An overview, based upon the teachings of Zhi Chang Li
Zhi Chang Li grew up in the tradition of Chinese medicine and Qi Gong which were taught to him by his grandparents and parents. He worked for many years as an acupuncture doctor in Peking. Since 1989 he lives in Europe, where he founded the Institute for Still Qi Gong in Munich.
“A good doctor and healer can be recognized by his empty visitors room.” (old Chinese saying)
In traditional Chinese medicine, dietetics and Qi Gong take a pre-eminent place. The goal of maintaining health and healing sicknesses has first of all been seen in the context of food in old cultures. So is it also with TCM, the traditional Chinese medicine. The basis of Chinese food is rice, the vapour issuing from it is Qi, which nourishes the blood and the entire body. (The Chinese ideogram for Qi is also interpreted as a symbol of a rice grain that is issuing vapour.) Through right nutrition and Qi Gong many illnesses could be prevented and also cured. Acupuncture, herbs and massage became part of the Chinese system at a later point in time.
Qi Gong is the oldest branch of Chinese medicine. The main idea is to maintain and cultivate the life force, whenever possible, which is called Qi in Chinese. If, for instance, a mother carries out Qi Gong exercises during pregnancy to strengthen her life force, it also has a preventive effect on the unborn child. As Chinese medicine is a holistic medicine, it neither begins when a person has already attracted some kind of sickness, nor does it simply treat on the basis of symptoms. Traditional Chinese medicine is preventive, i.e., it aspires to reinforce health, thus being capable of preventing illnesses. It treats the whole person and looks at the underlying causes behind the symptoms.
A prerequisite for working with Qi is that the patient is not too weak to concentrate on the exercises. If this is the case, other methods are employed first. Dietetics, herbs and massage are prescribed, and the doctor transmits Qi. After that, the patient is taught gentle exercises which help him to gradually regain his strength. The practice of Still Qi Gong (gong = working, applying) is characterized by the fact that it can be experienced while exercising and has a holistic effect on the body, the emotions and the mind. It almost completely leaves out outer movements, but instead focuses on practicing a deep, meditative state of immersion which eventually leads to an inner movement.
The fruits of Qi Gong, however, become apparent in many ways, depending on how regularly and reliably the exercises are being carried out with or without a teacher. One recommendation is to practice especially when it starts getting boring. Every time we don’t want to expose us to these exercises, when we try to escape, we should immerse into the practice. In Qi Gong we learn to “swim against the current”. This is often a decisive point to get healed or become a healer. In the course of our life we get conditioned. Consequently we learn certain patterns of behaviour, which we mostly refuse to give up, because we feel comfortable with them. By practicing more often we shake us out of our habitudes. It is time and again recommended to continue practicing and also take up new exercises. An old Taoist rule, however, says that there is nothing to do. Why then should we do exercises? The rule continues: Every a drop of water that runs over the same place is ever changed and new. This rule therefore contains two opposing statements: There is nothing new, because the drop of water always remains a drop of water, and yet it becomes new by running over a surface.
If we apply this to our practice it means: As human beings we cannot change completely, but by practicing, which is like the unintentional running of the drop of water, we are gradually transferred to a higher level and can immerse in yet more profound planes. Because we all get changed and new by repeating the same actions.
Traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, comprises 5 major areas:
1. nutrition, dietetics
2. Qi Gong
3. herbal therapy
4. massage
5. acupuncture, moxa
According to the Chinese acupuncture doctor and Qi Gong Master Zhi Chang Li, the genuine traditional Chinese medicine, which has its roots in self-practice and self-experience, is dying out. Only by practicing in silence can Qi be experienced, and the effects of Yin and Yang, the two fundamental concepts of Chinese philosophy and medicine, become perceivable. Only by practicing in silence will the doctor be capable of transmitting Qi to a patient, thereby stimulating the healing process.
So worked the masters in the old China. How many needles, however, are inserted today based on symptoms and without knowing of Qi as the basis! In old days, no Chinese doctor was allowed to insert a needle unless he had learned to control and transmit Qi, i.e. to give and take up Qi through the needle. He had to understand the sedating and tonifying principles and know how deeply to insert and twist the needle. This art cannot be learnt in 400 hours of acupuncture. Qi is older than the needle. With the help of Qi, the Qi-areas or points on the meridians can be opened and closed.
Herbal treatments prescribed 12 different herbs for each medicament. Among these herbs there is a “ruler“. This is the prevalent remedy which can be comprised of four different substances. The “subservient minister“ consists of six substances. To these are added two “guardians” in the form of two protective herbs. The herbs are reinforced with mudras (exactly prescribed hand gestures) and mantras (sacred sounds, prayers) to ensure that the right virtue and the right mindset is transmitted to the patient through the herbs.
The power of the mind is thus used to influence Qi so that Qi may act through the herbs. This procedure helps to influence the blood. Who today masters the art of moving the blood with the help of Qi or supporting Qi through the blood?
Like the old Chinese philosophy, traditional Chinese medicine also embraces the model of three cosmic regions.
The lowest region belongs to matter, the body, the solid, called Jing (essence) in Chinese.
The second region belongs to Qi, the life force. From a medical point of view, the blood, in Chinese Xue, also belongs to this plane. Qi and Xue constitute a pair. Qi is Yang, Xue is Yin. Both support and influence each other.
The third region belongs to the spirit, or Shen in Chinese.
