For years, I’ve taught a powerful and ancient tool that sometimes gets overlooked – Metta Meditation, also known as Loving Kindness Meditation. This practice, rooted in ancient Buddhist traditions, is a game changer, especially when combined with qigong and tai chi. In this post, I’ll explain what Metta Meditation is, the research behind it, why it can profoundly impact your life, and how to practice it (along with a free guided meditation.)

What is Metta Meditation?

The term “Metta” comes from the Pali word मेत्ता. The early Buddhist scriptures were written in Pali, an ancient Indian language that is closely related to Sanskrit.  Metta can be translated to “loving-kindness” or “benevolence”. This concept is a cornerstone in many Buddhist practices and teachings, and it also made its way into Buddhist Qigong schools centuries ago.

Metta Meditation is about cultivating compassion and kindness towards all beings, including ourselves. By focusing on loving kindness, we rewire our brains and our hearts. This shift in mindset can help reduce stress, improve emotional health, and even improve your relationships.

The Research

There’s a growing body of scientific research on Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM), which I find fascinating. Here are a few examples:

1. Enhanced Positive Emotions and Decreased Negative Emotions: A study by Fredrickson et al. (2008) found that practicing LKM increased participants’ experiences of positive emotions. These positive emotions, in turn, were linked to an increase in personal resources like mindfulness and a sense of purpose. This study, “Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources,” was conducted by Barbara L. Fredrickson and others. It was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and focused on how Loving Kindness Meditation enhances positive emotions.
2. Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Research by Hofmann, Grossman, and Hinton (2011) demonstrated that LKM can be effective in reducing anxiety, possibly because of its focus on developing a nonjudgmental, accepting attitude towards oneself and others. This paper, titled “Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: Potential for psychological interventions,” explored the impact of these meditative practices on mental health, particularly in reducing anxiety and stress.
3. Improved Social Connectedness: A study by Kok et al. (2013) indicated that LKM could enhance feelings of social connectedness and positivity towards others, even in a relatively short period of practice. The study, “How Positive Emotions Build Physical Health: Perceived Positive Social Connections Account for the Upward Spiral Between Positive Emotions and Vagal Tone,” by Bethany E. Kok and others, investigated the relationship between Loving Kindness Meditation, positive emotions, and social connectedness.
4. Decreased Symptoms of PTSD: Kearney et al. (2013) found that veterans with PTSD who practiced LKM showed reduced depression symptoms and improved overall well-being. Their study, “Loving-kindness meditation for post traumatic stress disorder: A pilot study,” looked at the effects of this meditation on veterans with PTSD, finding significant benefits in terms of reduced depression symptoms and improved overall well-being.

What’s I found super interesting is how LKM can actually impact the brain. A study using EEG data found that LKM can “significantly modulate brain activities before and after meditation.” So, it’s not just ancient wisdom; there’s modern science backing the benefits of spreading a little love through meditation.

Metta and Qigong

Metta Meditation has been interwoven with qigong for centuries. Qigong is all about moving energy (qi) through the body. So moving the energy of loving kindness fits in beautifully.

If you don’t know the 5-Phase Routine, then you can skip right to the guided meditation below. Or if want to learn this amazing routine, then my book will help you. It comes with a free online course that will teach everything you need to know to implement the 5-Phase Routine.

For my students, I recommend that you put the Metta Meditation in Phase 2, along with some dynamic qigong exercises. It fits well in Phase 2 because you’ll probably move a lot of emotional energy with this technique. So you’ll want to let that energy circulate afterward in Phase 3.

You can learn Metta from the guided meditation below, and then add it to your repertoire.

How to Practice Metta Meditation

The way that I teach metta involves 4 stages:

• Stage 1: Send loving kindness to someone you love (pets count).
• Stage 2: Send loving kindness to a neutral person, like a Starbucks barista.
• Stage 3: Send loving kindness to someone you dislike (one or both of the presidential candidates, for example).
• Stage 4: Send loving kindness to yourself.

For those who don’t know the 5-Phase Routine, here is a 10-minute guided audio where I lead you through all 4 stages. It’s free.

If you practice this meditation, and find it difficult – congratulations! You are human! It’s hard work. But it’s good work. It’s important work. It’s soul-work.

Metta Meditation isn’t some fluffy, feel-good exercise. It’s a practical, powerful tool for transforming your mind and, by extension, your life. By cultivating loving kindness, we not only heal ourselves but also contribute to healing the world around us. So, give it a try. You might be surprised how quickly this technique can change your life.

The post Metta Meditation: Unlocking the Power of Loving Kindness appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Twenty-two years ago, I made a decision that would ultimately save my life.

That decision was as follows: I vowed to practice a particular qigong exercise (called Lifting The Sky) 10 times every day, no matter what.

This decision eventually led to a solid daily qigong practice – a practice that has managed a debilitating and life-threatening case of depression for over 22 years.

At the time, it didn’t seem like a big decision. I mean, it takes less than 2 minutes to do. All I knew was that I needed change. I also knew what hadn’t worked for me in the past: Resolutions.

It’s ironic because this WAS a New Year’s Resolution. And yet, it was different than other resolutions I had made in the past. Instead of resolving to quit smoking or exercise more, I resolved to do something simple and small every day.

As the new year rolls around, many of you are thinking about ways to improve your health and well-being. Maybe you’re thinking about exercising more. Or maybe you want to eat better. Or maybe since you’re reading my blog, you’re thinking about practicing qigong.

Resolving to practice qigong for 30 minutes daily in 2023 is a noble goal, but it’s also unrealistic. Studies show that, 2 years later, only 19% of people will have kept their resolution. Those are odds are not good enough for us.

My goal as a teacher is to help you make qigong a daily habit, something that you’ll not only be practicing 2 years from now, but 10.

But if resolutions don’t work, then what can we do instead? Luckily, there’s a straightforward answer to that question: focus on habits.

Habits > Resolutions

It’s natural to want to make changes and improvements in our lives. That part of the equation is good.

The problem is that resolutions don’t take human behavior into account. Resolving to lose weight in 2023 is a fantastic idea, but what does that mean, exactly? Can you simply lose weight by resolving to do it?

To lose weight, you’ll need to change your behavior. And to change your behavior, you need habits. Otherwise, you’ll need to motivate yourself every day.

With habits, there’s no motivation required once they are established. Do you need to motivate yourself to brush your teeth, or does it happen automatically?

This is why habits will always be greater than resolutions. Habits are small, consistent actions that we do automatically, without any fuss or muss. Habits are much easier to stick with than resolutions. That’s because they become a part of our daily routine, and when something is a part of our routine, it’s much easier to keep doing it.

How to Succeed with Habits in 2023

Here are some simple but important tips for adding new habits in 2023.

1. Start small. Instead of resolving to practice qigong every day for 30 minutes, resolve to practice for 2 minutes every day. This way, you’ll build up confidence and momentum.

2. Make it a daily habit. The truth is that a daily habit is easier than 3-4x per week. When you do something daily, it’s easier to do it consistently.

3. Find a trigger or reminder. If you want to start flossing every day, set the floss next to your toothbrush or in a place where you can easily see it. You can also add a reminder on your phone. 

4. Be patient and realistic. Habits take time to form, and it’s normal to have setbacks along the way. Don’t get discouraged if you miss a day or two. Be kind to yourself.

5. Find an accountability partner. Having someone to check in with can be a great way to stay on track. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or a professional coach, having someone to support you can make all the difference.

6. Celebrate your successes. It’s important to recognize and celebrate your progress along the way. Whether it’s a small victory or a major milestone, take the time to acknowledge and reward yourself for your hard work. Did you do 30 days in a row of your new habit? Awesome! Celebrate!

7. Don’t beat yourself up. It’s normal to have setbacks or slip-ups when trying to create new habits. Don’t let these setbacks discourage you. Instead, use them as an opportunity to solidify your desire to create this new habit.

8. Start with adding instead of subtracting. Quitting smoking is a wonderful goal. (Click here to read how I quit smoking years ago.) But adding a healthy new habit is easier than subtracting a bad one. Start with adding good habits. Eventually, these will help to crowd out the bad ones.

In Summary

Focus on creating habits rather than making resolutions. This is how you’ll make lasting changes. Habits are more effective than resolutions because they don’t require motivation and because they take human behavior into account. So don’t just make resolutions – make habits, and watch in amazement as your health improves in 2023 and beyond.

What habits will you add to your life in 2023? Which tips above are you most excited to implement to reach those goals? Let me know in the comments below!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Don’t Make Resolutions, Make Habits: How to Get Healthier in 2023 appeared first on Flowing Zen.

In this edition of Ask Sifu Anthony, you’ll learn about: knee pain and qigong; the order of qigong sets; qigong and cancer support; neigong vs. qigong; lifting the tongue; post-pandemic depression and anxiety; and qigong for autoimmune conditions.

About this series: I believe that students should be able to get practical, no-nonsense answers as they learn the art of qigong. Q&As are critical when learning an esoteric, ancient art in the 21st century. Since 2005, I’ve been answering questions in my classes, in our Facebook group, inside my online programs, in our live webinars, and here on the blog. We have an amazing, global community and my goal is to continue supporting you so that you can get more and more out of this art! 

Question 1: Knee Pain and Qigong

I’m wanting to learn qigong or tai chi but I can’t stand for long periods of time as my knees hurt. I have arthritis and they swell causing pain. I’m overweight and have lost some but a long way to go. Which would you recommend please? I’ve done Wing Chun many years ago.” – Lenny

Hi Lenny. One of the best things about qigong is that it is malleable. Like a fluid, it adjusts to the shape of its container. In your case, if you cannot stand, then qigong will adjust to a seated posture. This blog post will show you how to practice qigong in a chair:

My Tips for Practicing Qigong in a Chair (plus a video)

Remember: The physical form is the least important aspect of qigong. This is why I encourage my students to “butcher the form” and make it comfortable. In that sense, practicing in a chair is just another way to butcher the form.

