Self-care is my thing. I love taking responsibility for my own healing. I’ll involve healers and physicians whenever needed, but what I will never, ever do is outsource my healing 100%.

That’s why I was originally drawn to qigong — because it empowered me to heal myself. And that’s why, all these years later, I’m so passionate about sharing it with others.

But healing is a messy business. I’d love to tell you that practicing qigong will solve all your problems, but I can’t do that. Unlike other qigong teachers out there, I am allergic to BS. Don’t believe the snake oil salesmen who try to tell you that qigong is all you need to cure yourself of anything and everything that ails you.

Don’t get me wrong — qigong is powerful. For me and many of my students, it is THE most powerful tool we’ve encountered, and believe me, we’ve tried everything! But just because qigong is the strongest medicine on the planet doesn’t mean that it is the only medicine you need.

I’m a huge fan of acupuncture, which is one reason I went to acupuncture college. But there are many other awesome therapies out there. To get the healing that you need, you may need to combine your qigong with chiropractic, myofascial release, talk therapy, Reiki, or some other form of healing.

Healing therapies can be pricey though. And in the age of COVID-19, it can also be problematic to visit a therapist.

What if there were a way to boost your healing that could be done from home and cost literally pennies per session?

And what if this method was a perfect compliment to your qigong practice?

Introducing Expressive Writing

I’ve journaled for decades. It’s how I process my thoughts and emotions. I sit down in the morning with a cup of coffee and I journal.

I love Natalie Goldberg’s books and I’ve even taken an online writing course with her. I’ve also used Julia Cameron’s “Morning Pages” method.

But when it comes to healing, nothing compares to Expressive Writing.

When I first learned about Expressive Writing, I dismissed it. The main difference here is that you are required to destroy your writing immediately after finishing.

That’s it? Destroy the entry — either by burning it or deleting it on the computer? Bah. What’s the big deal? It’s not much different than what I’ve been doing for years.

I was dead wrong. The first time I tried Expressive Writing, I was shocked at how powerful it was. And I’m not alone. It turns out that many people have a profound healing release after doing 1-5 sessions of Expressive Writing.

Sound interesting? Then keep reading.

The Science

Before I tell you how to use Expressive Writing, let’s talk about the science.

Currently, there are over 500 research papers on Expressive Writing on PubMed, the national database of research studies.

In other words, Expressive Writing isn’t woo woo; it’s evidence-based healing.

Dr. David Hanscom is an orthopedic complex spinal deformity surgeon and the author of Back in Control: A Surgeon’s Roadmap Out of Chronic Pain. This book is where I originally learned about Expressive Writing. If you are battling chronic pain, especially back pain, then I recommend his book.

Dr. Hanscom uses Expressive Writing with virtually all of his patients, even ones in severe pain who seem to be strong candidates for surgery. In many of these cases, the patients find immediate relief after just a few days of Expressive Writing.

It may seem strange for a spine surgeon to discourage his patients from surgery but that’s exactly what Dr. Hanscom does. Instead, he starts them on a holistic healing program that includes:

• Expressive Writing
• mindfulness meditation
• forgiveness meditation
• gratitude meditation.

Sound familiar? (For those who don’t know my work, I teach all of these techniques in my qigong programs, except for expressive writing.)

How it Works

The truth is that we don’t know exactly how Expressive Writing works. That’s why I call it “magical”. But I have my theories. Here’s what I think:

1. It puts your thoughts where you can see them, thereby giving you much-needed cognitive distance.
2. Destroying the writing is a symbolic gesture that seeps into your subconscious, allowing stuck emotions to start flowing again.
3. Knowing that you will destroy the entry gives you the freedom to write things that, normally, you would not allow yourself to write. This can give you valuable insight into things that are still blocking you on a mental-emotional level.
4. The process of connecting your thoughts with actual physical sensations (more on that soon) helps to create closure, allowing you to let go.

It’s important to remember that we do not need to know HOW something works in order to know THAT it works. This applies to both Eastern and Western therapies.

For example, the mechanism for aspirin was not understood for decades. This didn’t stop doctors from prescribing it because it was clear that, whatever the mechanism, aspirin works.

Expressive Writing — How to Do It

Now let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of practice. Here are my instructions, which I’ve compiled from a few sources, as well as my own experience.

1. Write down your thoughts/emotions. These can positive, negative, or a combination both.
2. Try to write in a meditative state. You can use the 2-Minute Drill before writing to help you get into this state.
3. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar. Just get your pen or fingers moving, and then keep them moving.
4. Remind yourself that you are free to write ANYTHING because you will destroy the entry soon.
5. Connect actual physical sensations with the narrative. In other words, don’t just tell what happened, but how you FELT about what happened.
6. When you’re finished, immediately destroy the entry. If you’re writing on paper, this means using a paper shredder or burning (be safe!). If you’re using a digital device, make sure to empty the trash after you delete it.
7. Destroy immediately means just that. Do NOT spend time ruminating on what you wrote. Don’t even reread what you wrote. The goal is to let go, not hang on!
8. Write once or twice a day for 5 to 15 minutes.
9. If your mood plummets after writing, stop for a few days. Although this is a sign of healing, it can take time to process the emotions. Qigong will help with the processing.
10. Consider this a lifetime practice similar to brushing your teeth. There is no beginning or end point.

Some Tips to Get You Started

I’ve already mentioned that this type of writing is a bit different than your regular journal or diary writing. Somehow, Expressive Writing goes deeper. If you aren’t accustomed to writing about your deep-seated emotional blockages or unhealthy beliefs, then it might help to have some simple prompts to get you started.

Here are some prompts that will help you get your Expressive Writing juices flowing:

• What’s been nagging at you lately?
• If you had to guess which emotion is stuck, what would it be?
• What keeps you up at night?
• What’s something that you’ve never told a single soul?
• What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?
• In what ways are you too hard on yourself?
• What are you afraid of people finding out about you?
• Who have you not forgiven yet?
• What apology would mean a lot to you?
• What might your pain be trying to tell you?

Pick one of these prompts and then write for 15 minutes. Don’t worry if you end up writing about something different than when you started. Remember — this isn’t a college essay and you’re going to destroy it anyway!

Why It Pairs So Well with Qigong

If you do a few sessions of Expressive Writing, you’ll quickly discover that it’s an emotional process. If you commit to this process, you’ll experience at least one emotional catharsis within a few weeks. According to qigong theory, this kind of emotional catharsis can be HUGE.

Our goal with qigong is the smooth flow of qi through the meridians. When the qi flows smoothly, then we will be happier and healthier.

Stuck emotions block the flow of qi. These blockages can remain in your system for years or even decades.

Here’s a powerful example. I once had a student who had a difficult relationship with his father. Let’s call him Jesse.

Jesse told me that he didn’t shed a tear when his father died, not even at the funeral. Obviously, this is unhealthy. This is an energy blockage.

I did a private session with Jesse and opened some vital points. Because he had never grieved his father’s death, I decided to open some energy points along his Lung Meridian. (In qigong theory, the emotion of grief is associated with the Lung and Large Intestine Meridians.)

When I touched the final energy point in the meridian, Jesse immediately broke into tears. It was as immediate as if I had flipped a light switch.

I mention this because it’s a good example of how emotions can get stuck for years or decades, even if we practice qigong. Jesse was a dedicated qigong practitioner for years before this, but it wasn’t enough to break through. He needed to do a private session with me to open the blockage.

Cheap Medicine

You don’t need to do a private session with me in order to clear your old blockages. And let’s be honest, you probably can’t afford me anyway. (I charge high fees for private sessions because they pull me away from my primary work, which is helping groups of people.)

Instead, try Expressive Writing. But there’s one problem: Your old excuses won’t work here because:

• Expressive Writing is not expensive
• Expressive Writing is not physically challenging
• Expressive Writing doesn’t require a lot of time

To get the best results, I recommend that you combine Expressive Writing with qigong. If you’re already practicing qigong, then simply add Expressive Writing to your daily routine.

If you don’t know qigong – then what are you waiting for? Go get my book, silly. It comes with a free online course and it’s the absolute cheapest way to get started with qigong.

