About Qigong
What is
Qigong?
Qigong is the practice of cultivating our inherent potential and well-being based upon the natural laws of human consciousness and internal energy flow in the physical body. These laws were observed over the centuries and many systems of Qigong flourished. Gradually, the masters refined and modified their methods until Qigong evolved into a practice that effectively restores harmony and vitality to our bodies. The word "Qigong," in Chinese, is composed of two characters: the first character,"Qi,"（气） represents the life force, or vital energy; the second character, "Gong," （功） means the results or achievement of practice.
Although relatively new to the
United States
, Qigong has a long history in
China
where the practice has been used to improve health and physical strength and increase longevity. The theoretical basis of Qigong relates to the energy patterns in and around the human body, or Qi, which is the foundation of all the martial arts, of energetic healing, of Chinese medicine, of Chinese philosophy, and of Chinese culture.
What is Yi Ren
Qigong?
Yi Ren Qigong is the practice of cultivating our inherent potential and well-being through a growing awareness of "Qi"--the energy-information field within us, as well as surrounding us. In Chinese, the character "Yi"（易）means change, the upper part symbolizes the sun and lower part symbolizes the moon. Through the dynamic interactions of Yin and Yang, the character "Yi" graphically suggests the Tao of change, the laws of different energy interactions in the natural world. The character "Ren"（人） means human. With Yi Ren Qigong studies and practice, we become increasingly aware of energy flow and interactions in our physical body, and in our environment, and start to live in accord with the Tao, the laws in the nature.
The Yi Ren system of Qigong is designed to support an individual in the exploration and expression of the intelligence and wisdom already within the body. It helps one become consciously aware of and understand the body's functions at different levels, including energetic, informational, emotional, conscious and subconscious levels. A regular and disciplined practice of Yi Ren Qigong helps individuals increase harmony within Qi-Mind-Body, which leads to self-knowledge, self-healing, self-reverence, self-mastery, and self-actualization.
Yi Ren Qigong includes two basic components or areas of emphasis: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Qigong. Intrinsic Qigong refers to communication and interaction between the mind and the body; Extrinsic Qigong encompasses communication and interaction between individuals and their environment, including other people, society, and nature.
This natural and non-Invasive system has a great capacity for strengthening our physical body and for enhancing the process of fulfillment of inherent potential through Qi-Mind-Body integration. For example, the internal power of "Jing"（劲） is a dynamic current in the body which can be developed by integrating our Qi with the force of the muscles. The power of "Rou" （柔） is the strength of our tendons, which can be developed by integrating our Qi with the nature of the tendons. The power of "gang" (刚) is the quality of sturdiness of the bones, which can be developed when the bones get nourished with the refined Qi within. At our mental level, the power of “Zhi” （智）is the power of insight and perception, which can be enhanced when the intellectual mind is nourished with the Qi. The power of “Hui”（慧） is the power of direct knowing, and direct communicating, as well as corresponding, which can be developed by integrating the Qi with our intuitive mind and internal organ network.
Regarding Extrinsic Qigong, we learn how to integrate the knowledge of I Ching （易经） with our personal intuitive system, which enables us to recognize and identify different energy interactions, and anticipate what these interactions will create. With extrinsic Qigong practice, we are increasingly aware of what kind of energy nourishes our inherent nature, and what kind of energy impairs our intrinsic nature. Thus we can choose more appropriate community and more conducive environments which foster our personal growth, and support us in the process of fulfilling our highest potential, and achieving self-actualization.
Demonstration video clip from the Level 1 Review video
In this video clip, Dr. Sun performs part of the Yi Ren Level 1 qigong form.
1 minute in length. Requires Real player (available from real.com).
Click here to view video
About Dr. Sun
Dr. Guan-Cheng Sun originally learned a
QiGong system from his grandfather at age nine. Dr. Sun has spent over 25 years
refining his skills and has developed a new system called Yi Ren
QiGong.
After earning his Ph.D. in
molecular biology from the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in Japan in
1993, Dr. Sun was awarded a fellowship from the Japan Society for the Promotion
of Science. During his years in Japan, he also began teaching his QiGong system.
In June 1994, Dr. Sun came to the University of Washington where he continued
his research of the endocrine system at the molecular level. This research into
the hormonal balance and transformation of the body has enriched Dr. Sun's theory
and practice of QiGong. In March of 2000, Dr. Sun accepted an invitation to lecture at the
Mayo Clinic on integrating traditional Eastern healing arts with modern concepts of physiology.