Obviously, you won’t be able to practice every qigong exercise, but there are plenty of exercises that you can do seated. Then, as you get your energy flowing and your body feels stronger, you can try to stand for portions of the practice session. Eventually, you’ll be doing the entire session standing.

If you haven’t learned my 5-Phase Routine yet, then I recommend that you start with my book. It is the cheapest and most efficient way to get started with qigong, and it comes with a free online course.

Question 2: The Order of Qigong Sets

Since finishing your 101 course (class of 2021), I’ve started incorporating some of the 18 Luohan Hands into my morning practice and different ones in my evening practice, as well as keeping some of my old favourites. I’m guessing that the 18 LH are presented in a certain order for a reason. My question is: Is there a benefit to practising the 18 LH in the order in which you’ve put them on the practice chart? Many thanks and warmest wishes.” – Karla

Hi Karla. I’m glad you enjoyed the 101 program. Congrats on developing such a solid qigong habit! Qigong is the perfect exercise for septuagenarians like yourself, and I’m confident that it will bring you many benefits.

Yes, the order of qigong sets is often meaningful. However, that doesn’t mean that we should practice them in order. This is especially true if you’re practicing the 5-Phase Routine, which you obviously are.

There is much more to qigong than just the exercises, and the 5-Phase Routine embodies this. For example, Phase 2, where we practice the various exercises like the 18 Luohans, is only 1/5th of the entire routine.

No matter what order we practice the exercises in Phase 2, the qi will still flow holistically in Phase 3 (Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow). In other words, even if we use an exercise in Phase 2 that is good for the Kidney Meridians (i.e. Luohan #8, Nourishing Kidneys), the qi will flow where it needs to go once we move into Phase 3. If it needs to flow to the Liver or Spleen Meridians, then it will flow there.

But even for people who aren’t using the 5-Phase Routine, the order is not terribly important. If they practice the 8 Brocades qigong set (which I teach in my 201 program), for example, their results won’t change much if they use a random order each day. On the other hand, it’s important for them to practice all 8 exercises because, without the 5-Phase Routine, they need the variety in order to move the qi holistically to all of the meridians.

There is, however, one very good reason to practice the 18 Luohans in order: Mastery. Whether you want to teach the exercises one day, or just master the set, it’s good to have it deeply ingrained in your memory. For example, I can mentally cycle through the 18 Luohan Hands in order as if flipping through a Rolodex (remember those?).

I accomplished this mainly by practicing them in sets of 6. The 18 Luohans happen to be nicely organized so that each set of 6 works nicely on its own. For a long time, I would practice exercises 1-6 on Monday, then 7-12 on Tuesday, then 13-18 on Wednesday, and so on. This method gave me plenty of time for other qigong and tai chi exercises, but also helped me to remember the order of the exercises.

You might prefer to do a set of 6 every day for a week, and then change. It depends on your skill level and your memory. You might also want to print out the 18 Luohan Wall Chart that is included in the 101 program!

Question 3: Qigong and Cancer Support

Hi Peggy. I believe that you’ve learned the 5-Phase Routine since you asked this question. In that case, the simple answer is this: Practice the 5-Phase Routine twice daily and follow the 3 Golden Rules.

As I discussed in my book, people like me are not allowed to talk about curing, reversing, or treating cancer, at least not in the United States. Even MDs are not allowed to talk about such things unless they specialize in oncology. With this in mind, let’s talk about ways that we can offer you healing support during your cancer battle.

By practicing the 5-Phase Routine twice daily and following the 3 Golden Rules, you’re already doing critically important work – work that most people skip. You’re working on your mind, your emotions, your energy, and also your body. How many people can say that they work on these things daily?

With something as serious as cancer, I’m sure that you want to do everything you possibly can to heal. So you’re probably wondering what else you can do. I think it’s worth looking at the 12 things that might be blocking you from healing. It may also be helpful to look at the 17 surprising things that may be screwing with your qi.

These articles will help you with what I call Protecting the Qi. In other words, you’re trying to protect yourself from outside influences that might mess with your energy. Protecting yourself by making lifestyle changes will increase the healing mileage you’re getting not just from qigong, but from all of your other therapies.

Question 4: Neigong vs Qigong

Which are the best 2 exercises to learn and practice neigong?” – Gustavo

Hi Gustavo. The word “neigong” can mean different things to different teachers. It was a popular term during the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368-1644). Nei means “internal”, and gong still means “cultivation”. So a poetic translation would be “the art of internal cultivation”. It’s still an accurate description for what we do.

Some teachers insist that neigong is different from qigong, and they’re not entirely wrong, but it’s really just a matter of semantics. For example, The Small Universe (Xiao Zhou Tian, 小周天) is an advanced technique that involves directing the energy along two specific acupuncture meridians. If there’s anything that qualifies as neigong, it’s The Small Universe.

However, many teachers use the term qigong instead of neigong to describe The Small Universe, myself included. I like this approach because it simplifies things. I use qigong as the umbrella term for all of the techniques that I teach, including The Small Universe. To me, neigong is a sub-category of qigong. Other teachers may have different classifications. Just be wary of teachers who dismiss qigong as inferior to neigong. When you drill down, they may actually be talking about the same thing.

With all this in mind, I can’t really answer your question without knowing more about what you mean by neigong, and what your goals are. Feel free to leave a comment below and we can continue the discussion there.

Or if you want me to choose my own favorite, then I would say the Big Universe (Da Zhou Tian).

Question 5: Lifting the Tongue in Qigong

Is it necessary when doing qigong to have your tongue tip touching your pallet (not easy when breathing out of the mouth) and visualising the flow of chi through the meridians (if so how do you do that?). I keep hearing these two things but they aren’t mentioned in your book or bonus videos. (Unless I missed them!) Fantastic book by the way!” – John

Hi John. Glad you enjoyed the book! I have an entire article on this subject, which you can read here: Why Qigong Students Should Stop Lifting the Tongue.

From the title, you can probably guess my answer. In short, unless you are practicing the Small Universe, there’s no reason to lift the tongue. In fact, lifting the tongue often causes micro-tension in the mouth and jaw, which is not good.

If you already have the habit of lifting the tongue (from some other teacher or school), then check in and try to relax it as much as possible. Also, you’ll want to relax and lower the tongue for most exercises where the default mode is to exhale gently through the mouth.

If you don’t already have the habit, then don’t start until you learn the Small Universe. Instead, focus on relaxing the jaw and the mouth.

As for visualization, it’s a bad word and it’s also a red herring. Instead of chasing visuals, focus on the Zen state of mind. I have an entire article on this subject too: The Simple Truth about Qigong Visualization.

In short, don’t try to visualize anything. Techniques like Smiling From the Heart and Consolidating Qi at Dantian are a form of visualization, but I don’t use that word because it’s confusing. There’s nothing to visualize. Instead, you’re trying to feel something.

Question 6: Post-Pandemic Anxiety & Depression

I have been experiencing the physical symptoms of anxiety over the last 4 years. Two years ago I went on an SSRI and started my daily Qi Gong practice. After 9 months I happily tapered off the med. I remained balanced for another 9 months. Recently, I crumbled into uncontrollable anxiety symptoms again and am titrating back onto the medication. Qi Gong and meditation are constants in my life and I can see no obvious triggers other than the stresses and traumas of a lifetime. At age 77 I am sad that I couldn’t remain centered using my practices and need pharmaceutical help at this time. I have been practicing your suggested anxiety/depression routine. Any thoughts for deepening the balance to be found in Qi Going?” – Gabriole

Hi Gabriole. It’s fascinating to me how many of my students trivialize the anxiety-producing effects of the pandemic. This kind of trivializing is probably a trauma response itself, but it’s something we need to look at.

There’s growing research that even mild cases of covid can increase the risk of mental health problems, including anxiety disorders. I myself experienced a huge spike in anxiety after a mild case of covid in January. I managed the spike without pharmaceuticals, but that was a personal choice and it certainly wasn’t easy. I had to do more qigong, cut down on caffeine, do more cardio, cut down on sugar, and get acupuncture.

Please don’t be ashamed of using pharmaceuticals. SSRIs are not for everyone, but they can be lifesavers for some. Be kind to yourself as you manage your anxiety.

My blog post about self-compassion might be helpful: Too Many Mind. In short, I have found that using a plural model of mind (explained in the article) can be incredibly helpful when it comes to self-compassion. I think it might be helpful for you as well.

For example, instead of feeling guilty for using SSRIs, you might find a way to acknowledge the part of your psyche that is struggling and needs help. You might give that part of you a mental hug. You might even give the self-critical part of you – the part that is blaming and shaming for using pharmaceuticals – some acknowledgment. This part of you may be misguided in its approach, but it is doing its best to protect all of your parts. Give it some compassion too.

Question 7: Qigong and Autoimmune Conditions

Why and how is Qigong good for autoimmune conditions?” – Teresa

Hi Teresa. Let me start by repeating something that I often say: Qigong is not a panacea. It will not magically cure everything that ails you.

That being said, qigong is one of the most holistic therapies on the planet, which means that it can help with SO many different things. A few years ago, I compiled a PDF with 13 proven benefits of qigong. That list is longer now, and the research continues to show that qigong and tai chi are powerful therapies.

I try to explain how this works in my book, but the shorter explanation is that qigong enhances all of the body’s natural healing capabilities. What that means for autoimmune conditions is that it helps the body to clear blockages of qi. When these blockages are cleared, your immune system will stop attacking your body.

In my experience, there is almost always an underlying mental-emotional component with autoimmune conditions. It’s wise to assume that you have some sort of energy blockage due to trapped emotions. This article may help:

• How to Heal Trapped Trauma with Qigong

Any technique that helps you to heal deep emotions will likely help with the autoimmune issues as well. Forgiveness Practice is a good example. In my school, we use a technique called 1% Forgiveness where we try to forgive people (and ourselves) just 1% per session. But there are many schools, both Eastern and Western, that have forgiveness techniques that would probably help.