And if you try Expressive Writing, please let me know how it goes. I would love for you to comment below with your experiences. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post The Magical Healing Powers of Expressive Writing appeared first on Flowing Zen.

One of the things I love most about qigong is that it’s accessible to everyone.

And I mean EVERYONE. I’ve taught qigong to all kinds of amazing humans. Here are a few examples:

• an army veteran with one arm
• a young attorney with one leg
• a 94-year-old wheelchair-bound grandmother
• a visually impaired teenager
• a 60-something professor with one-sided paralysis after a stroke
• a 40-something mother confined to a bed while battling COVID-19

Teaching them qigong is one thing; what’s more important is the RESULTS.

A lot of exercises, like yoga and pilates, can be adapted to a seated or prone posture. And that’s a good thing that will benefit a lot of people.

But a lot of people get confused with qigong. They think that if they mess up the physical form, they won’t get results.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The physical form is the least important aspect of this amazing healing art.

Can I Practice in a Chair?

For example, students often ask me if they can practice qigong in a chair. What they’re really asking me is if they can get RESULTS while practicing in a chair.

Duh. Of course you can.

You should be adapting the various postures to your own body ANYWAY, chair or no. If you want to get the healing benefits of qigong, then it’s critical to be comfortable.

This approach is the opposite of the typical “no pain, no gain” approach in Western exercise.

With qigong, the motto is: “No pain, no pain!”

I tell my students that they are free to butcher the physical form of the exercises that I teach them. Students need this reminder because we come from a culture that views physicality as paramount.

In qigong, physicality is NOT paramount.

Your breathing, your mindfulness, your ability to relax, your enjoyment of the experience — these things are FAR more important than making your form look picture perfect.

If you have chronic back pain and you force yourself to stand up to do your qigong, and if as a result you’re wincing in pain every 30 seconds — then you won’t be able to relax your body or your mind.

And if you can’t relax your body-mind, then you can’t do qigong. Not REAL qigong at least.

Are You Doing Real Qigong?

By “real” qigong I mean qigong that is practiced as an internal art.

What is an internal art?

With an internal art, the important stuff happens on the inside, not the outside. It’s similar to sitting meditation in the sense that the physical posture is less important than what you do with your mind.

With qigong, we harmonize the mind, the breathing, and the body. If you are in pain, then you won’t be able to harmonize any of these things.

If your mind is always on the form of the exercise, then chances are you’re not going deep enough with qigong. And that means you’re not getting the results that you deserve.

When to Sit

If you cannot stand to do your qigong, then there’s no dilemma. You can and should be doing your qigong from a seated posture. Watch the video below for some tips on how to do that.

But some of you will need to temporarily practice qigong in a chair for other reasons. For example:

• You sprained your ankle
• You are recovering from a serious illness
• You just had surgery
• You are on an airplane
• You are too fatigued to stand
• You have acute back pain

In the above examples, doing your qigong in a chair or a seated posture will speed up the healing process.

But I Want to Stand!

Unfortunately, I often see another problem with my students: Intractable stubbornness.

If you’re determined to stand as soon as possible after your injury or surgery or whatever is blocking you — great! Now take that enthusiasm, bottle it, and save it for the coming weeks!

Re-injury is the enemy.

If you stand too soon, if you use a “no pain, no gain” approach, then you’re likely to hurt yourself and delay the healing. In some cases, I’ve seen students who had to go back in for surgery because they ripped their stitches or staples.

Here’s a better alternative: Stand for some of the session.

If you know the 5-Phase Routine, then try standing for Phase 3. Sit for all of the other phases.

Or if you are ambitious, stand for both Phase 2 and Phase 3.

My Tips:

Watch the video below for some tips and instruction on using a chair.

Here are the tips that I mention in the video:

• Experiment with different chairs
• Try chairs with different heights or try a cushion
• Use chairs without armrests if possible
• Try a stool
• Don’t lean back in the chair
• Keep your feet flat on the ground if possible.
• If you know the 5-Phase Routine, and if you are able to, stand up for Phase 3.

Got questions? Post them in the comments below.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post My Tips for Practicing Qigong in a Chair (plus a video) appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Knowing that people would probably want to watch our conversation, Stefan kindly agreed to film everything. I’ve uploaded 6 short segments from our conversation, which you can watch below:

Segment 1: What is Fascia?

Segment 2: The New Science of Fascia

Segment 3: Cellular Hydration and Fascia

Segment 4: Fascia and Internal Power (Neijin)

Segment 5: Fascia and your Nervous System

Segment 6: The Takeaway

The post Fascia, Pain, and Qigong: My Conversations with Elisha appeared first on Flowing Zen.

If I hear one more person say that it’s “just the placebo effect,” I’m going to kick them right in the placebo.

For example: “How does qigong work? Is it just the placebo effect?”

It’s the word “just” that gets me angry.

The only reason to put the word “just” in front of the word “placebo” is to discount it.

It should be the opposite. The placebo effect should be embraced rather than rejected. For the life of me, I can’t understand why people aren’t jumping up and down at the discovery of the amazing phenomenon called the “placebo effect”. 

What the Placebo Effect Really Is

I understand what the placebo really is, which is why I embrace it.

When someone says “just the placebo” to me, it shows me that they don’t truly understand what it is. This is what I hear:

“It’s just an intrinsic healing phenomenon that has been documented to spontaneously reverse cancer and other diseases. Just that little thing.”

The term “placebo” first came into use in the 20th century. Henry Beecher, a doctor I mentioned in part 2 of this series, was actually a pioneer in placebo research. He was so fascinated by what he witnessed giving fake morphine to soldiers in WWII that he wanted to investigate further into this amazing phenomenon.

Good for you, Dr. Beecher! Thank you for exploring the placebo rather than rejecting it!

The placebo effect results from the belief that a treatment will have benefit.

In other words, the placebo effect is concrete, scientific proof of the mind-body connection. It absolutely proves that your beliefs and thoughts have a measurable effect on your health and wellbeing

And yet, this amazingly powerful phenomenon is being largely ignored.

It’s Not In Your Head

In part 2 of this series, I spoke about how chronic pain is often dismissed as “in your head”. (I explained that, technically, all pain is in your head because all pain is registered in the brain.)

People often make the same assumption about the placebo — that’s it’s all in the head.

It is critical to understand that the placebo effect is not just a psychological phenomenon. It’s not just in your head, especially when it comes to pain management.

Research on the placebo has shown measurable improvements that cannot be explained by mere psychology.

In part 2 of this series,, I talked about a fascinating placebo study using fake knee surgery (WSJ ink). It’s a perfect example of how the placebo effect isn’t in your head.

There are countless other mind-blowing examples of the placebo effect. The evidence is there if you look. I won’t bother listing all of the cool placebo studies because there are too many of them. Plus, I think it’s better if you get it directly from Western scientists, researchers, and doctors.

Here are a few more books to get you started:

• Spontaneous Healing by Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D.
• The Biology of Belief, by Bruce Lipton, Ph.D.
• The Molecules of Emotion, by Candace B. Pert, Ph.D.

Here’s a quote from another awesome book called Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself, by Dr. Lissa Rankin, M.D.:

Is there scientific data to support the seemingly miraculous stories of self-healing that float around? You betcha. There’s proof that you can radically alter your body’s physiology just by changing your mind. There’s also proof that you can make yourself sick when your mind thinks unhealthy thoughts. And it’s not just mental. It’s physiological.

(Note: these are affiliate links, which means that I get a tiny commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. You’re basically giving me an Amazon gift card. Thanks for helping me to stay addicted to reading!)

Why There’s No Placebo In Qigong

So far, we’ve established that the placebo effect is solid, scientific proof of the mind-body connection. We’ve also established that Western Medicine prefers to ignore this phenomenon.

Meanwhile, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been exploring the placebo effect for 3000 years. (Remember that qigong is a branch of TCM, along with acupuncture and herbology.)

Of course, Traditional Chinese Medicine has never used the term “placebo”. In fact, the modern concept of a placebo” is completely foreign to TCM.

