment on the practice in rivers, swimming pool, beach or shower? jejeje is not due but practice experience a day in the pool and was positive because the movements of Tai Chi Chuan they felt very well with water. It was an exception in a small pool where half of the body was outside. Very grateful for your view on this rule.
Hey Julio. I don’t think it matters much, as long as you’re comfortable and you feel good. Water does change the feel of energy a bit, but it’s not a big deal either way.
I’ve seen some sources say that one shouldn’t practice while pregnant and others that say light practice is fine. I’d be interested to know which is true in your experience.
Hi Vanessa. The question is WHAT are the practicing while pregnant. Advanced techniques that focus qi at dantian are a bad idea because the fetus is right there. I tell my pregnant students to continue with the basic exercises that I teach in my 101 workshop, but to close with the energy at the mingmen energy field (on the lower back, opposite the navel) instead of dantian.
You definitely can practice while being pregnant! You should only be especially careful and listen to your body. Avoid anything that gets you or energy too low, like going down in a wide stand is not good or focussing too much on letting go to the earth.
I did a lot of hip circling during both pregancies and it helped me a lot!
Good- I was worried that I’d have to stop practicing when I have kids (in the future). It’s good to know that one’s a myth.
Sifu- are there any other times that closing at mingmen would be better, helpful, or desirable?
Vanessa, we close the energy at mingmen during some stages of the Small Universe. I also teach students to close there if there are some goals related to vitality at mingmen, like sexualy vitality, fertility, and Kidney Meridians issues.
I’ve since written this article, which may help: http://flowingzen.com/18419/16-guidelines-for-practicing-qigong-while-pregnant/
Aren’t there Qigong practitioners who channel chi through their body (not from their body) as a means to heal others? I ask because I was recently told by a KunLun Nei Gung Master that we mustn’t use chi for others because it drains our own energy and we’ll never achieve activating the Golden Dragon body/rainbow body of light if we do energy healing on others. As an energy healer, this sounded like an enormous pile of crap. It also goes against my perspective of healing and activating myself in order to be in service to others. My personal perspective is that properly trained healers channel Chi from Source to the client and there is no limit to this Chi, nor does it pull from our own as we are merely conduits for it. I’d love to hear your perspective on this!! Thank you!
Sorry for the delayed response. I was traveling.
Yes, channeling qi to heal others is something that some people can do, including me. I agree with your sentiment. Here’s an article that you may find helpful:
https://flowingzen.com/9093/real-stories-of-external-qi-transmission-part-deux/
Always easier to follow positive suggestions….. thanks for so many great ‘do’s’!
This post is a treasure trove! So many “final answers” that I’ve heard a variety of information on over the years. I love the internal aspect of the practice. Bottom line for almost everything is: listen to yourself – does it feel good and do you get the results you want? The few hard & fast rules make clear sense, like not practicing in an unclean environment. Thanks, Sifu!
What about grounding oneself if practicing on an insulated surface? Of course outdoors would be best; but if not, would it be helpful to ground when indoors?
Hi Logan. I’m not sure that I understand your question. Grounding yourself how?
Some Nei Dan practitioners, such as those who followed “John Chang” of the Mo Pai tradition popularized in Magus of Java, call for grounding the hui yin during seated meditation or the left foot during ZZ via a grounding wire and rod buried outside. It’s similar to earthing which is becoming popular for general health reasons.
Logan, I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but many years ago, I had some private correspondence with John Chang’s non-Western disciples. Suffice it to say that a lot of the information floating around about Mo Pai is inaccurate, which isn’t surprising considering the Chinese tradition of secrecy.
Unless you have a living, breathing teacher who is telling you to ground yourself with a wire, and unless that teacher can give you good reasons to do so — I would ignore it.
Lots of people, including myself and my students, have developed internal power without doing that kind of stuff.
I was not aware but that’s very interesting. The whole Mo Pai saga ended rather sadly, and it’s not worth chasing after. The grounding issue is debated a lot on Nei gong forums like daobums. We are lucky to have experienced teachers making this available in the West. I will look forward to your workshop!
If the debates on TaoBums include discussions about personal experiences and insights into why grounding is useful — then okay. But if the debates focus on “so-and-so said to practice like this” without any clear understanding of the real pros and cons of such a practice — then I would steer clear.
my concern is whether its B.S or not…i have a hard time believing in chi , energy, energy balls and the like…i do qigong love it sometimes, is there science to prove this…
Greetings from Costa Rica, Joe. You may be interested in this post here:
http://flowingzen.com/17279/what-qi-really-feels-like/
Yes, there’s a growing body of positive research about qigong, tai chi, and meditation. I thought it was all BS too, so I set out to find out:
http://flowingzen.com/17247/the-skeptics-guide-to-feeling-the-qi/
Hi Sifu,
I practiced Qi Gong this morning for the first time – a few beginner poses – and became extremely tired about halfway through the day. I had to take a nap to get some energy back. Does that normally happen? Did I do something wrong in the session?
Thanks!
Hi Caitlin. It’s probably nothing to worry about, but can you tell me more about what you practiced and where you learned it?
Hi Sifu,
Thanks for your reply. 🙂 It was just a beginner video from a practitioner, which I found through good old fashioned Google – probably not the smartest place to begin. I’m not sure what the movements were called but they focused on circulating the energy through your body by drawing your hands in to your chest, inhaling, and pushing them out and exhaling. A circular motion.
I really want to learn more. Do you have any online courses or videos I can use?
I’ve got a few options available in my new online school, and many new options coming soon:
https://flowingzen.mykajabi.com/
Try one of those. I’m guessing my approach is going to work a lot better for you! 🙂
Awesome! Thank you! I’ll check them out. 🙂
Pretty much the same rules I follow and the same I ignore! Great to find someone that agrees! Just found this website and I’m already loving it!
