Surely at some point, while walking through a park, you will have noticed a group of people, usually older, who are moving very slowly, as if walking very slowly with the wind. -Dancing slowly. Tai chi has been shown to have great benefits for keeping the body active and vital. And it is associated with older people because its practice involves a slow and leisurely rhythm. We’ve tried chi kung classes, an oriental discipline similar to tai chi Which sounds like another useful tool for fighting dangerous stress.
chi kung ya Qi Gong was born for the purpose of preserving and cultivating health, well-being and improving physical condition. “The Chinese words mean (vital) power work, discipline of energy,” says osteopath and Chi Kung instructor Daniel Garcia, a routine he’s been practicing since he was 18. He continued, “I started doing kung fu and I noticed that breathing and some postures that weren’t so sudden made me feel a lot better so I started researching, buying books and getting involved with chi kung. ”
Much attention is paid to breathing to channelize energy, those who practice it say that it is a source of youth, effective in eliminating stress and tension, providing health and vitality.
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Types of Chi Kung
There are many types of Chi Kung. Martial Chi Kung, Health Chi Kung, Iron Shirt Chi Kung… each offer variants, but they all focus on ability Release energy from strategic, postural and static activities with specific breathing techniques,
“There is another very popular chi kung discipline in China, which is Ba Duan Jin, which is very widespread and has different versions,” says the instructor and osteopath.
Difference between Tai Chi and Chi Kung
The mere thought of thinking about an exercise based on static forms may make you discard it as a potential practice for your life, but the truth is that Chinese philosophy, which talks about the strength of the spirit, Gives rise to the idea that not everything should make us seek happiness.
«The Chinese see very well that we get bored and that our heads break a little in order to isolate ourselves in search of constant pleasure. It is important to have discipline and cultivate strength of spirit. That’s Chi Kung. In the West it seems that you only have to do things that bring happiness and what you want, The Chinese are innately disciplined and if they dedicate themselves to something they do it for hours to perfection. Thus, the essential differences between Tai Chi and Chi Kung are:
- Tai chi is a martial art that is used in combat, although it does not appear to be so.
- However, Chi Kung is a collection of static activities that usually involve no movement in space.
- Tai chi seeks to develop the body through a style of self-defense.
- Tai Chi develops methods for expanding and working with energy and cultivating health.
As practiced
Daniels recommends practicing at least six times a week. “I’ll do 2-3 days of 45 minutes and then look for 15-minute moments to connect and maintain the feeling, so that there isn’t much difference between one day of practice and the next.”
- First you just have to find a peaceful place At home without any interruption.
- take one Balanced position and good contact with the ground,
- get ready for Connect body, mind and breath (Three treasures).
- First of all, work is done at rest So that the proper channel flows and the energy is released.
- Throughout the exercise, there will be different techniques and forms with breathing.
Chi Kung, the key to stress management
Daniel is very clear about the direct connection between the practice of Chi Kung and stress management. Not that it is an exercise designed to achieve that objective, but the connection with perseverance is clear, which is how he explains it.
“When I breathe differently I can cope with stress differently. By training I choose how I breathe, how I position myself, what my posture and my attitude are. There are many concepts that are derived from the practice of Chi Kung. Among other things, you learn to live differently, to be more compassionate. The greatest power it provides is knowing that you can connect with another’s emotions, but without compromising your equanimity. This is how you learn to look differently. When you get to that place, if a stressed person comes to you and says something stressful, you are able to just see that they are in a difficult situation and you don’t transmit that stress into yourself.
Therefore, teach how to live experiences as an observer, without getting emotionally involved or filled with stress, as is usually the case in a life full of deadlines to meet and goals to achieve.
Feelings and benefits after exercise
Any sport or meditative practice involves experiencing a series of immediate physical sensations, some of them internally and later, as a result of practice and perseverance, benefits will come.
Sensations
- The flow of oxygen to the tissues increases.
- Vasodilation.
- Changes in the metabolism of the area we are using during exercise.
- Relaxation effect, slowing down the mind and body.
- Manage body and energy, focus mind, improve meditation.
Benefits:
- stress management. pain management.
- Fatigue reduced.
- Another approach to life, less reactive.
- Improves physical posture.
- Improves muscular endurance.
- Improves breathing.
- Regulates the immune system.
