In general I find there is a need for something with movement and stretching (frees up the qi in the large muscle groups
and maintains flexibility and strength) and something which allows for quiet time and contemplation (relieves stress and
allows the body to mentally and physically recharge). Sometime they can be combined like long walks on the beach with
the dog, so again, search out ones that are pleasing.
In addition to the physical benefits of clearing out stress, improving flexibility, freeing up stuck qi from the large muscle
groups, the process of qi cultivation for me personally has brought with it a greater level of awareness of how I hold
myself during the day, where my qi gets stuck, how my emotions affect me physically. This is very liberating because I
am much less at the mercy of them – I am more aware that when I haven’t taken the time to stretch or have quiet time
for inner contemplation, I am a little too tightly wrapped, both mentally and physically. And I have learned over time,
that when this gets really out of balance, then I get grumpy, my back goes out, and the cycle begins again. The great
news is that I have the practices to go back to, and within a fairly short period of time, the qi is flowing, and my body
and mind are in better shape. This is ultimately the essence of qi gong within any tradition – the art of mindfulness – to
discover more of yourself and how you move in relation to the rest of the planet, and how to make that more
harmonious.
All Work and No play…
I find that ‘play’ is one of the most important aspects of self-care, and one that seems to get left behind after
childhood. Dogs and kids remember this. Play can be anything, but it should be something that is joyful, makes you glad
to be alive, and renews the heart. Dinner parties with friends, tennis, golf, singing, salsa dancing, church choir. It
doesn’t matter what.
Let’s be honest, martyrs are boring – remembering to play makes us more enjoyable to be around, and it provides a
reserve of good feelings so that on bad days I am less likely to go home and kick the dog or yell at my spouse. It gives us
a cushion – which again is partly biochemical! If we go back to the idea of cellular chemistry, play has a powerful affect
chemically on the body in terms of the pleasure receptors in the brain, and stimulates the immune system. From the
TCM perspective, it helps to stimulate the heart energetic (joy), and relieves mental and physical stagnation.
Seriousness of mind leads to seriousness (or stuck- ness) of the body, and we now know what happens now when the qi
gets stuck.
In the oriental classic, The Great Dao (2) (a great read by the way), great attention is given to qi cultivation and self-
care – meaning right diet, right action, right thought, bodywork like tui na, etc. Acupuncture was considered crude and
invasive – it was only used when the other aspects had been neglected. For the practitioner who was skilled in
therapeutic massage and offering wise counsel in terms of diet, exercise, and mindfulness, there was no need to resort
to something as crude as needles…. While I am not yet ready to give up my weekly acupuncture visits, my journey
through yoga has brought me to a renewed respect for all the elements of self-care, including qi cultivation. Truth be
told, there are not enough hours in the day for me to do everything I need to maintain myself so that I don’t need to
rely on bodywork to help balance the equation.
I would rather go horseback riding….
Contact me directly at jmoffitt@acunut.com.
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medicine, but will interest his patients in
the care of the human body, in diet, and in
the cause and prevention of disease."
Thomas Edison