Forgiveness is just one example. You might also need to work on, in no particular order, things like anger, grief, hopelessness, resentment, fear, or a lack of joy. The well of stuck emotions runs deep.

Sometimes, it’s not so simple. Because of childhood trauma, we might not be able to access stuck emotions directly. That’s when we might need some of the therapies mentioned in the article above, like EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, or IFS.

Find the right combination of therapies, and you may be amazed at how much your condition improves. For you, that might mean a combination of yogic breathing, the 5-Phase Routine, and EMDR. That’s just one example. Find your own prescription of 2-3 therapies, and then commit.

I know from our past conversations that you’re also working on diet. That’s great, and I’m sure it will help in a variety of ways. Just don’t use this as an excuse to skip the deep emotional work that is also needed. You’re going to have to dig that deep well sooner or later. It’s no fun, but it’s meaningful and healing work.

Question 8: Banzo’s Sword

I have lymphedema from lupus and it doesn’t go away. It is in the lower extremities and is painful and very tight . The qigong has been helping but it is so slow. Is there any way to speed up the benefits?” – Kevin

Hi Kevin. There’s an old Zen story called “Banzo’s Sword” that answers this question. Here’s my own version of that story.

A young man went to a sword master and asked earnestly: “If I practice diligently, how long will it take me to become a master?”

“Oh, maybe ten years,” Master Banzo said.

“I cannot wait that long,” explained the young man. “If I practice twice as hard, how long will it take?”

“Oh, maybe 30 years,” said Banzo.

“Why is that?” asked the young man. “First you say 10 and now 30 years. I will undergo any hardship to master this art in the shortest time!”

“Well,” said Banzo, “in that case you will have to remain with me for 70 years. A man in such a hurry to get results seldom learns quickly.”

You’ll be glad to know that the young man in the story became a famous swordsman, and it didn’t take him 70 or even 10 years. 

I don’t mean to get all Zen Master on you here, but the lesson of the story applies equally to qigong. When we try to rush results, we actually tense the nervous system, thereby blocking the flow of qi. The harder we push, the more we tense, and the more we block ourselves from healing.

If you are already doing the 5-Phase Routine twice daily for about 25 minutes per session, and if you are also following the 3 Golden Rules, then you’re getting about 80% of the benefits that qigong can offer you on its own. You could possibly practice longer and squeeze out the remaining 20%, but it may not be worth your effort.

Instead, look for complimentary therapies that work synergistically with qigong. I’m a fan of acupuncture.

You’ll also want to protect your qi. My answer to Peggy above may also be helpful for you.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post [Oct. 2022] Ask Sifu Anthony appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Years ago, if you had asked me if it was okay to practice qigong while listening to music, I would have told you no. I was taught not to practice qigong to music and so I repeated the same thing to my students. Simple, right?

Today, I’m a more mature teacher. I’ve learned to think for myself rather than just parrot what my teacher (or ex-teacher, as the case may be) told me. As a result, I’ve changed my mind. You might even say that I’ve changed my tune. Har!

Let’s take a more modern and practical look at this question.

The History of Qigong & Music

There is no historical precedent for qigong students listening to music while practicing. It just wasn’t an option, unless you were rich enough to hire a merry band of lutists for your own practicing pleasure. That’s why it’s a little weird when qigong masters tell us not to listen to music simply because past masters didn’t do it. I mean, it’s not like they actively made a choice. There was no choice!

For all we know, past masters would have loved listening to Metallica while practicing qigong. Okay, probably not, but hey, we just don’t know, and that’s my point. Since past masters didn’t have millions of songs at their fingertips like we do, we need to look elsewhere for our answers.

As is often the case, I gained insight from my students. They say that to teach is to learn twice, and I have found that to be true in my career. I’ve learned as much from them as they have from me.

Learning from Students

Years ago, a student in my qigong studio told me that practicing with music really helped her. She happened to be a diligent student. Unlike my own teachers, I decided not to trivialize her experience.

Not long after that, another student told me that listening to relaxing spa music with headphones helped her to practice more consistently. She had created a playlist that was just the right duration, and she used it as a form of digital discipline. Just press play, then let the qigong flow.

Helping students to practice more consistently has been a passion project of mine for decades now. Since a lack of practice is the #1 cause of failure in qigong, it’s a topic that I take very seriously. So when this student told me that she was practicing more consistently thanks to spa music (hey, to each their own!), I had to pay attention.

Headphones in Nature

In 2019, I was staying in my campervan at a beautiful campground in Asheville, NC. One of the reasons I loved living in the campervan was because it allowed me to spend more time in nature. There’s nothing like practicing qigong in the cool mountain air.

However, this particular campground was crowded. A bunch of pesky humans were making noise while I was trying to do my evening qigong session. So I put in my noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones and said, “Hey Siri, play some nature sounds.” Siri obliged, and I had a beautiful practice session.

I’m sure you get the irony of this. I was out in nature, listening to nature sounds through Bluetooth headphones. And yet, modern life is often like this.

After that, I saw some research about nature sounds helping to relax the nervous system, even when recorded. In my case, the effect was obvious. In that situation, listening to “music” helped me to have a more focused session.

Binaural Beats

Not long after this, a student suggested I try something called Binaural Beats. So I found an album on Apple Music and gave it a try.

Binaural Beats create what’s known as an “auditory illusion”. This effect is created when each ear hears a slightly different frequency. Somehow, this causes the brain to be more focused.

I don’t know the latest research on this, but binaural beats purportedly create a mental state similar to meditation. Some of the benefits attributed to it are:

• reduced anxiety
• increased focus and concentration
• lower stress
• increased relaxation
• fostering positive moods
• promoting creativity
• helping manage pain

The heart of my teaching is something called the Zen mind. So if something can help us to enter into a Zen state of mind more easily, then it’s going to be a big boon for our qigong practice. So I tried it.

And you know what? I think it helped a little! It’s hard for me to say because I’ve been practicing for a long time without music. So the effect may not be as noticeable for me. You should try it yourself to see how it goes.

Beware The Crutch

If you want to try nature sounds or binaural beats or spa music, go for it! I’m always encouraging students to experiment with their qigong to see what works best for them. This is no different.

Caveat #1: If you ALWAYS practice with music, then it can become a crutch. If you can’t find your headphones, does that mean you can’t do your morning qigong? What if you’re traveling? What if you’re hiking and just want to stop and do 5 minutes of qigong?

This isn’t a big deal as long as you’re practicing consistently, but it’s something to consider. In the end, if music and/or headphones help you to stay more consistent with qigong, then I say it’s a net gain.

Beethoven

Another caveat is with powerful music. As a musician, I may not be the best judge of this, but it’s something to watch for.

Caveat #2: Powerful music moves energy and grabs attention.

If I try to listen to something like the Beethoven Violin Concerto, it grabs a lot of my attention and also moves my energy. In other words, if I’m listening to Beethoven, I cannot get the relaxed, focused attention that I need for qigong.

For me, Beethoven (or Brahms or Dvorak or whatever) doesn’t easily slip into the background. Maybe that’s different for you, but try to pay attention to it. Maybe save classical or powerful music for another time.

Again, this is why I think it’s helpful to have something to compare to. If you only ever use classical music during your qigong sessions, then you may not even know what I mean when I talk about a relaxed, focused attention.

The Bottom Line

If you want to experiment with nature sounds, Binaural Beats, spa music, or any other form of music during your qigong sessions — go for it. Experiment, and see how you feel. Are you able to go deeper into your sessions? Do the headphones act as a form of digital discipline? Does starting a playlist act as a subtle ritual that initiates your practice?

If you’re practicing indoors, then I think that there’s a strong argument for trying nature sounds during your session. Not only will it cover up distracting noises from your house, but it can help to relax your nervous system, which is a good thing.

If you’re outdoors, then it’s a toss-up. Even in downtown Jacksonville where I live right now, there are nature sounds if I go to the park to practice. At least some of the time, listen to those sounds rather than the ones on Apple Music!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Qigong with Music: Yay or Nay? appeared first on Flowing Zen.

In this edition of Ask Sifu Anthony, you’ll find questions about the number of repetitions in qigong, practicing qigong under stressful circumstances, practicing tai chi and qigong together, neigong vs. qigong, qigong for insomnia, and a timeline for future Flowing Zen projects!

I believe that students should be able to get the answers that they need. That’s why I work so hard answering questions in our Facebook group, inside my online programs, in our webinars, and here on the blog.

Seeing other students asks questions that you might have asked yourself – and then reading the answers – helps too! This helps us all to feel connected to a global qigong community. It also helps those who are too introverted or too shy to ask a question.

Question 1: Asandra

Although I don’t know your specific version or practice, I studied with Qigong teachers for 9 yrs in California & have been practicing a total of 11 yrs. My question is: I practice 5 to 7 days a week and worked up to 36 repetitions for each movement. I generally do a total of 9 movements so probably similar to what you teach. How many repetitions do you advise for each movement?

Hi Asandra. First of all, congrats on practicing qigong 5-7 days per week. That’s wonderful! Keep up the good work.

The way that I teach is quite different than what you’ve described. The heart of my method is called the 5-Phase Routine, which is described in my book and also taught in the bonus course that comes with it.

The actual qigong movements go in Phase 2 and make up just 1/5th of this routine. With the 5-Phase Routine, we don’t worry about the number of repetitions. Instead, we devote a rough amount of time to the entire routine, and then divide that among the phases. Keep in mind that these are rough estimates. For example:

How many movements do we do in Phase 2? Typically, I advise the following:

• Beginners should choose 1-3 favorite qigong patterns.
• Intermediate students should choose 1-6 favorite qigong patterns.
• Advanced students should choose 1-12 favorite qigong patterns.

So if you’re a beginner, you’re doing 1-3 movements in roughly 5 minutes. If you’ve been practicing for a year or two, then you’re doing 1-6 movements in 10 minutes. And so on.