Dr. Sun brings warmth and compassion into the classroom, in
addition to his rigorous scientific background.
Course descriptions of Yi Ren
Qigong.
Level One: (The foundation for all subsequent courses, and the
prerequisite for them.)
This is primarily a stationary practice, done in
standing and sitting positions. The purpose of these exercises is to build up
more energy, and to get the energy field active and stable. Practitioners also
work on developing their body's information system and understanding its
function. The increasing energy in our bodies amplifies the body's signals, and
as we turn the mind's attention toward the body, the body begins to tells us
which places need healing. Working individually, and occasionally in pairs
during class time, we further activate the body's energy centers to enhance and
improve the body's energy flow and to eliminate energy blockages. This triggers
and activates self-healing, with each body's own repair system cleansing and
de-toxifying the body of accumulated negative energy, information, and waste
products caused by illness, injury, tension, stress, and
emotions.
Level Two: (Prerequisite: completion of a Level One class
in Yi Ren Qigong.)
In this course we continue to develop our "Qi" for
more effective self-healing and deep relaxation. The focus of these exercises is
on key points along the acupuncture meridians. Practitioners learn
self-accupressure techniques, and then follow up with a series of energy
practices corresponding to the points stimulated; the purpose is to improve the
energy flow through the channels, release blockages, and promote deep states of
relaxation. Through the exercises in this Level Two course, students begin to
feel and experience more energy connections throughout the body. This comes
about as a result of both greater awareness of the energy flow, as well as
improvement and enhancement of the energy flow itself.
Developing the
Internal Organ Network: (Prerequisite: completion of a Level Two class in Yi Ren
Qigong.)
The practices in this course are designed to bring us to a
deepening awareness of the energy flows inside the organs. Our purpose is to
balance each organ individually and in relation to the others in the network. As
we build up the internal network between the organs, we gain a deeper
appreciation of how our thoughts, desires, and emotions are related to the body
and the organs, and how this network directly affects the quality of our daily
life. By practicing this series, we become able to distinguish between personal
information and collective information; this fosters our self-awareness and
self-responsibility, as well as greater freedom from habitual responses.
Enhanced organ awareness is a powerful tool for understanding our environment
and the effects of seasonal change on the body, and for understanding, at a
deeper level, communications and interactions between ourselves and others.
Personal Energetic Boundaries: (Prerequisite: completion of a Level Two
class in Yi Ren Qigong.)
This class builds upon the foundation of our set
of motion-Qigong /internal martial arts exercises, and adds to it a focus upon
different methods for cleansing our personal space and energy field. This set
combines the slow movements of motion-Qigong in a dynamic sequence with more
forceful movements to clear and maintain our personal space. By freeing
ourselves up, we achieve a more peaceful, healthy, and positive state. This
class will be helpful for those who feel sensitive to, or sometimes overwhelmed
by, environmental or outside information. We will learn to distinguish this type
of information from our own personal information, and then learn a set of
practices designed to reenforce boundaries and clear personal
space.
Sound/Energy Center Correspondences: (Prerequisite: completion of
Level Two.)
In this class, practitioners will work with a unique series
of sounds, in combination with energetic practice and specific points of focus,
to discover how different vibrations correspond to different organs and areas of
the body, for a deeply relaxing and tonic effect. This practice stimulates the
organs to a deeper awareness level, and enhances practitioners' vibrational
sensitivity. These vibrations are related to deep healing, as they assist in
opening the energy meridians and energy centers, and foster a deep cleansing and
releasing process. This also leads to enhanced awareness of how our own or
others' speaking is connected to the energy field, as we learn to recognize
different signals, and the organs and emotions with which they are
associated.
Complementary Practices: (Prerequisite: completion of a Level
Two class.)
In this class we will explore the benefits of alternating
sitting and standing meditations with more active movements. The slow motion
exercises help to integrate mind, movement, energy field and breath. They help
to prepare the mind to become more quiet, and they also ground and stabilize
energy. By combining motion and stillness practices within the same session, we
will achieve greater rest and silence, open the energy centers more deeply, and
feel the energy movement in more detail. This particular combination of
practices will help practitioners to become more aware of the connection between
the mind and energy flow so that we will be able to use the mind to direct the
energy flow; this combination will also enhance our understanding of how and
what the body's energetic system is communicating to us.
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