Frequently Asked Questions

Qigong is an umbrella  term used to define a complete health system originating in China some 5,000 years ago. 

It consists of exercises, meditation and various clinical practices.

At the time of its inception, there were only 3 principally educated sectors of Chinese society. They were, the Emperor's staff and the Buddhist and Taoist monks. 

It was the Taoist and the Buddhist monks who wrote down the specifics or theory of Qigong for the most part and, for the benefit of all society. 

This association, has led many to believe that Qigong is a religious  practice.  

Unless the individual seeks religious training, it is NOT part of their training. 

Qigong Teachers and practitioners come from all walks of life as well as, religious backgrounds.  It is not an issue, as the overall focus is directed towards health.

There are 4 divisions found in Qigong:

• Preventive/Health is practiced by individuals on their own.
• Medical is applied with the guidance of a certified Qigong Clinical Practitioner.   
• Martial for martial artists to benefit from the healing benefits of Qigong.
• Religious for spiritual enhancement.

Qigong training is open to everyone regardless of your present  condition.

If you're active and in good health, you can learn dynamic exercises to strengthen and balance you physically. 

If you have health concerns, we can teach you Clinical Qigong exercises and meditation.

As long as you can focus on what you're doing, you should be good to go!

The beauty of Qigong is its ability to be  adapted to meet each individual's needs with various health conditions 

It should not. The goal or intention is to complement your primary care practitioner's treatments. 

Before you begin any additional practices or treatments, you should check with your primary care provider. Never self-diagnose!!!

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) categorizes Qigong as Complementary Integrative Medicine  

No, depending on your physical condition, the exercises can be tailored to accomodate your needs. Qigong exercises can be done from standing, sitting and supine positions. The training can be very low impact for those recovering from an illness to high impact for martial training. Qigong is very good for individuals with physical limitations because of its adaptability

A Clinical Qigong Practitioner is a trained and certified professional. The Certified Clinical Practitioner has 500-1,000 hours of verified Clinical Qigong training.  

We recommend that you check a Clinical Qigong Practitioner's credentials before beginning any treatments.      

No,  and this why it is imperative that any individual receiving Qigong treatments should verify the credentials of a practitioner. 

In order to receive Clinical/Medical certification, they should have a minimum 500 hours of verifiable training.  You can refer to the National Qigong Association Certification requirements. 

Qigong Meditation (with the exception of the religious application) is practiced to calm the mind in order to allow for healing to occur in an uninterrupted manner.

Qigong meditation is not meant to control your mind, but rather to stop your mind from controlling you! 

When visiting a Clinical Qigong Practitioner, you can expect to be interviewed followed by a preliminary assessment followed by Qigong therapy . 

In most cases, the client can expect to receive "home work" in order to continue to benefit  from the treatments he/she received during the visit.    

Because for the most part, the terminology being used by the majority of western  practitioners is still the one translated from Chinese. 

In many cases, the terms don't directly translate correctly into English however, an experienced practitioner can explain the terminology so that you can understand it. 

The terms used in ancient China were meant to communicate with an uneducated agrarian society  in the simplest manner possible based on their knowledge base.

Depending on what type of exercise set you're doing and the amount of repetitions, they it could take as little as 20 minutes a session.  

Perseverance is the key!

Results vary and are dependent on your physical status at the time you begin your practice.  

When doing these new exercises, it will take time for your body to get accustomed to the movements  and relax in order to allow the practice to take effect.