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.

Is qigong good for kids?

That’s like asking if vegetables are good for kids. Duh. Of course they are.

Qigong is GREAT for kids. In fact, I would argue that qigong is BETTER for kids than it is for adults. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? With kids, we’re focusing on prevention. Or if they do have some health challenges, then according to qigong theory, those issues are less ingrained and easier to solve.

But like vegetables, it can be a bit tricky to get kids to appreciate qigong.

Since many of you are stuck at home and looking for activities, I thought that I would share my ideas about working with your own kids. Doing qigong with your kids will not only be good for them down the road — it may also stop you from going completely crazy.

Let’s dive in.

What Age?

What age should kids start with qigong? This is the big question, and there’s no easy answer.

For example, legend has it that Miu Tsui-Fa (苗翠花), the mother of the kung fu hero Fong Sai Yuk (方世玉), trained him from infancy in an art called “Copper Skin Iron Bones”.

Miu Tsui-Fa was a kung fu master in her own right and probably practiced some form of Iron Body Qigong. According to legend, she brewed an herbal decoction for baby Fong Sai Yuk and bathed him it it daily. Later, she conditioned the child’s body with gentle strikes from a stick (similar to Iron Body Qigong). As a result, the adult Fong Sai Yuk was reputed to be able to withstand kicks and strikes to his body.

I’m quite sure that you aren’t interested in using this Infant Iron Body method. Good, because I don’t know the method and I wouldn’t teach it to you even if I did. Can you imagine the lawsuits?!?

My point is that there are different opinions about the best age to start a child on qigong. It also depends on the type of qigong.

Shaolin Kids?

The Shaolin Temple in China was the birthplace of many forms of qigong and kung fu. It was also the birthplace of Zen. Much of the qigong that I teach today traces directly back to Shaolin.

Unfortunately, it’s not clear how old students were when they started learning qigong. Children, including orphans, were sometimes accepted into the Temple at a young age and taught meditation. Kung fu might have been taught to teenagers. But what about qigong?

Qigong was kept secret even from adults, so it’s hard for us to know. For example, teenagers at the Shaolin Temple were probably taught exercises like the Horse Stance. But were they taught to practice this exercise as qigong, or just as calisthenics?

We don’t know for sure, which means that we can’t really look to the past for answers.

Karate Kids

In my 20s, I taught karate in a franchised studio in the Bay Area. I saw an ad in the classifieds (remember those?) for karate black belts and I desperately needed a job, so I signed up.

Of course, much of what I did was just babysitting. As I’m sure you can imagine, kids classes were the bread-and-butter of these karate studios. I taught classes to kids as young as 3.

Years earlier, I had taught young kids to play tennis. And a few years later, I would teach young kids to play violin (more on that later).

All told, I’ve taught kids 4 different arts over the last 3 decades:

1. Kids karate
2. Tennis
3. Violin
4. Qigong

Based on that experience, I offer the following opinion about when to start teaching qigong to children: kids can safely start learning qigong anywhere between 3-10 years old, but there are 2 major factors involved:

1. The temperament of the child
2. The teaching methodology

Some kids just don’t take to qigong at age 5 no matter what you do. In that case, you’ll just have to be patient.

But even if the child has the perfect temperament for qigong, it just won’t work if you use the wrong methodology.

The Methodology

When I say methodology, I don’t just mean the style of qigong. That matters too, but not as much as your overall methodology for teaching kids.

No style of qigong, modern or ancient, can be applied unchanged to kids. You have to adapt it if you want to be successful.

I’m a big fan of The Suzuki Method. This method, invented by Shinichi Suzuki in the mid-1900s, was originally for the violin. Later it spread to other instruments. In my opinion, it should continue to spread to other arts.

I was trained to teach this method in the late 1990s. When done correctly, it produces exceptional violinists at seemingly-impossible ages. (My parents owned a music school where The Suzuki Method was taught. The results were incredible.)

There are 2 aspects of the Suzuki Method that translate beautifully to qigong, specifically:

1. Using reverse psychology
2. Playing by ear

Reverse Psychology

If you tell a child, “Now you’re going to learn the violin,” then they probably won’t be very interested. It’s more likely that they’ll resent it, get bored, and fail to practice. This is because the child perceives learning the violin as a chore.

The Suzuki Method uses simple reverse psychology in order to permanently shift this dynamic. In short, the method starts with one of the parents learning the violin rather than the child.

The child is allowed to observe the lessons and the practice sessions, but no suggestion is made that the child might be allowed to learn. This creates both tension and curiosity in the child.

Eventually, the child will ask, “Mommy, can I learn to play violin like you?”

Success! You just outsmarted a 4-year-old! But don’t give in yet. Instead, try something like this: “It takes commitment to learn the violin. I’m not sure that you’re ready.”

It won’t be long before the child asks again. Depending on your own patience, you can continue to use reverse psychology to plant seeds. For example: “To learn the violin you will need to practice for 10 minutes every day.”

By the time the child gets their first violin, they have already been primed. They are ready and committed. And best of all, they will actually ENJOY playing the violin, which is a beautiful thing.

This method has worked for thousands of kids all over the world, on many instruments. I’ve used it successfully for qigong as well. In fact, I think it’s perfect for qigong because most of you reading this are already practicing.

Playing By Ear (or Eye)

Another major component of The Suzuki Method is that children learn to play by ear rather than learning to read music. This allows them to learn the same way they learn a language — by listening.

We can’t translate this perfectly to qigong, but we can get close. Instead of learning by ear, kids can learn qigong by eye.

Mirror neurons give us the ability to watch another human, and then mimic it. This is an ancient human skill, developed over millions of years through evolution, allowed humans to mimic survival skills like tool-making and hunting.

All kids have the ability to mimic. In fact, their ability is uncanny. Have you ever seen a video of a young child mimicking a dance that they saw on TV? Often, they don’t just mimic the big movements but also the micro-movements. The results often seem impossible to the adult mind.

Kids can do the same with qigong. And this should be encouraged.

Here’s my recommendation:

1. Have them watch first, but without copying. Just let them watch you.
2. Next, have them mimic what you did.
3. Go back and forth a few times, adding details like the breathing, the stance, or key points of relaxation.
4. Finally, do the exercise together with the eyes closed. (They will peek, but it’s okay.)

Butcher the Form?

If you know me, then you know that a major part of my teaching is encouraging my students to “butcher the form”.

This is critical for adults because it frees them from worrying about the physical form of the qigong exercise and allows them to focus on more important things, like the breathing, softening, and mindfulness.

Qigong is an internal art. This means that the important stuff happens on the inside.

The physical aspect of qigong is less important than the internal aspects. Butchering the form allows adults to stop worrying and to immediately focus on the internal aspects.

This is similar to allowing an adult to practicing sitting meditation on a chair rather than asking them to sit in a full lotus posture.

But how does all this translate to kids?

From Form to Formless

With kids, we need a different method. Kids do better when they have an obvious structure to follow.

Also, they don’t struggle with worrying and rumination the way adults do.

I recommend that you start with the form. Let them learn by eye as I described above.

I also recommend that you treat it like kung fu. In fact, you might consider telling them that you’re teaching them kung fu. I mean, what kid doesn’t want to learn kung fu?