And that’s because TCM has never in its long history denied the mind-body connection.

Why The Mind-Body Connection Matters

When it comes to pain, we can’t ignore the mind-body connection. In part 2 of this series, I wrote about how pain that seems structural or physical is not.

If it’s not structural, if we can’t just repair the broken watch — then what is causing pain?

Simple answer: Your emotions.

In my previous 2 articles, I’ve explained the problems with the Western approach to pain.

The fact is that Western Medicine is useful for many things, but when it comes to dealing with chronic pain, it is failing 100 million Americans. And it is failing because it is looking in the wrong place.

Everyone knows that heart disease has an emotional component, right? People accept that stress and the emotions are involved, even though it would be easy to view heart disease as a purely physical issue.

But when it comes to chronic pain, no one wants to talk about the emotions.

At least, no one in Western Medicine.

Want To Get Rid Of Your Pain?

Whenever a student comes to me with pain, I always start inquiring about their emotional state.

“Sifu, it’s my low back that hurts!” they usually say.  “This is a physical problem. Stop asking about my damn emotions!”

It’s incredibly difficult to change this kind of thinking. It runs deep in our culture, and even deeper in our subconscious mind.

I started getting terrible low back pain around the same time that my depression started surfacing.  Back then, it never occurred to me that the two could be linked. Even after I learned about a possible link, I discounted it for years.

Whether you like it or not, this fact remains: You won’t find a long-term solution to your chronic pain until you address your emotional issues.

This is what I tell my students:

“If you want to get rid of your chronic pain, then first get rid of your false belief that your pain is purely physical.”

(As an aside, one big reason I wrote this 3-part series is to help students to finally get rid of those false beliefs.)

How Your Emotions Cause Pain

So how does it work? How do the emotions cause pain?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we have the Five Elements (五行, wu xing):  Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood.

Each of the Five Elements is associated with a Meridian System.  Furthermore, each Element is associated with an emotion:

In other words, for thousands of years, the Five Elements of TCM have recognized that emotions are a part of the healing equation.

Here is a simplified equation to help you understand:

The Pain Equation

1. Emotional energy is a form of qi.
2. If you have pain, then your qi is stagnant.
3. If your qi is stagnant, then it is caused by either an excess or deficiency of qi.
4. Whether the stagnation is caused by excess or deficiency, the solution is to circulate the qi.
5. The best way to circulate qi is with qigong.

Why Qigong is Awesome for Pain

Qigong is like the love child of mindfulness and tai chi. When it comes to pain, qigong is arguably more effective than tai chi.

Keep in mind that all qigong is the same. There are many different styles and approaches. But the fundamental approach of qigong is different from both tai chi and sitting meditation.

Qigong is specifically designed to be medicine, whereas tai chi and sitting meditation are not. (This doesn’t mean that tai chi and meditation can’t be medicine; just that they weren’t designed as such.)

Here are 10 reasons why Qigong is so awesome for pain:

1. Qigong uses movement – but gentle movement that anyone can do.
2. Qigong gives you all the pain-reducing benefits of mindfulness meditation.
3. Qigong gives you all the pain-reducing benefits of tai chi.
4. Qigong is ridiculously simple.
5. Qigong gives results faster than tai chi or meditation.
6. Qigong is non-martial and non-religious.
7. Qigong can be practiced even if you are overweight, in a wheelchair, or recovering from surgery.
8. Qigong is non-addictive, unlike opioid medications.
9. Qigong brings many other benefits in addition to relieving pain.
10. Qigong works.

Read this article here about the most frequently asked questions about qigong.

Click here to start learning  a simple qigong exercise called Lifting The Sky.

In Closing

This brings us to the end of my trilogy on chronic pain. All over the world, millions of people are suffering from chronic pain. Because I have such an amazing tool with qigong, I feel obligated to help.

If you know someone who is suffering from chronic pain, please point them to this series, or one of my online programs. I’ll do my best to help them!

Did you find this series helpful? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Why You Need Qigong If You Struggle with Chronic Pain appeared first on Flowing Zen.

I’ve experienced back pain so severe that it almost got me arrested.

I was in my apartment in NYC, I was deeply frustrated by my pain and lack of mobility, and I let out a loud, primal scream.

As crazy as things were in NYC in the 1990s, screaming was still frowned upon, especially with the windows open.

Luckily, New Yorkers tend to mind their own business. My neighbors didn’t call the cops, and I avoided doing any jail time.

I’m joking a little. But not about the pain. I’ll never joke about my experience with back pain.

I am no stranger to suffering. As a depressive, I’ve experienced mental-emotional pain the likes of which most people simply cannot imagine.

At one point, I welcomed the raw physicality of back pain. It was a relief to have something so physical, so tangible, as compared to depression and anxiety.

That was before the pain got bad. Once it got bad, I got desperate.

What you need to understand about back pain is that, when it’s bad, there is no escape — not when you’re sleeping, not when you’re sitting, and not when you’re standing.

You are in constant pain, except for a few hours of restless sleep every night.

With pain like that, you are desperate. Absolutely desperate. You are vulnerable. You will try anything.

Big Pharma to the Rescue

Never fear! Big Pharma is here!

From acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) to ibuprofen (e.g. Advil) to opiods (e.g. OxyContin), Big Pharma has a pill for your pain.

Don’t get me wrong. Pain killers can be a godsend. They are a terrific stopgap for pain management.

But that’s all they are — a stopgap. Pain killers are not a solution to pain.

If it were that simple, if Big Pharma really had an elegant, permanent solution to pain, and if there weren’t other solutions that are safer, more effective, and more affordable — then that would be that, and I wouldn’t be writing this article.

But here I am, writing my heart out.

The Limitations of Big Pharma

People like to think that Western medicine has all the answers. It’s a comforting thought. Unfortunately, it’s not true.

The truth is that Western medicine has some of the answers, but not all of them. If your MD doesn’t agree to this statement, then it’s probably time to find one who is more honest.

Pain management is an area where their answers are still incomplete.

Big Pharma doesn’t want you to know that. Imagine a pill that healed chronic pain for good. Do you think Big Pharma would be interested?

The truth is that a complete answer to pain management would lose them billions in revenue.

Am I a crazy conspiracy theorist? No. I’m not. I’ve simply learned to follow the money, and you probably should too.

As it stands, pain meds are an ongoing stream of income for Big Pharma. Patients end up being on pain meds for years. Over 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. You do the math.

Big Pharma wields tremendous influence over doctors, researchers, and lawmakers. They are, in a very real sense, a cartel, and they will do whatever it takes to protect their interests.

(If I mysteriously disappear after publishing this article, then someone please get Benedict Cumberbatch to Sherlock my death!)

The Danger of Opioids

Opioids like oxycodone are one of the main methods Western medicine has for treating pain. There are definitely times when it is a blessing to have access to painkillers like this. After a knee replacement, for example.

The problem is that opioids are overprescribed. No, actually that’s not the root problem.

The root problem is that opioids are basically heroin. Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter if they were overprescribed.

What if I told you that there was something killing more Americans than gun homicides and car crashes? Would you pay closer attention?

Then pay attention, because opioids are killing us.

Deaths by overdose from prescription drugs like oxycodone are also worse than those from heroin and cocaine combined. 

Read that sentence again. We’re talking about a drug that is not only legal, but prescribed by medical doctors. And THAT drug is killing people.

If we include the deaths that come from people who eventually overdose from heroin because they can no longer get their hands on prescription opioids, then the numbers are even more terrifying.

Opioids are killing more Americans than guns, cars, and illegal drugs? How the hell did this happen?

How We Got Here

In the past, opioids were mainly used to treat the awful pain associated with terminal cancer. In those cases, opiods were a miracle.

Opioids have also been safely used for years for short-term conditions, like post-surgical recovery.

But starting in the 1990s, opioids began to be used for things like low-back pain, sciatica, and other musculoskeletal problems.

As a result, we’ve been experiencing an epidemic of drug overdose deaths in the US since 2000. The use of these drugs has grown 10x over the last 20 years.

And that’s a problem. A serious problem.

It would be an even bigger problem if we didn’t have any other choice.

