You might have come across Tai Chi and its various health advantages, particularly for older adults. Did you know that some of the Tai Chi routines you found online are actually Qigong exercises?
In fact, both Qigong and Tai Chi involve exercises that integrate body postures, gentle movements, deep breathing, and mental calmness. By merging self-awareness with proper body alignment and movement, along with controlled breathing and a peaceful mind, you can reach a state that activates your innate self-regulatory and self-healing capabilities. This approach encourages a balanced release of natural neurohormones and different health recovery processes. Consequently, engaging in Tai Chi or Qigong regularly provides a wide range of health benefits, including:
- Enhancing balance, strength, flexibility, and endurance,
- Boosting bone health and increasing bone mineral density, particularly in post-menopausal women,
- Benefiting individuals with chronic illnesses, including those with fibromyalgia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson’s disease, high blood pressure, and chronic heart failure,
- Enhancing cognitive function and memory,
- Alleviating anxiety and providing support for those dealing with depression,
- Having a positive impact on cardiopulmonary health.
However, there are notable distinctions between Tai Chi and Qigong. One key difference is that Qigong is an aspect of traditional Chinese Medicine aimed at enhancing health, as well as treating and preventing illnesses, whereas Tai Chi was created as a martial art and utilizes Qigong as a training method.
This distinction leads to another difference. Qigong exercises are considerably more straightforward. They consist of slow, uncomplicated movements synchronized with deep breathing. In contrast, the movements in Tai Chi are significantly more intricate, involving continuous turning and shifting of body weight, which can pose a challenge for individuals with physical limitations.
Learning Qigong is significantly simpler than Tai Chi. With proper instruction, anyone can learn it quickly. If you occasionally feel a bit unclear, lacking energy, or have discomfort in your legs, back, neck, or shoulders, or if you’re aiming to improve your balance, coordination, and memory, you should consider trying Qigong exercises.
You can learn Qigong from the book “Qigong for Better Mind and Body Health“. It’s available on Amazon, or you can download the ebook using your favorite app to your electronic device.
The book features a variety of Qigong exercises, several deep breathing techniques, guidance on how to learn and practice, the basics of Acupuncture and the meridian system, along with links to some Qigong exercise videos.