Qigong and kung fu have been intertwined for so long that this isn’t a lie. Qigong is a modern term. If you learned qigong from my teacher’s, teacher’s, teacher, he might have called it kung fu and made no mention of qigong.

Make it Fun

If you don’t make it fun, it won’t stick. We’ve solved part of this by using reverse psychology. But we need to do more.

Learning qigong is not easy. It’s like learning any art, which means that there is repetition and monotony and even boredom. Kids need to persevere through all this.

The good news is that qigong is pretty enjoyable on its own. But you can enhance this by making it fun.

Kids like learning new things, and they like doing a good job. So rather than always doing the same qigong exercise, teach them something new.

If you’re in my Qigong 101 program and/or my Qigong 201 program, then this will be easy. Go back to the beginning of the program and pick a new exercise to teach each week. As you watch the video, instead of thinking about learning it for yourself, think about how you will teach it to your child.

(As a bonus, you’ll be amazed at how much this will deepen your own practice.)

If you’re not in one of those programs, then you’ll have to acquire at least a half-dozen different qigong exercises. You’ll probably need that many in order to keep your kids interested.

Luckily, you can start learning 4 exercises for free from me. In response to the pandemic, I released an entire program for free, something that I’ve never done before. Click here to read more about the free program.

Habit and Reward

Don’t be shy about using your preferred method of rewarding kids. Whether you bribe them with ice cream or screen time or just use words of praise — give them some positive feedback for doing qigong. This will make them look forward to their qigong lessons.

At the same time, don’t worry if they seem ambivalent the first few times they try some qigong with you. Even if they seem bored or disinterested the first time you show them some, if you keep the mood light and your attitude positive, there’s a very good chance they’ll come back and try it again.

Meanwhile, keep up your own daily practice because they will be watching you! Kids do as you do! Lead by example!

Invite them to join you whenever possible. But again, don’t be too pushy or persistent. Just offer an invitation.

More Movement, Less Stillness

When I teach qigong to adults, there’s a good amount of stillness. Of course, we use WAY less stillness than, say, sitting mediation. This is precisely why so many people fall in love with qigong — because the movement makes it more accessible.

The same is true for kids — but even more so. Kids are nuclear reactors and have boundless energy. Maybe you’ve noticed?

So you want them to move. A lot. You can insert periods of stillness, but these should be short and sweet.

What about Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow?

If you’ve learned the 5-Phase Routine, then you’re probably wondering if you should teach Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow to your kids. (If you haven’t learned it, then make sure to go through my free program.)

The answer is yes, teach it to them — but not yet.

Take your time teaching this subtle skill. The truth is that young kids have no problem learning it. They are naturally loose and uninhibited.

If you’re dealing with a teenager, however, it’s a different story. More on that in a bit.

Let Kids Choose

With my adult students, I give them the following advice on planning their own qigong routine:

1. Learn the 5-Phase Routine
2. Learn 1 or 2 dozen qigong exercises.
3. Pick your favorites
4. Practice

With kids, I think the advice is the same, but the order is a little different:

1. Learn 1 or 2 dozen qigong exercises.
2. Pick your favorites
3. Practice
4. Learn the 5-Phase Routine (gradually)

Even if they never learn the 5-Phase Routine, kids will get a lot of benefit from just doing various qigong exercises, especially if they are encouraged to choose their favorites.

This not only empowers them, but they will naturally and intuitively choose exercises that benefit them.

You can even let them come up with their own names for the exercises they like. Let them have a little ownership over it!

How to Teach Teens

I’ve taught plenty of teens in my career.  I wish I had learned qigong when I was 16, and perhaps that’s why I’m able to connect with kids around this age.

But that’s ME connecting with OTHER people’s kids. I’m an authority figure, not a parent. Teaching your own teenagers is a whole different ballgame.

Unfortunately, I can’t offer a lot of advice here because I don’t have kids of my own. When I teach teenagers, they show me a surprising amount of respect.

I say “surprising” because the parents are almost always surprised. “I can’t believe she listens to you!” is a common thing I hear from parents.

Reverse psychology probably won’t work on teens. They’re too clever.

Honestly, the best way to share qigong with the teens in your life is the example that you demonstrate — not just with your willingness to practice and your love for qigong, but the results that you get through your practice.

Give it your best shot. Or if you don’t feel comfortable teaching them yourself, then just point them to my online programs. Lots of teens do well even though my classes are geared toward adults.

Or if there’s enough interest, maybe I’ll offer a webinar specifically for teens. (I’m imagining some sort of a live webinar without parents, but I’m open to suggestions.)

One thing that teens can appreciate is the theory behind what we’re doing. They’re smart enough to appreciate this information.

Consider showing them the video in this blog post to pique their interest:

How To Explain Qigong to People in 97 Seconds

Summary

In summary, here are my 11 tips for working with kids

1. You can safely start kids on qigong between the ages of 3-10 (later is fine too, obviously)
2. Use reverse psychology on kids (but not on teens)
3. Play by eye (mimicking)
4. Tell them it’s kung fu
5. Focus on form first
6. Make it fun
7. Use positive reinforcement (i.e. rewards)
8. Use more movement and less stillness
9. Teach Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow — but later
10. Let them choose their favorite exercises
11. Good luck with your teenagers!

Those are my thoughts. Did I miss anything? Let me know what you think it the comments below.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post 11 Tips for Doing Qigong at Home With Your Kids appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Is qigong just a placebo? What about tai chi? What is a placebo anyway? And how does self-healing really work?

These are questions that I addressed in a live broadcast on Facebook.

You can watch the replay below, or you can click the little “f” button below and watch it on Facebook. (Note: if you want to read the comments, you’ll have to watch it on Facebook.)

If you have any questions, feel free to post them below this blog post.

No sound? Click the play button, then click
the volume button in the lower right corner.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Is Qigong Just a Placebo? appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“My teacher told me that it’s incorrect to breathe through the mouth,” she said. “He said that in qigong and tai chi the breathing should be in and out through the nose.”

This question comes up all the time in my Facebook group.

Sometimes, it’s more of a challenge than a question, as if to say: “Why are you doing it wrong, Anthony?!?”

I’m not doing it wrong.

This video explains why. It’s a replay of a live broadcast that I did on Facebook. You can watch it below, or you can click the little “f” button below and watch it on Facebook. (Note: if you want to read the comments, you’ll have to watch it on Facebook.)

If you have any questions, feel free to post them below this blog post.

No sound? Click the play button, then click the volume
button in the lower right corner.

The post Qigong and Tai Chi Students: Should You Exhale Through Your Nose or Mouth? appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“This isn’t the 18th century,” I said.

Jason looked puzzled by my statement, as if it had nothing to do with our conversation. He had asked me about picking the best qigong exercises for his situation.

“I feel like I have so many exercises to choose from,” he had said. “I want to plan the ultimate qigong routine, but I don’t know which ones to pick.”

That’s why my reply confused him. His look said, “Has Sifu lost his mind?”

Allow me to explain to you what I explained to Jason.

In the 18th century, if you were lucky enough to learn qigong — which would have been like winning the Powerball — then you would have probably learned just a handful of exercises during your first 3 years of study.

