What is Qigong?
Qigong is an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures that utilize slow, gentle movement with breathing techniques and focused intention or imagery. The word Qigong is made up of two Chinese words. Qi is pronounced chee and is usually translated to mean the life force or vital-energy that flows through all things in the universe. The second word, Gong, pronounced gung, means accomplishment, or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Together, Qigong means cultivating energy. It is a system practiced for health maintenance, healing and increasing vitality.
The gentle, rhythmic movements of Qigong reduce stress, build stamina, increase vitality, and enhance the immune system. It has also been found to improve cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic and digestive functions.
Those who maintain a consistent practice of Qigong find that it helps one regain a youthful vitality, maintain health even into old age and helps speed recovery from illness. Western scientific research confirms that Qigong reduces hypertension and the incidence of falling in the aged population. One of the more important long-term effects is that Qigong reestablishes the body/mind/soul connection.
Dr. Finkelstein has developed 2 Qigong styles: Posture Qigong and Turning Sound Qigong.
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What is Posture Qigong?
Posture Qigong is an easy, simple to learn method for relieving pain by correcting posture. It can help problems in the neck, back, shoulders, elbows, hands, fingers, hips, knees, ankles and feet. Posture Qigong combines stretching, strengthening and relaxation to relax tight muscles and increase mobility in joints.
It is necessary to both stretch and strengthen tight and weak muscles. Posture Qigong exercises are designed to correct the most common posture imbalances that are caused by repetitive movement or trauma. These posture imbalances can get aggravated by daily activity and exercise.
The Posture Qigong exercises stretch and gently strengthen at the same time. A few brief exercises are repeated several times throughout the day to relieve pain and correct posture imbalances. Once pain is relieved and posture improved, Posture Qigong is continued to maintain posture for long-term improvement.
Posture Qigong is:
- A stretch exercise – Using Post-Isometric Relaxation, the gentle, isometric pressure allows muscles to stretch considerably faster than normal stretching.
- A strengthening exercise – The opposing muscles are being strengthened at the same time.
- A relaxation practice – Adding in the breathing component brings additional oxygen to the target muscles and enhances relaxation.
In this online course, Dr. Finkelstein teaches the Posture Qigong exercises for with video, photographs, written instructions and functions (what posture imbalances each qigong exercise corrects).
Register for the Posture Qigong Course
What is Turning Sound Qigong?
This course teaches how to increase physical, emotional and mental/spiritual vitality by working with the “3 Centers” which are similar to the Indian/aryuvedic system of chakras. In addition to using typical methods of qigong – slow, gentle movement and breath, Turning Sound Qigong adds in imagery, sound, moving in the 4 directions and using the qualities of those directions. This directs our awareness to the parts of our body that need healing to activate our body’s natural self-healing and self-repair mechanisms.
Movements are simple, easy to learn and are adaptable for any physical challenge.