Qigong (pronounced, “Chee-gong”) is a Chinese healing method that involves slow movements performed with mental concentration and breathing. It involves visualization of the ‘qi’ (chi) energy which is known as ‘intrinsic life energy’. This system helps in increasing and balancing the vital energies of a person. Qigong is also denoted as Chinese yoga. It is used to treat many diseases successfully. Regular practice of Qigong helps in improving the overall health of a person by enhancing the immune system and thus preventing illness.
Qigong is considered to be a way of being than just a system of exercise, healing and meditation. Qigong is a form of dynamic meditation that can be done whilst sitting, standing, lying down or moving. It contains thousands of forms and movements and a few of these are similar to tai chi. Practicing Qigong does not require any special type of place or clothing. It can be done anytime and anywhere.
Abdominal massage
Stand in horse stance and rub your palms together rapidly till they are warm. Now massage firmly in circular motions your entire abdominal area between pubis and navel. Rub both your palms once again and massage over your kidneys, your lumbar vertebrae and coccyx with an up and down motion. Keep massaging till your entire abdominal and lumbar area feels warm.
Abdominal massage promotes energizing and stimulation of the entire sacral region and thus enhances sexual function. It also helps in converting sexual essence to energy. When the palms are rubbed together, the palms get filled with energy which is then transmitted to other parts of the body through the massage.
Thymus tapping
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. The weight of your body should be distributed equally on both the foot pads with less weight on heels. Now make a loose fist of your hand (right or left) and tap the area on the middle of your chest in line with the nipples. Do three taps in a line with a pause after first tap i.e. one, pause, two, three. First tap is heavy and other two are bit softer. Tapping on the whole should be enough heavy that a drumming sound comes from the chest. Don’t tap too hard in case you feel pain later. Repeat the whole set every day for 20 times and this should take a maximum of 5 minutes. This exercise can be done in the morning as warm up or in the night before sleep.
This exercise makes the sternum vibrate. It nourishes and improves the functioning of thymus gland, stimulates T-cells production and thus helps in increasing immunity. It massages the other organs of the chest too.
Tongue stretching and rolling
Either sit or stand in comfortable position. Pull out your tongue as long as possible and then roll it back until the tip of tongue touches the soft palate. Repeat if for 12 times or so.Relax your tongue and touch the gum line of your teeth between the lips and teeth and move your tongue clock or anti-clock wise as rapid you can. Keep doing till your tongue gets tired. Swallow the secreted saliva.
This exercise simulates the salivary glands located below your tongue and increases its secretion. Saliva is believed to be very essential and beneficial to the body as it helps in killing the bacteria in mouth and helps in removing bad breath. In Qigong, it is believed that heart and tongue muscles are connected and so this exercise also helps toning the muscles of tongue as well as heart.
Kidney rubbing and tapping
Stand in a relaxed position or maintain a horse stance. Place back of your hands on both the kidneys and start rubbing rapidly. The movement of rubbing should be up and down. Keep doing for two to three minutes until kidney gets warmed. Now with the help of back of your hands tap both kidneys alternately. Do not tap too hard that you feel pain or discomfort. People feeling pain or sensitivity in kidneys must skip tapping and can do this when they feel enough strength to be able to bear taping.
This exercise helps in improving the blood circulation and energy circulation to the kidneys by warming and energizing the whole system. Tapping helps in preventing stone build-up in kidneys by dissolving the crystals before formation of stones. It stimulates the normal functions of kidney and enhances its filtering and excretory processes.
Spinal stretching
Stand in comfortable position or sit on a low chair or stool. Keep your feet shoulder width apart. Now place your hands on your knees but keep your spine erect. Inhale and lean forwards and extend your chin. Stretch your whole spine and follow your chin towards front and then down between your knees. When you move your chin towards your knees, tuck your chin to your chest and arch your spine upwards. Push your hands on your knees and push your torso upwards. Rise up and inhale slowly. Maintain the chin tucked in till the spine is erect. Once straight, look front and relax. During the exercise, perform deep diaphragmatic breathing. Repeat the whole exercise for few times. People with back and neck problem should consult doctor before performing this exercise.
This exercise gives stretch to the whole spine and helps in proper alignment of the vertebrae. It helps stimulating the spinal nerves and promotes cerebrospinal fluid and energy to flow freely throughout. The bowing and arching movement of the exercise helps in direct stimulation of the adrenal and thymus glands. It also helps in channeling the energy from spine to the brain.
