Qigong, a discipline of breath and movement versus mental contemplation

Opinions differ. some believe that qi gong was born 3000 years ago. Others estimate that it is 5000 years old. One thing is clear: this energy art is one of the 5 branches of traditional Chinese medicine and is an integral part of its overall approach to improving physical and mental health. Sometimes we meet in parks. a group of people with salt and pepper hair, traditional clothes, moving very slowly, silently. Hermetic, qi gong?

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Energetic art

Qigong, which can be translated as “breathing discipline”, is a close relative of yoga; it is sometimes even called Taoist yoga. “It’s a body technique that uses breath and movement to work both the body and the mind,” explains Akli Hammadi, a qi gong teacher and vice president of the Energy and Martial Arts Federation. Qigong aims to create harmony between body and mind. According to Chinese tradition, it helps circulate vital energy (qi). Through movement and breathing, it works the muscles, joints, but also the meridians, these well-known channels of the human body, designed by Chinese medicine and used by acupuncture.

Balance and coordination

As in yoga, the movements of qi gong are coded; each sequence mobilizes a part of the body, and all aim to improve balance and coordination. Working on your breath helps slow your breathing and heart rate. The session lasts from 1 hour to 1.5 hours and is done outside whenever possible to take advantage of natural light and listen to nature.

Meditation in motion

Qigong is also used as a meditation and self-control technique that often accompanies martial arts. “Shaolin monks do this to improve their concentration and calm the mind,” explains Akli Hammadi. Artists in China also use it, finding Qi Gong a release tool that stimulates their creativity.

Slow praise

Qi gong is characterized by slowness. far from racing for fulfillment, discipline invites you to slow down. “Slowness goes against the grain,” admits Akli Hammadi, “but we see young people coming to qi gong because they’re looking for physical activity that allows them to switch off and stop the little mill of their brain.” Slow down, unwind, listen to what’s going on inside and outside of you. qi gong allows you to anchor yourself in the present.

Benefits for everyone

Still little known in France, suffering from the strict image of a complex and soft art reserved for the elderly, qi gong nevertheless multiplies the benefits. By engaging the entire body in slow, controlled movements, it helps combat stress, improves flexibility, and promotes balance and coordination.