About the Application of Taiji Five Element Qigong

Q: I suffer from many diseases and I have seen many doctors, but none of them have been able to cure my diseases. Can Taiji Five Element Qigong cure me? How long will it take?

A: The Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form of Taiji Five Element Qigong is designed for curing many types of disease. Most types of disease are caused by emotional imbalances such as anger, worry, obsessive thought, grief, fear, surprise, excessive joy; internal yin and yang imbalances; stagnation of vital energy, blood stasis and constrictions of the five elements.

Patients with many different kinds of illnesses have remarkable results with Five Element Qigong, including such conditions as cancer, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, kidney disease, hepatitis B, high blood pressure, diabetes, et cetera.

If you practice Qigong according to our instruction, you will gradually achieve your goal of regaining health. As to the length of time, it depends on many factors, such as the amount of time you practice, the quality of your practice and your understanding of Qigong. If you follow exactly the prescribed practice instructions, then it usually takes about three months to see results, possibly even full recovery. It is also possible that it might not be effective at all in some case.

Undoubtedly, every patient is eager to heal his disease in a few short months, but in actual fact not everyone can achieve that. If I promise that I can heal everybody's disease, I will be labeled as a swindler or a charlatan. Qigong masters are human beings too. Many diseases are cured by them but many are not.

I believe that one should attend a training course for the purpose of learning the qigong practice skills and then continue the practice after the course in order to heal their diseases.

Top of Page

Q: I suffer from many diseases, such as gastritis, hepatitis B and headaches. Can Five Element Qigong help?

A: Qigong therapy can be effective on all the diseases you mentioned. It depends on the quality of your practice.

We do not suggest you practice Qigong to fight any specific disease. We do not treat disease like Western medicine, treating only the head when the head aches and treating only the feet when the feet hurt. After you regulate the balance of yin, yang and the five elements to support each other; strengthen the immune system and your self-healing ability, then your disease will be cured or at least greatly improved, without any medicine.

The philosophy of treating disease in traditional Chinese medicine is different from that of Western medicine. Qigong therapy emphasizes adjusting the yin and yang of the human body and developing the body's self-healing ability. As soon as the subtle Qi is stimulated in the body, the qi will find the diseases in the body by itself. So you may discover some diseases that you did not know you had. Qigong therapy treats disease at its root cause.

Top of Page

Q: Can Five Element Qigong cure skin disease?

A: Many Five Element Qigong practitioners have cured their skin diseases.

Top of Page

Q: Can patients who are being treated by radiotherapy and chemotherapy practice Five Element Qigong? Will that affect the results of their therapy?

A: Any patient can practice Five Element Qigong. It will not affect the results of the therapy. In fact, it will most likely help to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I have always been against the damaging effects of Western medicine's methods of treating cancer.

Top of Page

Q: Can I take medicine while I practice Qigong? Will the medicine affect the results of my practice?

A: If you have relied heavily on medicine in the past, you should start by reducing the dosage gradually, and eventually stopping them altogether. The purpose of practicing Qigong is to restore the self-healing abilities of the body and the functioning of the immune system. All medicine has harmful side effects and they tend to suppress our body's natural abilities.

Top of Page

Q: You have mentioned that Five Element Qigong is a form of Taoist Qigong, but I think it is a very complete and scientific medical Qigong. Am I right?

A: You are right. I have practiced Taoist Qigong for many years and have a very good understanding of many good health maintenance theories from Taoism. Taiji Five Element Qigong is a medical Qigong that is specifically designed for self healing and health recovery.

Top of Page

Q: I jog every morning. But I need to practice Qigong in the morning according to your instructions. Can I still jog?

A: Yes, you can still jog in the morning. Make sure you do a cool down walk and a short break to calm down before you start the qigong practice.

Top of Page

Q: I've recently practiced another kind of Qigong. How long should I wait before I can begin practicing Five Element Qigong? Can I practice Five Element Qigong with other Qigong forms at the same time?

A: You can start to practice Five Element Qigong as soon as you want to. We don't recommend anyone practice Five Element Qigong with other forms of Qigong at the same time.

Top of Page

Q: I've been practicing tai chi for a long time. Will there be a conflict between tai chi and Five Element Qigong?

A: Although tai chi is a form of martial art, it shares the same Taoist root as Five Element Qigong. There should be no problem in practicing them together for the purpose of maintaining some form of physical exercise.

About How to Practice Five Element Qigong

Top of Page

Q: A patient who suffers from terminal cancer cannot easily move. How can one in this condition practice Qigong?

A: The patient can practice the Purification II Qigong and Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form while lying in bed. Better results will come from more practices.

Top of Page

Q: I don't have mental activities when practicing the Classic Meditation and Purification I forms of Five Element Qigong. What should I do?

A: Qigong practice is not about the presence or absence of mental activities. Rather, it is about getting to a qi state when one is: Seem to be thinking and not thinking. Seem to be with focus and not with focus. Seem to be there and not there.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I cannot sit still. What can I do?

A: Consider kindness, acceptance, forgiveness and selflessness as the guiding principles of your life. Forget your worries. Forget your illness. Forget your environment. Forget yourself. If you can practice Qigong according to the above principles then you may begin to enter stillness.

Top of Page

Q: How can I make fast progress in Five Element Qigong?

A: The greater the haste, the slower the progress.

Top of Page

Q: Do I need to end the practice with closing when I practice in bed at night? Usually, I find it very hard to fall asleep if I do the closing.

A: You do not need to do the closing. When you approach the end of the practice or enter the state of emptiness of mind, you can just relax and fall asleep. After you wake up, the first thing you should do is the closing. By doing this, you would practice throughout the whole night. That is a good way for making progress.

Top of Page

Q: For the stage of gathering Qi from the five elements, can I gather Qi only from one element and skip all the other elements?

A: No, you cannot. The philosophy of treating just the head when the head aches is wrong. If you understand the Chinese traditional theory of yin-yang and five elements, you will know that the cause of disease in an organ does not limit to that one organ. Every organ of the human body belongs to one of the five elements. They generate and restrict each other at the same time to maintain harmony and balance. For instance, the kidneys belong to the water element, the liver belongs to the wood element and the element wood is also related to the element fire. The liver is like a tree, it needs water for nourishment. If there is not enough water, the tree will dry out and the dryness may bring about fire. If there is fire condition in the liver then it can cause diseases in the liver and other related organs. This is why we cannot treat only the part that hurts and have symptoms. The localized approach by modern medicine is the main reason for the proliferation of many incurable chronic diseases.

Top of Page

Q: How should I hold my hands when practicing Magnification, palm facing up or down? Can l put my hands on a table?

A: The palms should face each other. If you are too weak to raise your hands, you can also put them on a table.

Top of Page

Q: When I practiced Qigong, I could not breathe normally. It never felt natural. Do you have any advice?

A: In Five Element Qigong, we use abdominal breathing. If you are not used to it at first, you can use whatever form of breathing you feel comfortable in the beginning. Practice abdominal breathing when you are not practicing Qigong and when you are comfortable with it, then change the way you breathe during practice.

Top of Page

Q: What type of breathing technique is used in Five Element Qigong? When should 1 use my mouth and when should I use my nose to breath? What is the difference between natural breathing and natural breathing using the abdomen?

A: The breathing technique we often talked about is to regulate the breathing. In most cases we use natural abdominal breathing. In fact, we only use the nose to breathe. When we say to breathe in through the eyes, ears, mouth and tongue, we want you to imagine the universal Qi going through these body parts, but not really breathing through them. Natural breathing is the way you breathe every day. Natural abdominal breathing means that the lower abdomen moves out when you inhale and the lower abdomen moves in when you exhale. With practice they should be one and the same.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I have many distracting thoughts. If I change position and lie on my back, I quickly fall asleep. What should I do?

A: You can try to:

• Strengthen your intention
• Open your eyes slightly
• Use the standing or sitting position

Don't worry about the many distracting thoughts, just let it come and let it go and remind yourself that you are practicing Qigong. Also, when you can strengthen your intention that you are practicing Qigong then the distracting thoughts will subside. You can concentrate more on the instructions in the Qigong practice CD and focus on the images being described. One thing to remember is: Do not pursue calmness. The more you want to be calm, the harder it gets. Instead of trying to be calm, you can focus on relaxing your body and your mind. Then the problem will be resolved.

Top of Page

Q: When practicing the Magnification form, which direction should the ball spin?

A: It is not important which direction it spins. The purpose of making it spin is to help you to concentrate on feeling the qi.

Top of Page

Q: During Purification I, when the sacred water washes down from the head to the feet, will it bring the toxins from the upper part of the body to the lower part of the body?

A: That will not happen as long as you follow the instructions. You must not fall asleep during this period for it to work properly. You have to imagine that all of the illness goes out from the yungchuan point (bottom of feet) and there is brightness inside your entire body before you continue to practice the next stage.

Top of Page

Q: What should I do if I have to go to the bathroom when practicing the Classic Meditation?

A: It is a good habit to go to the bathroom before you start your qigong practice. This is to avoid interruptions which affect the quality of your practice. However, if it is urgent, you'd better go!

Top of Page

Q: Why is it better to practice with other people than to practice on your own?

A: This is not always true. However, for beginners or those who requires healing, group practice can help to stimulate the Qi, move the Qi, and strengthen the Qi. Group concentration can also help to enter the stage of emptiness.

But for people who have mastered the practice at the calm and emptiness level, a crowd might be disturbing. A quiet and more secluded place would be a better choice for them.

Top of Page

Q: When practicing Qigong with many others, people have various reactions during the practice and make a lot of noises. That makes it very difficult for me to concentrate. What can I do?

