June — Qigong
Practicing qigong is so simple and so powerful. You cannot do it wrong. You can only do it good, better, or best. -Chunyi Lin
Qigong is an ancient martial art developed in China between four to five thousand years ago, though the different forms and styles known today came from various schools of thought, religions, and medical practices. I’m no expert, so I won’t go too deep into detail, but it’s been historically used for all kinds of meditative, spiritual, medical, and physical wellbeing applications. Qigong is not dissimilar to Tai Chi, in that Qigong has been considered to be the “mother” of Tai Chi, as the latter falls under a specific sect of Qigong.
Qigong goes through a set of movements meant to engage with Qi, or life force, and work with it to care for our bodies, minds, and/or spirit.
I’ve always been curious about the benefits of martial arts, and the slow, meditative nature of Qigong feels like a good fit for my life, as I actively try to slow down in a world of “go, go, go!” That #hustlelife ain’t for me, boss.
Day 1–06/01
This was a habit I picked up on a whim, and I am so glad I decided to make it a 30 day challenge for myself. I know it’s only day one, but I’m feeling so good after 15 minutes of practicing a daily routine following the BaDuanJin movements. It feels so relaxing, but invigorating at the same time.
Day 7–06/08
Starting to get the hang of some of the movements. My balance is still terrible, but I’m getting better at maintaining stillness for the most part, especially when doing a slower movement set. I started doing it early in the morning, which is a great way to start my day as well. I honestly might continue on with this well after this monthly goal is finished.
Day 14–06/15
2 weeks in and I’m hooked. I started this morning with a 20 minute session, and I felt so awake and refreshed afterward. Going through each motion as the sun slowly rose through the window of my room was such a welcome sight. It put me in a great mood and just generally felt like a great way to start the day. I’m getting a bit better at holding positions for longer periods of time. Really enjoying the movements of the Archer and Fist-thrusting positions, just something about the slow, controlled, but extremely strong movement feels really powerful. It almost feels like I’m actually drawing an arrow or moving energy through my fists. It’s really cool.
Day 21–06/22
Still going strong so far. While I know it will take a while of practicing to really see any benefit, I’m just enjoying the ride. I’m trying to stick to the goal being “doing it” as opposed to “getting something out of it.” I’m just glad to be working towards a more active lifestyle, and if this is a good stepping stone to do it mindfully, that’s great. If it’s what I continue to do for years on end, that’s also great! I always wanted to get into some form of yoga or tai chi, so I’m glad I found enjoyment in Qigong, it’s been a really cool journey so far.\
Day 30–06/30
Alright, last day. I’ve had to skip a handful of days every now and again due to schedule conflicts/just not having enough time in the day. However, today’s felt pretty good. I’ve only been doing 20–30 minute sessions, usually following along with a YouTube video. I’m still slow with movements and my legs end up being kind of shaky towards the end, but aside from that, I feel great afterwards. It wakes me up so well, and just generally gets my day started on the right foot.
Conclusion
So, one month later. Even with a handful of skipped days, I think this is another thing I’m going to keep in my morning routine, especially since I’m in a new position at work that allows me to work from home. I normally get up at about 6 AM every weekday morning, and 7:30-ish on the weekends, so it’s easy to work in a 30 minute-1 hour session before the rest of the house starts stirring. I never really saw myself as a morning person, but mornings really do feel like the best time of the day. Qigong has been a great way to get my heart moving and my blood flowing, plus the meditative aspects of it really help me focus my mind for a while so I can set intentions and affirm myself first thing in the morning. If you haven’t tried Tai Chi or Qigong, I highly recommend it.