You were also expected to practice several hours per day.

In other words, there was no choice. You simply practiced all of the exercises every day. For hours on end.

21st Century Learning

In the 21st century, things are different. For example, in my Qigong 101 Program, I teach over 45 different qigong exercises over a period of 13 months. (It’s a 12-month program, but there’s a bonus month.)

Comparing these two teaching methods, we have:

• 18th century = learn 5 exercises over 3 years and practice 3 hours per day.
• 21st century = learn 45 exercises in 1 year and practice 15-30 minutes per day.

At first glance, this might seem backward. If modern students practice less, shouldn’t they learn fewer exercises?

My answer is clear: nope!

Times have changed, and it’s time for students to embrace that change.

Ancient Chinese Secrets

The old method for teaching qigong and tai chi involved a level of secrecy that is hard for the modern student to grasp.

From a teaching perspective, it was not a good pedagogy.

Pedagogy is an art and a science. Good teachers — of all subjects —  strive to improve their methods and thus maximize their students’ learning.

This increased efficiency means that modern students can now learn at a much faster rate.

But the traditional Chinese method was the opposite. It intentionally slowed things down in order to test the student’s commitment. In that sense, it was anti-pedagogical.

During your “probation” phase, secrets were intentionally held by the master. Students were NOT given critical information that would help them progress faster.

No More Secrets

Believe it or not, the tradition of secrecy is still alive today.

There are still teachers, both Asian and non-Asian, who keep secrets from their students.

In other words, they intentionally withhold information that would help their students progress faster.

I’ve never been a teacher who keeps secrets. I’m the son of two teachers, and I take pride in being a skillful educator. I’ve been teaching various arts since 1989, and I’ve always been fascinated by pedagogy. (If you’re curious, I’ve taught tennis, the violin, karate, and kung fu.)

In other words, I am always working on new ways to help my students to learn qigong in a more efficient way.

Liberal Arts Qigong

Let’s go back to Jason’s question. He wanted to know how to choose from the many qigong exercises that he knows.

I graduated from Columbia which is known for its Core Curriculum. Basically, during my first two years in college, I had to read every major piece of Western literature and philosophy.

In fact, a bunch of ancient names are carved into the top of the library: Homer – Herodotus – Sophocles – Plato – Aristotle – Demosthenes – Cicero – Vergil

I read all of those authors and countless more. They’re all on my bookshelf somewhere.

Now here’s my point: I don’t remember everything that I’ve read. I probably don’t even remember 25% of it.

Did I waste my time reading all those other books?

No, absolutely not.

Reading hundreds of books not only stretched and strengthened my mind, but it also helped me to figure out which authors were my favorites.

Naturally, this way of learning stuck with me. Decades later, I see tremendous value in bringing this liberal arts approach to the art of qigong.

The Food in Spain

Years ago, I visited a friend who lives in Spain. He’s originally from NYC like me, so we both have a high standard for food.

“The food is terrible here,” he warned. “But they all think it’s the best in the world.”

After a few meals, I started to believe him. The food was decidedly mediocre.

“Watch this,” he said. We were sitting in yet another mediocre restaurant, and he struck up a conversation with a couple at a nearby table.

“How’s the food here?” he asked in fluent Spanish.

“Excellent,” they both said.

“How’s the food in Spain?” he asked.

“Best in the world!” they both said enthusiastically.

“Do you travel much?” he asked.

“No, we’ve lived here all our lives.”

Do you see why I’m telling you this story? Because I don’t want you to be like that Spanish couple!

Broadening Your Horizons

In the qigong world, we often find teachers and students who, like that Spanish couple, believe that their style is the best in the world.

I’ve been guilty of this in the past. It’s human nature. We want to believe that our city, our sports team, our food, our religion — whatever it is that we are doing — MUST be the best in the world.

If you’ve only learned one style of qigong, or if you’ve only learned one qigong set with 8 to18 exercises — then how do you know if it’s the best?

What do you have to compare those exercises to?

As a teacher, I want to help you to broaden your horizons, to learn many different qigong exercises, and also many different types of qigong.

For example, I teach a variety of different qigong sets:

• The 18 Luohan Hands
• The 12 Qigong Treasures
• Sinew Metamorphosis (Yi Jin Jing)
• The 8 Brocades
• The 18 Arhat Arts
• The 18 Qigong Gems
• The 10 Neigong Exercises
• One Finger Shooting Zen

I’ve also practiced the following styles of qigong:

1. Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong
2. Chu Style Nei Kung (aka Eternal Spring Qigong)
3. Yan Xin Qigong
4. Yi Quan
5. Chaoyi Fanhuan Qigong
6. Wild Goose Qigong
7. Primordial Qigong
8. Dragon and Tiger Qigong
9. Zhineng Qigong
10. Spring Forest Qigong
11. Holden Qigong

So when you learn Flowing Zen Qigong (the name of my style of qigong), you’re not just learning one style.

Actually, Flowing Zen Qigong is more like a university. I aim to give my students a liberal arts education in qigong.

In the end, I want you to figure out not which style of qigong is best, but which sets and skills are best for YOU.

How Big is Your Repertoire?

When selecting which exercises to practice, it’s good to have a large repertoire.

Years ago, I used to prescribe exercises for my students. Since I’m trained in Chinese Medicine, I would ask them a series of questions, and then select the best exercises for their situation.

But often, these students didn’t know the exercises that I wanted to prescribe. (Side note: this was one of the reasons that I originally started putting videos online — so that my students could have access to exercises they had not learned.)

I felt like a Chinese herbalist who only had access to a limited supply of herbs.

It was MUCH easier to prescribe exercises to students with a large repertoire. Often, I would be able to prescribe not just one, but a handful of exercises specifically working toward their goals.

Writing Your Own Prescription

Coming up with customized practice routines for students takes time. I have to ask a bunch of questions, try to figure out what’s going on, and then come up with a prescription based on the exercises that they know.

Since it takes up a lot of my time, it also costs money. But not all of my students could afford to pay me for my time.

Luckily, I discovered a method that didn’t require a prescription.

When students used this new method, they still got great results.

This method is simple, and you can start implementing it immediately, assuming that you have a good repertoire of qigong exercises.

Here’s the secret: choose favorites.

Choosing Favorites

In other words, the most cost-effective method I’ve found for targeting specific health conditions is as follows:

1. Teach the 5-Phase Routine
2. Teach 24-48 different qigong exercises (including different skills)
3. Encourage students to choose their favorites.

Why are favorites so important?

It’s like a pregnant woman choosing food intuitively. She and the baby need some specific nutrient, but she doesn’t need to read labels.

She may have no clue about the nutrient, and her doctor might not know either — but her body knows.

This is how you should approach qigong. Choose favorites like a pregnant woman with cravings.

Like the pregnant woman, your cravings may change from week to week. That’s fine. Keep following those cravings.

By choosing your favorite qigong exercises, you will:

• Be much more likely to practice, thereby increasing the dosage of qigong.
• Be much more likely to ENJOY your practice, thereby following the 3 Golden Rules.
• Gradually settle on exercises that are a perfect fit for your energy and your body.

Advantage, Online Learning

I started teaching this method before I started teaching online.