A: I have two suggestions:

• Keep your mind calm and don't let the noise disturb you.
• Every sound in the qi field is energy. Treat it as a healing message.
  Let the energy enter the body to treat your disease.

Top of Page

Q: There are so many books about Qigong. I wanted to read them all but can't afford to buy many books. Can you give me some advice on which books to buy?

A: I would like to suggest a book called the Tao Te Cling, written by Lao-tzu. This book is difficult to comprehend, but it helps in understanding the basics of Qigong. This book is a must read. Another good book is called The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.

About Reactions & Responses to Qigong practice

Top of Page

Q: What reactions can happen in the body when one practices Five Element Qigong? What are normal reactions and what are not?

A: Normal reactions when Qi is stimulated include intestinal movements, releasing unhealthy Qi and feeling heat in the lower dantien.

After the Qi is activated, you might have headaches, dry throat, sore throat, pains, etc. You do not need to take any medicine, because the symptoms will disappear in a few days. During this detoxification process, you may experience past illness, intensified chronic conditions, and even new illnesses. Some people may feel extremely itchy. When that happens, do not scratch. Just continue the practice and use breathing to enhance the detoxification process. Some people may have rashes and other symptoms that look like skin disease. Again, do not use any medication just keep on with the practice.

In other words, accept whatever happens to you with a smile and continue the practice. When all the toxins are cleared, then all the uncomfortable symptoms will also disappear.

Top of Page

Q: I've heard others talk about feeling heat when they practice Qigong, but I only feel cold all over my body, especially in my lower limbs. It feels like I am standing in cold water.

A: Whatever you feel during the practice, whether it be hot or cold, it is normal. Your condition indicates that you have excess yin Qi in your body. Once the yang Qi starts, it will push the excess yin Qi out. When the yin Qi goes through the body, you will feel cold. After the excess yin Qi is cleared, you will feel warm Your legs feel cold because the yin Qi goes down and out through the legs. This is a good sign.

Top of Page

Q: I always sweat a lot after the practice, regardless of the season. Then I get itchy and have break outs on my skin. Does that have something to do with Qigong practice?

A: It is normal to feel hot and sweat after practicing Qigong as long as you feel good afterwards. If you sweat profusely during the qigong practice and feel very tired afterwards, then it might be because you did not relax enough or have too strong desires during the practice. As for break outs and itchy sensations, they are signs that Qi has pushed the meridians and cleared excess humidity and heat from the body. They are good signs. As long as you keep on practicing, they will gradually disappear.

Top of Page

Q: After I practiced Five Element Qigong for awhile, my sleep improved a lot, but I've seen no obvious changes in my mental or physical condition other than the fact that I cannot eat as much as I did before. Is that normal?

A: That is normal. You don't need to worry about how much food you eat. It is common for people who practice Qigong to eat less. Among many of the people who have practiced Five Element Qigong, some have stopped eating for days, a natural fast. The longest record of their fasting time is forty-nine days. Two cancer patients fasted for twenty-eight days and twenty-five days, respectively. Their cancer has gone into long-term remission after that. Of course, you should do this only when you feel that it is part of a natural process. Don't try to force it upon yourself.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I can feel a sense of heat flowing inside my body. But when 1 stop practicing, the feeling is still there, is there something wrong? What should I do?

A: That condition is normal. As long as you end each practice with proper closing, it won't become a problem.

Top of Page

Q: I have a tumor. Why do I feel dizzy and hot when practicing Qigong? Also, I can't fall asleep after I practice in the evening. What can I do?

A: It is normal to get hot and to have symptoms like headaches and other problems of shanghuo (excess fire) when you practice Qigong. The reason is that when you stimulate the yang Qi in your body during practice, you have temporarily disturbed the yin and yang balance. As you continue to practice, the body will adjust to regain its balance and then the symptoms will disappear. However, when the real Qi is motivated it will attack the tumor and you will feel as if the condition has worsened. All of these symptoms are normal.

The proper way to deal with this is to let it be. The symptoms will disappear after the Qi clears all the blockages, where blood and Qi are stagnant, and gradually cures the disease.

If the symptoms are too strong, you can focus on the yungchuan point or you can practice Five Element Qigong's Purification I, cleansing with sacred water. Some cancer patients who experience great pain can temporarily reduce their practice time and take some relaxation breaks. But do not stop the qigong practice all together. That will worsen the condition.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice, sometimes I felt sleepy and other times I had some disturbing emotions, creepy feelings or itchy sensations. Are they reactions to qigong practice?

A: You need to know the difference between sleeping and seems to sleep but not asleep. Being sleepy will affect the results of your practice, but the state of seems to sleep but not asleep is actually a Qigong state. The different sensations you have experienced are signs of Qi circulating the body or Qi clearing blockages and illness.

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Q: When I practiced Qigong. I had difficulty breathing. My throat was swollen. I had a ringing sensation in my ears and my body shook. What should 1 do when these things occur?

A: Ignore them and continue with the practice.

Top of Page

Q: Right after I practice in the morning, my right hand feels hot and my left hand feels cold. And then both hands feel hot all day long. Is that a response to Qigong or a sign of disease?

A: That is normal. Some patients exhibit this kind of response when Qi starts to move through the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, when the illness is a yin condition you will feel cold where it leaves the body.

Top of Page

Q: From the first day I felt Qi in my body, I always felt the sense of a stream of water or a wave of air moving inside whether I'm practicing Qigong or not. What is the reason for that? Is it caused by errors in my practice? Will this disappear sometime?

A: This is a normal phenomenon called the gong dong dong gong. It can last for a little while. It has nothing to do with errors in practice. One thing you must remember is not to end the practice before the Qi settles in the dantien. Keep your mental activity under control and get into the "emptiness" state.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice the Classic meditation and gathering Qi from five elements, sometimes I feel as if I am flying in space. But at other times, I feel as though I'm just sitting on the couch. Is that normal? It is the same when I practice emptiness. Do you have any comments?

About the Application of Taiji Five Element Qigong

Q: I suffer from many diseases and I have seen many doctors, but none of them have been able to cure my diseases. Can Taiji Five Element Qigong cure me? How long will it take?

A: The Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form of Taiji Five Element Qigong is designed for curing many types of disease. Most types of disease are caused by emotional imbalances such as anger, worry, obsessive thought, grief, fear, surprise, excessive joy; internal yin and yang imbalances; stagnation of vital energy, blood stasis and constrictions of the five elements.

Patients with many different kinds of illnesses have remarkable results with Five Element Qigong, including such conditions as cancer, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, kidney disease, hepatitis B, high blood pressure, diabetes, et cetera.

If you practice Qigong according to our instruction, you will gradually achieve your goal of regaining health. As to the length of time, it depends on many factors, such as the amount of time you practice, the quality of your practice and your understanding of Qigong. If you follow exactly the prescribed practice instructions, then it usually takes about three months to see results, possibly even full recovery. It is also possible that it might not be effective at all in some case.

Undoubtedly, every patient is eager to heal his disease in a few short months, but in actual fact not everyone can achieve that. If I promise that I can heal everybody's disease, I will be labeled as a swindler or a charlatan. Qigong masters are human beings too. Many diseases are cured by them but many are not.

I believe that one should attend a training course for the purpose of learning the qigong practice skills and then continue the practice after the course in order to heal their diseases.

Top of Page

Q: I suffer from many diseases, such as gastritis, hepatitis B and headaches. Can Five Element Qigong help?

A: Qigong therapy can be effective on all the diseases you mentioned. It depends on the quality of your practice.

We do not suggest you practice Qigong to fight any specific disease. We do not treat disease like Western medicine, treating only the head when the head aches and treating only the feet when the feet hurt. After you regulate the balance of yin, yang and the five elements to support each other; strengthen the immune system and your self-healing ability, then your disease will be cured or at least greatly improved, without any medicine.

The philosophy of treating disease in traditional Chinese medicine is different from that of Western medicine. Qigong therapy emphasizes adjusting the yin and yang of the human body and developing the body's self-healing ability. As soon as the subtle Qi is stimulated in the body, the qi will find the diseases in the body by itself. So you may discover some diseases that you did not know you had. Qigong therapy treats disease at its root cause.

Top of Page

Q: Can Five Element Qigong cure skin disease?

A: Many Five Element Qigong practitioners have cured their skin diseases.

Top of Page

Q: Can patients who are being treated by radiotherapy and chemotherapy practice Five Element Qigong? Will that affect the results of their therapy?

A: Any patient can practice Five Element Qigong. It will not affect the results of the therapy. In fact, it will most likely help to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I have always been against the damaging effects of Western medicine's methods of treating cancer.

Top of Page

Q: Can I take medicine while I practice Qigong? Will the medicine affect the results of my practice?

A: If you have relied heavily on medicine in the past, you should start by reducing the dosage gradually, and eventually stopping them altogether. The purpose of practicing Qigong is to restore the self-healing abilities of the body and the functioning of the immune system. All medicine has harmful side effects and they tend to suppress our body's natural abilities.

Top of Page

Q: You have mentioned that Five Element Qigong is a form of Taoist Qigong, but I think it is a very complete and scientific medical Qigong. Am I right?

A: You are right. I have practiced Taoist Qigong for many years and have a very good understanding of many good health maintenance theories from Taoism. Taiji Five Element Qigong is a medical Qigong that is specifically designed for self healing and health recovery.

Top of Page

Q: I jog every morning. But I need to practice Qigong in the morning according to your instructions. Can I still jog?

A: Yes, you can still jog in the morning. Make sure you do a cool down walk and a short break to calm down before you start the qigong practice.

Top of Page

Q: I've recently practiced another kind of Qigong. How long should I wait before I can begin practicing Five Element Qigong? Can I practice Five Element Qigong with other Qigong forms at the same time?