But we do.

Are there Better Solutions?

What if I told you there were solutions to pain that not only worked, but were safe, affordable, and had zero side effects.

No, it’s better than that. What if, instead of side effects, there were benefits!

Imagine a pill that managed pain as well as opioids, was 100% safe, had zero side effects, was extremely affordable, and also made your smarter.

You’d take that pill. I know I would.

In fact, I already do.

That pill is meditation. It seems that meditation — moving meditation, mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation — are great for pain. And of course, meditation also has lots of benefits as well.

“Prove it!” you say?

I’m assuming that the so-called “anecdotal” evidence of me having proved this on hundreds of students with chronic pain cannot be submitted as evidence. That’s okay. I won’t take it personally.

How many studies would it take before you were convinced?

Well here are 10 studies showing the pain-reducing benefits of meditation and tai chi:

1. Demystifying meditation: Brain imaging illustrates how meditation reduces pain.
   Meditation produces powerful pain-relieving effects in the brain, according to new research published in the April 6 edition of the Journal of Neuroscience.
2. Meditation can reduce chronic neck pain, study shows.
   Meditation might be an effective treatment for reducing chronic neck pain, according to research reported in The Journal of Pain.
   
3. Meditation eases pain, anxiety and fatigue during breast cancer biopsy.
   Meditation eases anxiety, fatigue and pain for women undergoing breast cancer biopsies, according to researchers at the Duke Cancer Institute.
4. Mindfulness meditation trumps placebo in pain reduction. 
   Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have found new evidence that mindfulness meditation reduces pain more effectively than placebo.
5. Mindfulness meditation provides opioid-free pain relief, study finds
   Everyone knows that stubbing your toe hurts. What makes it stop hurting is the body’s main pain-blocking process — the natural production of opioids.
6. Mindful meditation may be the answer to relieving chronic back pain, study suggests.
   “These findings suggest that MBSR may be an effective treatment option for patients with chronic low back pain”
7. Mindfulness Pain Relief Distinct from Placebo Effect.
   A new study demonstrates that the practice of mindfulness may ease pain in a way that is mechanistically distinct from the placebo effect.
8. This Is Why Meditation Makes You Feel Better
   After just four days of meditation training, people reported feeling 21% less pain.
9. Tai Chi found to be as effective as physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis
   Both Tai Chi and physical therapy positively impact pain, function and other symptoms of knee osteoarthritis — making Tai Chi a viable treatment alternative for people suffering with the degenerative disease
10. Tai Chi relieves arthritis pain, improves reach, balance, well-being, study suggests. 
    In the largest study to date of the Arthritis Foundation’s Tai Chi program, participants showed improvement in pain, fatigue, stiffness and sense of well-being.

Why Research is Slow

When I first started teaching qigong and tai chi, there weren’t very many studies. The benefits were all word-of-mouth.

Now, there are tons of studies. The list above is just a sampling. We could go on and on.

The real question is: with such promising early research, why isn’t MORE research being done?

Follow the money.

Research is mainly paid for by Big Pharma. Why on earth would they research solutions that not only can’t be patented, but would ultimately threaten their profit motive.

They wouldn’t. And they won’t.

The Pain Management Revolution

Because this is such a big issue, and because the research is so slow, there is a grass-roots movement to help people deal with pain.

I’m definitely not the only person doing this, which is good because it’s a huge problem! But I’ve been in the trenches helping people with chronic pain for ten years.

I’m honored to have been invited to speak at a tele-summit on pain management. This was a free online event with 20 experts. I was representing qigong and tai chi.

You can watch the interview for free here:

In the next article, I’ll talk about how our entire thinking about chronic pain is flawed, and why it will never product long-term results for those who are suffering.  

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post What Big Pharma Doesn’t Want You to Know About Pain appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Are you eager to learn more about qigong, tai chi, and meditation? Are you struggling with discipline? Want to know more about the history and theory of these arts?

Then ask questions, grasshopper!

The human brain functions better when using questions. All teachers know this. They know that presenting information is only half the battle.

Maybe less than half the battle.

Getting students engaged with the information is the real battle.

And the best way to engage students is to get them to ask questions and start discussions.

Hence, my Ask Me (Almost) Anything series. Here are the ground rules:

• Click here to submit a question. (Anonymous questions will be given a pseudonym.)
• I’ll answer your question in an upcoming Ask Me (Almost) Anything.
• Click here to read more about why asking questions (not just reading answers) is so crucial.
• Comment below if you have follow-up questions, even if the original question wasn’t your own.
• Comment, like, or share this blog post if you’d like to see more of the same in the future.

Let’s dive in!

Dear Sifu Anthony,

Have you ever gotten the “feeling” that your teacher did not care about your development or progress in Tai Chi/Qigong? During the last one-on-one session I had with my teacher, he told me that I “embarrass him”. How do you go on teaching and advising others?

– Alicia

Dear Alicia,

I’m sorry to hear about your difficulties with your teacher. It’s awful to have someone you admire hurt you with their words. That must have been painful for you to hear.

The truth is that traditional Asian teachers can be extremely harsh.

I have the rare honor of having been harshly scolded by about a half dozen different Asian masters!

In any other setting, the scoldings I received would have been labeled as verbal abuse. But for some reason, we accept this kind of behavior from martial arts teachers.

I’m not entirely sure that’s a good thing in the 21st century.

Here’s the crazy part. I have near perfect recall for every technique I’ve ever been taught, I practice diligently, and I’m generally considered to be pretty talented at these arts.

All that — and I STILL got yelled at.

So don’t feel bad. This isn’t about you. It’s just how some of these Asian masters work.

Your job is to decide if you want to work with them or not.

If I were you, I would speak with my teacher, and ask for clarification. Communicate as honestly and clearly as you can.

It’s hard to have this kind of conversation with a good friend, so expect it to be 10x harder with your teacher.

If your teacher continues to verbally abuse you, or gives you an unsatisfactory answer, or can’t somehow frame his answer in a traditional context – then you might consider leaving.

Good teachers are hard to find, but not THAT hard. I’d rather travel 500 miles to learn from a good teacher than be abused by one around the corner.

Best,
Sifu Anthony

Dear Sifu Anthony,

In tai chi practice, there is intent and focus. When I do a qiqong set, I feel like I am just waving my arms around. What is the intent and focus I should be putting into my qiqong to get benefits other than just exercising my muscles and joints?

– Dave

Dear Dave,

I get question this question all the time. In fact, I wrote an entire article about this here

The #1 Mistake in Qigong, Tai Chi, and Meditation

In a nutshell, you’re paying way too much attention to the external aspects of qigong, and not enough attention to the internal aspects.

Qigong is an internal art. The important stuff happens on the inside.

If you feel like you’re just waving your arms around, then you’re not going deep enough into a meditative (or Zen) state of mind.

That focus that you crave — that’s what we call the Monkey Mind.

The Zen Mind is the antidote to the Monkey Mind. It doesn’t crave focus because it is already focused – on the present moment, on the breath, on even the simplest physical movement.

For example, I’ve been practicing Lifting The Sky for nearly 20 years. It’s a ridiculously simple exercise.

But you know what? I still don’t feel like I’m just waiving my hands in the air, even after 20 years.

That’s because the Zen Mind doesn’t have room for boredom.

The Zen Mind is one of the big themes of my 101 workshop. I strongly recommend that you take it, either in person or online.

Within the workshop experience, I can answer your questions not just by giving you intellectual answers, but by giving you the experience of what I’m talking about.

You can also download my free stuff for an audio that will give you a glimpse of the Zen mind.

Best,
Sifu Anthony

Dear Sifu,

Like you, I previously studied Karate and moved on in my case to Tai Chi and Qigong due to back issues. Now, 2 years into the Chinese martial arts, I struggle sometimes to stay motivated.

Sparring and self defense was enjoyable in karate but so is Qigong and learning martial aspects of Tai chi.

I guess the repetitiveness of training has got me in a bit of a rut.

Suggestions?

– Neal

Hi Neal,

Sorry to hear about the back issues. I can certainly relate.