Submerged breathing
Stand in relaxed position with your feet close to each other. Place your palms on you Qihai (2 inches below your navel on your lower abdomen anteriorly on the mid-line). Breathe out through your mouth and contract your abdomen. Hold for 1 or 2 second and visualize while you exhale that the cosmic energy from the universe is flowing from your Qihai to Huiyin (point just forward to your anus and behind your scrotum). Breathe in the energy through your nose and inflate your abdomen. Hold for 1 or 2 second and visualize that energy is going inside to your Qihai. Repeat this 36 times then drop your hands to side of the body and relax and meditate for some time. Concentrate your mind to your kidneys. You will feel warm around your kidney after some time. Now visualize energy flowing from kidneys to your navel, then down towards to your genitals and then to base of your spine returning back to your kidneys. Visualize this gentle wheel or circle of energy going on for 10 minutes. Now rub your palms together to make them warm and now place them on your kidney. Rub them again and place it on your eyes. Open your eyes and massage your face and do brisk waking for some time.
Experts of Qigong are known for their amazing sexual ability. This exercise helps you to enhance the ability and functioning of kidney and adrenal glands as it concentrates energy around this area.
Seminal duct massage
Stand in horse stance or sit on the stool or chair on its edge without pants. Hold both the testicles with same side hand respectively. With the help of the tips of thumb and ring finger, locate the seminal ducts above the testicles. Once found, roll the tubes and pinch and release them slightly, carefully stretch the ducts down like rubber bands. Do not do it too hard to hurt yourself.
Doing seminal duct massage helps in clearing off the seminal fluids that are stagnant in the seminal ducts. It also helps in toning the tissue of the ducts and helps stimulating the production of semen and sperm.
Testicle massage
Stand in horse position or sit on the stool or chair on its edge without pants. Hold your testicles and massage one by one using both hands. Now hold both testicles between thumb and index finger of the same side hand respectively and then roll both the testicles. Avoid doing it too hard to hurt yourself.
This massage is great for men as it increases the production of male hormone, i.e., testosterone, it also increases the production of seminal fluids and sperms. It promotes the sexual energy in males. It helps to drain energy from the channels in legs and helps to convert the sexual essence created into energy which is then stored in channels in legs.
Tapping and rolling testicles
Stand in horse position or sit on the stool or chair on its edge without pants. Rub both palms together, once gets warm hold penis with one hand and pull it upwards. Use fingertips of the opposite hand and tap your testicle gently and allow it to bounce up and down. Do 36 taps at a time on each testicle and repeat the whole thing for 1 or 2 times. Rub your palms again. Once warm, hold and lift your penis again with one hand and cup the testicles with palm of other hand. Roll the testicles in circles. Repeat this for 36 times in clock and anti-clock direction each. While doing this exercise, remember to lock anus lightly, this will encourage the rise of sexual energy in upward direction to your brain. Do not do it too hard to hurt yourself.
It stimulates the sperm and semen production and helps in rising the testosterone secretion. Tapping and rolling helps in cleansing the testicle tissues and tones them. It also improves the blood circulation of scrotum. Those who practice Qigong exercises that increases sexuality should try to regulate and restraint the ejaculation during intercourse, this will helps them to retain the sexual benefits gained from Qigong exercises.
Pelvic thrust
Stand in horse stance with knees slightly bent. Keep your hands on your hips. Slowly inhale and thrust your pelvis to your back as much as possible, arch your lower spine as much as possible pulling out your butts. Slowly exhale and pull your pelvis forwards and allow your spine to get straightened. When you do this, tuck your butt in as much as possible. Do this exercise for 2-3 minutes. This exercise can be used as warm-up exercise before you do other Qigong exercises.
It is a sexual enhancement technique that helps in improving the blood and energy circulation to the sacrum and stretches the nerves in the sacral area. It also stimulates the secretions of sexual organs. It strengthens and tones up the vertebrae. It also tones up the nerves of lower spine that helps in regulating the sexual functions. This exercise also helps in stimulating bladder and kidney by improving blood and energy circulation. It promotes the energy from channels in legs to rise up to the perineum and thus enter the central channels.
Naked hop
Perform this exercise naked. Stand with your feet wider than your shoulder width. Keep your feet parallel to each other. Raise your arms in air above your head. Elbows should remain slightly bent and shoulders should be relaxed with palms facing towards each other. Keep your back and neck straight, pull your anus up and hop up and down gently. Pace of your hop should be fast. While you hop, your penis should move up and down to smack your stomach above and perineum below. While you perform this exercise, make a fist and relax and repeat this in rhythmic pattern but the pace should be slower than that of hopping. Hop till you feel breathless. At the beginning, the time for hopping would be less but will increase gradually.
This exercise stimulates the prostate gland and testicles. It also helps in increasing the blood circulation in penis. It also stimulates kidneys, adrenal gland, pituitary gland and thymus gland. It helps in building up stamina and strength in legs. It is believed that kidney and adrenal glands play important role in sexual vitality regulation and the legs holds up the sexual energy. It helps in preventing the stone formation in kidney by dissolving the crystals forming stone prior to its formation.