A: You can start to practice Five Element Qigong as soon as you want to. We don't recommend anyone practice Five Element Qigong with other forms of Qigong at the same time.

Top of Page

Q: I've been practicing tai chi for a long time. Will there be a conflict between tai chi and Five Element Qigong?

A: Although tai chi is a form of martial art, it shares the same Taoist root as Five Element Qigong. There should be no problem in practicing them together for the purpose of maintaining some form of physical exercise.

About How to Practice Five Element Qigong

Top of Page

Q: A patient who suffers from terminal cancer cannot easily move. How can one in this condition practice Qigong?

A: The patient can practice the Purification II Qigong and Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form while lying in bed. Better results will come from more practices.

Top of Page

Q: I don't have mental activities when practicing the Classic Meditation and Purification I forms of Five Element Qigong. What should I do?

A: Qigong practice is not about the presence or absence of mental activities. Rather, it is about getting to a qi state when one is: Seem to be thinking and not thinking. Seem to be with focus and not with focus. Seem to be there and not there.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I cannot sit still. What can I do?

A: Consider kindness, acceptance, forgiveness and selflessness as the guiding principles of your life. Forget your worries. Forget your illness. Forget your environment. Forget yourself. If you can practice Qigong according to the above principles then you may begin to enter stillness.

Top of Page

Q: How can I make fast progress in Five Element Qigong?

A: The greater the haste, the slower the progress.

Top of Page

Q: Do I need to end the practice with closing when I practice in bed at night? Usually, I find it very hard to fall asleep if I do the closing.

A: You do not need to do the closing. When you approach the end of the practice or enter the state of emptiness of mind, you can just relax and fall asleep. After you wake up, the first thing you should do is the closing. By doing this, you would practice throughout the whole night. That is a good way for making progress.

Top of Page

Q: For the stage of gathering Qi from the five elements, can I gather Qi only from one element and skip all the other elements?

A: No, you cannot. The philosophy of treating just the head when the head aches is wrong. If you understand the Chinese traditional theory of yin-yang and five elements, you will know that the cause of disease in an organ does not limit to that one organ. Every organ of the human body belongs to one of the five elements. They generate and restrict each other at the same time to maintain harmony and balance. For instance, the kidneys belong to the water element, the liver belongs to the wood element and the element wood is also related to the element fire. The liver is like a tree, it needs water for nourishment. If there is not enough water, the tree will dry out and the dryness may bring about fire. If there is fire condition in the liver then it can cause diseases in the liver and other related organs. This is why we cannot treat only the part that hurts and have symptoms. The localized approach by modern medicine is the main reason for the proliferation of many incurable chronic diseases.

Top of Page

Q: How should I hold my hands when practicing Magnification, palm facing up or down? Can l put my hands on a table?

A: The palms should face each other. If you are too weak to raise your hands, you can also put them on a table.

Top of Page

Q: When I practiced Qigong, I could not breathe normally. It never felt natural. Do you have any advice?

A: In Five Element Qigong, we use abdominal breathing. If you are not used to it at first, you can use whatever form of breathing you feel comfortable in the beginning. Practice abdominal breathing when you are not practicing Qigong and when you are comfortable with it, then change the way you breathe during practice.

Top of Page

Q: What type of breathing technique is used in Five Element Qigong? When should 1 use my mouth and when should I use my nose to breath? What is the difference between natural breathing and natural breathing using the abdomen?

A: The breathing technique we often talked about is to regulate the breathing. In most cases we use natural abdominal breathing. In fact, we only use the nose to breathe. When we say to breathe in through the eyes, ears, mouth and tongue, we want you to imagine the universal Qi going through these body parts, but not really breathing through them. Natural breathing is the way you breathe every day. Natural abdominal breathing means that the lower abdomen moves out when you inhale and the lower abdomen moves in when you exhale. With practice they should be one and the same.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I have many distracting thoughts. If I change position and lie on my back, I quickly fall asleep. What should I do?

A: You can try to:

• Strengthen your intention
• Open your eyes slightly
• Use the standing or sitting position

Don't worry about the many distracting thoughts, just let it come and let it go and remind yourself that you are practicing Qigong. Also, when you can strengthen your intention that you are practicing Qigong then the distracting thoughts will subside. You can concentrate more on the instructions in the Qigong practice CD and focus on the images being described. One thing to remember is: Do not pursue calmness. The more you want to be calm, the harder it gets. Instead of trying to be calm, you can focus on relaxing your body and your mind. Then the problem will be resolved.

Top of Page

Q: When practicing the Magnification form, which direction should the ball spin?

A: It is not important which direction it spins. The purpose of making it spin is to help you to concentrate on feeling the qi.

Top of Page

Q: During Purification I, when the sacred water washes down from the head to the feet, will it bring the toxins from the upper part of the body to the lower part of the body?

A: That will not happen as long as you follow the instructions. You must not fall asleep during this period for it to work properly. You have to imagine that all of the illness goes out from the yungchuan point (bottom of feet) and there is brightness inside your entire body before you continue to practice the next stage.

Top of Page

Q: What should I do if I have to go to the bathroom when practicing the Classic Meditation?

A: It is a good habit to go to the bathroom before you start your qigong practice. This is to avoid interruptions which affect the quality of your practice. However, if it is urgent, you'd better go!

Top of Page

Q: Why is it better to practice with other people than to practice on your own?

A: This is not always true. However, for beginners or those who requires healing, group practice can help to stimulate the Qi, move the Qi, and strengthen the Qi. Group concentration can also help to enter the stage of emptiness.

But for people who have mastered the practice at the calm and emptiness level, a crowd might be disturbing. A quiet and more secluded place would be a better choice for them.

Top of Page

Q: When practicing Qigong with many others, people have various reactions during the practice and make a lot of noises. That makes it very difficult for me to concentrate. What can I do?

A: I have two suggestions:

• Keep your mind calm and don't let the noise disturb you.
• Every sound in the qi field is energy. Treat it as a healing message.
  Let the energy enter the body to treat your disease.

Top of Page

Q: There are so many books about Qigong. I wanted to read them all but can't afford to buy many books. Can you give me some advice on which books to buy?

A: I would like to suggest a book called the Tao Te Cling, written by Lao-tzu. This book is difficult to comprehend, but it helps in understanding the basics of Qigong. This book is a must read. Another good book is called The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.

About Reactions & Responses to Qigong practice

Top of Page

Q: What reactions can happen in the body when one practices Five Element Qigong? What are normal reactions and what are not?

A: Normal reactions when Qi is stimulated include intestinal movements, releasing unhealthy Qi and feeling heat in the lower dantien.

After the Qi is activated, you might have headaches, dry throat, sore throat, pains, etc. You do not need to take any medicine, because the symptoms will disappear in a few days. During this detoxification process, you may experience past illness, intensified chronic conditions, and even new illnesses. Some people may feel extremely itchy. When that happens, do not scratch. Just continue the practice and use breathing to enhance the detoxification process. Some people may have rashes and other symptoms that look like skin disease. Again, do not use any medication just keep on with the practice.

In other words, accept whatever happens to you with a smile and continue the practice. When all the toxins are cleared, then all the uncomfortable symptoms will also disappear.

Top of Page

Q: I've heard others talk about feeling heat when they practice Qigong, but I only feel cold all over my body, especially in my lower limbs. It feels like I am standing in cold water.

A: Whatever you feel during the practice, whether it be hot or cold, it is normal. Your condition indicates that you have excess yin Qi in your body. Once the yang Qi starts, it will push the excess yin Qi out. When the yin Qi goes through the body, you will feel cold. After the excess yin Qi is cleared, you will feel warm Your legs feel cold because the yin Qi goes down and out through the legs. This is a good sign.

Top of Page

Q: I always sweat a lot after the practice, regardless of the season. Then I get itchy and have break outs on my skin. Does that have something to do with Qigong practice?

A: It is normal to feel hot and sweat after practicing Qigong as long as you feel good afterwards. If you sweat profusely during the qigong practice and feel very tired afterwards, then it might be because you did not relax enough or have too strong desires during the practice. As for break outs and itchy sensations, they are signs that Qi has pushed the meridians and cleared excess humidity and heat from the body. They are good signs. As long as you keep on practicing, they will gradually disappear.

Top of Page

Q: After I practiced Five Element Qigong for awhile, my sleep improved a lot, but I've seen no obvious changes in my mental or physical condition other than the fact that I cannot eat as much as I did before. Is that normal?

A: That is normal. You don't need to worry about how much food you eat. It is common for people who practice Qigong to eat less. Among many of the people who have practiced Five Element Qigong, some have stopped eating for days, a natural fast. The longest record of their fasting time is forty-nine days. Two cancer patients fasted for twenty-eight days and twenty-five days, respectively. Their cancer has gone into long-term remission after that. Of course, you should do this only when you feel that it is part of a natural process. Don't try to force it upon yourself.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I can feel a sense of heat flowing inside my body. But when 1 stop practicing, the feeling is still there, is there something wrong? What should I do?

A: That condition is normal. As long as you end each practice with proper closing, it won't become a problem.

Top of Page

Q: I have a tumor. Why do I feel dizzy and hot when practicing Qigong? Also, I can't fall asleep after I practice in the evening. What can I do?

A: It is normal to get hot and to have symptoms like headaches and other problems of shanghuo (excess fire) when you practice Qigong. The reason is that when you stimulate the yang Qi in your body during practice, you have temporarily disturbed the yin and yang balance. As you continue to practice, the body will adjust to regain its balance and then the symptoms will disappear. However, when the real Qi is motivated it will attack the tumor and you will feel as if the condition has worsened. All of these symptoms are normal.