Now that I teach mainly online, I discovered something else.

When it comes to choosing favorites, online learning has an advantage over in-person learning.

For example, when I would prescribe exercises to students in my brick-and-mortar studio, I often found that even though they had learned the exercise a few years earlier, they had forgotten it.

Then, as I started giving my students review videos, I kept hearing the same thing over and over. “I forgot about _____ exercise. It’s my new favorite!”

With online learning, you have on-demand access to a library of exercises.

For example, by the time you finish my Qigong 101 program, you’ll have learned 45 different qigong exercises.

Obviously, you’ll have forgotten many of them over the span of 13 months.

But unlike in-person learning, you can go back and review at your leisure.

This doesn’t mean that online learning is better than in-person learning. They both have advantages and disadvantages.

But don’t listen to people who say that qigong can’t be learned online. It’s nonsense. 

The Key is the 5-Phase Routine

This method of choosing favorites may not work as well for every type of qigong.

The reason it works so well for my students is that they know the 5-Phase Routine.

Phase 3 of that routine is called Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow. This is a rare qigong skill that generates a palpable energy flow through the meridians.

Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow is unique because it doesn’t direct the qi, but rather, taps into the body’s natural healing wisdom.

When you practice specific qigong exercises, you are basically directing the energy to certain organs and meridians.

For example, when you practice Plucking Stars, you are directing the energy to the Spleen and Stomach Meridians.

That might sound good, but Chinese Medicine is more complicated than that. Maybe the problem SEEMS like it’s in your digestive system, but it’s actually in your Kidney Meridian instead.

What happens if you send qi to the wrong meridian?

The 5-Phase Routine is the great equalizer. Even if you choose exercises that send qi to the wrong meridian, the qi will redirect to the proper destination during Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow. It’s like an automatic guidance system.

If you’d like to learn the 5-Phase Routine, I teach it in the following online courses:

• Quiet Mind, Healthy Body: An Intro to Qigong
• Battling Depression and Anxiety with Qigong
• Qigong 101: The Art of Healing for Busy People

Summing Up

If you want better results from your practice, then you follow this advice:

1. Learn the 5-Phase Routine (my book is the most affordable option)
2. Learn a bunch of qigong exercises.
3. Pick your favorites.
4. Practice

You don’t need to learn 100 exercises. Maybe later, you can have fun learning that many. I’ve learned well over 300, but I’ve been doing this for a while.

Remember that this is a lifelong journey. Even if you’re 70 years old, you can still enjoy qigong for many, many years to come. There’s plenty of time to learn new material!

Questions? Comments? Let’s have a chat below. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post The Real Secret to Planning the Ultimate Qigong Routine appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“QIGONG CANNOT POSSIBLY BE LEARNED ONLINE!!!” he wrote.

As I’m sure you already know, writing in all caps on the internet is the equivalent of screaming. But this person added 3 exclamation points, just in case I didn’t get his point.

This comment came from a qigong teacher — one who doesn’t teach online, of course.

Let’s call him Ken.

After he screamed all over Facebook, I decided to message him privately rather than try to engage him in a public discussion.

“Hey man, have you tried teaching online?” I asked.

“I don’t need to try,” he said. “I already KNOW that it can’t POSSIBLY be done!!”

“So you haven’t tried?” I asked.

“Qigong is an energy art that requires LIVE transmission,” he said, ignoring my question.

At this point, the conversation degenerated.

I tried to explain that you can teach live online, but it quickly became clear that Ken was not interested in having a discussion. Let’s just say that there were a lot of ALL CAPS in his messages.

Sigh.

I Was Wrong

The truth is that I was like Ken at one point, minus the ALL CAPS.

I thought, and even publicly stated, that qigong could only be reviewed via online teaching, not learned.

I was wrong. Dead wrong. And I’m not afraid to admit it.

I know I was wrong because I tested my theory.

I tested it for years, using the latest online learning technology and methods.

I experimented with live teleconferences, meditations that were recorded during a live event, live webinars, recorded videos, Facebook groups, guided meditations, and more.

With each new experiment, it became clearer and clearer that teaching qigong online not only worked — it worked GREAT.

In retrospect, I feel like an idiot for saying that qigong can’t be learned online.

It’s simply not true.

Qigong absolutely can be learned online — safely and effectively.

Click here to read a related article: 9 Reasons Qigong Can Totally Be Learned Online

That’s not to say that learning online is necessarily better than learning in person. They both have advantages and disadvantages.

As of this writing, I’ve taught thousands of students online, and many of them have later come to learn from me in person where I was able to confirm their progress.

With others, I’ve done live Skype calls or live webinars where I could see and hear them.

And most importantly, I’ve gotten feedback from hundreds and hundreds of students from all over the world. Their message is clear: Online learning works.

What Students Have to Say About Online Learning

These days, when people say that online learning doesn’t work, I don’t bother to argue.

Instead, I respond by sharing some of the comments I’ve received from students. I let their words settle the matter.

[Note: If you’re interested in learning qigong online, click here to look at my current programs.] 

Here are a just few comments from students who learned from me online:

“Learning qigong online is certainly possible! I have made more qi-related progress in the first six weeks of your Qigong 101 course than in 18 months of training at the local brick-and-mortar studio where I also take classes.” — Laura Kandziolka

“I credit not just qigong, but YOUR qigong for the turnaround in my health, and getting my stubborn body healing. Your method is actually enjoyable (unlike all other qigong or meditation I’ve tried) and shows results quickly. I noticed a difference in five weeks.” — Khela Baskett 

“I’m 22 days into the 30-day fatigue and exhaustion challenge, as well as doing the 5 Phase Routine every 2-3 days, and I think I can say it’s boosted my energy levels more than any other treatment –medical or alternative — that I’ve tried in the last two decades.” — Larry Pass

“All of Sifu Anthony’s online courses are great! I’ve done live in-person classes (with another instructor) and Sifu’s online classes.” – Marla Beggs Nargundkar

“Having your voice to guide the meditation was a wonderful addition. Your knowledge, skill, and wisdom are greatly appreciated. I look forward to each lesson. This was definitely your calling and the years you spent teaching in your brick-and-mortar studio prepared you for this. It is an honor having this opportunity to study with you. Thank you, Sifu Anthony.” — Cindy Cortez, qigong instructor

“I have probably seen at least 50 different qigong teachers, mostly on DVD, some on Skype and a few in person. From those that I have seen teach, I would say you would be the best for anyone who is a beginner.” – Steven Mehl

“I really find your teaching method easy to follow and understand. It is simple yet detailed.” –– Sharon Nepe, qigong instructor

“Thanks Sifu Anthony. My husband and I love your videos. I have had severe nerve pain in my left wrist and forearm for more than a year and since doing Lifting The Sky every day, I have noticed a reduction in pain. I cannot wait to heal other pain areas in my body as we move through the course.” — Dr. Linda Allen

“Thank you, Anthony. I was initially concerned about the challenges of following a course online, but so far I have been pleasantly surprised. So thank you for that. A great boost for my confidence!” — Susan Jenkins