But how do we split the time? It depends on the qigong pattern. Some patterns can be done for several minutes, like Lifting The Sky or Hugging Tree. Others are too challenging to do for more than a minute or two, like Iron Bull Ploughs Field.

If you’re using one of my guided meditations, then I time the transitions for you and tell you when to change. But with experience, you’ll discover which exercises you enjoy doing a little longer or a little shorter. Over time, you’ll develop a natural feel for each session without the need to count repetitions.

Qigong schools that don’t use the 5-Phase Routine will typically need:

1. more patterns per session
2. more repetitions per session

Why do they need more patterns? Because they don’t practice a rare technique called Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow (FBSW) in Phase 3 that circulates the energy freely through the meridians. Because they don’t practice FBSW, they need to rely on the qigong movements (Phase 2) for circulation, which isn’t as efficient.

Why do they need more repetitions? Because they don’t take enough time to enter into a Zen state of mind (Phase 1). Instead, they rely on the qigong movements to slowly get them into a meditative state. Again, this is less efficient.

Question 2: Mark

Hello, I’ve recently been scammed out of my life savings and worked up huge debts. Total amount being £79,000. Is there anything I can do with dealing with my stress and emotional struggle and pain that I’m feeling? My time is so limited so I don’t have much available. Any advice would be great.

Oh god, that’s awful Mark. That must be incredibly stressful. I’m sorry that you’re going through this.

Right now, your Monkey Mind is probably obsessed with the past and the future. It probably rushes from thoughts of being scammed and the things you could have done differently, to worrying about the future. This back-and-forth between the past and the future is part of why you’re experiencing so much emotional struggle and pain.

Mindfulness is the solution, and qigong is a wonderful way to practice mindfulness while also getting health benefits. From your submission, I know that you’re in your 30s, you’re relatively healthy, and you haven’t yet learned the 5-Phase Routine. With this info in mind, I think we have a clear direction to go.

Read my book, learn the 5-Phase Routine, and then begin to implement it. This is a small investment of time with a potentially huge return over the remainder of your life. The value of this investment is impossible to calculate, but I can say with confidence that it’s worth far more than £79,000.

Once you finish the book, all you’ll need is about 15-20 minutes per day to start feeling the effects. I wish you luck on this journey!

Question 3: Amy

Should I separate my classes, Tai Chi & Qigong or mix the arts together? I’m currently only teaching Tai Chi. Once I have gotten your 101 class under my belt, then I’ll have enough to go forward with more Qigong. Thanks for your help.

Hi Amy. In my opinion, tai chi should never be taught separate from qigong. Without some skill in the cultivation and manipulation of qi, tai chi is just a strange, slow-motion dance. It will still bring you some benefits, but these will be about the same as going for a walk or learning to dance.

However, many of the so-called “warm up” exercises that are taught in tai chi schools are often just qigong exercises in disguise. Do you have your students rotate their knees, or swing their hips, before doing the tai chi form? If so, those are both qigong patterns!

If we’re not careful, then qigong can also become a slow-motion dance without much energy cultivation. The key is to teach it as an internal art. If you want to know what that looks like, then my book is a great choice.

You don’t need to wait for the 101 to reopen in January. Instead, you can join the 201 when it reopens in June. But first, read the book and go through the free mini-course that comes with it. That will get you up to speed for the 201!

Question 4: Steve

Qigong is based on physical forms worked in a relaxed state of mind and body. It seems to smooth the passage of qi through the body. Neigong seems more alchemical: a means of opening your orbits and extraordinary meridians, and sublimating jing to qi etc. My question is, how is it that the Neigong methods I have been taught seem almost identical to those of qigong, but with an emphasis on ‘feeling’ your qi? Or are my assumptions all wrong?

Hi Steve. This is really just a matter of semantics. The answer to your question depends on how a particular teacher defines neigong and qigong. Let’s look at the two words:

neigong
內 (inner ) 功 (cultivation)

qigong
氣 (qi) 功 (cultivation)

As you can see, the 2nd character (gong) is the same for both words. In both cases, we’re talking about cultivating a skill over time through personal practice.

But qigong is a more modern term. Since 1949, it has been used as an umbrella term for many different qi cultivation arts. I myself use it as an umbrella as well. For example, I call the Small Universe (Xiao Zhou Tian, 小周天) qigong rather than neigong. But if anything qualifies as neigong, it’s the Small Universe.

Some teachers use qigong to refer to dynamic qigong exercises, like Lifting The Sky and reserve neigong for more quiescent exercises with less obvious movement, like the Small Universe. Again, this is just semantics.

I can’t really criticize teachers for using different terms. For example, Lifting The Sky and the Small Universe are pretty different even though they both fall under the umbrella of qigong. So if teachers want to call one of them qigong and one of them neigong, that’s their prerogative.

As an aside, I think that Lifting The Sky is more useful for regular people. The Small Universe is powerful and sophisticated, but it takes years to master. For a beginner who just wants to be healthier and move their body more, the idea of sitting cross-legged while imagining a stream of energy that they can’t even feel go around a loop of meridians that they don’t understand isn’t very helpful. In this sense, it doesn’t matter whether we call it qigong or neigong; the key here is pedagogy.

Question 5: Tanya

The post [May 2022] Ask Sifu Anthony appeared first on Flowing Zen.

In this edition of Ask Sifu Anthony, you’ll find questions about strength training, the importance of energy circulation, online learning, Scholar’s Qigong, the karate kiai, and more…

I believe that students should be able to get the answers that they need. That’s why I work so hard answering questions in our Facebook group, inside my online programs, in our webinars, and here on the blog.

Seeing other students asks questions that you might have asked yourself – and then reading the answers – helps too! This helps us all to feel connected to a global qigong community. It also helps those who are too introverted or too shy to ask a question.

Question 1: Julie

When pairing some strength training with Qigong, is it better end with Qigong, or start with it? My strength training consists of about 15-20m of core exercises daily: sit-ups, planks, pushups, lunges, light weight lifting for arm workout, and exercise ball for core. Do we want to get our energy flowing through Qigong first before strength, or do we want to finish with balancing our energy and flexibility for the rest of the day?

Hi Julie. It’s a good question! If you are only doing the 5-Phase Routine once per day, then I think it’s best to start with it. Here’s why.

Strength training revs up the nervous system. This is necessary when lifting weights, and also beneficial. Healthy stress like this is good for the body as long as it is not overdone.

If you do your qigong session immediately after a strength session, then the qigong will help to relax your nervous system. But the question is: how much? In my experience, because of the nature of strength training, you will probably only return your baseline.

In other words, qigong after strength training will just bring you back to where you were immediately before starting the strength training.

This isn’t a terrible thing, but if this is your only qigong session of the day, then you’ve missed your opportunity to relax PAST your baseline.

Let’s say you do your strength training in the morning. Your nervous system revs up, your heart rate goes up, cortisol is released, and you sweat a little. Good! Exercise like this is healthy!

At the end of the session, if you want to do the 2-Minute Drill to help settle down, great. That’s a nice way to close your strength session.

But now let’s say you do a qigong session later in the day. Your nervous system has already had time to return to its baseline. So when you begin your qigong session, that’s where you start. By the end of your 5-Phase session, you bring your nervous system BELOW your baseline. This is a good thing!

Just like we want to bring stress to our nervous system with things like strength training and cardio, we also want to de-stress our nervous system with things like qigong and meditation. Together, this creates a yin-yang balance.

Internal training is what’s often missing in the West. Everyone knows that they should exercise their body, but few know that they should exercise their mind and their energy too. Of course, this is gradually changing otherwise no one would be reading this blog, but we are still in the minority.

Since we do so little internal training in general, I think it’s important to get the most out of whatever we do. For many people, this means doing qigong first thing, before any strength training. If that’s not possible, then wait at least a few hours after doing strength training and give your nervous system time to settle down. Or practice more!

 Question 2: Nancy

I want to begin to learn Qigong, after a period on inactivity. Can I begin by reading your book and trying to adapt or would you recommend taking classes?

Hi Nancy. I’m so glad that you’re ready to learn qigong. You’re in the right place for that, and you’re about to start an amazing journey!

Yes, my book is perfect for you. Not only will it teach you everything you need to know about qigong, it also comes with bonus videos that will teach you the fundamentals. You’ll even learn the 5-Phase Routine, which is the cornerstone of my healing method!

Taking a class is also good, but it’s not easy to find a good one. People all over the world take my online classes precisely because they couldn’t find a local teacher, or they felt something was missing from the local classes.

My book will solve the problem for you. It will save you time, energy, and money. By the time you finish my book, you will know exactly what matters when practicing qigong, and also what does not. With this knowledge, you will be better able to navigate the often confusing world of qigong.

Question 3: Subharaj

After practising Qigong for a few months I start to feel more thirsty, my heart rate stays elevated, I have difficulty sleeping although there are positive effects too like sensitivity in teeth gone much better immunity, more flexible body, reduced stress etc. Any reason why?

Hi Subharaj. From your submission, I know that you haven’t yet learned the 5-Phase Routine. I ask this question because not all styles of qigong are the same.

It sounds like you are getting some benefits from the style of qigong that you are practicing, but it also sounds like something is missing. This is very common. Many students feel that something is missing from their qigong or tai chi practice.

The solution is to learn and practice the 5-Phase Routine. If you read my Q&As, you’ll find that I recommend the same thing as the solution to many problems. That’s because it really IS the solution for most cases.

The 5-Phase Routine is the host holistic and powerful qigong routine I’ve ever encountered. It is intelligently designed and helps with an incredibly wide range of different issues. Interestingly, it’s also the fix for people who have deviated with other styles of qigong.

If I had to guess why you are feeling thirsty and having trouble sleeping, it’s because you are not circulating your energy sufficiently. Once you learn to circulate your qi, especially with a technique called Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow, you should start to feel better. You can learn this technique in my book.

