What is Qigong?

Qigong (or Chi Kung) - pronounce chee gong - means energy work and breathing skill in Chinese. It is an ancient art of integrating mindful movements, focused attention, healing, awareness, body posture and breathing techniques. Qigong is more than 4,000 years old.

Just like Tai Chi, Qigong practices combine gentle, continuous, flowing, graceful, mindful movements with proper breathing, posture corrections, awareness and focus.
The exercises are gentle on your muscles and joints.

There are many different types of Qigong. But maybe it is best to categorise the types of Qigong as the 3 Ms:
Qigong is at the heart of Traditional Chinese Medicine (first M). Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners use Qigong to heal others. Practising Qigong can be a way for you to balance and heal: physically, mentally, psychologically, emotionally.
Qigong is also a form of Meditation (second M) and practising mindfulness exercises.
Qigong is practised as a Martial (third M) Arts form.

At Qigong London you learn a combination of Tai Chi and Qigong, called the 'Shibashi 18'. The form you learn helps you to balance, to heal yourself. Learning some Qigong Meditation exercises and practising Qigong you use the form as a self-healing method.

What is Tai Chi Qigong?

What do Tai Chi and Qigong stand for?

Let's start with the 'Chi' in Tai Chi and the 'Qi' in Qigong.

'Chi' in Tai Chi and 'Qi' in Qigong

'Chi' and 'Qi both mean the same. It is just a different way of writing 'life energy'.

'Chi' or 'Qi' is the energy that moves through all things and all life.

Tai Chi is a Chinese Martial Arts form helping you to get that life energy flowing. Tai Chi is a way of exercising: gentle physical exercises combined with mindful stretches and releases of stuck energy. There are many different forms of Tai Chi.

Qigong (meaning 'life energy work') is another way of flowing your life energy. 'Qi' in Qigong means life energy and 'Gong' means practise.

Difference Tai Chi and Qigong

Tai Chi, as a Martial Arts form, focuses on building physical strength.

In my experience, Qigong movements can be less complicated than some of the Tai Chi movements. 

Qigong exercises and meditation exercises focus more on awareness, energy, self-healing, and encourages practitioners to develop themselves spiritually.

'Shibashi 18' - the form you learn at Qigong London - combines the strengths of both Tai Chi and Qigong.

What is Tai Chi?

Tai Chi is a Chinese Martial Art form and is more than 3,000 years old. It is a fighting art which consists of gentle exercises.

The exercises combine flowing, continuous movements with deep breathing which helps you to relax and destress.

There are many styles of Tai Chi. And each style may have different forms.

At Qigong London you learn a combination of Tai Chi and Qigong movements known as 'Shibashi 18'.