The proper way to deal with this is to let it be. The symptoms will disappear after the Qi clears all the blockages, where blood and Qi are stagnant, and gradually cures the disease.

If the symptoms are too strong, you can focus on the yungchuan point or you can practice Five Element Qigong's Purification I, cleansing with sacred water. Some cancer patients who experience great pain can temporarily reduce their practice time and take some relaxation breaks. But do not stop the qigong practice all together. That will worsen the condition.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice, sometimes I felt sleepy and other times I had some disturbing emotions, creepy feelings or itchy sensations. Are they reactions to qigong practice?

A: You need to know the difference between sleeping and seems to sleep but not asleep. Being sleepy will affect the results of your practice, but the state of seems to sleep but not asleep is actually a Qigong state. The different sensations you have experienced are signs of Qi circulating the body or Qi clearing blockages and illness.

Top of Page

Q: When I practiced Qigong. I had difficulty breathing. My throat was swollen. I had a ringing sensation in my ears and my body shook. What should 1 do when these things occur?

A: Ignore them and continue with the practice.

Top of Page

Q: Right after I practice in the morning, my right hand feels hot and my left hand feels cold. And then both hands feel hot all day long. Is that a response to Qigong or a sign of disease?

A: That is normal. Some patients exhibit this kind of response when Qi starts to move through the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, when the illness is a yin condition you will feel cold where it leaves the body.

Top of Page

Q: From the first day I felt Qi in my body, I always felt the sense of a stream of water or a wave of air moving inside whether I'm practicing Qigong or not. What is the reason for that? Is it caused by errors in my practice? Will this disappear sometime?

A: This is a normal phenomenon called the gong dong dong gong. It can last for a little while. It has nothing to do with errors in practice. One thing you must remember is not to end the practice before the Qi settles in the dantien. Keep your mental activity under control and get into the "emptiness" state.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice the Classic meditation and gathering Qi from five elements, sometimes I feel as if I am flying in space. But at other times, I feel as though I'm just sitting on the couch. Is that normal? It is the same when I practice emptiness. Do you have any comments?

About the Application of Taiji Five Element Qigong

Q: I suffer from many diseases and I have seen many doctors, but none of them have been able to cure my diseases. Can Taiji Five Element Qigong cure me? How long will it take?

A: The Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form of Taiji Five Element Qigong is designed for curing many types of disease. Most types of disease are caused by emotional imbalances such as anger, worry, obsessive thought, grief, fear, surprise, excessive joy; internal yin and yang imbalances; stagnation of vital energy, blood stasis and constrictions of the five elements.

Patients with many different kinds of illnesses have remarkable results with Five Element Qigong, including such conditions as cancer, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, kidney disease, hepatitis B, high blood pressure, diabetes, et cetera.

If you practice Qigong according to our instruction, you will gradually achieve your goal of regaining health. As to the length of time, it depends on many factors, such as the amount of time you practice, the quality of your practice and your understanding of Qigong. If you follow exactly the prescribed practice instructions, then it usually takes about three months to see results, possibly even full recovery. It is also possible that it might not be effective at all in some case.

Undoubtedly, every patient is eager to heal his disease in a few short months, but in actual fact not everyone can achieve that. If I promise that I can heal everybody's disease, I will be labeled as a swindler or a charlatan. Qigong masters are human beings too. Many diseases are cured by them but many are not.

I believe that one should attend a training course for the purpose of learning the qigong practice skills and then continue the practice after the course in order to heal their diseases.

Top of Page

Q: I suffer from many diseases, such as gastritis, hepatitis B and headaches. Can Five Element Qigong help?

A: Qigong therapy can be effective on all the diseases you mentioned. It depends on the quality of your practice.

We do not suggest you practice Qigong to fight any specific disease. We do not treat disease like Western medicine, treating only the head when the head aches and treating only the feet when the feet hurt. After you regulate the balance of yin, yang and the five elements to support each other; strengthen the immune system and your self-healing ability, then your disease will be cured or at least greatly improved, without any medicine.

The philosophy of treating disease in traditional Chinese medicine is different from that of Western medicine. Qigong therapy emphasizes adjusting the yin and yang of the human body and developing the body's self-healing ability. As soon as the subtle Qi is stimulated in the body, the qi will find the diseases in the body by itself. So you may discover some diseases that you did not know you had. Qigong therapy treats disease at its root cause.

Top of Page

Q: Can Five Element Qigong cure skin disease?

A: Many Five Element Qigong practitioners have cured their skin diseases.

Top of Page

Q: Can patients who are being treated by radiotherapy and chemotherapy practice Five Element Qigong? Will that affect the results of their therapy?

A: Any patient can practice Five Element Qigong. It will not affect the results of the therapy. In fact, it will most likely help to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I have always been against the damaging effects of Western medicine's methods of treating cancer.

Top of Page

Q: Can I take medicine while I practice Qigong? Will the medicine affect the results of my practice?

A: If you have relied heavily on medicine in the past, you should start by reducing the dosage gradually, and eventually stopping them altogether. The purpose of practicing Qigong is to restore the self-healing abilities of the body and the functioning of the immune system. All medicine has harmful side effects and they tend to suppress our body's natural abilities.

Top of Page

Q: You have mentioned that Five Element Qigong is a form of Taoist Qigong, but I think it is a very complete and scientific medical Qigong. Am I right?

A: You are right. I have practiced Taoist Qigong for many years and have a very good understanding of many good health maintenance theories from Taoism. Taiji Five Element Qigong is a medical Qigong that is specifically designed for self healing and health recovery.

Top of Page

Q: I jog every morning. But I need to practice Qigong in the morning according to your instructions. Can I still jog?

A: Yes, you can still jog in the morning. Make sure you do a cool down walk and a short break to calm down before you start the qigong practice.

Top of Page

Q: I've recently practiced another kind of Qigong. How long should I wait before I can begin practicing Five Element Qigong? Can I practice Five Element Qigong with other Qigong forms at the same time?

A: You can start to practice Five Element Qigong as soon as you want to. We don't recommend anyone practice Five Element Qigong with other forms of Qigong at the same time.

Top of Page

Q: I've been practicing tai chi for a long time. Will there be a conflict between tai chi and Five Element Qigong?

A: Although tai chi is a form of martial art, it shares the same Taoist root as Five Element Qigong. There should be no problem in practicing them together for the purpose of maintaining some form of physical exercise.

About How to Practice Five Element Qigong

Top of Page

Q: A patient who suffers from terminal cancer cannot easily move. How can one in this condition practice Qigong?

A: The patient can practice the Purification II Qigong and Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form while lying in bed. Better results will come from more practices.

Top of Page

Q: I don't have mental activities when practicing the Classic Meditation and Purification I forms of Five Element Qigong. What should I do?

A: Qigong practice is not about the presence or absence of mental activities. Rather, it is about getting to a qi state when one is: Seem to be thinking and not thinking. Seem to be with focus and not with focus. Seem to be there and not there.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I cannot sit still. What can I do?

A: Consider kindness, acceptance, forgiveness and selflessness as the guiding principles of your life. Forget your worries. Forget your illness. Forget your environment. Forget yourself. If you can practice Qigong according to the above principles then you may begin to enter stillness.

Top of Page

Q: How can I make fast progress in Five Element Qigong?

A: The greater the haste, the slower the progress.

Top of Page

Q: Do I need to end the practice with closing when I practice in bed at night? Usually, I find it very hard to fall asleep if I do the closing.

A: You do not need to do the closing. When you approach the end of the practice or enter the state of emptiness of mind, you can just relax and fall asleep. After you wake up, the first thing you should do is the closing. By doing this, you would practice throughout the whole night. That is a good way for making progress.

Top of Page

Q: For the stage of gathering Qi from the five elements, can I gather Qi only from one element and skip all the other elements?

A: No, you cannot. The philosophy of treating just the head when the head aches is wrong. If you understand the Chinese traditional theory of yin-yang and five elements, you will know that the cause of disease in an organ does not limit to that one organ. Every organ of the human body belongs to one of the five elements. They generate and restrict each other at the same time to maintain harmony and balance. For instance, the kidneys belong to the water element, the liver belongs to the wood element and the element wood is also related to the element fire. The liver is like a tree, it needs water for nourishment. If there is not enough water, the tree will dry out and the dryness may bring about fire. If there is fire condition in the liver then it can cause diseases in the liver and other related organs. This is why we cannot treat only the part that hurts and have symptoms. The localized approach by modern medicine is the main reason for the proliferation of many incurable chronic diseases.

Top of Page

Q: How should I hold my hands when practicing Magnification, palm facing up or down? Can l put my hands on a table?

A: The palms should face each other. If you are too weak to raise your hands, you can also put them on a table.

Top of Page

Q: When I practiced Qigong, I could not breathe normally. It never felt natural. Do you have any advice?

A: In Five Element Qigong, we use abdominal breathing. If you are not used to it at first, you can use whatever form of breathing you feel comfortable in the beginning. Practice abdominal breathing when you are not practicing Qigong and when you are comfortable with it, then change the way you breathe during practice.

Top of Page

Q: What type of breathing technique is used in Five Element Qigong? When should 1 use my mouth and when should I use my nose to breath? What is the difference between natural breathing and natural breathing using the abdomen?

A: The breathing technique we often talked about is to regulate the breathing. In most cases we use natural abdominal breathing. In fact, we only use the nose to breathe. When we say to breathe in through the eyes, ears, mouth and tongue, we want you to imagine the universal Qi going through these body parts, but not really breathing through them. Natural breathing is the way you breathe every day. Natural abdominal breathing means that the lower abdomen moves out when you inhale and the lower abdomen moves in when you exhale. With practice they should be one and the same.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I have many distracting thoughts. If I change position and lie on my back, I quickly fall asleep. What should I do?