Question 4: Henrik

Hallo Henrik. I think this is an important question. In my book, I spoke briefly about Scholarly Qigong (aka Confucian Qigong). I think that this is a perfect example of the growing need for this kind of qigong.

Since you already practice Flowing Zen Qigong, the solution is simple. First of all, the 5-Phase Routine, practiced regularly, will improve your shen. Improving your shen will improve your concentration. Here’s a snippet from my book about shen:

Shen, the last of the 3 Treasures, is typically translated as “spirit”. This word has so many meanings that we need to dig deeper in order to make sense of it. In Chinese, the character can mean “demigod”, “deity”, or “spirit”. For our purposes, it’s best to think of the modern “mind, body, spirit” trope. In this comparison, shen is analogous to spirit.

Question 5: Spencer

Question 6: Cathy

If you had to choose, which 3 qigong exercises would you say are best to help the body heal itself, promote flow of qi, and maintain a good immune system?

Hi Cathy. If I could only choose 3 techniques, then it would be these:

1. Entering Zen
2. Lifting The Sky
3. Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow

That was a trick answer. Do you see what I did there?

For those who are new here, Entering Zen is in Phase 1 of the 5-Phase Routine. Lifting The Sky is a famous and holistic dynamic qigong exercise. And Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow is a rare, formless qigong technique that circulates the qi freely through the meridians.

The reason my answer is tricky is because it’s probably not what you were expecting. I’ve been asked this question hundreds of times over the years. Students are usually expecting me to prescribe exercises that fit into Phase 2 of the 5-Phase Routine.

They want me to say:

• Do X exercise 36 times to clear your Liver Qi Stagnation,
• then do Y exercise 18 times to strengthen the Wei Qi,
• and then do Z exercise 72 times to cultivate Yuan Qi.

This XYZ approach just doesn’t work as well as my approach. And this should come as no surprise. If you only focus on 1 out of the 5 Phases, then you will only get 20% of the benefits! All 5 Phases matter!

You limited me to 3 techniques, so I chose one technique for each of the 3 most important Phases. But 5 would obviously be better. If you had given me 5 choices, then I would have answered like this:

1. Entering Zen
2. Lifting The Sky (or a favorite qigong exercise).
3. Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow
4. Flowing Stillness
5. The Closing Sequence

My point is that the true answer to your question won’t be found in Phase 2 (i.e. the dynamic exercises) UNLESS you’re paying equal attention to the other 4 Phases.

Once you’ve taken care of the other 4 Phases, I recommend that you choose 1-6 favorites per session for Phase 2. Choose exercises that you love and that make you feel good. Do them in any order, but experiment to see what works best for you. This article will talk in depth about how to choose exercises.

Work those favorites into the 5-Phase Routine, and then practice at least once per day for 15-20 minutes. If you want to increase the healing power of the routine, then do it twice per day, once in the morning and then again in the afternoon or at night. Increasing the dosage like this will dramatically increase the healing power of qigong.

And don’t forget all the tips and tricks from Chapter 7 of my book: Getting Remarkable Results with Qigong. Tips like keeping a Qi Diary, using the 2-Minute Drill for willpower, following the 3 Golden Rules, and “Learning 100 Forgetting 75” can really make a difference with both the quality and consistency of your practice.

(If you don’t already have my book, then — wait, you don’t have my book? Why not!?!? People really like it! Go get it right now, silly!)

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post [April 2022] Ask Sifu Anthony (Part 2) appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Some qigong teachers demand that you practice 2 hours every day. I have never been one of those teachers. That’s because I didn’t do it that way, and I always try to practice what I teach.

I also know from my own experience that this kind of advice doesn’t work. The success rate for this method is ridiculously low, probably around 2-3%.

If only a tiny percentage of your students are able to implement your advice, then something is wrong.

The truth is that practicing 2 hours a day is outrageously hard, even if you are desperate for healing.

And yet…and yet…

Sometimes, you really DO need to practice for 2 hours per day. Qigong is medicine. As with all medicine, the dosage matters.

When deep healing is required, a higher dose of qigong is also required.

15 Minutes Per Day

Typically, I encourage my students to practice for ~15 minutes per session. From there, I encourage them to do ~15 minutes twice per day, once in the morning, and then again in the afternoon or evening. So that’s a total of ~30 minutes per day.

Some students stick with 15 minutes once a day and get good results. When you do 15 minutes every day religiously, and when you follow the 5-Phase Routine, you get tremendous bang for your buck.

Nevertheless, I can confidently say that even this — just 15 minutes once per day — is hard. With the right method you can do it, but don’t expect it to be easy.

The method that I use is called the 2-Minute Method. In short, instead of demanding that you immediately start practicing for 15 minutes every day (and shaming you if you don’t), I encourage you to start with 2 minutes per day.

Or if you fall off the horse and stop practicing qigong, then the way to get back up by doing 2 minutes a day. Same method.

If you can do 2 minutes a day, then you can eventually do 15 minutes per day.

And here’s the next part of that equation: If you can do 15 minutes per day, then you can do 2 hours.

Ancient vs. Modern Settings

Let’s back up a bit. Why is it so damn hard to do 15 minutes per day, let alone 2 hours per day? What’s up with that?

Here’s some perspective for you. The modern concept of a qigong school did not exist for most of the history of this art. There were 4 main settings for learning and practicing qigong in the past:

1. A temple environment (like Shaolin or Wudang)
2. The master’s house
3. A military environment
4. An appointment with a Chinese physician

Notice that all 4 of these environments came with built-in discipline:

• If you were in a Buddhist or Taoist temple, then you would have had a rigid schedule as well as community accountability.
• If you were learning at the master’s house, then it would have been a daily affair and you would have been constantly under his or her watchful eye.
• If you were in the military, then you would have learned and practiced qigong under strict military discipline.
• If your Chinese physician prescribed qigong, then you would likely have learned it 1-on-1 and perhaps even seen them daily.

In other words, most qigong practice happened in a totally different setting back then. They certainly weren’t dealing with getting kids ready for school, making coffee before work, running out for groceries, or fixing the damn WiFi router (again!).

The closest comparison we have in the 21st century is a healing retreat. For example, at my qigong retreat in Costa Rica, where we do 4-6 hours of qigong per day, students never struggle with discipline. They easily put in the time.

I’m not making excuses for you or for myself. There ARE ways to become a disciplined practitioner of qigong in the modern era. But beating yourself up because you lack willpower is not one of them.

The Bamboo Stick

In the 4 traditional environments above, teachers would often use a bamboo stick to manually adjust students and even whack them when they made mistakes. I’ve never done this, not just because it’s illegal (can you imagine the lawsuits?) but also because I’m a modern educator and I don’t subscribe to this kind of outdated pedagogy.

I will never hit you with a bamboo stick. So why are you hitting yourself with a figurative stick? Why would you expect something like that to work? There are other ways to get yourself to practice more — ways that actually work.

When 2 Hours is Critical

Recently, I received an email from a longtime student who is facing a serious health crisis. He’s an older gentleman, but not too old. He told me, bluntly, that he’s not ready to die.

In a situation like this, 15 minutes twice per day is a good start, but it’s probably not enough. We need to increase the dosage. A lot.

I encouraged him to work up to 2 hours per day. This includes his tai chi practice, as well as his sitting meditation practice (which he learned elsewhere).

Humans can do incredible things when faced with their own mortality. But not always. Often, students will simply give up hope. Or they will beat themselves up with a figurative bamboo stick.

This particular student does not have time to waste. There’s no time for self-deprecation. There’s no time for despair. And there’s no time to use ineffective methods for increasing his qigong dosage.

Let’s focus on what really works.

How to Increase Your Dosage

I made the decision years ago not to berate my students for not practicing more. I not even chastise them if they struggled to do 15 minutes. Instead, I would use modern teaching methods, positive reinforcement, and most importantly, leading by example.

If you know my story, you know that I struggled to practice even while desperately needing qigong to heal my depression. It was during my struggle that I discovered what I now call the 2-Minute Method.

Today, instead of telling students to practice 2 hours per day, I tell them to start with 2 minutes a day. The 2-minute session acts as a placeholder for a future 15-minute session. Later, once you are doing a solid 15 minutes per day, you can repeat the process by adding a 2-minute session to the opposite end of the day. This then becomes a placeholder for your 2nd session.

In other words, the progression looks something like this:

1. 2 minutes once per day
2. 15 minutes 2-3 times per week, replacing those 2 minute sessions (while maintaining 2 minutes on the other days)
3. 15 minutes once per day
4. 15 minutes once per day + 2 minutes once per day in a new time slot
5. 15 minutes twice per day

This progression follows the ancient Chinese concept of jiànjìn (漸進) , which translates to “gradual progress” or “step-by-step progression”.

But that’s still only 30 minutes a day. So how do we increase to 2 hours?

More Quantity, Same Quality

I always encourage students to use high-quality sessions, and that advice hasn’t changed. For beginners, it’s much, much easier to keep the quality high during a 15-minute session than during a 1-hour session. It’s easier to concentrate and focus for 15 minutes, whether it’s qigong or some other kind of work.

Keeping the quality high like this ensures that we are actually doing qigong and not just waving our arms gently in the air. In my school, this means entering into a meditative state, using qigong exercises as moving meditation, generating an energy flow, letting the qi flow freely, consolidating the qi at dantian, etc. We call all of this the 5-Phase Routine.

Once the quality is high, once you have a feel for it — then you can start to increase the quantity too. The trick is to progress gradually.

If you gradually increase the time of your practice sessions, you will be able to keep the quality high. It’s no different than gradually increasing the amount of weight that you are lifting. In this case, it’s your concentration that will get stronger rather than your muscles.