1. Jing
Jing, or essence, is located in the lower abdomen. (in the lower Dan Tien, the door of life = Ming Men, in the Qi-hole)
A difference is made between pre-heavenly essence, which is the essence from the time of conception until birth, and the post-heavenly essence, which is the essence after birth. The pre-heavenly essence moulds the constitution of man and can be nourished and maintained after birth. The post-heavenly essence should be equally nourished and maintained. This essence is located in the kidneys. The kidneys can be strengthened by right nutrition. As black is the colour attributed to the kidneys, all black food items like black rice, black sesame, salsifies, and black lotus roots are suitable to stimulate the kidneys. All Qi Gong exercises in the lower Dan Tien, in the region of the door of life, the Qi hole and the pelvic floor can rein-force the kidneys. Moxes and needles also help to fill and nourish the kidneys.
2. Qi
Qi is the all permeating life force. It refreshes, vitalizes, nourishes, generates blood, supports the blood, tonifies, stimulates the organs, moves, flows, removes blockages, harmonizes, strengthens and cleanses. If the Qi is weakened, everything begins to decay and dissolve. In case of Qi-weakness one distinguishes between Yin-weakness manifested by constant activity, restlessness, false heat, and Yang-weakness, which is characterized by a slow mind and feeling of cold.
The Qi can be strengthened through food by eating warm meals, but also through warming spices such as ginger, nutmeg, pepper. Food which leads to mucous congestion like milk and milk products should be avoided. Acupuncture and moxes in the region of the spleen-meridian can reinforce and especially also the practice of Still Qi Gong.
3. Shen
Shen is the spirit. His home is the heart. The heart, which contains Shen, is the emperor of all organs. Shen resides in the central palace, in the middle Dan Tien. This region contains all that we received prior to Qi (Yang) and blood (Yin). We call this character and personality.
From the standpoint of Still Qi Gong the calm and inner peace begins in the heart. The heart is the home of Shen. Shen influences our Qi, and through Qi it has an effect on the blood. Only through Qi can we influence our blood. Qi can cleanse, nourish and move the blood by the power of imagination and inner focus. Only when the blood is cleansed and has a good quality can the heart calm down and experience silence.
When Zhi Chang Li was asked about the particular significance of Qi Gong, he spoke about the “jewel of Chinese culture” and explained it as follows:
Qi Gong – the Jewel of Chinese Culture
It is difficult to define what is to be understood by Qi Gong, because the definition will change according to the standpoint from which it is seen.
We can say, for instance, that we reduce our breath while practicing Qi Gong, that our body gets relaxed, and peace enters into our hearts. Everyone who proposes to practise Qi Gong has to attain this objective. This could be called Qi Gong for beginners.
For the more advanced practitioners the objective is to “cut the six roots”, i.e. to withdraw our sense organs, i.e. our eyes, nose, tongue, the entire body, and our imagination in order to reach a deeper level. This can only be achieved by intense practicing.
Above all, Qi Gong is an important element of the Chinese culture, upon which it has exercised a strong influence from time immemorial. Qi Gong has influenced Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. It had a particularly profound influence on Chinese Medicine. It can be truly said that it is only by practising Qi Gong that one can understand the thoughts of Taoism and Confucianism, and comprehend the essence of Chinese Medicine.
The Taoists realized that the universe consists of three planes, which they called heaven, earth, and man. Likewise, in their understanding the world was created out of three realms, i.e. the realm of the form-possessing, which is the matter (in Chinese: you), the realm of the formless, which is the spirit (in Chinese: wu), and a realm which lies in-between.
Silently practising such exercises, which belong to this intermediate realm, is what we call Qi Gong.
Our modern times have brought along great progress, much riches and comforts, but at the same time also problems such as stress, restlessness, environmental pollution and noise. As a result we are mostly not relaxed, but rather strained and tensed up. Qi Gong can help to solve these problems and regain inner harmony. It not only aims to relax the body but particularly the mind. By practicing Qi Gong we may also reduce diseases and create a space of living, where our material basis gives us relaxation, contentment, and even peace and relief from suffering.
Up to now it has been little more than a wish that science may open up to Qi Gong. The great Chinese physicist and nuclear scientist Quian Xuisen spoke of the new science of man, which is far ahead of our time, and includes Qi Gong. A true study of man’s life is only possible with Qi Gong. Qi Gong is a new branch of knowledge, age old and new at the same time.
It may still take a long time until the value of Qi Gong will be recognized in the West.
I decided to start doing something and there will be someone who will follow me and continue to work on this topic. In the past 10 years of my work here in the West there have been quite some changes. We did not speak. We just started to do something. And there is a small part of my students who take to the true things and pass them on.
The people, who come to me to learn and practice Qi Gong, have different motives. Some want to become healthy, others want to remain healthy, some want to solve their problems at work, yet some others seek relaxation. Some of them come because they are attracted by the Chinese culture. All of them are willing to sacrifice their time and energy.
It would be great if as many people as possible could experience Qi Gong, so that it can have a positive effect on the families and on the young generation. If young people experience Qi Gong, it leads to a faster progress, and they can integrate the new knowledge in all spheres of science to get closer to the heart of things. But there is a long way to go.
I am only a paving stone on this way. Although I may not live up to see the splendorous outcome, I want to pave the way for it. In the home country of Qi Gong people become more and more estranged from their own culture under the influence of Western civilisation, which has brought much progress as well. Even if the quantity decreases, the quality of Qi Gong will be maintained. In the end it has survived for more than 5000 years up to today.
Excerpts from the notes of U. de Almeida Goldfarb, Switzerland, from speeches and seminars of Zhi Chang Li, et alii. The article is also based on an interview with Zhi Chang Li conducted by Brigitta Pflüger-Meienberg in November 2002
…… to be continued
Compiled by Brigitta Pflüger-Meienberg
Taken from Paracelsus Health & Healling I/1 2015
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