Qigong for Health & Well Being

Qigong exercises, the ancient Chinese regimen of movement and massage to regulate the function of the body, mind, and breath-are quickly becoming an intergral part of mainstream health care. As with acupuncture, modern medical practitioners and their patients are finding that a properly prescribed course of qigong therapy can serve as a valuable complement to the physical therapy and medicines of the West.

Qigong for Health and Well-Being is clearly stated introduction to the potential for harnessing qigong to take a more active role in achieving and maintaining personal physical and mental well-being. Practical and to the point, dispensing with the meridian and element charrts and the esoteric references used in many books dealing with show more traditional Chinese therapeutic systems, this book takes a direct and immediately useful approach. An informative guide to the history and varietes of qigong practice that, with ample use of step-by-step photographs, takes the reader through sets of simple, easily learned exercises used to maintain optimum health, Qigong for Health and Well-Being also answers commonly asked questions and includes a glossary of qigong and traditional Chineses medicine terms and a bibliography to enhance understanding of this rich field.

FaXiang Hou is the fifth-generation master of the Hou family's system of qigong. He has practiced qigong healng for over twenty-five yearss and has taught and practiced since he emigrated form China to the United States in 1991. In 1992 he founded the Qigong Research Society, dedicated to researching, refining, and promulgating the techniques of qigong healing.

Mark V. Wiley has written for many martial arts and traditional health publicaitons and is also the author of Filipino Martial Culture (Tuttle, 1997) and Filipino Marital Arts: Cabales Serrada Escrima (Tuttle, 1994).

Contents

Foreword by Rochelle Fleischman
Introduction
Part One: General background
1 Traditional healthcare in China
The Chinese medical model
Underlying cultural concepts
Etiology: The origins of disharmony
2 Qigong in perspective
Qigong: A practical definition
The variety of qigong forms
How and when to practice
Sensations felt during practice
Benefits of qigong practice
Part Two: Hou family qigong
3 Background of Master FaXiang Hou
4 Ching Loong San Dian Xue Mi Gong Fa Qigong
5 Testimonials: The results of a qigong forum
Part Three: Building foundation qigong
6 The principal qigong points
Bai hui
Upper dantian
Shanzhoung
Middle dantian
Lower dantian
Hui yin
Yong qua
Lao gong
7 Fundamental qigong exercises
Qi ball
Foundation breathing exercises
Standing pole
Three whps
Shooting sparks
Sun through the pole meditation
Closing exercise
8 Animal and element exercises
The goose
The tiger
The bear
Turtle holding its shell
Rolling paper
Qi from the elements
The sun and the moon
Nature
9 Questions and answers
Afterword
Glossary
Further reading (bibliography)
About the authors show less