Welcome aboard! You know what they say about great minds…
Hi Anthony-
I’ve been told that you shouldn’t practice in water or in a wet environment because you can pickup more dampness in the spleen. Can you speak to that?
Thank you!
Hi Donna. Yes, that’s Chinese Medicine. If you have dampness (not just in the Spleen Meridian), then you should probably avoid dampness when you practice. As always — follow what’s comfortable. The truth is that people with edema for example won’t feel comfortable practicing in dampness because it aggravates their condition.
But practicing on the wet sand on a beautiful beach now and then? Totally fine, especially if you love the beach!
Thanks for this article, it makes a lot of sense. Can I check out a detail about #12 please? It says “Avoid strong winds. A gentle breeze is fine, but if the wind is too strong, it may disturb your energy. This follows the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It’s easy enough to avoid strong wind, so this rule is okay.” Where I live in Northern Ireland it’s often windy – not hurricane stuff, but quite strong winds on a regular basis. I’m practicing indoors, so does the wind strength outdoors matter? Thanks.
I have been told you need to tone and purify before you advance to moving qi so you are not moving bad qi or energy etc. I am brand new to qigong. Do you feel that is true and if so how does this work? Do a tone purify exercise prior to another or do them for a week or so then move on? Any advice I would greatly appreciate. It’s important to me to start a qigong practice. Thank you
Different teachers have different terms for the same skills, so I’m not sure what you mean by “moving qi”.
This article explains how I teach in my school: http://flowingzen.com/17304/the-12-ways-of-cultivating-qi/
Twice a day is a good tip. But I try to do Zhan Zhuang as the core training in the evening and during the day or at night other forms, mostly internal.
Hi Sifu,
I was wondering if it would be ok to do qigong in the middle of the night? I started doing the 18 exercises in the morning and find it very relaxing. Was wondering if doing it during bouts of insomnia at 3am would help relax me enough to go back to sleep?
I am hoping to be able to sign up for your next online course when it opens up.
Thanks,
Hi Pallavi.
It’s definitely worth a shot! If you’re already up, might as well try some qigong. I suggest gentle exercises that calm you down. Let us know how it works!
Thanks Sifu, do you know when you might open up your 101 course again? I really need it and would love to get started soon.
Thanks
It will reopen in November. If you want to get started, I have some new stuff coming soon. Or you can try the Depression and Anxiety Course! https://flowingzen.mykajabi.com/p/battling-depression-anxiety-with-qigong-tai-chi
Hello, I’m glad I found this page. I’m reading and working out of Ken Cohen’s book…and did see a rule which is a little “inconvenient”. Due to chronic illness, the best time for me to do certain things QiGong (meditation, organ+emotions meditative breathing, etc.) is actually between 12 noon and 6 pm. I guess this is – paraphrased – an energetic “dead zone”, and any efforts during this time would be for naught or even negative. So, after reading that, I am trying to do at least 10 minutes before 12 noon EST; something at dusk; and at least a meditation at 12 a.m. sometimes followed with movements. (I have to do most things seated). I’d also like to know if I can do the Qi Gong self-massages in this 12pm-6pm time? Indeed, many rules.
I’d appreciate your opinion on this, thank you!
Hi Anthony
Does jewellery affect chi flow:
1) I normally wear some silver and gold jewellery daily. Do I need to remove this when practicing qigong?
2) If I need to remove the jewellery whilst practicing, can I leave it on when not practicing? Will this negate the energy built up when practicing.
Thanks to advise.
Interesting, the 6th rule to be ignored. I just finished my second qigong class, and noticed that both times I had to pee a lot after the class. I figured it was a good sign, at least something was happening in my body (in addition to feeling more flexible and calmer than before).
Yes, it’s a good sign. Things are flowing!
The practice I learned said you should not put your hands in cold water immediately after your practice. Is it OK to go swimming 15 or 20 minutes after the Qu Gong session?
Hi Nancy. Please see #20 above.
I read that qiqong should only be learned in person from a qualified instructor. Are there any dangers that you know of when learning online?
Thanks
Here’s my response to people who say qigong can’t be learned online:
https://flowingzen.com/20305/how-i-respond-when-people-say-qigong-cannot-be-learned-online/
can you practice upstairs or do you have to be connected to the earth?
Of course you can practice upstairs! I practiced in my 6th floor apartment for years!
Can I do qigong after a strenuous workout? Which exercises are best?
Sifu,
As a third level Qigong instructor and writer I am 100% on board with your wonderful attitude, insights, “rules” and candidness towards Qigong. It’s the rigidity that is imposed on it (and on many martial arts and other healing arts forms. Don’t get me started about meditation “rules”) that in many instances prevents people from maintaining a regular practice and whatever regular means for them.
It is so much about your comfort level, getting outside of it in many ways, feeling your way through it, letting the Qi flow, release blockages, inspiration, motivation and BEing.
Thank you for this article. I know it was written a few years ago but it is still equally relevant today.
Glad it was helpful! I updated all of this info for my book, which is in the final stages of editing, but the info is basically the same. Rigidity and qigong do not go together!
I am Stage4 cancer. Doctor recommended Qigong, mostly to regain balance and mobility. I start my classes today at Wellspring Alberta. Wellspring is cancer supportive facilities. I have been reading up on Qigong online, read your Rules 😀 and looking forward to this experience.
I am also scheduled for Reiki massage 🤔
Sorry to hear about the diagnosis, Paul. That must be terrifying. I’m so glad that your doctor recommended qigong.
I have a free video series that is available for a few more days. The 8 tips in video 2 might really help you on your journey: https://academy.flowingzen.com/a-fresh-perspective-on-qigong-mastery-2023