“Face to face qigong instruction (good instruction) seems difficult to find in my area. Enter Qigong 101! After much thought, I decided to enroll. Now, after about 5 months, I can truthfully say, ‘I’m glad I did!’ The lessons are nice bite-sized chunks with good explanation of what we’re doing and why. Difficulty/complexity of material and exercises is nicely graduated, at least for my taste. I find myself eagerly awaiting each new lesson. Complements to the chef!” — John Bulharowski

“I wasn’t so sure that doing qigong online was going to work for me, but you have made it so easy and you are such an inspiration. You have helped me make so many changes. I thank you with the fullness of my heart!” — Carol Burton

“I found Flowing Zen about 4 years ago and kept coming back because Sifu Anthony not only is charismatic, but also passionate about this art. Many instructors teach the art, but I feel that Sifu Anthony lives it and that transfers to me, the student, also making me passionate about wanting to learn more. Here, I have realized that the true benefit of Qigong isn’t in the movement, it is in the heart and for that I am grateful and have not hesitated to recommend Flowing Zen to others.” — Salvador Garcia

“I appreciate your systematic way of teaching. I have tried learning qigong from two other instructors in the past without great results. With your method, I feel I am making real progress and things are starting to make so much more sense to me!” — Holly Blackburn

“Before finding Flowing Zen I had practiced qigong regularly for 8 years using DVD’s from various well known teachers. I have learned and benefited more from six months in the 101 class than I learned the entire combined time I practiced those 8 years. But the best thing is that through learning the 5 phase routine that Sifu Anthony teaches, I actually enjoy my practice now. My practice is deeper, richer, and more relaxed. I highly recommend both Flowing Zen and the 101 Qigong class that is offered.” — Marie Paullin

“Sifu Anthony has helped me overcome chronic pain, anxiety and depression. I thought I was going to be in pain for the rest of my life. After working with Sifu Anthony for just over 7 months, this belief has completely turned around. I am amazed at how not only my physical condition has improved, but my mental and emotional states as well. I am calmer, happier, have more energy, not to mention I’m not in constant pain anymore. I can’t say enough about qigong in general, and Sifu Anthony in particular.” — Lisa Halladay Billing

“Your teaching style and the weekly videos kept my motivation to do the practice. Around Oct 2017 I started getting some real results. My body became very flexible. My digestion improved. All aches and pains started subsiding. My anxiety really improved. My kidney stones dissolved. Uric acid levels became normal. I am not claiming that I am 100% cured but Qigong has really helped me improve my health and I think in a year I would be completely free from all health disorders and would be enjoying peak health. Flowing Zen and especially Qigong 101 is a miracle for me.” — Fazle Rabbi

After reading this post and these comments, I’m sure you can see that qigong absolutely can be learned online. And in fact, for some people, it’s the best option! 

What do you think? Have you tried to learn (or teach) qigong online? Let me know in the comments below! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How I Respond When People Say Qigong Cannot Be Learned Online appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“I’ll answer your question,” I said.

Here’s what I didn’t say: “This answer is going to get me into trouble!”

I was in Orlando, Florida speaking with a new student. I’ll call her Martha.

We were breaking for lunch during one of my qigong workshops. She approached me to ask a question.

“Which qigong exercise should I practice for ______ ,” she asked.

I don’t remember her exact condition, honestly. It was years ago, and I get this question so often that they all start to blend together.

For example, here are some common variations:

• Which qigong exercise should I practice for chronic knee pain?
• Which qigong exercise should I practice for Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
• Which qigong exercise should I practice for anxiety attacks?
• Which qigong exercise should I practice for diabetes?
• Which qigong exercise should I practice for Parkinson’s Disease?

The examples above are from actual emails, messages, and voicemails that I’ve received in the past month.

If I receive that many in a month, just imagine how many I’ve received since I started teaching in 2005!

A few!

X Exercise for Y Problem?

Look, Martha’s question was fair. And so were all the similar questions I’ve received over the years. 

And I want to answer these questions honestly. I really do!

But I know you’re not going to like the honest answer.

You want my answer to sound something something like this:

“Yes, if you practice Black Crow Teases Miniature Schnauzer for 10 minutes per day, then your _____ problem will magically go away in 6 weeks!”

But I’m not going to say that because it’s not true.

It’s more complicated than that.

The reason it has taken me almost 10 years to write a blog post on this subject is because the honest answer is also the more complex answer.

The honest answer is not only complex, but it will also get me into trouble.

Like it did with Martha.

The Inconvenient Truth

Look, I know you just want to get results with ____ problem.

To do that, to actually get results in the real world (as opposed to fantasy land), we need to dig a little deeper.

Back to Martha.

Before the workshop, Martha mentioned that she had already learned qigong from a Chinese teacher.

Here’s what you need to know about Martha’s qigong: It was truly awful.

I’m not talking about her form. I couldn’t care less about that.

A student from another teacher can have totally different techniques than mine, but I can still recognize the skill underneath — if it’s there.

With Martha, it wasn’t there. Nada.

Maybe she was just a new student, or maybe she hadn’t learned deeply enough from her other teacher.

It was clear to me that she was practicing qigong purely on a physical level, with zero awareness of the internal aspects.

This is ironic because that’s the exact opposite of how I teach.

If you’ve ever done a workshop with me, then you know that I often say this:

“You have my permission to butcher the form!”

Despite this, Martha was STILL obsessed with the form. She kept opening her eyes during meditative sessions, watching me like a hawk as I demonstrated the exercises, and asking irrelevant questions about the physical form.

All of my teaching about the internal secrets of qigong were lost on her.

We can, and should, learn from Martha’s mistake.

Here’s the lesson to be learned:  There is much more to qigong than just the physical form.

I’ll explain that in a moment, but first, let’s back up a bit.

The 5 Categories of Qigong

There are thousands of styles, but all of them fall into one or more of the following 5 categories

1. Medical Qigong
2. Longevity Qigong
3. Scholarly Qigong
4. Martial Qigong
5. Spiritual Qigong

Lots of schools, like mine, cover all five categories. Other schools focus on just two or three categories (which is not a slight on them at all).

If you are practicing the 1^st category, then your art should follow the principles of classical Chinese Medicine.

Makes sense, right?

But how do you know if it’s Medical Qigong?

If you’re asking me questions about medical conditions, then it’s Medical Qigong!

For example: “Which qigong exercise should I practice for acid reflux?”

That’s a medical condition.

By default, if someone asks me which exercises to practice for _____ problem, then they’re asking about Medical Qigong.

How Chinese Medicine Gets Me Into Trouble

Here’s where I often get into trouble.

If you’re teaching Medical Qigong, then you’re practicing a branch of Chinese Medicine.

Good! I believe the world could use more Chinese Medicine, especially Medical Qigong!

But if you’re simply telling students that X exercise will fix Y symptom, then you don’t know squat about Chinese Medicine.

Chinese Medicine is many things with many branches and many variations, and not everyone agrees on all of the classical principles.

But if there’s one thing that everyone agrees on, it’s this:

Chinese Medicine is holistic.

In fact, this is the defining characteristic of the medicine. Thousands of years before we in the West had any clue of holistic medicine, the Chinese were perfecting it.

What does holistic mean?

ho·lis·tic

If you are prescribing physical qigong exercises for symptoms like back pain, if you aren’t treating the whole person and taking their mind and emotions into account — then it’s not holistic.

