MOVEMENT
Oigong
The rising star of wellness…
Welcome to the tranquil power of qigong, an ancient meditative practice joining tai chi, yoga and mindfulness on the complementary therapies stage
WORDS: ANYA LUKOVER
PHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY IMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK
You can’t walk through a park without seeing groups of zen people practising tai chi, and you can do yoga at any hour of the day or night with classes around the country and online. But a lesser known Eastern system of physical and breathing exercises is gaining ground – and with good reason. Qigong (pronounced ‘chee-gong’) is a meditative practice that uses movement, breathing techniques, postures and visualisation to balance mind and body and boost wellness.
While qigong has had periods of popularity in the West and is enjoying a resurgence, this dance-like therapy has been practised in China for 4,000 years, making it the longest practised movement therapy on record. It shares similarities with tai chi in its slow movement, breathing techniques and rich history, but tai chi is practised as a martial arts form which happens to have health benefits, while qigong is practised specifically for its health benefits. Happily, qigong is easier to learn, as its movements are repetitive, rather than the longer sequenced sets of tai chi. Qigong is also suitable if you find seated meditation challenging and, because of its simple and repetitive movement, it is suitable for all ages.