Chi gung’s internal reference is due to its application in healing and strengthening systems found internally through out the body. These systems consist of:
- respiratory system
- endocrine system
- nervous system
- skeletal muscle
- organs
In Chi Gung a force named “Chi” (or vitality) is focused, moved or cultivated in the body to achieve balance, health and well being.
Chi is a force found everywhere around us, animating everything, yet it is unseen. Just as gravity is unseen, yet we know it’s there. Jump and we see that we are pulled back to the earth by a great unseen force. Like gravity, Chi is only seen by the solid matter that it acts upon, via our bodies and our internal systems.
The word “Gung” (or Kung, as in Kung Fu), means the correct application of work. Chi Gung roughly means, “proper application of Chi in works.”
Chi is directly connected to breath, breath being vitality. Just as a human cannot go weeks without food, or days without water, a human cannot go minutes without a breath. Breath is the most vital for life (animation). Breath controls our state of mind and the quality of Chi in one’s body. If a person starts to breathe short rapid breaths, that person starts to hyperventilate and feelings of anxiety and stress arise. An example of this is when one gets upset or scared. One’s heartbeat is sped up, one starts breathing faster, and the first thing one is told to do is to calm the breathing down. This in turn slows down the heart rate and will calm the nervous system. Knowing this, if one applies this to everyday life when breathing is normal it will give the benefit of an increased calm and freedom from stress.
Our bodies are a functional unit and if one thing is off, we will find that other functions of the body are affected. Since breathing is most vital to living, then why should we not incorporate that into our daily fitness regimen? Focusing on one’s breathing can be very simple, since one does not need to leave home to do so. Proper breathing techniques can be performed and implemented everywhere.
Chi Gung has been implemented in Eastern training and medicine for centuries. As with other forms of martial arts, Americans are starting to see the benefits of such practices. Chi has been key to vitality and quality of life in Eastern culture. Americans have tried to find the fountain of youth through a magic pill, when in fact it just may be as simple as taking a slow deep breath.