And if it’s not holistic, it ain’t Chinese Medicine.

I’m not saying anything radical here. Pretty much any professor from any acupuncture college would agree with me.

But it still gets me into trouble with other qigong teachers and students.

Here’s why: The truth raises uncomfortable questions about qigong teachers and their understanding of Chinese Medicine (or lack thereof).

But My Master Said…

Martha was aghast after I tried to explain all of this to her.

Her response was a typical one: “But my master said that….”

I’d be happy to discuss her master’s theories and compare them to the fundamental principles of Chinese Medicine. But that’s not really what she was saying.

What she was REALLY saying was this: “I refuse to believe that my master, who is Chinese and has a really cute accent, could possibly be wrong!!”

This is a widespread phenomenon in the qigong and tai chi community.

(To be fair, this phenomenon also exists in many martial arts, yoga, and sitting meditation communities as well.)

And it’s not just the students. It’s the teachers too!

Far too many qigong teachers are brimming with ego and bravado. I know of one qigong master who — as a matter of policy — never admits when he’s wrong. He firmly believes that it’s bad for the students’ morale if they see that he’s fallible!

Yikes!

With attitudes like that, no wonder Martha was unable to accept that her teacher might be wrong!

As you might expect, these teachers and their students don’t really take kindly to me raising uncomfortable questions about their methods.

Sadly, the reaction from them is almost always the same: Mudslinging.

Have at it. Stick and stones. I’ve developed a thick skin over the years.

Here’s a pro tip for you: When a teacher presents himself as infallible, when the students believe he’s never wrong, and when all of them choose to sling mud rather than discuss theory and philosophy — that’s your cue to walk away.

That is — if you want the truth. If you prefer a comfortable lie, then, by all means, stop reading now because I am DEFINITELY not the teacher for you.

What REALLY Matters in Qigong

Some teachers might argue that ALL qigong is holistic and that prescribing X exercise for Y condition still follows the principles of Chinese Medicine.

Actually, I almost agree with this argument. Almost.

Here’s my corrected version of that argument:

All medical qigong that is practiced as an INTERNAL ART is holistic.

If you’re practicing Medical Qigong exercises, but you’re just doing the physical motions — then it’s not an internal art, and it’s not holistic medicine.

Here’s what really matters: With qigong, what happens on the inside is FAR more important than what happens on the outside.

This is a fundamental truth about qigong that people like Martha seem to miss.

An analogy may help you to understand.

Imagine 2 people practicing zuo chan (sitting meditation). One of them is sitting in the perfect double lotus meditation posture. The other is sitting on a chair.

Which one of them will get better results?

The answer is that it depends on who is actually meditating!

What if the person in the perfect lotus posture is just thinking with his eyes closed?

Just like in qigong, the physical aspect of sitting meditation is the least important thing for getting results.

With Martha, I knew that even if I gave her the absolute best qigong technique for her problem, it wasn’t going to help much.

I knew that she would take that technique and perform it on a physical level, ignoring the internal aspects of qigong.

In other words, I knew that she was barking up the wrong tree.

The 4 Primary Skills

All this talk about X exercise for Y problem ignores the elephant in the room — the issue of skill in qigong.

Skill is invisible and internal, but it’s what REALLY matters if you want to get results with qigong.

Do you want to get health benefits from your qigong? Then ask yourself the following 4 questions:

1. Are you able to relax your body, clear your mind, smooth your emotions, and tune in to your qi (energy)?
2. Are you able to get your qi circulating through the 12 primary meridians?
3. Are your meridians, your limbs, and your vertebrae properly aligned?
4. Are you able to gather more qi into your energy system?

All of these things are skills. In fact, those 4 questions highlight the 4 primary skills of qigong, which are:

1. Discovering the Qi
2. Circulating the Qi
3. Aligning the Qi
4. Gathering the Qi

(Note that other teachers might use different terminology, but we’re all referring to the same fundamental skills.)

“Gathering the Qi” is not a technique. It’s a skill. If you have that skill, then you can use any of the following techniques to gather more qi:

1. The Wuji Stance
2. Hugging the Tree
3. Monk Gazing at the Moon
4. Holding the Full Belly
5. Dragons Embracing the Sun
6. Unicorn Holding the Moon
7. Playing the Lute
8. White Crane Spreads Wings
9. Golden Bridge
10. One Finger Shooting Zen
11. Cosmos Palm

These are just techniques from my school. Other schools would have dozens of other techniques for gathering the qi.

In other words, the skill of Gathering the Qi is not imprisoned inside a specific technique or posture.

Here’s a quote that I love:

”For the unskilled, the best technique won’t help. For the skillful, even an inferior technique will suffice.” – Ke An Dao

Like that quote?

I like it too. That’s because I made it up. Ke An Dao is my Chinese name.

So Wait, Which Exercises Should I Practice?!?!

This isn’t my first rodeo.

Even after this lengthy explanation, I know that people will send me emails asking what exercise they should practice.

Want a simpler answer?

Let’s pretend that you’ve just asked me which qigong exercises you should practice for ______ condition.

Here’s my answer, no matter what you put in that blank:

For ______ condition, you should practice the following 12 exercises:

1. Entering Zen
2. Smiling from the Heart
3. Lifting The Sky
4. Pushing Mountains
5. Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow
6. Flowing Stillness
7. Consolidating Qi at Dantian
8. Washing the Face with Both Hands
9. Combing the Hair with the Fingers
10. Massaging the Vital Points
11. Rubbing Two Coins
12. 24 Heavenly Drums

My students will get the joke here. It’s a trick answer.

The exercises I just described form the basis of my 5-Phase Routine. Except for #3 and #4, we do all of these exercises during EVERY practice session.

Instead of #3 and #4, we might insert several other exercises. In fact, my best advice is for you to chose your favorite exercises.

But we always do the other 10 exercises.

Meanwhile, far too many qigong practitioners and teachers are ONLY concerned with #3 and #4. That’s it. Just those 2 parts of the larger equation.

In other words, they’re focusing on 1/6th (i.e. 2/12ths) of the equation. And that 1/6th isn’t even the most important part!

Looking at the exercises above, most of them focus on INTERNAL skills rather than external ones.

• Entering Zen and Smiling from the Heart get us into a meditative state.
• Lifting The Sky and Pushing Mountains are dynamic qigong exercises that help get our energy flowing.
• Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow is a subtle skill that circulates the qi through the meridians.
• Flowing Stillness and Consolidating Qi at Dantian help us store qi at or natural energy center.
• And #8-12 are part of what we call the Closing Sequence, a self-massage sequence that helps us transition back from a meditative state and also brings energy to the eyes and face.

I should mention that all of the exercises/skills listed above are taught in my online program called Qigong 101: The Art of Healing for Busy People.

People absolutely love this program. No really. Here’s some unsolicited praise from students in the program:

“I appreciate your systematic way of teaching. I have tried learning qigong from two other instructors in the past without great results. With your method, I feel I am making real progress and things are starting to make so much more sense to me!” – Holly Blackburn

Practical Next Steps

We’ve covered a lot of theory in this article. In a follow-up article, I’ll talk about practical next steps.

