Meditation

Yoga and Qigong

	by Theresa M. Kelly, MsD
	Professor of Scientific Parapsychology, Researcher, Technical Author

Yoga is a traditional physical and mental discipline that involves the creation of balance in the body via developing both strength and flexibility. This strength and flexibility is achieved through various postures and poses, each of which appears to possess a specific physical benefit.

These poses are often done swiftly in succession, whereby generating heat in the body via movement, or slowly as a means to increase stamina and to perfect the alignment of a pose.

While the approaches to poses are variant, depending on the tradition, the poses themselves are constant. The overall benefits of yoga include flexibility, strength, muscle tone, pain prevention, efficient breathing, mental calmness, stress reduction, and body awareness.

Yoga also utilizes breathing exercises along with poses and postures, which possesses many mental and physical benefits.

Qigong involves particular forms of martial arts, slow movement, and encompasses a variety of both physiological and psychological training methods. A qigong system consists of one or more of the following types of training;

• Dynamic (recognized as a series of carefully-choreographed movements or gestures designed to promote and manipulate the flow of qi within the practitioner).


• Static (performed by holding a certain posture, position or stance for a period of time).


• Meditative (most qigong training involves some form of meditation),


• Activities requiring external aides (e.g. specialized food and drinks, massage, and various other forms of body conditioning).
  

Qigong can be effective in treating many chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, allergies, asthma, arthritis, degenerative disk disease, cancer, depression, anxiety, and addition. Its slow movements can promote physical stamina, balance control, flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular fitness.

It has shown to be advantageous for those recovering from chronic stroke, heart failure, high blood pressure, heart attack, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Fibromyalgia. Because of its health effects, tai chi classes have become popular in hospitals and clinics.

Source

(Adapted from the “A Quantum Approach Series” and "Psychical Profiling Series" by Theresa M. Kelly, MsD.)

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