Qi Gong

Published June 2025

Along side my yoga practice, often take care of my body and my energy by exploring the world of the ancient art that combines mindful movement, breathing, and meditation to promote health and well-being.. sound familiar? While yoga has deep roots in Hinduism and Indian culture, qi gong is comes from Chinese wisdom and embodiment. It's based on the concept of "qi," a vital life force flowing through the body, what we refer to your life force in yoga, prana. The practice emphasis controlling breathing and coordinating with movements to enhance energy flow. The practice functions on the principle of moving the qi through channels known as meridians.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), each organ is associated with a specific meridian. By affecting these meridians, qigong is believed to influence the health and function of the body’s organs.Western medical research is now recommending qigong for reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving breathing and coordination, managing pain, and alleviating fatigue. Qigong has also been shown to improve cognition and memory, as well as aid in fall prevention, all of which are important benefits for aging adults. Qigong’s slow, low-to-no-impact movements, which can be done standing or sitting, make it very accessible so people of any age can practice and benefit from it.

Spotlight

I met a friend while traveling in Albuquerque in 2019, Mika. She is a wonderful qi gonginstructor along with being an energy practitioner, she even hosts her own podcast - Practical Alignment. She discusses a range of topics including personal stories, interviews, taking care of your body and your energy, even numerology. A big shoutout to her oil pulling episode. I used to have gum and teeth issues, I’ve incorporated oil pulling in my morning routine since 2020 and happy to report a healthy mouth. Mika also has free Youtube offerings - videos ranging from 8-30 minutes of simple and effective qi gong routines that feel good to incorporate into your daily life!

Click here to go to a 12 minute morning routine!