I’ll tell how to choose exercises appropriate for your situation, and also which 2 questions you should ask yourself before making any decisions.

Questions? Comments? Have something to add to the discussion? Go ahead and comment below, I’d love to hear from you! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Which Qigong Exercise Should You Practice For [Insert Problem]? appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“You can’t learn qigong online,” he said.

I was chatting with a colleague via Skype. He was expressing his concerns about my new project, a comprehensive online qigong course for beginners.

(Click here to learn more about that project before registration closes.)

His concerns are actually common in the qigong world. Many teachers share this idea that qigong can’t be learned online.

“I used to think the same thing,” I told him. “But you know me. I need to test everything. And when I tested my theory, it quickly became obvious that I was wrong.”

If you still think that qigong can’t be learned online, then you’re wrong. It can. 

The truth is that online learning works amazingly well for the art of qigong.

Here are 9 reasons why:

1. Harry Potter Pictures

I love books. I’ve got hundreds on my shelf, and many of them are about qigong.

Some of you probably started learning qigong from a book. I did too.

But the truth is that books don’t cut it for an art like qigong.

With books, you can’t teach the smoothness of a qigong pattern, or the correct sound for an exhalation, or the proper speed of a technique.

I have one book that used an innovative technique. There were little pictures of a technique in the bottom corner. By flipping the pages quickly with your thumb, you could see the technique in motion.

Very cool…for 1995.

But it’s not 1995, and there are better options today.

Online learning is like one of those pictures in the Harry Potter series where the characters move and talk.

Actually, it’s better than that. Keep reading, and I’ll explain why.

2. DVDs Suck

What about DVDs, you ask? Aren’t those better than a book?

Yes. In some ways, DVDs are better than a book.

But they still suck. I could write an entire blog post on why DVDs suck, but here are the top 5 reasons:

1. DVDs are uni-directional. You watch, and that’s it. You can’t ask questions or get feedback.
2. You can’t use other types of media, like guided audios, charts, or documents.
3. There’s no sense of community, of connecting with other likeminded students.
4. You can’t stream a DVD to different devices.
5. Navigating a DVD is a pain in the neck.
6. You don’t get instant access to a DVD. I don’t know about you, but in the age of Netflix, I don’t want to wait 2-3 days for my DVD to arrive. I want it NOW!

Every week, I get emails asking if I have any DVDs.

Then answer is no. I have no DVDs, and no plans to make any.

Why would I make DVDs when online learning is a much better teaching tool?

You can do so many cool things with online learning! (Click here to see all the cool things that are included in my new online qigong program.)

3. Stop, Rewind, Review

If you come to my retreat in Costa Rica, you’ll learn a ton of material in a week.

Let’s be honest. It’s hard to remember everything. Especially when you’re constantly being distracted by beautiful scenery and delicious food.

Online learning is a wonderful compliment to in-person learning because it allows us to review techniques at our own pace.

I know what you’re thinking. “You can do that with DVDs too!”

But DVDs are inferior.

With online learning, you always have the lessons handy — whether it’s your phone, your tablet, or your laptop. You can even log in using someone else’s device.

My students often take their online lessons outside with them on the porch, or with them while traveling.

Plus, online learning allows me to record the actual retreat itself, and then send the materials to the participants.

Can’t do that with a DVD!

4. Shopping for Teachers

When I was in college, we had something we called Shopping Week.

During the first week of the semester, you could sit in on any class, whether you were registered or not.

Needless to say, the good teachers had packed classes, and the bad teachers had empty ones.

Personally, I love this kind of meritocracy.

The internet gives you the ability to shop for good teachers, no matter where you live. 

And you know what? People want good teaching.

They’re tired of having to settle for a mediocre local teacher, or having to fly thousands of miles to learn from a good one.

Here’s an email I received from a gentleman who recently signed up for my online course:

Hi Sifu,

I looked at the videos on the first part of the course this morning and all I can say is that it is all even more than I expected but also it is exactly all that you said it would be.

I have probably seen at least 50 different qigong teachers, mostly on dvd, some on Skype and a few in person. From those that I have seen teach, I would say you would be the best for anyone who is a beginner.

You know how to break it all down into steps, whereas most teachers just demonstrate their form with not enough or in most cases, no break down at all. The student is just supposed to get it all by watching.

I found that to be most frustrating and stressful to the point where I usually would just give up on that form since it was too hard to learn. It was not the form, it was the lack of correct teaching.

– Steve M.

Of course, I’m not the only good teacher out there. But I think many of the best teachers aren’t particularly well known — yet.

I believe that online learning will gradually allow the cream to rise to the top, letting good teachers shine.

5. Qigong is Forgiving

Qigong is a forgiving art to learn. Your physical form doesn’t need to be perfect.

In fact, I encourage my students to butcher the form because it’s the least important thing we do.

Olympic weightlifting, on the other hand, isn’t forgiving. If your form is wrong, you can really hurt yourself.

As long as you have good instruction, it’s hard to hurt yourself with qigong. This makes it ideal for online learning.

6. Qigong Isn’t a Martial Art

Whenever people say, “You can’t learn qigong online,” I vehemently disagree.

But when people say, “You can’t learn kung fu online,” I have to change my tune a bit.

Whether it’s Shaolin Kung Fu or Tai Chi Chuan, here’s what you CAN learn online:

• You can learn the fundamentals.
• You can learn the forms and routines.
• You can learn internal power training methods.
• You can learn strength and flexibility exercises.
• You can review techniques that you’ve learned in person.

Here’s what you CANNOT do online with kung fu:

• Partner work.

If you’re learning a martial art, then you need to do partner work. You need to drill your punching, kicking, throwing, and grappling techniques with another person.

No exceptions. Otherwise, it’s not a martial art.

Luckily, qigong ISN’T a martial art, so it does not require any partner work whatsoever.

7. Group Learning Isn’t For Everyone

By necessity, most qigong is taught in groups. It’s just more cost effective for everyone involved.

But group learning can be problematic for many people.

For example, people with anxiety disorders, people who are known as HSPs (Highly Sensitive People), people who are highly introverted — all of these people will struggle in a live, group setting.

Online learning solves all of these problems. You can learn from the safety of your own home, without the group dynamic.

In other words, for many people, learning online is their ONLY option.

8. A Teacher’s Dream

In the old days, you went to your master’s house every day to learn. Or you lived in a temple, and learned there.

This method didn’t involve actual lessons the way we think of them today.

The masters would just give you small pieces of instruction, and then watch you practice.

When you were ready for something new, the master would give you another small piece of instruction. This allowed you to learn at the perfect pace.

When I ran a brick-and-mortar qigong studio, it was hard to set the perfect pace. I had 18 group classes per week, of all different levels.

From a teaching perspective, it was absolute chaos.

It was impossible to control the curriculum because students jumped from class to class.

Online teaching allows me to have complete control over the curriculum.

Honestly, it’s a teacher’s dream. I can choose the EXACT order for students to learn the material in. And I can even see if they’ve completed the lessons!

Teachers of all subjects are falling in love with online learning, and this is one big reason why.

9. It Works

The proof is in the taste of the pudding.

With qigong, the “taste” is measured in results. If students are getting remarkable results from learning online, then that’s all the proof you need.

