Energy balance of the body can be reportedly gained through many TCM modalities familiar to Westerners including the more unfamiliar Chi Kung (also spelled QiGong), which means “energy skill”. Chi Kung is another ancient system (some exercises we use with our patients are found in paintings over 2500 years old) of movement, breathing techniques, and meditation. The purpose of Chi Kung is moving the ‘Chi’ in the body to better balance it through focus on diaphragmatic breathing, mental relaxation/ visualization/ meditation and correct posture allowing effortless movement. These simple yet gentle exercises are felt to benefit specific meridians and their organ systems, and groups of exercises help with over!ll health maintenance. Over 50 million Chinese do Chi Kung daily for their health. Tai Chi is a more recent and complex martial arts derivation of the simple Chi Kung movements and exercises are extremely gentle and can be done by patients with very limited movement.
Mental focus/intention during the movement is felt to be part of the reason for the success of these exercises. The ‘Wood’ exercise looks almost like a martial arts punch, but it is done while imagining your physical/emotional/ mental tension, especially irritability/anger leaving with your exhalation as you gently press your right arm forward. This is one of our patients’ favorite exercises.

An easy introductory book for Chi Kung with good photos is David Carradine’s Introduction to Chi Kung by David Carradine and David Nakahara 1997 Henry Holt and Co. New York, NY