A: You can try to:

• Strengthen your intention
• Open your eyes slightly
• Use the standing or sitting position

Don't worry about the many distracting thoughts, just let it come and let it go and remind yourself that you are practicing Qigong. Also, when you can strengthen your intention that you are practicing Qigong then the distracting thoughts will subside. You can concentrate more on the instructions in the Qigong practice CD and focus on the images being described. One thing to remember is: Do not pursue calmness. The more you want to be calm, the harder it gets. Instead of trying to be calm, you can focus on relaxing your body and your mind. Then the problem will be resolved.

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Q: When practicing the Magnification form, which direction should the ball spin?

A: It is not important which direction it spins. The purpose of making it spin is to help you to concentrate on feeling the qi.

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Q: During Purification I, when the sacred water washes down from the head to the feet, will it bring the toxins from the upper part of the body to the lower part of the body?

A: That will not happen as long as you follow the instructions. You must not fall asleep during this period for it to work properly. You have to imagine that all of the illness goes out from the yungchuan point (bottom of feet) and there is brightness inside your entire body before you continue to practice the next stage.

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Q: What should I do if I have to go to the bathroom when practicing the Classic Meditation?

A: It is a good habit to go to the bathroom before you start your qigong practice. This is to avoid interruptions which affect the quality of your practice. However, if it is urgent, you'd better go!

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Q: Why is it better to practice with other people than to practice on your own?

A: This is not always true. However, for beginners or those who requires healing, group practice can help to stimulate the Qi, move the Qi, and strengthen the Qi. Group concentration can also help to enter the stage of emptiness.

But for people who have mastered the practice at the calm and emptiness level, a crowd might be disturbing. A quiet and more secluded place would be a better choice for them.

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Q: When practicing Qigong with many others, people have various reactions during the practice and make a lot of noises. That makes it very difficult for me to concentrate. What can I do?

A: I have two suggestions:

• Keep your mind calm and don't let the noise disturb you.
• Every sound in the qi field is energy. Treat it as a healing message.
  Let the energy enter the body to treat your disease.

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Q: There are so many books about Qigong. I wanted to read them all but can't afford to buy many books. Can you give me some advice on which books to buy?

A: I would like to suggest a book called the Tao Te Cling, written by Lao-tzu. This book is difficult to comprehend, but it helps in understanding the basics of Qigong. This book is a must read. Another good book is called The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.

About Reactions & Responses to Qigong practice

Top of Page

Q: What reactions can happen in the body when one practices Five Element Qigong? What are normal reactions and what are not?

A: Normal reactions when Qi is stimulated include intestinal movements, releasing unhealthy Qi and feeling heat in the lower dantien.

After the Qi is activated, you might have headaches, dry throat, sore throat, pains, etc. You do not need to take any medicine, because the symptoms will disappear in a few days. During this detoxification process, you may experience past illness, intensified chronic conditions, and even new illnesses. Some people may feel extremely itchy. When that happens, do not scratch. Just continue the practice and use breathing to enhance the detoxification process. Some people may have rashes and other symptoms that look like skin disease. Again, do not use any medication just keep on with the practice.

In other words, accept whatever happens to you with a smile and continue the practice. When all the toxins are cleared, then all the uncomfortable symptoms will also disappear.

Top of Page

Q: I've heard others talk about feeling heat when they practice Qigong, but I only feel cold all over my body, especially in my lower limbs. It feels like I am standing in cold water.

A: Whatever you feel during the practice, whether it be hot or cold, it is normal. Your condition indicates that you have excess yin Qi in your body. Once the yang Qi starts, it will push the excess yin Qi out. When the yin Qi goes through the body, you will feel cold. After the excess yin Qi is cleared, you will feel warm Your legs feel cold because the yin Qi goes down and out through the legs. This is a good sign.

Top of Page

Q: I always sweat a lot after the practice, regardless of the season. Then I get itchy and have break outs on my skin. Does that have something to do with Qigong practice?

A: It is normal to feel hot and sweat after practicing Qigong as long as you feel good afterwards. If you sweat profusely during the qigong practice and feel very tired afterwards, then it might be because you did not relax enough or have too strong desires during the practice. As for break outs and itchy sensations, they are signs that Qi has pushed the meridians and cleared excess humidity and heat from the body. They are good signs. As long as you keep on practicing, they will gradually disappear.

Top of Page

Q: After I practiced Five Element Qigong for awhile, my sleep improved a lot, but I've seen no obvious changes in my mental or physical condition other than the fact that I cannot eat as much as I did before. Is that normal?

A: That is normal. You don't need to worry about how much food you eat. It is common for people who practice Qigong to eat less. Among many of the people who have practiced Five Element Qigong, some have stopped eating for days, a natural fast. The longest record of their fasting time is forty-nine days. Two cancer patients fasted for twenty-eight days and twenty-five days, respectively. Their cancer has gone into long-term remission after that. Of course, you should do this only when you feel that it is part of a natural process. Don't try to force it upon yourself.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I can feel a sense of heat flowing inside my body. But when 1 stop practicing, the feeling is still there, is there something wrong? What should I do?

A: That condition is normal. As long as you end each practice with proper closing, it won't become a problem.

Top of Page

Q: I have a tumor. Why do I feel dizzy and hot when practicing Qigong? Also, I can't fall asleep after I practice in the evening. What can I do?

A: It is normal to get hot and to have symptoms like headaches and other problems of shanghuo (excess fire) when you practice Qigong. The reason is that when you stimulate the yang Qi in your body during practice, you have temporarily disturbed the yin and yang balance. As you continue to practice, the body will adjust to regain its balance and then the symptoms will disappear. However, when the real Qi is motivated it will attack the tumor and you will feel as if the condition has worsened. All of these symptoms are normal.

The proper way to deal with this is to let it be. The symptoms will disappear after the Qi clears all the blockages, where blood and Qi are stagnant, and gradually cures the disease.

If the symptoms are too strong, you can focus on the yungchuan point or you can practice Five Element Qigong's Purification I, cleansing with sacred water. Some cancer patients who experience great pain can temporarily reduce their practice time and take some relaxation breaks. But do not stop the qigong practice all together. That will worsen the condition.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice, sometimes I felt sleepy and other times I had some disturbing emotions, creepy feelings or itchy sensations. Are they reactions to qigong practice?

A: You need to know the difference between sleeping and seems to sleep but not asleep. Being sleepy will affect the results of your practice, but the state of seems to sleep but not asleep is actually a Qigong state. The different sensations you have experienced are signs of Qi circulating the body or Qi clearing blockages and illness.

Top of Page

Q: When I practiced Qigong. I had difficulty breathing. My throat was swollen. I had a ringing sensation in my ears and my body shook. What should 1 do when these things occur?

A: Ignore them and continue with the practice.

Top of Page

Q: Right after I practice in the morning, my right hand feels hot and my left hand feels cold. And then both hands feel hot all day long. Is that a response to Qigong or a sign of disease?

A: That is normal. Some patients exhibit this kind of response when Qi starts to move through the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, when the illness is a yin condition you will feel cold where it leaves the body.

Top of Page

Q: From the first day I felt Qi in my body, I always felt the sense of a stream of water or a wave of air moving inside whether I'm practicing Qigong or not. What is the reason for that? Is it caused by errors in my practice? Will this disappear sometime?

A: This is a normal phenomenon called the gong dong dong gong. It can last for a little while. It has nothing to do with errors in practice. One thing you must remember is not to end the practice before the Qi settles in the dantien. Keep your mental activity under control and get into the "emptiness" state.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice the Classic meditation and gathering Qi from five elements, sometimes I feel as if I am flying in space. But at other times, I feel as though I'm just sitting on the couch. Is that normal? It is the same when I practice emptiness. Do you have any comments?

About the Application of Taiji Five Element Qigong

Q: I suffer from many diseases and I have seen many doctors, but none of them have been able to cure my diseases. Can Taiji Five Element Qigong cure me? How long will it take?

A: The Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form of Taiji Five Element Qigong is designed for curing many types of disease. Most types of disease are caused by emotional imbalances such as anger, worry, obsessive thought, grief, fear, surprise, excessive joy; internal yin and yang imbalances; stagnation of vital energy, blood stasis and constrictions of the five elements.

Patients with many different kinds of illnesses have remarkable results with Five Element Qigong, including such conditions as cancer, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, kidney disease, hepatitis B, high blood pressure, diabetes, et cetera.

If you practice Qigong according to our instruction, you will gradually achieve your goal of regaining health. As to the length of time, it depends on many factors, such as the amount of time you practice, the quality of your practice and your understanding of Qigong. If you follow exactly the prescribed practice instructions, then it usually takes about three months to see results, possibly even full recovery. It is also possible that it might not be effective at all in some case.

Undoubtedly, every patient is eager to heal his disease in a few short months, but in actual fact not everyone can achieve that. If I promise that I can heal everybody's disease, I will be labeled as a swindler or a charlatan. Qigong masters are human beings too. Many diseases are cured by them but many are not.

I believe that one should attend a training course for the purpose of learning the qigong practice skills and then continue the practice after the course in order to heal their diseases.

Top of Page

Q: I suffer from many diseases, such as gastritis, hepatitis B and headaches. Can Five Element Qigong help?

A: Qigong therapy can be effective on all the diseases you mentioned. It depends on the quality of your practice.

We do not suggest you practice Qigong to fight any specific disease. We do not treat disease like Western medicine, treating only the head when the head aches and treating only the feet when the feet hurt. After you regulate the balance of yin, yang and the five elements to support each other; strengthen the immune system and your self-healing ability, then your disease will be cured or at least greatly improved, without any medicine.