How to Gradually Increase

So here’s how it would look if you were to gradually increase your quantity. Let’s start with the original formula:

• Stage 1: 2 minutes once per day
• Stage 2: 15 minutes once per day (in the same time slot)
• Stage 3: 15 minutes once per day + 2 minutes once per day (in a new time slot)
• Stage 4: 15 minutes twice per day

Let’s assume that you’ve made it to stage 4 and you already have a morning and evening session. Now let’s just continue:

• Stage 5: 20 minutes in the morning + 15 minutes in the evening
• Stage 6: 20 minutes twice per day
• Stage 7: 30 minutes in the morning + 20 minutes in the evening
• Stage 8: 30 minutes twice per day

I encourage you to lengthen only 1 session at a time. This way, you can be sure that you’re keeping the quality high because you still have a shorter session to compare it to.

If you are in a rush because of a healing crisis like the student I mentioned above, then you can move more quickly through the stages. But I don’t recommend that you skip ahead.

40-Minutes 2x Per Day

Once you work up to about 40-minutes 2x per day (i.e. 1 hour and 20 minutes total), you will have some decisions to make. But first, congrats!The truth is that 40 minutes twice per day is incredibly powerful medicine if you stay consistent. Great work!

But some people might still need more. I have been one of those people myself. So if you want to get up to 2 hours per day, then you can do one of the following:

1. Add a 3rd session, using the gradual progress method from above.
2. Add a similar art, like yoga or tai chi
3. Add sitting meditation
4. Use walking meditation

Adding a 3rd, high-quality session can be hard for many people. If you can do it, more power to you. But if you can’t because of work or kids or both, then try one of the other options.

If all else fails, do 30 minutes of walking meditation each day. Walking is medicine on its own and it’s a perfect complement to qigong. You can make it even more healing by walking in nature, and by adding One Finger Zen.

If you have an existing yoga or tai chi practice, or if you want to dust one of these off, then great. Use that as your 3rd session. It can go immediately before or after one of your existing qigong sessions.

If you have an existing or rusty sitting meditation practice, then add that somewhere. This will greatly magnify the power of your 2 qigong sessions.

Of course, you can also gradually increase the duration of each qigong session until they are 1 hour each. But many students find it hard to keep the quality high for 1-hour sessions.

Example Routines

If you’re a student of mine, then you’re probably wondering — but how do we do a longer session? Below are some examples, with the rough number of minutes listed.

If you’re not a student of mine…then what are you waiting for? You can go learn the 5-Phase Routine for free here.

Example 1 (40 minutes)

• Entering Zen (2.5)
• 2 favorite qigong exercises (5)
• FBSW (5)
• 2 more favorites (5)
• FBSW (5)
• 2 more favorites (5)
• FBSW (5)
• Stillness (5)
• Closing (2.5)

Example 2 (40 Minutes)

• Entering Zen (2.5)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #1 (3.3)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #2 (3.3)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #3 (3.3)
• FBSW (5)
• Hugging the Tree (10)
• FBSW (5)
• Stillness (5)
• Closing (2.5)

Example 3 (40 minutes)

• Entering Zen (2.5)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #1 (2.5)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #2 (2.5)
• FBSW (5)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #3 (2.5)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #4 (2.5)
• FBSW (5)
• 1% Forgiveness (5)
• FBSW or Five Animal Play (5)
• Stillness (5)
• Closing (2.5)

Example 4 (40 Minutes)

• Entering Zen (2.5)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #1 (2)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #2 (2)
• Favorite dynamic qigong exercise #3 (2)
• FBSW (3)
• Wuji Stance (2)
• Single-Leg Stance (2 minutes total, 1 minute each side)
• Bow-Arrow Stance (2 minutes total, 1 minute each side)
• Hugging the Tree (10)
• FBSW (5)
• Stillness (5)
• Closing (2.5)

These are just examples. And the times are just rough estimates. You don’t need to be timing this stuff down to the minute.

For my active students, if you’d like some longer guided meditations like this, let me know in the comments below. I’m busy with my book at the moment, but I can try to record some longer meditations if you think that they will be useful.

Summing Up

Qigong is enjoyable, makes us feel better immediately, and brings numerous benefits over time. And yet…it’s still hard to practice.

If you want to practice every day, whether that means 15 minutes per day or 2 hours per day, use the 2-Minute Method and gradual progress.

The post Should You Practice Qigong 2 Hours Every Day? appeared first on Flowing Zen.

You’ve fallen in love with the art of qigong and you want to squeeze in some more practice. Good for you! I love it!

Maybe you’ve got some downtime at work (assuming you still commute to work). With the best of intentions you decide to practice in the one place where you have a modicum of privacy: the bathroom.

Is that okay?

I’ll give you my best answer in a moment, but first, let me show you how I typically arrive at answers for questions like this one.

My Process with Qigong

For decades, I’ve worked to demystify the art of qigong, both for my students and my own edification. I try to cut through all the BS so that we can find practical, 21st century solutions with qigong. This no-BS approach has been powerful for me, and it’s an approach that my students appreciate too. I assume that, if you’re reading this, you feel the same way.

I’m not stuck on tradition. When a particular qigong tradition no longer seems applicable to modern life, I abandon it or at least set it aside. I don’t do this lightly, and I take my sweet time before making a decision, but if something isn’t serving us, then I’m not afraid to encourage students to ignore one or more of the many qigong rules that are out there.

Barefoot or Blind

For example, I was taught not to practice qigong barefoot outdoors. For over a decade, I followed this advice blindly. I just didn’t do it. I was a good boy!

Later, after discovering the Minimalist Shoe Movement, I started to rethink the barefoot rule. Around this time, I also learned from a qigong master who told me that practicing barefoot was not only allowed, but desirable!

And so I started to experiment on my own. I began to practice qigong barefoot in the grass, on sand, on concrete, and indoors. By this time, I was pretty sensitive to energy, so I could feel what was happening.

After a few years of this, I decided that it no longer made sense to tell students not to practice qigong barefoot. I just couldn’t find a good reason. If practicing barefoot is somehow bad for my energy, then I couldn’t feel it in the short run nor did I see any negative effects in the long run either. If anything, it was the opposite. I noticed many benefits when I practice qigong barefoot.

And so I wrote a blog post about my experience, and I changed my tune about practicing barefoot, with a few caveats.

That’s how I like to operate. As much as possible, I don’t like to take things on faith. Nor do I want my students to simply do as I say.

Bathroom Experiments

That said, my answer about practicing qigong in a bathroom might surprise some people. Here’s my current opinion: I think it’s a bad idea to practice qigong in a public bathroom.

I was taught not to practice qigong in bathrooms because the energy is “negative”. I remember this idea being strange to me at first. It all seemed so woo-woo to me. But then logic prevailed.

A bathroom, I realized after some thought, is a place specifically designed to deposit our “negative” energy. And we don’t ever deviate from this, except perhaps while camping. We don’t, for example, sometimes feel lazy and just go poop in the corner of the room the way a dog might. (I’m looking at you, Sgt. Pepper!!)

Negative Energy

I used the term “negative energy” above. It’s a commonly used term. But what does it really mean?

Remember that the ancient Chinese didn’t view energy the way we see it today. We know about protons, neutrons, and electrons. They didn’t.

Negative energy has become a ubiquitous phrase in arts like qigong. And maybe the phrase is useful for modern practitioners. But we need to remember that past qigong masters had no words like this. Both words, “negative” and “energy”, come with so many subtle connotations that we hardly even notice them anymore.

Negative, for example, implies bad. It also implies a negative charge, like an ion.

Energy implies electricity, something qigong masters had zero experience with.

Yin and yang

What about yin and yang? Isn’t that the same as positive and negative? I’m glad you asked!

No. It’s not the same. The thing to understand is that yin and yang are relative, not absolute. For example, we might call a woman yin compared to her husband, but when compared to her daughter, she is yang.

Similarly, there’s no such thing as “negative energy” in an absolute sense. What‘s negative to humans is typically positive to other things. Manure is a good example. It’s toxic to horses and humans, but great for gardens! Similarly, CO2 is toxic to humans, but nourishing to plants.

What we should really be saying is that the energy in bathrooms is negative to us humans. In other words, that bathroom energy is not negatively charged like an electron; it’s just toxic to us.

And when we say “energy”, it’s a loose term for anything invisible in a bathroom. Remember that the ancient qigong masters didn’t have the benefit of knowing germ theory (although they got amazingly close!). Bathrooms are full of germs — bacteria, viruses, and even that pesky coronavirus.

Public bathrooms are even worse. At least your bathroom at home is filled with YOUR germs, right? But what about the bathroom at work?

Here’s what clinched it for me: If I dropped a piece of chocolate on the floor of a public bathroom, would I pick it up and pop it into my mouth saying, “5 second rule”? Hell no. I love chocolate but not that much! Even before the age of COVID, there is no way I would eat something off the floor of public bathroom.

In the age of COVID, I think the argument is even stronger. We know now that the coronavirus can linger in the air, especially indoors in places with poor ventilation. So practicing in a bathroom is definitely risky.

My 82 Square Foot Home

For those who don’t know me, I live in a fancy campervan. After my divorce, I sold everything, embraced minimalist living, and bought an RV. This setup works for me because it enables me to spend a lot of time in nature, like in the picture above, where I parked in Sedona for a week. (If you want to follow my adventures, I post them on my Instagram account.)

I mention this because my campervan is about 82 square feet total, including the bathroom. In other words, my “house” is smaller than many modern bathrooms. Hell, it’s smaller than many closets!

Does the negative energy of the bathroom seep into my living space?

I’ve thought about this a lot since I moved into my campervan. My conclusion is that if negative energy from the bathroom is affecting me, I can’t tell. But there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. It’s not a public bathroom. I’m the only one who uses it.
2. I can keep it as clean as I like.
3. The ventilation in the van is amazingly good.
4. I don’t practice qigong in the bathroom. Not that I could. It’s smaller than you can possibly imagine.

I do practice qigong inside the van when it’s raining, like it is right now this morning in Florida. But the energy in the campervan is so immersed in nature that it always feels good in here. I have windows on 4 sides, plus a ceiling fan with a skylight. It’s not camping by any means (I have a toilet, after all), but I really do feel like I am out in nature.