I had terrible back pain in my Karate days. And my recent psoas injury has caused some issues to resurface. No fun at all.

But I’m not clear about something. Are your back issues preventing you from sparring? Please feel free to clarify below.

Regarding motivation — it’s a problem for all of us. Including me.

People think I must have tons of motivation. I really don’t.

I’m just lucky. Long ago, I happened to learn an important lesson: You don’t need motivation as long as you have good habits.

Training in qigong and tai chi is repetitive. That in itself shouldn’t be a problem if you’re in a meditative state of mind. (See my answer to Dave above.)

Nevertheless, if you’re plodding through the same old practice routine every time, then it’s time for some variation.

I like to show my students new and creative ways to practice. For example:

• Take your Tai Chi form, and practice it twice as fast as normal.
• Or practice it backwards.
• Or without hands.
• Or without the stances.
• Or do it out of sequence.
• Or do it in a confined space.
• Or do it with power.
• Or do it on uneven ground.

I could go on, but you get the point.

That said – when it comes to the martial path, there’s no replacement for dynamic, two-person training. I’m a big fan of Pushing Hands because it is a lot safer, and arguably more fun that sparring.

If you haven’t learned Pushing Hands, then go do it. It’s not hard to learn the basics. But there’s a lifetime of learning (and practicing) in those basics.

Best,
Sifu Anthony

Sifu,

I would like to ask about a number of things (one at a time, of course) that pertain to “spiritual” matters. In the past I have shied away from doing so because I had the impression that you only wanted to field a certain scope of inquiries and that you wanted to avoid being perceived as that kind of teacher. I really appreciate your attitude in that regard and I think it sets you apart from teachers in the best of ways, so I preface my question acknowledgement of that stance and the wisdom thereof. That being said, I would like to explore some possibilities with you: is there any way that we can talk about things like reincarnation? The ultimate purpose of these arts we practice? Psychic phenomena, their availability and relevance to us? Anything in that range would be very interesting to me. What do you think?

-Thanks,
Charles

Hey Charles. Good to hear from you!

It’s totally fine to ask questions like this. Don’t worry. The answer is always, “Yes, let’s talk!”

Here are my thoughts, one at a time:

Reincarnation: Yep. I believe in it, mostly because I happen to find the paradigm useful.

See, I tend to make lots mistakes in life. So the idea that I don’t have to get it all right in this lifetime is comforting to me.

Plus, pieces of me were forged in the center of a star billions of years ago. So I’m already a reincarnated star.

The Ultimate Purpose of These Arts: Are you talking about spiritual aspect of these arts?

Personally, that’s an important aspect of my training – but it’s not for everyone.

The older I get, the more I think that everything – from back pain to anxiety – is ultimately a spiritual issue. But how you phrase things really matters.

Many people come to me just wanting to get rid of chronic pain and have more energy. They’re not interesting in that “spirit” stuff, and I can’t blame them.

A few years later, once they get out of pain and have more energy, maybe they’ll become interested in mindfulness and spiritual training.

Also, I’m really wary of the whole “guru” thing. I think I can help a lot of people with their spiritual cultivation — but I’m no Buddha.

Maybe I’ll talk more about enlightenment once I reach it. What headline should I use for my blog post once I reach enlightenment?

Psychic Phenomena: To some people, feeling a little qi in the hands counts as a psychic phenomenon.

To me, transmitting qi without touching doesn’t even count.

I’m not sure how it works, whether it’s an electromagnetic field, or what – but I don’t consider myself a psychic just because I can transmit energy.

That said, I’ve seen some weird shit in the qigong world. I believe there are people with powers that even I would label as “psychic”.

The Zen traditional typically ignores all psychic phenomenon and encourages students to focus on meditation. The Taoist tradition, on the other hand, cultivates these powers in a holistic way.

Which path will you choose, grasshopper?

Yours,
Sifu Anthony  

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Ask Me Anything [February 2016] appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“Sifu Anthony, do you think I should get knee surgery?”

I’m not a doctor, and I don’t even play one on TV.  But students often ask for my opinion on this subject.

Why?

Probably because the Kung Fu tradition (which includes Qigong and Tai Chi) contains a lot of wisdom.  And in the 21st century, I think that this kind of ancient wisdom is precisely what we sometimes need to hear.

For example, Kung Fu wisdom can help you defend yourself when a masked madman is planning to knock you out and then cut you open with a razor-sharp knife.

Just kidding.  Surgeons aren’t masked madmen.  I was going for dramatic effect.  And before you send me an angry email (seriously, people do this all the time, usually because of one of my bad jokes), I’d like to point out that a surgeon saved my wife’s life.   So there.

Is Surgery A Waste Of Time?

Sometimes, surgery is not only necessary, but amazingly effective.

And sometimes, it’s a complete waste of time.

For example, there’s some research that suggests that common knee surgeries do nothing for patients.  People receiving fake surgeries recover just as quickly as those receiving real surgery.

In other words, thousands of people have been receiving unnecessary surgery for years.  Meanwhile, when you give patients a strong placebo (i.e. fake surgery), the patient can heal herself on her own.

If you’ve read my free ebook, then you won’t dismiss the placebo effect the way that some people do.  Instead, you’ll recognize that the placebo effect is actually concrete, scientific proof of the healing power of the mind.  When we harness that power (like we do with Qigong and Tai Chi), then the body is often capable of healing itself.    Click here to read more about what we can and can’t heal.

That’s why students ask for my opinion — because they have experienced for themselves the amazing healing power of Kung Fu, Qigong, and Tai Chi, and they want to know whether it can help them to avoid surgery.

Kung Fu Wisdom vs. Surgery

I always give the same advice to students when they ask me about surgery.  Here is what Kung Fu wisdom says on the subject:

1. Ask your doctor how long you can responsibly postpone surgery.  Make sure that he or she answers the question directly, and don’t accept an answer like ‘as soon as possible’.  You want an answer that includes a specific number of weeks or months.
2. If the doctor says something like, “next week,” then you’ve probably got your answer (although I recommend getting a 2nd, and even a 3rd opinion).  In this case, the answer is yes, you need surgery.
3. But if the doctor says something like, “Well, I don’t see why you couldn’t postpone it for 3 months,” then BAM!   You’ve got 3 months!

If you get a 3-month window like this, then you’ve got a wonderful opportunity staring you in the face.  You’ve got 3 months to throw some serious Kung Fu (but especially Qigong) at the problem. (If you don’t already know Qigong, then you can learn an exercise for free by clicking here.)

When people have a clear goal (avoid surgery), a clear deadline (3 months), and a clear method (Qigong) — that’s when the real magic happens, and not just in Qigong, but in life.

The Kitchen Sink

Here’s a secret that successful people already know:  When you’re working toward an important goal, throw everything plus the kitchen sink at it. 

In other words, if you are determined to make the most of your 3-month healing window, then you’ll do everything in your power to promote healing.  Here are some things that you can do to promote the healing process.

1. Practice Qigong twice daily.  This is your main healing method, and you need a high dosage.  Click here to read my article about the correct dosage of Qigong.
2. Get enough sleep.  Most Americans are sleep deprived.  And you’re probably one of them.  When you’ve got something that needs healing, then you need to sleep more than normal.  So it’s okay to sleep for 9 hours.  Or 12.  And no, I’m not joking.  If you’re serious about healing, then 12 hours of sleep is a small price to pay.
3. Get some acupuncture.  The synergy between acupuncture and Qigong is amazing.  They are both branches of Chinese medicine, so they complement each other wonderfully.  If you live near Gainesville, then it’s a no-brainer to go see my wife because she’s awesome (and because we work well as a team).  If you’re not in Gainesville, then find an acupuncture physician.  (MDs, chiropractors, and physical therapists sometimes offer acupuncture, but they typically only have 100 hours of training in the art, as opposed to 3000+ hours of training for acupuncture physicians.  So there’s no comparison in skill levels there.)
4. Get chiropractic.  It’s worth taking the time to find a good chiropractor.  Why?  Because your spine innervates every organ system in your body.  If your spine is blocked energetically, then it’s going to affect your healing. If you live in Gainesville, then I can save you some time and recommend this place here.
5. Get massage.  Find a good, licensed massage therapist.  Not spa massage!  That’s just the feel-good stuff.  You want therapeutic massage.  There are many different kinds of massage, so do some searching.   If live in Gainesville, we have two amazing massage therapists at our center.  For the rest of you, ask around.  There’s nothing like the power of word-of-mouth.
6. Drink water.  Most Americans are chronically dehydrated.  You need water to heal.  Drink up.
7. Get fresh air and sunshine.  Seriously.  This matters, and will help your body to heal faster.
8. Eat better.  Less processed foods, and more of the good, fresh stuff.  And less sugar because it promotes inflammation.