The philosophy of treating disease in traditional Chinese medicine is different from that of Western medicine. Qigong therapy emphasizes adjusting the yin and yang of the human body and developing the body's self-healing ability. As soon as the subtle Qi is stimulated in the body, the qi will find the diseases in the body by itself. So you may discover some diseases that you did not know you had. Qigong therapy treats disease at its root cause.

Top of Page

Q: Can Five Element Qigong cure skin disease?

A: Many Five Element Qigong practitioners have cured their skin diseases.

Top of Page

Q: Can patients who are being treated by radiotherapy and chemotherapy practice Five Element Qigong? Will that affect the results of their therapy?

A: Any patient can practice Five Element Qigong. It will not affect the results of the therapy. In fact, it will most likely help to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I have always been against the damaging effects of Western medicine's methods of treating cancer.

Top of Page

Q: Can I take medicine while I practice Qigong? Will the medicine affect the results of my practice?

A: If you have relied heavily on medicine in the past, you should start by reducing the dosage gradually, and eventually stopping them altogether. The purpose of practicing Qigong is to restore the self-healing abilities of the body and the functioning of the immune system. All medicine has harmful side effects and they tend to suppress our body's natural abilities.

Top of Page

Q: You have mentioned that Five Element Qigong is a form of Taoist Qigong, but I think it is a very complete and scientific medical Qigong. Am I right?

A: You are right. I have practiced Taoist Qigong for many years and have a very good understanding of many good health maintenance theories from Taoism. Taiji Five Element Qigong is a medical Qigong that is specifically designed for self healing and health recovery.

Top of Page

Q: I jog every morning. But I need to practice Qigong in the morning according to your instructions. Can I still jog?

A: Yes, you can still jog in the morning. Make sure you do a cool down walk and a short break to calm down before you start the qigong practice.

Top of Page

Q: I've recently practiced another kind of Qigong. How long should I wait before I can begin practicing Five Element Qigong? Can I practice Five Element Qigong with other Qigong forms at the same time?

A: You can start to practice Five Element Qigong as soon as you want to. We don't recommend anyone practice Five Element Qigong with other forms of Qigong at the same time.

Top of Page

Q: I've been practicing tai chi for a long time. Will there be a conflict between tai chi and Five Element Qigong?

A: Although tai chi is a form of martial art, it shares the same Taoist root as Five Element Qigong. There should be no problem in practicing them together for the purpose of maintaining some form of physical exercise.

About How to Practice Five Element Qigong

Top of Page

Q: A patient who suffers from terminal cancer cannot easily move. How can one in this condition practice Qigong?

A: The patient can practice the Purification II Qigong and Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form while lying in bed. Better results will come from more practices.

Top of Page

Q: I don't have mental activities when practicing the Classic Meditation and Purification I forms of Five Element Qigong. What should I do?

A: Qigong practice is not about the presence or absence of mental activities. Rather, it is about getting to a qi state when one is: Seem to be thinking and not thinking. Seem to be with focus and not with focus. Seem to be there and not there.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I cannot sit still. What can I do?

A: Consider kindness, acceptance, forgiveness and selflessness as the guiding principles of your life. Forget your worries. Forget your illness. Forget your environment. Forget yourself. If you can practice Qigong according to the above principles then you may begin to enter stillness.

Top of Page

Q: How can I make fast progress in Five Element Qigong?

A: The greater the haste, the slower the progress.

Top of Page

Q: Do I need to end the practice with closing when I practice in bed at night? Usually, I find it very hard to fall asleep if I do the closing.

A: You do not need to do the closing. When you approach the end of the practice or enter the state of emptiness of mind, you can just relax and fall asleep. After you wake up, the first thing you should do is the closing. By doing this, you would practice throughout the whole night. That is a good way for making progress.

Top of Page

Q: For the stage of gathering Qi from the five elements, can I gather Qi only from one element and skip all the other elements?

A: No, you cannot. The philosophy of treating just the head when the head aches is wrong. If you understand the Chinese traditional theory of yin-yang and five elements, you will know that the cause of disease in an organ does not limit to that one organ. Every organ of the human body belongs to one of the five elements. They generate and restrict each other at the same time to maintain harmony and balance. For instance, the kidneys belong to the water element, the liver belongs to the wood element and the element wood is also related to the element fire. The liver is like a tree, it needs water for nourishment. If there is not enough water, the tree will dry out and the dryness may bring about fire. If there is fire condition in the liver then it can cause diseases in the liver and other related organs. This is why we cannot treat only the part that hurts and have symptoms. The localized approach by modern medicine is the main reason for the proliferation of many incurable chronic diseases.

Top of Page

Q: How should I hold my hands when practicing Magnification, palm facing up or down? Can l put my hands on a table?

A: The palms should face each other. If you are too weak to raise your hands, you can also put them on a table.

Top of Page

Q: When I practiced Qigong, I could not breathe normally. It never felt natural. Do you have any advice?

A: In Five Element Qigong, we use abdominal breathing. If you are not used to it at first, you can use whatever form of breathing you feel comfortable in the beginning. Practice abdominal breathing when you are not practicing Qigong and when you are comfortable with it, then change the way you breathe during practice.

Top of Page

Q: What type of breathing technique is used in Five Element Qigong? When should 1 use my mouth and when should I use my nose to breath? What is the difference between natural breathing and natural breathing using the abdomen?

A: The breathing technique we often talked about is to regulate the breathing. In most cases we use natural abdominal breathing. In fact, we only use the nose to breathe. When we say to breathe in through the eyes, ears, mouth and tongue, we want you to imagine the universal Qi going through these body parts, but not really breathing through them. Natural breathing is the way you breathe every day. Natural abdominal breathing means that the lower abdomen moves out when you inhale and the lower abdomen moves in when you exhale. With practice they should be one and the same.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I have many distracting thoughts. If I change position and lie on my back, I quickly fall asleep. What should I do?

A: You can try to:

• Strengthen your intention
• Open your eyes slightly
• Use the standing or sitting position

Don't worry about the many distracting thoughts, just let it come and let it go and remind yourself that you are practicing Qigong. Also, when you can strengthen your intention that you are practicing Qigong then the distracting thoughts will subside. You can concentrate more on the instructions in the Qigong practice CD and focus on the images being described. One thing to remember is: Do not pursue calmness. The more you want to be calm, the harder it gets. Instead of trying to be calm, you can focus on relaxing your body and your mind. Then the problem will be resolved.

Top of Page

Q: When practicing the Magnification form, which direction should the ball spin?

A: It is not important which direction it spins. The purpose of making it spin is to help you to concentrate on feeling the qi.

Top of Page

Q: During Purification I, when the sacred water washes down from the head to the feet, will it bring the toxins from the upper part of the body to the lower part of the body?

A: That will not happen as long as you follow the instructions. You must not fall asleep during this period for it to work properly. You have to imagine that all of the illness goes out from the yungchuan point (bottom of feet) and there is brightness inside your entire body before you continue to practice the next stage.

Top of Page

Q: What should I do if I have to go to the bathroom when practicing the Classic Meditation?

A: It is a good habit to go to the bathroom before you start your qigong practice. This is to avoid interruptions which affect the quality of your practice. However, if it is urgent, you'd better go!

Top of Page

Q: Why is it better to practice with other people than to practice on your own?

A: This is not always true. However, for beginners or those who requires healing, group practice can help to stimulate the Qi, move the Qi, and strengthen the Qi. Group concentration can also help to enter the stage of emptiness.

But for people who have mastered the practice at the calm and emptiness level, a crowd might be disturbing. A quiet and more secluded place would be a better choice for them.

Top of Page

Q: When practicing Qigong with many others, people have various reactions during the practice and make a lot of noises. That makes it very difficult for me to concentrate. What can I do?

A: I have two suggestions:

• Keep your mind calm and don't let the noise disturb you.
• Every sound in the qi field is energy. Treat it as a healing message.
  Let the energy enter the body to treat your disease.

Top of Page

Q: There are so many books about Qigong. I wanted to read them all but can't afford to buy many books. Can you give me some advice on which books to buy?

A: I would like to suggest a book called the Tao Te Cling, written by Lao-tzu. This book is difficult to comprehend, but it helps in understanding the basics of Qigong. This book is a must read. Another good book is called The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.

About Reactions & Responses to Qigong practice

Top of Page

Q: What reactions can happen in the body when one practices Five Element Qigong? What are normal reactions and what are not?

A: Normal reactions when Qi is stimulated include intestinal movements, releasing unhealthy Qi and feeling heat in the lower dantien.

After the Qi is activated, you might have headaches, dry throat, sore throat, pains, etc. You do not need to take any medicine, because the symptoms will disappear in a few days. During this detoxification process, you may experience past illness, intensified chronic conditions, and even new illnesses. Some people may feel extremely itchy. When that happens, do not scratch. Just continue the practice and use breathing to enhance the detoxification process. Some people may have rashes and other symptoms that look like skin disease. Again, do not use any medication just keep on with the practice.

In other words, accept whatever happens to you with a smile and continue the practice. When all the toxins are cleared, then all the uncomfortable symptoms will also disappear.

Top of Page

Q: I've heard others talk about feeling heat when they practice Qigong, but I only feel cold all over my body, especially in my lower limbs. It feels like I am standing in cold water.

A: Whatever you feel during the practice, whether it be hot or cold, it is normal. Your condition indicates that you have excess yin Qi in your body. Once the yang Qi starts, it will push the excess yin Qi out. When the yin Qi goes through the body, you will feel cold. After the excess yin Qi is cleared, you will feel warm Your legs feel cold because the yin Qi goes down and out through the legs. This is a good sign.

