Qi Gong (Chi Kung) Meditation, Types of Martial Arts Styles

What is Qi gong (Chi Kung)?

Qi gong is a very elemental form of meditation, what role does it play in different types of martial arts and martial arts styles?

It is a very elemental form of meditation. Most of the disciplined masters strongly emphasize the meditational aspect of it more than its associated aspects of exercising and breathing.

When using chi kung for meditation, one focuses on harnessing the force of chi. It is claimed that each human being who functions normally has the capability of communicating with it.

Qigong is practiced by a vast majority of people today which includes more than 80 million Chinese alone. This is a form of meditation which has a combination of breathing exercises along with Yoga-like movements.

It is often performed in large groups in order to limber up the body during different times each day particularly in the morning. The ultimate purpose of the combination of meditation/breathing movement is to harness qi's force so it is directed through the body so it can restore healthy functioning of the organs along with bone, muscle as well as other tissues with the idea of bringing relief to bodily aches and pains as well as to eliminate stress.

Origin

It is said that Chi kung is a 5000-year-old practice, but it is not really known just how long this ancient practice has been around. It was definitely practiced by the Taoist monks during the third and fourth centuries BCE. It was later practiced by the monks in China in the first century BCE. Both groups used it in correlation with the martial arts.

Qi Gong was also taught in China in its earliest forms under the watchful eye of a master in the Confucianism style around the sixth century BCE. Therefore, qigong approaches a philosophy or a religion, but today most of those who are engaged in this practice continue to enjoy not only its salutary benefit but also its social dimension.

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