When I was starting out as a doctor, my focus was mainly on treating disease. I felt good helping sick people. Now, my focus has changed to prevent disease and to help people avoid sickness. My work may not seem that impressive to some people, but it has incredible value because I have the healing wisdom and ability to help people to avoid suffering and to heal.
Not everyone appreciates their good health when everything seems fine; but people will appreciate their good health after suffering with a disease, or seeing others suffering. In my experience, one of the most important things to do for prevention is daily practice of Qi Gong and Tai Chi. Here is why.
Tai Chi and Qi Gong are ancient Chinese exercises that have been practiced all over the world for its many benefits. They are known as special exercises for improving physical health, spiritual health, emotional health, and mental health. They also have the benefits of disease prevention, fall prevention, and anti-aging. Certain ways of practicing Tai Chi can also be used for self defense.
The slow circular movements emphasize mental calmness and focus, breath control, movement control, coordination, and moving with “intention”. With all of this it produces a strong life force. We call it “Qi”. While you are moving the “Qi”, you are activating every cell and organ in the body, and so healing begins.
Tai Chi and Qi Gong touch all aspects of the whole person at the same time. Practicing these exercises help to open the body’s energy pathways when practiced with mind, body, and spirit. It is not enough to simply copy the physical movements. You must incorporate them with relaxation, focus, study of ancient text, wisdom, meditation, and dedication to your practice.
Tai Chi practice offers amazing health benefits, which include:
– Circulation
– Metabolism
– Flexibility
– Posture
– Body stability
– Concentration
– Immune function
– Daily energy level
– Digestion and absorption
– Emotional balance
– Self awareness
– Relationships
– Anti aging, and preventing brain aging
The Benefits of Tai Chi are evidenced in four areas:
Physical Benefits of Tai Chi
Tai Chi enhances your stamina and strength, balances your immune system, harmonizes organ systems and removes blockages in body energy pathways. Having taught Tai Chi for more than 20 years, I have witnessed that many students improved their physical condition; they are sick less frequently, even in flu season. They are physically stronger, and their chronic issues have improved.
Often students have told me, “everyone in my family gets sick except me”, or they say, “I haven’t been sick for several years”. It is especially satisfying when I hear these things from senior citizens. It is obvious that their overall health has improved, and some have even reduced their medications.
For senior citizens, the most important benefit is to prevent falling. As we know falling, and breaking bones in seniors has collateral impacts damaging their body and mind. With Tai Chi practice, they improve balance, body stability, and energy level thereby dramatically reducing falls.
There are more and more studies on the benefits of Tai Chi appearing both nationally and internationally. Harvard also did a Tai Chi study and there are many publications that you can find on the internet. Even some health insurance plans are beginning to offer coverage that supports Tai Chi and Qi Gong practice.
Mental/Brain Benefits of Tai Chi
The anti-aging benefits of Tai Chi practice give you mental clarity, so your logical thinking improves and you are able to do things in an efficient way. Your creativity is awakened and your life can be more enjoyable. Your renewed alertness helps you to keep relationships and friendships strong. As we have all experienced, we feel frustrated when talking to someone who cannot understand what we are saying, even when we have tried to explain a few times.
We get frustrated when telling someone something many times and they cannot remember. It is even more frustrating when we want to help, but feel helpless. I used to have a poor memory when I was in my 20s and 30s; but now my memory is much improved and this helps me to be able to manage my educational and healing work. It also helps my book writing and public speaking.
Emotional Benefits of Tai Chi
People who seriously practice Tai Chi tend to have more emotional stability. They display an evenness of mood, calmness, peacefulness. They are able to let things go more easily. They are able to control their emotions during conflict and stressful situations. This is because of the smooth energy flow in their organ system, and the mental benefits they have gained from Tai Chi and Qi Gong practice.
Spiritual Benefits of Tai Chi
The spirit is that which is beyond the ordinary; it is intangible, a higher consciousness that never dies. It connects us with ourselves, both physically and emotionally. Spirit defines who we are, how we think, what we think, and how we interrelate with the universe. Spirit is a special energy that cannot be seen, heard, touched, or otherwise experienced materially.
It can however be “felt” or experienced internally by people around us, even by animals. I used to have a dog, a lovely dog. When my spirit energy was poor, she could sense it. She would come and sit near me, and try to be very quiet. When my spirit energy was high, she wanted to play. Our spirit is on a constant path towards enlightenment, constantly weighing, experiencing, and reacting to the Yin (negative) and Yang (positive) of life.
The meditative aspect of Tai Chi and Qi Gong allow us to tap into, and activate our spirit. Our mind translates what our body feels as it moves, and it interprets our spirit as we move our body. Our mind integrates what we sense to move our body accordingly. Tai Chi is an expression of our spirit by way of our mind and body. When we practice as a group, our spirits coalesce.
Tai Chi allows us to not be absorbed and overtaken by negative spirit, or negative energy. It is as if Tai Chi and Qi Gong help us to create a shield against negative energy. We tend to gravitate more towards people with positive spirit and we embrace it (positive spirit).
Tai Chi is a very special, artistic, and gentle body movement that cultivates internal energy. This kind practice nourishes and balances our body, mind, and spirit. Tai Chi is a beautiful form of moving meditation. Practicing Tai Chi and Qi Gong is a journey; it serves as a self discipline, as a life style, as well as anti aging practice. It is a constant awareness of wellbeing and life quality. In our fast paced society, we need Tai Chi to balance our life, keep us up lifted, help us focus, keep us healthy, bring us a fulfilled spirit, and happiness.
RESOURCES
Dr. Kuhn’s Instructor Training Programs:
Tai Chi Teacher Training
Qi Gong Teacher Training
For information on Annual Conference on Natural Healing and Prevention, please visit: www.TaiChiHealing.org
If you would like to be a volunteer for “Tai Chi & Qi Gong Healing Institute” (a non profit organization), please send your resume to:
Dr. Aihan Kuhn
2801 Fruitville St. Suite 120
Sarasota, FL 34240
508-380-0449, or email: [email protected]