Top of Page

Q: I always sweat a lot after the practice, regardless of the season. Then I get itchy and have break outs on my skin. Does that have something to do with Qigong practice?

A: It is normal to feel hot and sweat after practicing Qigong as long as you feel good afterwards. If you sweat profusely during the qigong practice and feel very tired afterwards, then it might be because you did not relax enough or have too strong desires during the practice. As for break outs and itchy sensations, they are signs that Qi has pushed the meridians and cleared excess humidity and heat from the body. They are good signs. As long as you keep on practicing, they will gradually disappear.

Top of Page

Q: After I practiced Five Element Qigong for awhile, my sleep improved a lot, but I've seen no obvious changes in my mental or physical condition other than the fact that I cannot eat as much as I did before. Is that normal?

A: That is normal. You don't need to worry about how much food you eat. It is common for people who practice Qigong to eat less. Among many of the people who have practiced Five Element Qigong, some have stopped eating for days, a natural fast. The longest record of their fasting time is forty-nine days. Two cancer patients fasted for twenty-eight days and twenty-five days, respectively. Their cancer has gone into long-term remission after that. Of course, you should do this only when you feel that it is part of a natural process. Don't try to force it upon yourself.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I can feel a sense of heat flowing inside my body. But when 1 stop practicing, the feeling is still there, is there something wrong? What should I do?

A: That condition is normal. As long as you end each practice with proper closing, it won't become a problem.

Top of Page

Q: I have a tumor. Why do I feel dizzy and hot when practicing Qigong? Also, I can't fall asleep after I practice in the evening. What can I do?

A: It is normal to get hot and to have symptoms like headaches and other problems of shanghuo (excess fire) when you practice Qigong. The reason is that when you stimulate the yang Qi in your body during practice, you have temporarily disturbed the yin and yang balance. As you continue to practice, the body will adjust to regain its balance and then the symptoms will disappear. However, when the real Qi is motivated it will attack the tumor and you will feel as if the condition has worsened. All of these symptoms are normal.

The proper way to deal with this is to let it be. The symptoms will disappear after the Qi clears all the blockages, where blood and Qi are stagnant, and gradually cures the disease.

If the symptoms are too strong, you can focus on the yungchuan point or you can practice Five Element Qigong's Purification I, cleansing with sacred water. Some cancer patients who experience great pain can temporarily reduce their practice time and take some relaxation breaks. But do not stop the qigong practice all together. That will worsen the condition.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice, sometimes I felt sleepy and other times I had some disturbing emotions, creepy feelings or itchy sensations. Are they reactions to qigong practice?

A: You need to know the difference between sleeping and seems to sleep but not asleep. Being sleepy will affect the results of your practice, but the state of seems to sleep but not asleep is actually a Qigong state. The different sensations you have experienced are signs of Qi circulating the body or Qi clearing blockages and illness.

Top of Page

Q: When I practiced Qigong. I had difficulty breathing. My throat was swollen. I had a ringing sensation in my ears and my body shook. What should 1 do when these things occur?

A: Ignore them and continue with the practice.

Top of Page

Q: Right after I practice in the morning, my right hand feels hot and my left hand feels cold. And then both hands feel hot all day long. Is that a response to Qigong or a sign of disease?

A: That is normal. Some patients exhibit this kind of response when Qi starts to move through the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, when the illness is a yin condition you will feel cold where it leaves the body.

Top of Page

Q: From the first day I felt Qi in my body, I always felt the sense of a stream of water or a wave of air moving inside whether I'm practicing Qigong or not. What is the reason for that? Is it caused by errors in my practice? Will this disappear sometime?

A: This is a normal phenomenon called the gong dong dong gong. It can last for a little while. It has nothing to do with errors in practice. One thing you must remember is not to end the practice before the Qi settles in the dantien. Keep your mental activity under control and get into the "emptiness" state.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice the Classic meditation and gathering Qi from five elements, sometimes I feel as if I am flying in space. But at other times, I feel as though I'm just sitting on the couch. Is that normal? It is the same when I practice emptiness. Do you have any comments?

About the Application of Taiji Five Element Qigong

Q: I suffer from many diseases and I have seen many doctors, but none of them have been able to cure my diseases. Can Taiji Five Element Qigong cure me? How long will it take?

A: The Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form of Taiji Five Element Qigong is designed for curing many types of disease. Most types of disease are caused by emotional imbalances such as anger, worry, obsessive thought, grief, fear, surprise, excessive joy; internal yin and yang imbalances; stagnation of vital energy, blood stasis and constrictions of the five elements.

Patients with many different kinds of illnesses have remarkable results with Five Element Qigong, including such conditions as cancer, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, kidney disease, hepatitis B, high blood pressure, diabetes, et cetera.

If you practice Qigong according to our instruction, you will gradually achieve your goal of regaining health. As to the length of time, it depends on many factors, such as the amount of time you practice, the quality of your practice and your understanding of Qigong. If you follow exactly the prescribed practice instructions, then it usually takes about three months to see results, possibly even full recovery. It is also possible that it might not be effective at all in some case.

Undoubtedly, every patient is eager to heal his disease in a few short months, but in actual fact not everyone can achieve that. If I promise that I can heal everybody's disease, I will be labeled as a swindler or a charlatan. Qigong masters are human beings too. Many diseases are cured by them but many are not.

I believe that one should attend a training course for the purpose of learning the qigong practice skills and then continue the practice after the course in order to heal their diseases.

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Q: I suffer from many diseases, such as gastritis, hepatitis B and headaches. Can Five Element Qigong help?

A: Qigong therapy can be effective on all the diseases you mentioned. It depends on the quality of your practice.

We do not suggest you practice Qigong to fight any specific disease. We do not treat disease like Western medicine, treating only the head when the head aches and treating only the feet when the feet hurt. After you regulate the balance of yin, yang and the five elements to support each other; strengthen the immune system and your self-healing ability, then your disease will be cured or at least greatly improved, without any medicine.

The philosophy of treating disease in traditional Chinese medicine is different from that of Western medicine. Qigong therapy emphasizes adjusting the yin and yang of the human body and developing the body's self-healing ability. As soon as the subtle Qi is stimulated in the body, the qi will find the diseases in the body by itself. So you may discover some diseases that you did not know you had. Qigong therapy treats disease at its root cause.

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Q: Can Five Element Qigong cure skin disease?

A: Many Five Element Qigong practitioners have cured their skin diseases.

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Q: Can patients who are being treated by radiotherapy and chemotherapy practice Five Element Qigong? Will that affect the results of their therapy?

A: Any patient can practice Five Element Qigong. It will not affect the results of the therapy. In fact, it will most likely help to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I have always been against the damaging effects of Western medicine's methods of treating cancer.

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Q: Can I take medicine while I practice Qigong? Will the medicine affect the results of my practice?

A: If you have relied heavily on medicine in the past, you should start by reducing the dosage gradually, and eventually stopping them altogether. The purpose of practicing Qigong is to restore the self-healing abilities of the body and the functioning of the immune system. All medicine has harmful side effects and they tend to suppress our body's natural abilities.

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Q: You have mentioned that Five Element Qigong is a form of Taoist Qigong, but I think it is a very complete and scientific medical Qigong. Am I right?

A: You are right. I have practiced Taoist Qigong for many years and have a very good understanding of many good health maintenance theories from Taoism. Taiji Five Element Qigong is a medical Qigong that is specifically designed for self healing and health recovery.

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Q: I jog every morning. But I need to practice Qigong in the morning according to your instructions. Can I still jog?

A: Yes, you can still jog in the morning. Make sure you do a cool down walk and a short break to calm down before you start the qigong practice.

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Q: I've recently practiced another kind of Qigong. How long should I wait before I can begin practicing Five Element Qigong? Can I practice Five Element Qigong with other Qigong forms at the same time?

A: You can start to practice Five Element Qigong as soon as you want to. We don't recommend anyone practice Five Element Qigong with other forms of Qigong at the same time.

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Q: I've been practicing tai chi for a long time. Will there be a conflict between tai chi and Five Element Qigong?

A: Although tai chi is a form of martial art, it shares the same Taoist root as Five Element Qigong. There should be no problem in practicing them together for the purpose of maintaining some form of physical exercise.

About How to Practice Five Element Qigong

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Q: A patient who suffers from terminal cancer cannot easily move. How can one in this condition practice Qigong?

A: The patient can practice the Purification II Qigong and Classic Meditation and Purification I Qigong form while lying in bed. Better results will come from more practices.

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Q: I don't have mental activities when practicing the Classic Meditation and Purification I forms of Five Element Qigong. What should I do?

A: Qigong practice is not about the presence or absence of mental activities. Rather, it is about getting to a qi state when one is: Seem to be thinking and not thinking. Seem to be with focus and not with focus. Seem to be there and not there.

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Q: When I practice Qigong, I cannot sit still. What can I do?

A: Consider kindness, acceptance, forgiveness and selflessness as the guiding principles of your life. Forget your worries. Forget your illness. Forget your environment. Forget yourself. If you can practice Qigong according to the above principles then you may begin to enter stillness.

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Q: How can I make fast progress in Five Element Qigong?

A: The greater the haste, the slower the progress.

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Q: Do I need to end the practice with closing when I practice in bed at night? Usually, I find it very hard to fall asleep if I do the closing.

A: You do not need to do the closing. When you approach the end of the practice or enter the state of emptiness of mind, you can just relax and fall asleep. After you wake up, the first thing you should do is the closing. By doing this, you would practice throughout the whole night. That is a good way for making progress.

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Q: For the stage of gathering Qi from the five elements, can I gather Qi only from one element and skip all the other elements?

