Qi
gong is one of the earliest systems of self-healing ever
recorded, around 2,700 years ago. History explains how
Zen meditation techniques were brought by an Indian Buddhist
named Bodhidarma or “Damo”, to China in the
5th century A.D.
These
exercises were intended to aid the weak and ill priests
of the Shaolin Monasteries, so that they could become
healthier. The priests found that the exercises and meditations
not only kept their monks healthy, but greatly increased
their strength. They had integrated these exercises into
their martial arts practices & found them to increase
the effectiveness of their techniques.
There
are many forms of Qi gong practice in the world today.
There is Buddhist meditation Qi gong for cultivating spirituality
(or eliminating “Karma”), as for a better
“next life.” There is Qi gong for general
health-maintenance or “Dao Yin” exercises,
Martial arts Qi Gong has been developed over the centuries
for cultivating precision, power & strength. Medical
Qi gong comes out of Taoist philosophy whereas the body
must be maintained and kept healthy so that one may live
a long & happy life.