And my students are getting results online. Period. (If you’re one of them, then please back me up by adding your voice in the comments below.)

Many qigong teachers insist that the art can’t be taught online — and yet they’ve never even tried it.

They reject the idea on principle, despite their lack of evidence.

If they tested it, they would see that they’re wrong.

I thought you couldn’t learn qigong online. Then I tested it. I was wrong.

You absolutely can.

I’ve taught over 5000 live classes, and I’ve also taught over 5000 people online, and I can say — scientifically — that online teaching works.

It’s not the same as learning in person, but there’s no question that it works.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post 9 Reasons Qigong Can Totally Be Learned Online appeared first on Flowing Zen.

It’s not easy to explain qigong to people.

I should know. I’ve been trying to do it for over 20 years.

When I came back from my first trip to Asia, I was practically screaming from my New York rooftop.

“People, this stuff is uh-MAZE-ing!!!”

But when I tried to explain what it was, I struggled.

And honestly, I still struggle! Qigong is hard to explain using words.

I think I’m done with just words.

This 97-second video explains qigong better than most of my previous efforts. (Turn on the volume to hear the music.)

How did I do? Did I do a good job explaining qigong?

Let me know in the comments below, and please feel free to share the video if you need help explaining qigong to people!

Edit: Here are some of my previous attempts to explain qigong:

The 15 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Qigong

The Difference Between Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Chai Tea

Kung Fu vs. Qigong: A Quick Visual Explanation 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How To Explain Qigong to People in 97 Seconds appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Steve Jobs was crazy.

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world,” he said, “are the ones who do.”

I’m no Steve Jobs, but I guess I’m crazy too.

I’m crazy enough to think that I can change the world with qigong.

Humanity needs help, and fast. Our current level of consciousness is making us (and the planet) sick.

I want to do my part to heal this sickness.

The world is a big place, and I’m not crazy enough to think that I can help all 7 billion people.

But if I work hard, I believe that I can help a million people.

It won’t be easy. It might take me 60 years to accomplish my goal. I might even die trying.

But I’m crazy, so I’m going to try anyway.

Here’s how I’ll do it:

1. I’ll start with myself

I might be crazy, but I’m not deluded.

My desire to change the world is not a messiah complex.

I’m not Jesus. I’m not Buddha. I know that.

But I also know a secret.

I know the big secret to change. I’ll share that secret with you right now:

“If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.”

This quote is often attributed to Lao Tzu, but it is more accurately attributed to the Taoist master Wang Fo.

Either way, I think it contains a lot of wisdom. Don’t you agree?

My journey of self-transformation didn’t end when I became a teacher.

In fact, I founded Flowing Zen because I wanted to make my livelihood PART of my own self-transformation.

I am committed to this path. I’m committed to waking myself up, to dredging out all that is dark and negative in myself.

I am committed to giving the world — to giving YOU — the gift of my own self-transformation.

2. I’ll practice what I preach

I practice qigong. Every day. No matter what.

If you’ve read my article about willpower, then you know that I’m not a freak of nature.

I worked hard to make qigong a daily habit. 

I’m in my 40s now. If I were a basketball player, then I would be past my prime.

But with qigong, there’s no such thing as passing your prime. You can continue to practice and grow for the rest of your life.

And that’s exactly what I plan to do.

I will continue to practice qigong every day for another 60 or 70 years.

3. I’ll train more teachers

I can’t change the world by myself. I need help.

In May 2016, I graduated my first class of Certified Flowing Zen Qigong Instructors after putting them through a rigorous, 9-month training program.

I have strong opinions on the subject of teacher training, and I’ll write more about that soon. For now, suffice it to say that my “certs” are among the best-trained qigong instructors in the world.

Click here to see the list of Flowing Zen Certified Instructors.

And this is just the beginning. I hope to train many, many more instructors before I die.

As the popularity of qigong explodes in the West, we will need instructors — qualified ones.

What is a qualified instructor?

I would argue that someone who doesn’t understand what it means to be a student — someone who rushes straight to teacher training — will never understand what it means to be a teacher.

We need teachers who understand not just what it means to teach these arts, but also understand what it means to be a sincere student of these arts.

4. I’ll teach online

The internet is the future. I see that clearly now.

Thanks to the power of the internet, the world is now my classroom. I can reach people in so many ways — with my blog, with my online courses, with podcasts, with Facebook, etc.

I don’t imagine online learning will ever replace in-person learning. It won’t, and it shouldn’t.

But online learning is a beautiful compliment to in-person learning.

And you know what?

In-person learning is also a beautiful compliment to online learning!

5. I’ll travel

Now that my studio is closed, I’m no longer tied down to a single location.

That gives me more freedom to take my teaching on the road.

For example, I’ll now be teaching twice per year in Costa Rica instead of just once.

This is wonderful because I believe strongly in the healing power of qigong retreats, even if it’s just a weekend retreat.

In fact, I believe that a mindfulness retreat might just save your life.

And that’s why I’ll be teaching more and more of them.

6. I’ll write my heart out

After I closed my brick-and-mortar studio, a student asked me if I was also done writing.

No, I’m not done writing. If anything, I’m just getting started.

The Western world desperately needs to be educated about qigong.

I recognized this need years ago, and that’s why I started blogging.

Today, I’ve got over 130 free articles on my blog. That’s the equivalent of 3 full books!

Actually, I have plans to write a traditional book. Several books, actually.

In the meantime, I will continue to blog. Every week, you’ll get a new blog post from me, without fail.

And if you enjoy my writing, if you find it helpful — then please share it on your favorite social media platform. Word of mouth is how my writing will reach the people who need it!

7. I’ll collaborate

If you practice or teach a powerful healing art, and if you’re as passionate as I am, then I want to collaborate with you.

I want to work with you, not against you.

Yes — even if you teach qigong or tai chi.

The amount of in-fighting among teachers and practitioners of qigong is something that greatly concerns me.

I will not contribute to this in-fighting. I will not let our differences divide us.

Instead, I will work WITH you toward our shared goal of healing our sick world.

8. I’ll stay transparent

I believe that transparency is a critical part of effective leadership in the 21st century.

Many of the older qigong traditions are incompatible with transparency.

Those traditions often use hierarchical, top-down leadership structures that serve to mask abuse, sexism, racism, and homophobia within the organization.

I believe that people have grown tired of those traditions. I know I have.

Leaders in the 21^st century will not demand respect; they will command it by being completely transparent.

What do I mean when I say that I will be transparent?

• It means that I will never idealize the status of the teacher or the Sifu.
• It means that I’m human, and I’m not afraid to show it.
• It means that I stand against abuse, racism, sexism, and homophobia.
• It means I’m always open to constructive criticism.
• It means that I’m committed to listening to my students.
• It means that my organization fosters discussion in all directions.
• It means that I am accountable.
• It means that my movement is about YOU, not about me.

Conclusion

So there you have it. These are the 8 ways that I’ll change the world with qigong.

What do you think?

Did I miss anything?

I’m committed to helping a million people with qigong, so if there’s something that I’m missing, then I want to hear it!

The comments section below every blog post is a great place to start a dialogue with me. I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post 8 Ways I Will Change the World with Qigong appeared first on Flowing Zen.