A: No, you cannot. The philosophy of treating just the head when the head aches is wrong. If you understand the Chinese traditional theory of yin-yang and five elements, you will know that the cause of disease in an organ does not limit to that one organ. Every organ of the human body belongs to one of the five elements. They generate and restrict each other at the same time to maintain harmony and balance. For instance, the kidneys belong to the water element, the liver belongs to the wood element and the element wood is also related to the element fire. The liver is like a tree, it needs water for nourishment. If there is not enough water, the tree will dry out and the dryness may bring about fire. If there is fire condition in the liver then it can cause diseases in the liver and other related organs. This is why we cannot treat only the part that hurts and have symptoms. The localized approach by modern medicine is the main reason for the proliferation of many incurable chronic diseases.

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Q: How should I hold my hands when practicing Magnification, palm facing up or down? Can l put my hands on a table?

A: The palms should face each other. If you are too weak to raise your hands, you can also put them on a table.

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Q: When I practiced Qigong, I could not breathe normally. It never felt natural. Do you have any advice?

A: In Five Element Qigong, we use abdominal breathing. If you are not used to it at first, you can use whatever form of breathing you feel comfortable in the beginning. Practice abdominal breathing when you are not practicing Qigong and when you are comfortable with it, then change the way you breathe during practice.

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Q: What type of breathing technique is used in Five Element Qigong? When should 1 use my mouth and when should I use my nose to breath? What is the difference between natural breathing and natural breathing using the abdomen?

A: The breathing technique we often talked about is to regulate the breathing. In most cases we use natural abdominal breathing. In fact, we only use the nose to breathe. When we say to breathe in through the eyes, ears, mouth and tongue, we want you to imagine the universal Qi going through these body parts, but not really breathing through them. Natural breathing is the way you breathe every day. Natural abdominal breathing means that the lower abdomen moves out when you inhale and the lower abdomen moves in when you exhale. With practice they should be one and the same.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I have many distracting thoughts. If I change position and lie on my back, I quickly fall asleep. What should I do?

A: You can try to:

• Strengthen your intention
• Open your eyes slightly
• Use the standing or sitting position

Don't worry about the many distracting thoughts, just let it come and let it go and remind yourself that you are practicing Qigong. Also, when you can strengthen your intention that you are practicing Qigong then the distracting thoughts will subside. You can concentrate more on the instructions in the Qigong practice CD and focus on the images being described. One thing to remember is: Do not pursue calmness. The more you want to be calm, the harder it gets. Instead of trying to be calm, you can focus on relaxing your body and your mind. Then the problem will be resolved.

Top of Page

Q: When practicing the Magnification form, which direction should the ball spin?

A: It is not important which direction it spins. The purpose of making it spin is to help you to concentrate on feeling the qi.

Top of Page

Q: During Purification I, when the sacred water washes down from the head to the feet, will it bring the toxins from the upper part of the body to the lower part of the body?

A: That will not happen as long as you follow the instructions. You must not fall asleep during this period for it to work properly. You have to imagine that all of the illness goes out from the yungchuan point (bottom of feet) and there is brightness inside your entire body before you continue to practice the next stage.

Top of Page

Q: What should I do if I have to go to the bathroom when practicing the Classic Meditation?

A: It is a good habit to go to the bathroom before you start your qigong practice. This is to avoid interruptions which affect the quality of your practice. However, if it is urgent, you'd better go!

Top of Page

Q: Why is it better to practice with other people than to practice on your own?

A: This is not always true. However, for beginners or those who requires healing, group practice can help to stimulate the Qi, move the Qi, and strengthen the Qi. Group concentration can also help to enter the stage of emptiness.

But for people who have mastered the practice at the calm and emptiness level, a crowd might be disturbing. A quiet and more secluded place would be a better choice for them.

Top of Page

Q: When practicing Qigong with many others, people have various reactions during the practice and make a lot of noises. That makes it very difficult for me to concentrate. What can I do?

A: I have two suggestions:

• Keep your mind calm and don't let the noise disturb you.
• Every sound in the qi field is energy. Treat it as a healing message.
  Let the energy enter the body to treat your disease.

Top of Page

Q: There are so many books about Qigong. I wanted to read them all but can't afford to buy many books. Can you give me some advice on which books to buy?

A: I would like to suggest a book called the Tao Te Cling, written by Lao-tzu. This book is difficult to comprehend, but it helps in understanding the basics of Qigong. This book is a must read. Another good book is called The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.

About Reactions & Responses to Qigong practice

Top of Page

Q: What reactions can happen in the body when one practices Five Element Qigong? What are normal reactions and what are not?

A: Normal reactions when Qi is stimulated include intestinal movements, releasing unhealthy Qi and feeling heat in the lower dantien.

After the Qi is activated, you might have headaches, dry throat, sore throat, pains, etc. You do not need to take any medicine, because the symptoms will disappear in a few days. During this detoxification process, you may experience past illness, intensified chronic conditions, and even new illnesses. Some people may feel extremely itchy. When that happens, do not scratch. Just continue the practice and use breathing to enhance the detoxification process. Some people may have rashes and other symptoms that look like skin disease. Again, do not use any medication just keep on with the practice.

In other words, accept whatever happens to you with a smile and continue the practice. When all the toxins are cleared, then all the uncomfortable symptoms will also disappear.

Top of Page

Q: I've heard others talk about feeling heat when they practice Qigong, but I only feel cold all over my body, especially in my lower limbs. It feels like I am standing in cold water.

A: Whatever you feel during the practice, whether it be hot or cold, it is normal. Your condition indicates that you have excess yin Qi in your body. Once the yang Qi starts, it will push the excess yin Qi out. When the yin Qi goes through the body, you will feel cold. After the excess yin Qi is cleared, you will feel warm Your legs feel cold because the yin Qi goes down and out through the legs. This is a good sign.

Top of Page

Q: I always sweat a lot after the practice, regardless of the season. Then I get itchy and have break outs on my skin. Does that have something to do with Qigong practice?

A: It is normal to feel hot and sweat after practicing Qigong as long as you feel good afterwards. If you sweat profusely during the qigong practice and feel very tired afterwards, then it might be because you did not relax enough or have too strong desires during the practice. As for break outs and itchy sensations, they are signs that Qi has pushed the meridians and cleared excess humidity and heat from the body. They are good signs. As long as you keep on practicing, they will gradually disappear.

Top of Page

Q: After I practiced Five Element Qigong for awhile, my sleep improved a lot, but I've seen no obvious changes in my mental or physical condition other than the fact that I cannot eat as much as I did before. Is that normal?

A: That is normal. You don't need to worry about how much food you eat. It is common for people who practice Qigong to eat less. Among many of the people who have practiced Five Element Qigong, some have stopped eating for days, a natural fast. The longest record of their fasting time is forty-nine days. Two cancer patients fasted for twenty-eight days and twenty-five days, respectively. Their cancer has gone into long-term remission after that. Of course, you should do this only when you feel that it is part of a natural process. Don't try to force it upon yourself.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice Qigong, I can feel a sense of heat flowing inside my body. But when 1 stop practicing, the feeling is still there, is there something wrong? What should I do?

A: That condition is normal. As long as you end each practice with proper closing, it won't become a problem.

Top of Page

Q: I have a tumor. Why do I feel dizzy and hot when practicing Qigong? Also, I can't fall asleep after I practice in the evening. What can I do?

A: It is normal to get hot and to have symptoms like headaches and other problems of shanghuo (excess fire) when you practice Qigong. The reason is that when you stimulate the yang Qi in your body during practice, you have temporarily disturbed the yin and yang balance. As you continue to practice, the body will adjust to regain its balance and then the symptoms will disappear. However, when the real Qi is motivated it will attack the tumor and you will feel as if the condition has worsened. All of these symptoms are normal.

The proper way to deal with this is to let it be. The symptoms will disappear after the Qi clears all the blockages, where blood and Qi are stagnant, and gradually cures the disease.

If the symptoms are too strong, you can focus on the yungchuan point or you can practice Five Element Qigong's Purification I, cleansing with sacred water. Some cancer patients who experience great pain can temporarily reduce their practice time and take some relaxation breaks. But do not stop the qigong practice all together. That will worsen the condition.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice, sometimes I felt sleepy and other times I had some disturbing emotions, creepy feelings or itchy sensations. Are they reactions to qigong practice?

A: You need to know the difference between sleeping and seems to sleep but not asleep. Being sleepy will affect the results of your practice, but the state of seems to sleep but not asleep is actually a Qigong state. The different sensations you have experienced are signs of Qi circulating the body or Qi clearing blockages and illness.

Top of Page

Q: When I practiced Qigong. I had difficulty breathing. My throat was swollen. I had a ringing sensation in my ears and my body shook. What should 1 do when these things occur?

A: Ignore them and continue with the practice.

Top of Page

Q: Right after I practice in the morning, my right hand feels hot and my left hand feels cold. And then both hands feel hot all day long. Is that a response to Qigong or a sign of disease?

A: That is normal. Some patients exhibit this kind of response when Qi starts to move through the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, when the illness is a yin condition you will feel cold where it leaves the body.

Top of Page

Q: From the first day I felt Qi in my body, I always felt the sense of a stream of water or a wave of air moving inside whether I'm practicing Qigong or not. What is the reason for that? Is it caused by errors in my practice? Will this disappear sometime?

A: This is a normal phenomenon called the gong dong dong gong. It can last for a little while. It has nothing to do with errors in practice. One thing you must remember is not to end the practice before the Qi settles in the dantien. Keep your mental activity under control and get into the "emptiness" state.

Top of Page

Q: When I practice the Classic meditation and gathering Qi from five elements, sometimes I feel as if I am flying in space. But at other times, I feel as though I'm just sitting on the couch. Is that normal? It is the same when I practice emptiness. Do you have any comments?