Heart Qi Healing with Qi Gong

Heart Qi Healing: Preventing and Treating Cardiac Disease with Qi Gong

“Each person carries his own doctor inside him. 

They come to us not knowing the truth. 

We are at our best when we give the doctor 

who resides within each patient a chance to go to work.”

Albert Schweitzer, MD

What is Qi Gong?

Qi Gong is a 5000 year old energy healing system from China.  Qi is your vital life force energy also known as prana, shakti and ki.  Gong refers to the practice or work of circulating the Qi. So Qi Gong is the practice of cultivating and working with vital life force through gentle breathing, stretching and meditative exercises.  Qigong cleanses and revitalises body, mind, heart and spirit and brings all these aspects into harmony with the universe.

Unlike traditional medical treatments, Qigong healing transcends body, mind, time, space and matter. It may be long distance, spontaneous and instantaneous.  Qigong practitioners often report profound healing and transformation on many levels.  There is the physical relief of symptoms, personal growth, and improvement in relationships with oneself, loved ones and community.

There is a wealth of clinical research from China on the efficacy of Qigong to treat cardiac disease.  A clinical study review conducted by Michael Mayer with over 5500 subjects showed that nearly all the studies suggest that Qigong over time, can lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

The most extensive single study on Qigong and heart disease followed 203 hypertensive patients over 20 years (Kuang 1991). Participants in the study were randomly assigned to a medication only group or medication plus Qigong group.  The Qigong group practiced Qigong twice a day for 30 minutes.  While the medication only group saw an increase in blood pressure and 31% requiring an increase in medications, the blood pressure of the Qigong group stabilised with 48% reducing the dosage of medication and 30% no longer requiring antihypertensive medications at all.

As well, the Qigong practice group showed an increased HDL, decreased triglycerides and total cholesterol, decreased incidence of cardiovascular lesions, decreased blood viscosity, and reduced platelet aggregation.

Qigong Exercise for Healing

The purpose of the physical Qigong exercises is to open your body and spirit to the healing energy of Qi.  These exercises help open and bring into balance your meridian energy channels for greater Qi, awareness, healing and healing ability.  There are hundreds of different Qigong exercises available for a wide range of different purposes.  For serious students of Qigong, the best way to study is under the guidance of a Qigong master.

Qigong for the Heart 

The following Qigong exercise tonifies the Heart, regulates the flow of Qi and Blood to and from the heart and strengthens the heart Qi.

You can do this exercise lying down, sitting up, or standing.

• 1. Begin by breathing deeply. Relax the mind and visualize your body melting into the ground when you exhale.
• 2. Place one palm on top of the other hand and hold both hands over the heart
• 3. Massage in 12 circular rotations clockwise (to the left).  Your hands do not need to touch your body as they circle.
• 4. Focus the minds intention on the heart, visualizing the energy of the heart circulating and flowing along the movement of your hands.
• 5. Massage in 12 circular rotation counterclockwise (to the right) around the heart area. Your hands do not need to touch your body as they circle.
• 6. Focus the minds intention on the heart, visualizing the energy of the heart circulating and flowing along the movement of your hands.
• 7. Keep your hands on top of the other and keep your hands held above your heart.
• 8. Concentrate the mind and focus your intention on the heart area and heart organ.
• 9. Inhale, and as you inhale, visualize how you are breathing energy into your heart.
• 10. Exhale and imagine healing light radiating out of your heart.
• 11. Inhale again, and visualize light energy feeding and nourishing your heart with each breath you take in.
• 12. Exhale, and visualize the energy of light flowing out of your heart and filling up your abdomen, your extremities, flowing like water and nourishing your entire body. Repeat for 12 inhalations and exhalations.

(From the book “Medical Qigong Exercise Prescriptions” by Dr. Suzanne Friedman)

References:

Mayer MH: Qigong clinical studies. In Jonas WB, editor: Healing,intention, and energy medicine, New York, 2003, Churchill Livingston

Kuang A, Wang C, Xu D, Qian Y: Research on antiaging effect of qigong, J Tradit Chin Med 11(2):153-158 and 11(3):224-227, 1991

Suzanne Friedman Medical Qigong Exercise Prescriptions: A Self-Healing Guide for Patients & Practitioners 2006