3 Months Later…

Now let’s imagine that 3 months have passed, and you’ve done everything you can to help your body heal.   Time to go back for another diagnostic.  (They’ll have to do one before doing the surgery anyway.)  After the MRI or X-ray or whatever, ask the doctor the same question that you asked her 3 months ago:

“How long can I responsibly postpone the surgery?”

Here’s the fun part.  It’s highly likely that the doctor will say something like this:

“Interesting.  Your condition seems to have stabilized.  I don’t see why we can’t postpone for another 3 months.”

Woohoo! You just bought yourself another 3-month healing window. 

Do you see where we are going with this?  Just rinse and repeat!

I’ve watched students repeat this 3-month process several times with their doctors.  Eventually, it became clear that the surgery was unnecessary.  So in the end, it was the doctor herself who said, “You no longer need surgery.”

Here’s the best thing about this bit of Kung Fu wisdom  — even doctors can’t complain about it because we are using their own diagnostic method, their own medical advice, and also because we’re doing no harm.  I’ve actually gotten feedback from a few surgeons (via their patients) who said something like: “That’s really reasonable advice.  A Kung Fu teacher said that?”

Yes, grasshopper.  A Kung Fu teacher said that.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How Kung Fu Can Help You Avoid Surgery appeared first on Flowing Zen.

You’ve learned qigong and/or tai chi from a good teacher, and you’ve been practicing for at least 1 year.

You’ve gotten good results — and yet you still have some lingering health issues.

Meanwhile, other people have been able to overcome those same issues using qigong. And yet you can’t seem to do that for yourself.

Why?

I’ve seen it in many times. For example, I once had two students literally standing next to each other in a class.  One of them had overcome arthritis in about 6 months using qigong. The other student, however, was still suffering from arthritis even after 2 years of practice.

This is a perfect example of the gap that exists between theory and reality that I mentioned in a previous article, What We Can (and Can’t) Heal. 

In theory, your problem can be healed, but in reality, it hasn’t happened.

I’ve seen people reverse arthritis many, many times. And people all over the world are reversing it with diet, acupuncture, chiropractic, and other methods. So there’s no question that — in theory — arthritis can be reversed.

Then why does arthritis reverse itself in some people, but not others?

The answer is simple: Something is blocking the energy.

To narrow down the possibilities, let’s assume that you’re following the 3 Golden Rules, and that your dosage is correct.

Let’s also assume that, in theory, your particular problem can be healed, even if that’s just theoretical.

Then what’s blocking you?

Well, it’s complicated.

What’s Blocking You?

The human body is an incredibly complex healing machine, and there are many things that can potentially block your energy.

I developed the Blockage Wheel (see below) in order to help students figure out where they might be blocked.  I’ve identified 12 blockages that students commonly run into. I’ll explain each blockage below.

The idea is that the wheel should roll as smoothly as possible. Here’s a perfect Blockage Wheel. In other words, this person has no major blockages in any of the 12 major areas.

In the picture above, all 12 areas are completely even, making for a very smooth ride on the wheel.  This is what you want.

But your Blockage Wheel probably looks more like this:

If you’re like most people, then some areas are better than others. Maybe you eat well and exercise, but you don’t rest enough.

The end result is the same — your ride is bumpier than it should be.

Let’s take a closer look at each blockage.

1. Emotional Health

Are your emotions flowing, or stuck?  In Chinese medicine (including qigong), all physical ailments have an emotional component. Each of the 12 Primary Meridians have emotions directly associated with them. For example, if you are fearful, then there may be a blockage in your Kidney Meridian, and this blockage may be contributing to your back pain.

Suggestions: Focus on Purifying the Qi. Neuro Emotional Technique is also wonderful.  There are many other methods out there as well. If it works, use it.

2. Physical Body

How is your posture? If you are mildly kyphotic or lordotic, then your energy is not flowing smoothly.  In Chinese there’s a saying that “you need not worry about getting old so long as your spine is straight.”

Sometimes, this is referred to as a person’s “structure”.  If your structure is off, if you are hunched over, then this blockage needs to be corrected. 

Physical strength and flexibility (or a lack thereof) are also factors that can affect your structure and your health.

Suggestions: Strength and flexibility can be built holistically with proper qigong and tai chi exercises. Focus on Aligning the Qi. Another option is the Alexander Technique.

3. Sexual Fulfillment

Humans are sexual beings. Sexual energy is part of being alive. If your sexual energy is blocked, then it can cause all kinds of problems, especially with hormone production.

I should mention that there are qigong techniques that can help to circulate sexual energy even if you don’t have a partner. This is how the Shaolin monks and nuns remained celibate for years without going crazy.

Suggestions: Read my article entitled 17 Ways to Unblock Your Sexual Energy.

4. Spirituality

Are you connected to something bigger than yourself? Sometimes, the blockage is deep in the spirit.

For example, I believe that my own depression was a crisis of the spirit.  For the atheists out there — don’t forget about nature and the cosmos. Are you connected to those things? If not, then this may be what’s blocking you from healing.

Suggestions: Focus on Unifying The Qi. Or you can go deeper into your own spiritual tradition. Go to your church or temple, and try to connect with something bigger than yourself. Personally, I’m also fond of communing with the church of nature.

5. Creativity

Creativity is not just for artists. Humans are creative animals. If there is absolutely no creative outlet in your life, then this could be what’s blocking you.

Suggestions: Sign up for an art class. Learn to dance. Try a musical instrument. Start a journal. There are plenty of creative outlets out there for you to choose from. Personally, I also enjoy practicing qigong as a form of creativity.

6. Environment

Your house, your work place, the climate where you live — these things have a profound affect on your health.  This is an entire subject of study called Feng Shui.

I once heard a qigong teacher tell a student to move out of his apartment because the Feng Shui was so bad. I’ve heard that in some houses, the air quality is worse inside than it is in some major cities, like LA or NYC.

Suggestions: Focus on Discovering the Qi in your environment. Read books on Feng Shui if you like, or just use your common sense. How does your house or apartment feel? Is it clean? Is there enough natural lighting for a plant to grow? Is your bedroom dark enough for you to sleep at night, or is there ambient light from outside? How is your bed?

7. Your Mission

Are you clear about your life purpose? Are you fulfilling it?

If your work is pure drudgery, if there is no time during the week where you feel that you are making strides in your mission, then this could be a blockage.

Suggestions: Spend time figuring out what you want to do with your life. This worksheet is a good place to start.

8.  Rest

Just a guess here, but you probably don’t sleep enough. You probably stay up too late, and get up too early. You probably don’t take naps. And even when you do sleep, you probably don’t sleep deeply.

Am I right?

Sleep is one of the ways your body replenishes and restores itself. A lot of theories suggest that we should be getting 8-10 hours of quality sleep every night. If you’ve been getting 5 hours of restless sleep for years, then that could be part of the problem.

Suggestions:  Go to sleep earlier. Do a 30-day experiment with going to sleep 1 hour earlier than normal.  Or experiment with cat naps (10-20 minutes).

9. Money

I see this blockage all the time in students. On a practical level, if you can’t afford my online courses, then money is literally blocking you from healing yourself.

Or if you’re constantly stressed out by your finances, then this is a big stress on your energy. Many people just cannot relax into working on their health until they fix some of their financial problems.

Suggestions: Learn Prosperity Qigong if you can. If not, then practice lots and lots of gratitude. It seems like a paradox, but if you practice feeling grateful for what you do have, then your financial stress will start to dissipate.   There are also many ways to get healthier on a budget, which you can try to implement.

