My first recollection of Qi Gong was (is) many years ago as a novice in the study of martial arts.

My martial arts instructor, Keith Blackman (Nana Kwaku Setchi), was demonstrating a movement “revealed” to him by his teacher Master Li. He dropped dramatically into a horse stance, slapped his groin area four times with either hand, and scurried backward about six feet while inhaling, making a high pitched sound which seemed to emanate from his throat and holding his arms extended in the traditional “qi” cultivation posture. You know the one. You push the hand forward while generating an intense scowl and go OHhaaaaaaaaaaaa! Anyone who has ever seen a Bruce Lee movie knows exactly what I am talking about.

I thought to myself how weird the movement was, but also, there was an undeniable power inherent in it. Though it fascinated me, it would be many many years before I would begin to explore this “internal arts” practice known as qi gong.

The term qi gong literally means “energy work” and is the most powerful system of personal transformation I have yet discovered. Its premise is based on the development of one’s “qi,” also known as that which gives life or life force. This life force is one’s vital energy and therefore when a person suffers any form of “dis-ease” they are said to have blocked qi (or chi) or life force. Chinese medicine simply states that “if qi flows, one is healthy. If qi is blocked, one is sick.”

Qi gong is the masculine aspect of internal energy cultivation, although even the yang practices have their Solar & Lunar qualities, or masculine aspects with a feminine twist. Its purpose is to develop the energy and power of the physical body. Once developed, this force is stored in an energy center whose frontal opening is three to four fingers below the navel and works in conjunction with the navel chakra.

Nei Gong is the practice and cultivation of “yin” or feminine internal power. Alone, yang or masculine qi cannot move beyond the limits of the physical body but with the addition of yin qi and proper training, one develops the ability to “project” this force from the body and use it for either healing or self defense, or both.

Though rarely taught in its correct expression, Tai Chi Chuan is a form of qi gong. The health benefits of qi gong are innumerable and systemic. Conditions such as nerve and spine regeneration, increased mental clarity, calming and balancing the emotions, strengthening organs, as well as assistance in healing of conditions which have adversely impacted the organs such as hepatitis for the liver, tuberculosis in the lungs and cardiovascular disease of the heart are all addressed powerfully and effectively with the practice of qi gong.

My experience with qi gong has been both profound and far reaching. Through my teachers and obtained literature, the one theme that looms prominent in qi gong is the mystique of immortality bequeathed to those who practice the art and science. Yes, I have learned specific practices that turn back the hands of time by reversing the aging process but the idea of being immortal? I must say though, whenever and wherever I speak or do workshops, the one question I am assured of being asked is How Old are YOU?

Where does the concept of Immortality fit in our present 3-dimensional reality and is it remotely fathomable? Many of the great Sages, Arahants, Adepts, Masters and Saints who practiced “the way” were all said to be Immortals, mainly because these practices allowed them to live so much longer than the general population. Yet it is said that with the continued practice of qi gong one’s DNA is dramatically and profoundly impacted, activating dormant genetic signatures. These signatures inform us of an immortal life force that exists naturally within each and every human being.

Here in the West, the idea of Immortality was examined and expounded upon in 1912 by Noble Prize winner Dr. Alexis Carroll. Carroll stated emphatically that the human body was immortal because the cells of the body were designed to be immortal. As recently as the early 1990s, research done with radioactive isotope studies revealed that in one year, 97% of the human body has regenerated itself. The skin renews itself every 3 weeks, the stomach has a new lining every 5 days, our liver is regenerated every 6 weeks and the human skeletal structure finds itself refurbished and renewed every 3 months. Thus if all the scientific information compiled substantiates the potential immortal design of the human body, could we safely state that this design is activated and enhanced by daily practice of qi gong? My own personal experience and the experiences of peers and predecessors say that it is a resounding yes!

Other than the aforementioned attributes, what other indelible qualities does the practice of qi gong impart? The beauty and power of the system is that it is very multi-dimensional, fluid, and multi-faceted. So depending on your desired direction, there is a practice within the system that addresses your specific needs. Many practice to enhance their healing power, some practice to develop protective power in combat, but most practice to obtain a state of stable general health. The catch is that ALL must begin with a proper base in which to express such a level of self empowerment and that base is our internal organs.

Space is limited so to dramatize my point as to the incredible importance of the organs in our bodies I give example to the following. Qi gong divides the internal organs into the Five Levels of Life found within the organs. Each level constitutes a system and that system is responsible for many functions within the human organism: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Every organ has its own field of intelligence that operates within the aforementioned categories. That which is called the E levels system is seated in the Heart and is considered the very root of life itself. Heart energy is the supreme controller with the responsibility of taking command and establishing life order within the human body. It receives energy from the liver and gall bladder and carries this energy throughout the entire mind/body. If energy of a pure state is not forthcoming from the Liver System, then the Heart suffers and disease ensues imparting a low spiritual vibration. The Heart works in conjunction with the small intestine separating pure energy and matter from impure. There are four other systems, each as incredibly important to our survival as the heart systems level.

Because of our lifestyle we suffer in ways that only become apparent when we are either rushed to the hospital or go to our health care physician for news so bad that our knees buckle when we hear it. More times than not it will be organ failure of some sort or an illness that is indirectly connected to organ debilitation.

We are constantly living in survival mode. Living in survival mode creates a constant state of desperation and desperation creates a constant state of fear. Therefore the stress levels that engulf us at any one time can be insurmountable. When our organs fall into a state of disrepair due to work, diet, relationship stressors, etc. much more than just the physical is affected.

Every organ in the human body is connected to a specific emotional field. Fear is connected to our kidneys, our liver holds anger, despair/sadness/depression are housed in our lungs. When we live in a dire, stress-laden environment, our organs at risk, we will only express these low resonant emotional frequencies making us live our lives in constant imbalance and emotional turmoil. The irrational becomes rational and the insane seems sane because our emotional fields via our organs have been compromised.

Qi Gong profoundly addresses these social issues which burden us with such mental/emotional and physical stresses. Within the system of qi gong are practices which not only strengthen and balance our organs energetically but with applied intent, ensure that we vibrate on a higher, continuous, and more refined spiritual frequency.

In his book Power vs. Force, Dr. David Hawkins stunned the scientific community when he highlighted research which revealed his ability to measure and calibrate the positive and negative influence of emotional frequency. He dispelled the idea that we as a race live in vibrational/energetic separation and found that emotions such as fear had a vibrational frequency of 200 and Love in its Unconditional expression vibrated at a frequency of 500. He stated that one person vibrating on the frequency of 500–unconditional Love, could counter balance 750,000 people! He went on to show that one person vibrating on a frequency of 700 could raise the consciousness of 7 million folks. I am not saying that this rise in awareness is transcendental per se, but it would be an elevation from their current level of perception and thought nonetheless, based on where that individual was emotionally.

Thus qi gong is a powerful tool for today’s stress based and emotionally dense environment. As one learns to control their emotional fields they automatically gain a much stronger fortified grasp on how they handle the day’s challenges which turn into weeks, months, and years. In short, qi gong aids us in creating our own realities. For more information, check out this awesome article about medical qi gong and it’s positive effect on cancer.