Widely understood in China but little known in the West, medical qi gong is a modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Medical qi gong is a way of affecting and directing qi, or the life force, for medical benefit. Rather than using needles, herbs, or massage, medical qi gong relies on the ability to direct qi with the mind, the hands, or a ritual object, but without necessarily touching the body. Like its better known counterparts acupuncture and herbal medicine, medical qi gong requires thorough knowledge of TCM scientific theory. A medical qi gong practitioner should be at least as well-trained as an acupuncturist or herbalist. To develop skill with medical qi gong, a practitioner needs to be highly disciplined, with a very focused mind similar to that of a well-seasoned meditator. To practice medicine as subtle as medical qi gong, a practitioner must have unusual abilities of subtle perception. Ideally, a medical qi gong practitioner should also be a medical intuitive in order to make the most accurate diagnosis as well as treatment. Any practitioner’s treatment is only as good as his or her diagnosis.
Types of Qi Gong
Confusion has resulted from the fact that there are two types of qi gong–the “internal” kind which involves exercises a person does to balance their own qi, such as Tai Ch’i; and the “external” kind where a practitioner learns to work directly with the qi of other people. To confuse matters more, there is overlap and fluidity between the internal and external types of qi gong in some forms. Tao Fawu medical qi gong includes both external forms where a practitioner treats a client, and internal forms where the client learns to manipulate his or her own qi for specific medical purposes using exercises designed especially for him or her. Tao Fawu medical qi gong is a type of “energy work” that is both subtle and precise, refined and profoundly effective in the hands of an accurate practitioner.
Who Can Perform Medical Qi Gong?
This means theoretically that anybody can do it (or say they do it). However, to practice medical qi gong professionally and do it well requires years of study and hard work. Choose your practitioner carefully–find someone experienced and knowledgable. A license to do acupuncture assures you that the practitioner has had several years of theory, but does not guarantee that they can perform medical qi gong effectively. Studying acupuncture alone does not lead to an understanding or ability to practice medical qi gong. Medical qi gong requires additional study.
As a layperson, you can learn to do medical qi gong on yourself, learning exercises or visualizations that you can practice safely at home to enhance your health. You can also learn to perform medical qi gong on others, but it is recommended that you have a medical license of some kind before doing so.
How Does Medical Qi Gong Work?
Medical qi gong strengthens and redistributes the vital energy, or “qi” of an individual. This is the same way that acupuncture and other TCM modalities work. The principles of treatment are the same, only the technique varies. Medical qi gong is well suited for very sensitive people, children, and people in frail health, but can be beneficial for absolutely anyone. Medical qi gong involves working directly and subtly with a person’s qi in ways that are not invasive, and are safer and more gentle than acupuncture, acupressure, or herbology. Medical qi gong can be used to treat many subtle and spiritual conditions that cannot be treated with acupuncture, acupressure, or herbology.
Who Can Benefit From Medical Qi Gong?
Medical qi gong has been used successfully to treat difficult, stubborn, and life-threatening conditions that do not respond well to other types of medicine. Medical qi gong has gotten a reputation for being a good alternative treatment for cancer, as an example. Children, the elderly, people in frail health, and highly sensitive people tend to respond better to medical qi gong than other TCM modalities. Tao Fawu style medical qi gong developed out of the need to treat allergies and sensitivities painlessly, efficiently, and effectively. Tao Fawu medical qi gong developed directly from Allergy Relief Systems (ARS).