10.  Tribe

Humans are social animals. We all need a community. It could be a group at church. It could be a sports team. It could be a book club.

Why is this important? Research has shown that belonging to a community has a profound effect on your overall health and longevity. In fact, one study said that a sense of community is more influential than whether or not you smoke.  In other words, loneliness is worse for your health than smoking!

Suggestions: Join our amazing Facebook group. Seriously. It’s such a great group of people. Even if you hate Facebook, create a dummy account just for that group. It’s worth it.

Or find another community that you enjoy spending time with. Check Meetup.com or Facebook events or other sources. And then spend time with your tribe at least 2 times per week!

11. Diet

This is a big subject and one that I usually try to stay out of.  It’s gotten to the point in America where it’s virtually impossible to have an intelligent discussion about diet.

People often have dogmatic views about nutritin, and are thus easily offended. 

But if you’re blocked in this area, then you might need to open your mind and make some changes. And the first change may be to open your mind.

Suggestions: Start with Michael Pollan’s book “In Defense of Food” (here’s my affiliate link). This is one of the sanest and most even-handed books about nutrition that I’ve ever read.

12. Mental Health

Your thoughts and your beliefs affect your health, your energy. If you haven’t yet read it, I highly recommend that you read The Biology of Belief.  (That’s another affiliate link, by the way.)

This book, written by a Western scientist, explains the fascinating world of epigenetics — a world where your thoughts and beliefs can change the expression of your genes! Everyone should read this book!

Mental health can also refer to your clarity of mind. If your mind is dull, if you can’t concentrate, then this will block you from learning the things you need to learn to fix your health.

Suggestions: Learn how to control your thoughts, rather than letting them control you.  Qigong is a wonderful way to do this, but there are many meditation methods that also work well.

Got questions about anything above?  Go ahead and post them below.  I’m happy to answer them as best as I can. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post 12 Things Blocking You From Healing with Qigong appeared first on Flowing Zen.

What can we heal with the self-healing art of qigong? And what can’t we heal?

These are super-important questions, especially since we are in the midst of a health care crisis in the U.S.  If you’re reading this article, then you probably have a specific problem, and you want to know if there are any options other than drugs or surgery.

This article will tell you how to figure out whether or not your specific problem can be addressed with qigong.

Before I go on, let me categorically state that I am not suggesting that qigong can “cure” anything.  To do so would be illegal. As I state very clearly on my terms of use page, all material provided on this website is offered for informational or educational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for the advice of your physician, psychotherapist, or other healthcare professional.

Yada yada.

Now, let’s get down to business.

Can Cancer Be Reversed?

(Note: Let’s be clear that I am not giving medical advice, and that I am not in any way suggesting that your cancer will be cured or reversed by qigong. In the U.S. it is illegal for anyone other than oncologists to treat cancer. This is a theoretical discussion, not medical advice.)

Let’s begin with an important question — one that could potentially change your life. I’ll focus on one particular illness at first, and then branch out to others later.  So please bear with me if the first example does not apply to you.

Ready for the question?  Here it is:

In theory, can cancer be reversed without chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or any medicine whatsoever? 

Make sure to answer this question before you continue.

Okay, got your answer?

Hopefully, you answered “yes”. If you answered “maybe” or “no”, then I’ve got news for you. And it’s wonderful news.

The medical literature is full of cases where cancer reversed itself without any external intervention. In other words, there is a ton of scientific evidence that the the human body can heal itself of all kinds of cancer — without drugs, chemo, radiation, or surgery.

I’m talking about the well-known phenomenon called “spontaneous remission”.   And it happens all the time. For example, this study found that 22% of all breast cancer cases underwent spontaneous regression. Wowzers! That’s a lot of spontaneous regression!

If you were suffering from breast cancer, you would absolutely want to be one of the lucky ladies to undergo spontaneous regression. Why? Because it involves no surgery, no nasty side effects, and it is typically far more effective than the orthodox treatments. Oh, and it will also save you a few hundred thousands dollars.

The Spontaneous Remission Project

So how can you pour yourself a nice cup of spontaneous remission?

Well, you can’t, at least not according to Western medicine.

You see, doctors and researchers are too busy fighting the “war” on cancer to pay attention to something like spontaneous remission. Who cares that it is arguably the most important medical discovery in the last 100 years. We’ve got a war to fight!

That’s why you don’t hear about these cases too often. But you should, because these cases prove — beyond a shadow of a doubt — that it’s at least POSSIBLE to reverse cancer, even at advanced stages.

Perhaps Western medicine doesn’t yet understand the mechanism by which this is possible, but the evidence is clear that it is possible.

If you’re skeptical, great!  I love skeptics!  Just make sure that you’re a healthy skeptic!

If you’re a healthy skeptic, then you will certainly be interested to know that in 1993, some researchers decided that spontaneous remission was something that should be studied rather than ignored.

Together, they compiled the largest database of medically reported cases of spontaneous remission in the world, with more than 3,500 references from more than 800 journals. Go ahead and take a long look at the Spontaneous Remission Bibliography Project online.

In the database, they define spontaneous remission as:

“the disappearance, complete or incomplete, of a disease or cancer without medical treatment or treatment that is considered inadequate to produce the resulting disappearance of disease symptoms or tumor.”

Coming back to my earlier question, we now have good answer — that the human body is capable, at least in theory, of reversing of many forms of cancer. Terrific!

What Can’t Be Healed?

Before we talk more about what can be healed, let’s talk about the opposite.  Let’s talk about something that the human body, and thus Qigong & Tai Chi, cannot heal.

A beautiful young woman once approached me after a workshop and asked, quite innocently, if qigong could regrow an amputated limb.  This woman had a rare condition as a child that required amputation.

My heart went out to her.  It was one of those moments where you just want to lie and say that everything is going to be okay.

But I told her the truth.

“I’m sorry, but to the best of my knowledge, that’s not possible.”

As far as I know, there are no recorded cases of entire human limbs being regrown. So it’s safe to say that this kind of thing is outside the window of possibility. You can comb the medical literature and never find a single case of this ever happening. Not even one.

Will qigong to get rid of the phantom pains associated with amputation? Yes. I’ve seen it happen, and in fact it happened with the young woman I mentioned.

But I’ve never seen or even heard about anyone regrowing a limb. It’s just not something that the human body is designed to do.

The Self-Healing Map

These two examples (cancer, and a severed limb) give us a working theory for the range that is possible with qigong. I call this the Self-Healing Map.

The evidence suggests that cancer is on the Self-Healing Map.

This doesn’t mean that every case of cancer can be reversed, but it absolutely does mean that SOME cases of cancer can be reversed. In other words, it’s possible to reverse cancer.

On the other hand, regrowing a limb is not on the map. It’s simply not within the range of healing for the human body.

Other Health Problems

What other health problems are on the map? Well, the first thing you should do is look through the Spontaneous Remission Bibliography Project.  (I recommend that you start with the index.)

If your problem is on the list, then you can reasonably theorize that it’s possible to heal yourself.

Does that mean you’ll definitely heal? No. There are many other factors involved. But isn’t it wonderful to know that it’s possible to heal?

What about things that are not on the list?

Remember that spontaneous remission, by its nature, is not easy to record. Do you think that there are more than 3500 cases of spontaneous remission in modern history? You bet there are, and you can also bet that most of them were never recorded.

For example, I have a student who reversed Crohn’s disease. Her doctors have confirmed that there are no signs of Crohn’s present, and she’s completely off her medication. But I can’t find that disease on the list.

If you suffer from Crohn’s and you want more evidence, then you should comb the internet for other cases of people who healed themselves of the disorder, even if it wasn’t with qigong.

I’m betting that there are cases of people doing it with many different forms of self-healing. Do 10-15 hours of research, and find out if the human body has ever healed your particular issue.

If your condition is something that heals itself all the time, like low-back pain, arthritis, or migraines — then it’s definitely worth trying qigong.

But keep in mind that not all qigong is appropriate for medical problems like this.  Read my article on The 5 Categories of Qigong for more information about what types of qigong are appropriate.

