4 simple and effective Chinese energy exercises

- Célia Jeandel

Introduction to Chinese Energy Exercises

The Chinese medical tradition has a rich history dating back thousands of years to Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. It includes 5 branches: acupuncture, reflexology, Chinese dietetics, Chinese pharmacopoeia and energetic exercises. The branch of energy exercises is a little less known than the others although it is essential for many Chinese. Here we will discover four energetic exercises: qigong, internal smile, mindfulness meditation, walks in nature.

Qigong is the best-known energy exercise in the West

Qigong etymologically means “breath exercise” or “breath work”. This energetic discipline is based on a particular conception of the world: everything is constituted and animated by vital energy. The Qigong practitioner therefore tries to understand this reality and then to master this energy to strengthen his health. Based on slow gestures, postures inspired by nature and breathing exercises, Qigong awakens us to our inner world, then to communication with the rest of the universe.

Qigong is based on a tradition of several thousand years including numerous techniques: breathing techniques, static positions, dynamic exercises, stretching, meditation practices with the use of singing bowls, relaxation exercises , sound techniques, concentration exercises…

Many Chinese hospitals use qigong for therapeutic purposes. Qigong helps release energy blockages and stimulate the weakest energy centers.

Internal Smiling is a Taoist Self-Healing Practice

Emotions such as joy and smile have a positive influence on our body and our behavior. Taoist masters regularly emphasize their benefits. However, we should not mix the smile coming from the heart with the artificial smile which does not have the same beneficial effects.

Human beings have great power for self-healing. It has this ability to relieve its organs, its nervous and muscular system through the internal smile. Thanks to this exercise we can overcome sadness, anger, sadness and stress preventing fluid energy circulation in the meridians. Impeded energy circulation can cause sleep, digestion, or relationship problems. The internal smile is a bath of light, releasing a feeling of peace and tranquility for the body and mind.

The practice of mindfulness meditation

This practice, taking its source from Buddhism, allows you to find an anchor in your life and a feeling of tranquility. It's just a matter of sitting on a chair or meditation cushion and no longer trying to control your mind. This practice is devoid of any objective of success. It is a bodily and spiritual hygiene allowing one to observe one's own patterns in order to gradually free oneself from them.

Walks in nature

A significant number of centenarians live in “natural” places, enjoying a mild climate. Summer is not too hot and temperatures in winter do not drop below freezing. Nature is flourishing there and preserved from pollution. City life is the opposite of this. Therefore, people living in mainland France are advised to leave the city regularly in order to be in nature. Sometimes it is enough to travel only a few dozen kilometers from the metropolis in order to find yourself in pristine, silent and unpolluted environments. These walks are essential to recharge your batteries energetically and preserve your health.

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