If I were living in an 82 sq/ft apartment with only a few windows and poor ventilation, then it might be a different story. In that case, if my practice space were right near the bathroom, I would work hard to improve the ventilation by adding fans and opening windows while practicing. Or, if that didn’t feel right, I would force myself to practice outside.

Better than Nothing?

A common argument is that it’s better to do qigong in a bathroom than to not do it at all. This is a logical fallacy called a false dilemma. It’s not an either/or situation. There are other options.

Since there are so many other options (see below), it seems clear to me that it is NOT better to do qigong in a bathroom. The risks outweigh the benefits, especially if COVID is here to stay for a while as it seems to be.

For example, if you catch even just the regular flu from practicing qigong in a bathroom, then it’s not worth it. We shouldn’t get sick from qigong. The opposite.

Other Ways to Practice at Work

Okay, so bathrooms are out. What other options are there?

1. Practice One Finger Zen all day, preferably while walking outside.
2. Gratitude is the ultimate “do it anywhere and invisibly” practice. Do it in the car on the way to work.
3. Loving Kindness Meditation once you get the hang of it, can be practiced on coworkers, the barista at Starbucks, and even your boss. Especially your boss.
4. The 2 Minute Drill is perfect. Go outside, even if it’s cold or hot. It’s only 2 minutes.
5. Smile From the Heart is similar to gratitude, and also invisible.

If a coworker happens to see you practicing your 2 minutes of qigong, it’s easily explainable as a way to stretch after sitting. You can even offer for them to join you! You’ll be amazed at how many people will take you up on the offer.

Save the longer qigong routines for later, when you are in a more suitable environment.

Summing Up

Qigong is my life. I think deeply about this and experiment constantly. My opinion, after much consideration, is that practicing qigong in a public bathroom is simply not worth the risk.

Now I’d love to hear from you. What do you think? Have you ever practiced in a bathroom? Will you continue to do so?

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Qigong in a Bathroom? Yay or Nay? appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“My body is fragile and vulnerable,” I said to myself. “Death will come to me whether I’m prepared or not.”

I was walking along a suburban, Florida sidewalk with my trusty mini-Schnauzer, Sgt. Pepper. I breathed out gently through my mouth and looked at a beautiful magnolia tree. Then, a Muscovy duck, with its strange, red head, waddled across the sidewalk. Sgt. Pepper bristled at the duck but didn’t bark.

I smiled. “Good dog,” I said, praising him for his restraint. Then my little rescue pup fell into stride with me and I felt the warmth growing in my heart. I love this little guy so much…

Then I resumed my Death Meditation practice: “Death will come to my dog whether I’m prepared or not,” I said to myself.

Really? Death Meditation? Now?!?

When I first learned about Death Meditation, it sounded crazy to me. Maybe it sounds crazy to you too. Especially now.

At the time, I had just won a battle against major depression and for the first time in years, I was no longer having suicidal thoughts. The last thing I wanted to do was go back to thinking about death.

Let me be clear that Death Meditation is not the same as having suicidal thoughts.

However, this technique can be uncomfortable to practice for some people. It’s not as fun as most other qigong techniques.

So I ignored it for years. And maybe the timing isn’t right for you either.

If you’re currently in crisis, if you’re having thoughts about harming yourself, then please skip this technique for now. Here are some helpful alternatives for you:

1. If you’re in crisis and having dark thoughts about harming yourself, then please call 1-800-273-8255, or click here: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Seriously. These people can help you even if you have no idea how that’s possible.

2. If you’re not in crisis, but you need to talk to someone right now, then visit the 7 Cups of Tea website. You can chat live with a trained active listener 24 hours a day. It’s a cool site. Check it out!

3. Go through my the free qigong program that I released to support people through the pandemic.
4. You might also want to read an old article of mine called: Here’s a Method That Is Helping Depressives Get through the Winter

What is Death Meditation?

The word Maranasati means “mindfulness of death”. It’s a 2500-year-old Zen technique that traces back to the Buddha.

One of my readers, who happens to a qigong and kung fu teacher in India, sent me a short audio file with the proper pronunciation of “maranasati”. Check it out below. (Many thanks to Sifu. N. Gowri Shankar of India for this recording! How cool is it that the internet can connect two Sifus from opposite sides of the planet?!? Amazing!)

Western culture has had similar practices to Maranasati. For example, the ancient Greeks had the Stoic tradition of Memento Mori. Here’s a quote from the most famous Stoic of all time that sums it up:

“You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” – Marcus Aurelius

The Maranasati technique can be summed up as follows:

Breathe gently as if taking your last few breaths. Look at death instead of looking away. Feel the truth of it, the inevitability of it, the fact that you too, will one day die.

Why on earth would someone do such a thing? Why would someone want to imagine dying? Or worse — their beloved dog dying?!?

Short answer: Because meditating on death makes you feel more alive.

Now for the longer answer…

When You Feel Helpless…

Normally, my morning routine consists of qigong, coffee, writing, and walking the dog. I specifically avoid reading the news.

But lately, that’s been hard for me. The news is so crazy — every single morning — that I can’t help but peek.

It’s always a mistake. It stresses me out. The news makes me feel incredibly helpless. I don’t know about you, but I HATE feeling helpless.

Maybe that’s why I love qigong so much — because it’s so empowering. I know from experience that when I’m feeling helpless, I need to take action, to do SOMETHING.

Maybe you’re thinking that I should’ve gone and done some qigong instead of meditating on death?

Duh. Of course. I do my qigong every day!

But on some mornings, I need extra-strength medicine. That’s when I reach into my Zen toolbox for the Death Meditation.

Okay, but WHY meditate on death?

Over the years, I’ve come to understand that meditating on death is not morbid, nor is it crazy, nor is it even that weird.

I believe that meditating on death is one of the sanest things that we can do.

Death unites us all. We’re so busy rushing around that we forget that none of us are getting out of this thing alive.

If you don’t believe me, perhaps this article from The Onion will convince you.

World Death Rate Holding Steady At 100 Percent

Funny, right?

See, we’re okay with cracking jokes about death, but otherwise, we prefer to ignore it. We don’t talk about it. We don’t look at it. We don’t think about it.

In forgetting to feel our mortality, we lose something precious — the feeling of being fully alive.

And that’s exactly why we need to practice Maranasati.

The 9 Contemplations of Master Atisha

There are many ways to “look” at death, but the 11^th century Buddhist master Atisha gave us some nice tips. [source]

1. All of us will die sooner or later.
2. Your lifespan is decreasing continuously.
3. Death will come whether you are prepared or not.
4. Your life span, like that of all living beings, is not fixed. 
5. Death has many causes.
6. Your body is fragile and vulnerable. 
7. Your loved ones cannot keep you from death.
8. At the moment of your death, your material resources are of no use to you.
9. Your own body cannot help you at the time of your death.

Wow. So this Atisha guy wasn’t messing around! Those are some serious contemplations!

How to Practice

It’s best to choose one of Atisha’s contemplations and just practice that for a day or a week.

You can practice while sitting, standing, or walking. It’s the essence of the technique that matters most, not the form.

If you already know qigong, then I recommend that you practice this technique during your walk before or after your regular practice session. Instead of walking for 1 minute, walk for 5-10 minutes and use one of the contemplations.

If you don’t know qigong — then my book is the most affordable way to get started. It comes with a free online course, and thousands have already benefitted.

Then experiment with Maranasati, and see what works for you. Does it work better if you practice it before your qigong session? Or is it better afterward?

If you have questions, please post them in the comments section below and I’ll do my best to help you.

Why I Stopped Looking Away

I have a tendency to look away from death. I get scared, and so I’ve looked away for a long time.

I’m sure you’ve looked away too. I don’t blame you. I know what it feels like.

But as I get older, I find that I’m practicing it more and more often, even if there’s nothing crazy happening in the news. (You know, for like 2 hours or so.)

I practice Maranasati a lot these days because I desperately need it. Perhaps the current events will spur you to try the technique for the same reasons.

I’ve gotten to a point where I feel like I’m done looking away from death. This shadowy vision is already there, lurking in the back of my mind. I can’t ignore it or wish it away.

Feeling Fully Alive…

But more than that, I find that this Maranasati technique enriches my life.

Have you ever had a close call, maybe while driving? Or maybe you had a health scare that later turned out to be negative?

After your close call, you suddenly felt your aliveness. You really FELT it for a change.

I know that feeling too.

Here’s something that I wrote and posted to Facebook a few years ago after a brush with death:

This is what Maranasati does for us. It’s a beautiful technique that wakes you up and reminds you that — right now, right here — you are alive.

And that, my friends is an amazing thing.

How do you feel about Maranasati? Does it seem useful to you? Would you like more on the subject? Let me know in the comments below.

The post Why Now is the Perfect Time to Practice Zen Death Meditation appeared first on Flowing Zen.

I’m getting tons of qigong questions directly related to the pandemic. I haven’t done an “Ask Sifu Anthony” post in a while, so I gathered 7 of these questions and compiled them here.

I mention the 5-Phase Routine a lot in this Q&A. A lot a lot.

Normally, I would reserve this kind of post for one of my paid programs. After all, if you don’t know the 5-Phase Routine then the answers won’t make much sense.

But that was in The Before Times. The pandemic changed everything…

A few weeks ago, I released an entire program that teaches the 5-Phase Routine. If you haven’t yet learned the 5-Phase Routine, you can do so using the link above.

Oh, did I mention that it’s free?

Don’t snooze on this free offer. It’s my way of helping people through this crisis. People have been paying $79 for this course for years, and I’m actually giving you MORE than they got — at no charge.

The 5-Phase Routine is the core of my teaching and the single-best tool I have for dealing with the pandemic. Go learn it now. You’ll be glad you did.

For those who are new to me and Flowing Zen, the 5-Phase Routine is the reason why my students and I get such remarkable results with our qigong.