Also, let’s not miss the crucial lesson behind the specific examples of the Spontaneous Remission Project — i.e. that the body is capable of all sorts of amazing healing!

What Can We Heal?

Let’s come back to our original question:  What can we heal?  By now, you should have a better idea of how to theoretically answer this question. To simplify, here’s what I tell my new students:

“If you want to know what qigong can theoretically heal, then simply ask yourself what a superbly-functioning human body is capable of healing. And there’s your answer.”

Just make sure that you do some research before concluding that something can’t be healed. For example, many people don’t know that the body is capable of reversing cancer. Obviously, they haven’t done enough research. Don’t make the same mistake as them.

What If You Don’t Heal?

So far, I’ve talked mainly about theory. But as we know, theory and practice don’t always agree.

Just because qigong can theoretically heal something doesn’t mean it will.

When it comes to healing, there are a lot of factors, like the quality of your practice, your deeply-held beliefs, and even the climate where you live.

This is a huge topic, and it will be covered in a future article.  If you’ve got something that is blocking you from healing, then my follow-up article will help you to get to the bottom of the problem.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post What We Can (and Can’t) Heal with Qigong appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Students are always looking for tips and tricks for getting better results with qigong. I do my best to help by offering lots of tips in my classes and on my blog.

But you don’t need a long list of tips and tricks to succeed with qigong.

All you really need to do is follow The 3 Golden Rules.

Having taught thousands of people on 4 continents, I can say with confidence that the 3 Golden Rules will solve about 70% of your qigong problems. 

Without further ado, let’s look at the 3 Golden Rules.

Rule #1: Let Go of Worries

Worry will find all kinds of creative ways to sneak in to your practice. That’s okay, and it’s normal.  The trick is to let go of the worries after they sneak in.

How do you let them go?

Just do it! A gentle exhalation through the mouth may help, but don’t start worrying about how to let go of worry!

And don’t worry if you have a lot of worries sneaking in. Just let them go as best as you can.

“Can any of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?”  – Jesus [Matthew 6:25-33]

Why this is important:  Because worrying block the flow of qi. Whenever you are worrying, your energy is stifled. As soon as you let go of those worries, the energy will start to flow again.

Remember that worry is a useless emotion (see the wonderful quote from Jesus above).  It never changes anything. All it does is block the flow of qi in your body.

Rule #2: Let Go of Thoughts

Thoughts will creep in. This is natural. It happens to all of us, even masters.

Let them go, over and over.

If you say, “I tried, but I can’t do it!” I’ve got news for you.

That’s a thought too. Let it go.

Don’t let the letting go of thoughts turn into more thoughts. You can’t think your way out of thinking.

Why this is important:  Because thoughts block you from the Zen Mind. If you’re thinking, you’re not in a meditative state of mind.  And if you’re not in a meditative state of mind, then you’re not getting the best results from your practice.

Rule #3:  Enjoy the Moment

If you’re doing Lifting the Sky, enjoy it. Enjoy the movement, your breathing, the flow, the experience.

The mind will wander to the past or the future, but your job is to bring it gently back to the present moment — to right now.

Why this is important: Staying present, also called mindfulness, is an aspect of the Zen Mind and it  stimulates the flow of qi. In other words, enjoyment does the opposite of worrying and thinking.  Whereas worrying and thinking block the flow of qi and pull out out of the Zen Mind, enjoyment pulls you back in and simultaneously gets the qi flowing. What a great deal!

Applying the 3 Golden Rules

Over the years, I’ve been amazed at how many issues can be solved by following these 3 Golden Rules.

It’s become bit of a joke in my classes. A student comes to me with _______ problem, I “solve” it with the 3 Golden Rules.

I’ve even used the 3 Golden Rules to help people from other meditation traditions, like yoga or tai chi.

Let’s analyze some common practice problems, and solve them with the 3 Golden Rules.

Example #1

Problem: You’re enjoying your practice, but then you start worrying about whether or not you’re doing the form of Lifting the Sky correctly. Doubt creeps in, with it the negative self-talk.

Solution: Use Rule #1. Let go of this useless worry. Just let it go without fussing.  If the worry comes back, let it go again. And again. Remember that worrying blocks the flow of qi. So the worry is worse than any physical mistakes you might be making.

Tip:  Intentionally make some mistakes in the physical form. Since the physical form is not that important, these mistakes don’t matter.  By making mistakes on purpose, you may find that you’re able to let go of worry more easily. Try it.

Example #2

Problem: Your mind is full of thoughts.

Solution: Use Rule #2. Start by noticing a thought. What were you just thinking about? Catch yourself in the act. When you do this, it means that you’ve stepped outside of the stream of thoughts and shifted into observer mode. This is the critical step in learning to cultivate the Zen Mind.

Tip: Wait for thoughts, like you’re a ninja waiting in ambush. Don’t expect the mind to be perfectly clear.  Your mind won’t be 100% clear until you are enlightened, which is probably not going to happen next week. Instead, expect thoughts to come in. And when they do — be ready to let them go!

Example #3

Problem: You’re practicing daily, but you’re not getting the results that you had hoped for.

Solution: Use Rule #3. Do whatever it takes to enjoy yourself. Focus on the joy of breathing. Feel the relaxing effect of the exhalation, or the nourishing feeling of the inhalation. Or you can focus on the movement. Feel the wonderful stretch at the top of Lifting The Sky, or the amazing spinal decompression in Carrying the Moon. Find something to enjoy. It’s there.

Tip: Acknowledge that qigong is inherently enjoyable as long as we remain in the present. It’s only when we slip into thoughts about the past or worries about the future that the experience becomes unpleasant.

The 3 Golden Rules in Daily Life

Perhaps even better than using the 3 Golden Rules for your practice is using them for your daily life.  This is what Zen is all about — enriching our everyday life. Ideally, we want to practice Zen all day, every day.

Here are a few examples:

Example #4

Problem: You hate your job.

Solution: Pick one work task with a clear goal, and then immerse yourself in it, even if it isn’t enjoyable.  Focus 100% of your energy and attention on the task — for only 15 minutes. Do not allow anything to distract you during those 15 minutes. Let go of any irrelevant thoughts that creep in.

Tip: In the beginning, it will be hard to do this for 15 minutes without getting distracted. But keep trying.  Once you get the hang of it, I recommend that you stick to 15-minute “bursts”. That’s about as long as most humans can focus before losing concentration. So do 15 minutes, take a break, and then do another 15-minute burst.

Example #5

Problem: Your back hurts.

Solution:  Notice how often you worry about your back pain. Catch yourself in the act as often as possible. This is the first step. After you can do this easily, start letting go of the worry in addition to noticing it. Use Rule #2 to let it go.

Tip: Remember that your back pain absolutely has an emotional component.  So by worrying all the time, you are actually perpetuating the pain. If you can successfully let go of the worry, the pain itself will start to melt away.

Example #6

Problem: You are in a rut with your tennis game (or golf, or basketball, or whatever), and you keep losing.

Solution: Use Rule #3. Enjoy yourself. Remember when you absolutely loved to play the game? Has that changed? If you were winning in the past but are losing now, then you’re probably not enjoying yourself as much as you used to. This is a lose-lose situation. Not only are you not enjoying yourself, but you’re losing as well!

Tip: Go back to enjoying the game. Make a concerted effort to enjoy yourself, no matter what. In fact, purposely plan to lose the game, but have a great time doing it. If you rekindle your love for the game, if you enjoy the experience, then you’ll gradually start winning again. But when that happens, don’t fall into the same cycle again!

Summing Up

There you have it, 3 rules to help solve 70% of your issues.

I should add that the 3 Golden Rules will only solve problems IF you are practicing regularly. If not, then the first step is to use the correct qigong dosage.

And remember the 3 Golden Rules will only solve 70% of your issues. There may be other important reasons why you’re not healing.

Now I’d love to hear from you. Have you had experiences using the 3 Golden Rules? Got any questions? Post your comments below. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post The 3 Golden Rules for Qigong and Tai Chi appeared first on Flowing Zen.