It looks like this:

• Phase 1: The Opening Sequence.
  This phase involves a series of internal techniques, like Entering Zen and Smiling from the Heart. These techniques bring us into a meditative state and engage the Parasympathetic Nervous System so that we can successfully cultivate energy in Phase 2.
• Phase 2: Dynamic or Static Qigong Exercises
  This phase involves what most people call qigong, i.e. dynamic exercises and/or static postures (zhan zhuang). We can insert virtually any qigong technique into this phase. The purpose here is to cultivate the energy in a particular way. For example, we can choose exercises for self-healing or exercises for internal power.
• Phase 3: Energy Flow
  After cultivating the qi in Phase 2, we let it circulate using a rare qigong technique called Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow. This is where the rubber meets the road and where deep healing occurs. Unfortunately, the vast majority of qigong students don’t know this technique.
• Phase 4: Consolidation
  After letting the energy circulate in Phase 3, we bring it back to the lower dantian (energy center) in order to consolidate the benefits gained in Phases 1-3. It’s a bit like saving your work before closing your laptop.
• Phase 5: The Closing Sequence
  This phase involves a gentle facial massage that helps us transition from a deep meditative state back to the regular world. It also to brings energy to the face and eyes.

Now, let’s dive into the questions.

Question #1: Assuming one practices qigong a little on most days, how long before one would see improvement in their immune system?

It depends on what you mean by “practices qigong.”

If someone simply does a bunch of dynamic qigong exercises without using the 5-Phase Routine, then the answer is: Months, maybe years.

But if someone practices the 5-Phase Routine, with an emphasis on Phases 1 and 3, the the answer is: Minutes.

There are 2 reasons why you’ll get an immediate boost to your immune system within minutes of practicing the 5-Phase Routine:

1. Because in Phase 1 you engage the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS), which in turn improves immune function.
2. Because in Phase 3 you circulate the qi and thereby activate the “Wei Qi” (pronounced “way chee”).

Actually, both of these are related.

In qigong theory, Wei Qi is your “guardian energy”. It protects you from outside “evils”, i.e. pathogens (like the coronavirus, bacteria, or the flu). In other words, Wei Qi is your immune system.

The secret sauce of the 5-Phase Routine is that we not only activate the immune system in Phase 1, but we let the qi circulate in Phase 3 — and this includes the Wei Qi. This gives us not only an immediate immune response, but a strong one.

Compare this to many qigong practitioners who focus mainly on Phase 2, i.e. dynamic qigong exercises. They’re not engaging the PSNS nor are they circulating their qi after doing the exercises, so it should be no surprise that they don’t engage their immune system very strongly.

Question #2: How does my body structure affect my immune system and how do I continue to get results with a crooked body? My qigong has been a struggle. A BioSynchronistics practitioner says no wonder I am not getting results fast from qigong because my body is so crooked and blocked. That is my spine, kyphosis, how do it fix that?

It’s true that the overall structure of the body affects the energy flow. If you are kyphotic (slightly hunched in the thoracic spine) then the energy can’t flow as well through that area.

But to suggest that kyphosis blocks all the benefits of qigong is simply untrue. Many people have gotten remarkable results despite having a problematic structure, myself included. I would estimate that over 1000 of my students have dealt with kyphosis or lordosis (an unhealthy curve in the lower spine). These are common issues as you age, and most of my students are over 50.

If you’re not getting results from your qigong, then it’s not because your body is crooked. That’s a factor, but it’s not a deal breaker that prevents all other progress.

This article will help you to troubleshoot your practice so that you start getting the results that you deserve.

As you try to figure out what’s blocking you from healing, remember that worrying DEFINITELY blocks the flow of qi. Since worrying about your structure will in no way improve your structure, you are literally suppressing your immune system for no reason.

Follow The 3 Golden Rules as best as you can. Let go of your worries and do your best to enjoy your qigong practice.

Question #3: I am generally very fit, healthy, and active, but my immune system is overactive and is fighting off threats that are not real threats, causing mild autoimmune problems. How can I use qigong to calm down my immune system and stop it from reacting when there is no need?

One of the most amazing things about qigong, especially the 5-Phase Routine, is that it is truly holistic.

In your case, “holistic” means that your immune system will be brought back into homeostasis. Since it’s overactive, qigong will help to calm it. In qigong theory we call this harmonizing yin and yang.

In another person with a suppressed immune system, qigong will help to activate it. Again, this is simply a matter of harmonizing yin and yang.

Okay, but what does that mean exactly? If autoimmune issues are an imbalance of yin and yang, then why is the immune response overactive? Why is the body attacking itself?

Often, it’s just a matter of bad information. It’s as if the front line soldiers are getting the wrong information from recon. As a result, they keep attacking friendly units. Not good.

When we practice Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow in Phase 3, the qi is able to circulate freely through the meridians — perhaps for the first time in years. If you think of qi as information (which it is), then this will make more sense for your situation. When the information is able to flow freely through your system, there will be less friendly fire.

For serious autoimmune conditions, I’m also a fan of combining qigong with other therapies. Pick whatever complementary therapy resonates with you — acupuncture, fasting, the Auto-Immune Protocol, or something I haven’t even heard of.

What I know from experience is that the holistic effect of qigong (especially the 5-Phase Routine) doesn’t just compliment other therapies — it magnifies them.

Or maybe the other therapies magnify the effect of qigong. Either way, the resulting effect is stronger than the sum of its parts.

Here’s a good article by Dr. Mark Hyman on reversing autoimmune conditions. Since we’re in quarantine, your options will be limited. But combining even a few of his tips with qigong can be a powerful combo.

Question 4: What qigong moves assist the immune system?

This is one of the most damaging myths in the qigong world — the idea that it’s the qigong move itself that does the healing.

Even if I gave you the world’s best qigong exercise for boosting the immune system (which doesn’t exist, by the way) — if you ONLY practiced the physical form but ignored the internal aspects of practicing qigong, then it won’t work.

Here’s an analogy. A person sitting in a perfect, full-lotus meditation posture is not necessarily meditating. They might just be thinking about lunch.

Similarly, a person performing a qigong move is not necessarily doing qigong. They might just be waving their arms in the air.

With qigong, what happens on the inside is FAR more important than what happens on the outside. This is why the 5-Phase Routine is the heart of my entire teaching method — because it forces you to focus on the internal aspects of qigong.

So I suppose a simple answer to your question would be this: If you want to boost your immune system, then practice the 5-Phase Routine daily and don’t worry which exercises you choose for Phase 2.

Question 5: You mentioned the 2-Minute Drill as a means of increasing Guardian Qi. Does this feel any different to the qi normally gathered in qigong practice, or is it the same thing? Do we need to do the 2-Minute Drill several times a day if we already have a regular practice?

According to the classics, Guardian Qi (or Wei Qi) is different than other types of qi. The classics were right about a lot of things, and I suspect that this is true, too. But even after 2 decades of practice, I can’t verify this theory with anything more than my own subjective experience.

Practically speaking, I don’t think it really matters. If you’re practicing the 5-Phase Routine, then you’re activating all different kinds of energies through the body. For example, you might be activating several meridians, stimulating a healthy balance of hormones, pumping cerebrospinal fluid, and circulating the blood — all at once. All of that can (and should) be considered as “qi”.

With the 2-Minute Drill, you’re basically activating the energy that’s already flowing in your system. Another way to look at it is that you’re extending the effect of your most recent 5-Phase Routine. Think of it like a range extender for a WiFi router, or an auxiliary gas tank on a vehicle.

The main advantage of doing the 2-Minute Drill throughout the day is that you are stimulating your immune system more frequently. When you are dealing with something like a novel coronavirus that humans have no prior immunity to — this frequency is a good thing. It’s an additional layer of protection.

Question 6: I am concerned about my depression. I am going through ups and downs. Today I can barely function, can’t stop the negative thoughts, can barely stay present with my qigong practice. I did sleep better last night than I have in weeks, but feel kind of dead today. I’ve had days of feeling better, times when I can connect very strongly with flow of energy in my practice and feel good results, times I can function and feel better. Today I feel concerned that it’s too much and I can’t do it.

The word that popped out when I read your question was “rigid”.

You may not know this about me, but I began with sitting Zen meditation practice (called “zazen” in Japanese or “zuo chan” in Chinese). I was already battling anxiety and depression, but I didn’t realize it yet.

Zazen was torture for me. It felt rigid. I almost felt claustrophobic practicing it. This was a blessing in disguise because it eventually led me to qigong and tai chi.

For those of us with anxiety, rigidity is the enemy. In my classes, I often repeat the litany: “never be rigid in qigong”.

Phase 1 involves learning to relax while standing. This is something that few of us have ever learned to do, let alone practiced. Even people with years of yoga training struggle with this.

The difference here is that, unlike with Zazen, you are allowed to move and adjust. You’re free to stretch, yawn, adjust your feet, or scratch an itch. In other words — never be rigid in qigong.

Yes, I’m sure there are emotions stuck in your body. That’s true for everyone, even if they don’t battle anxiety. If you’re human, then you’ve got emotional blockages.

But I think you gave up too soon. Here’s a quote that I love: “The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”

You’re just getting started with qigong. As with all things, it will get easier with practice. I’m not advocating a “no pain, no gain” approach. That’s the opposite of how I teach.

But I am advocating a little perseverance.

With the 5-Phase Routine, we’re not asking for a lot of stillness — just a few minutes in the beginning. And it’s not even pure stillness because you’re allowed to move and adjust.

You don’t need to do Phase 1 perfectly to have a good practice. Just do your best, and move to the next phase.

Make your way through the entire course and then try the Gratitude Meditation. That one should be especially helpful for you.

Once you learn the entire 5-Phase Routine and do it a handful of times, I promise that you will feel MUCH better. Qigong is the antidote you’ve been seeking!

Got questions for me? Or a follow-up question to one of my answers above? Either way — go ahead and post them in the comments below.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Ask Sifu Anthony – Coronavirus Edition appeared first on Flowing Zen.