Category: Qigong

Staying motivated with qigong practice is one of the most common challenges practitioners face — especially in the early months. Two large-scale studies tracking over 5,000 people worldwide identified which motivation strategies actually produce results, and which ones don’t. Here’s what the research found, applied to qigong practice.

What Doesn’t Work

The studies, run by Professor Richard Wiseman and detailed in his book 59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot, found that people who used the following strategies were unlikely to achieve their goals:

• Using a celebrity or role model as inspiration
• Focusing on what will go wrong if they don’t succeed
• Trying to suppress unhelpful thoughts
• Relying on willpower alone
• Fantasising about how good life will be once the goal is achieved

5 Strategies That Significantly Increase Success

By contrast, people who used the following five strategies significantly increased their likelihood of achieving their goals.

1. Make a Step-by-Step Plan

If you’re learning under the guidance of a good qigong teacher or following a structured course, this is straightforward — follow the instructions in sequence. If you’re working more independently, map out what you’ll practice and when. Vague intentions don’t become habits; plans do.

2. Tell Other People About Your Goals

First, get clear on what you want from your qigong practice — and write it down. Aims are long term (six months or more); objectives are shorter term and measurable. Post them somewhere visible.

Then share them — but choose carefully who you tell. Some people will encourage you when the going gets tough. Others will, for their own reasons, be indifferent or actively discouraging. Tell the first group, not the second.

3. Focus on the Positive Outcome

Regularly spend a few minutes imagining what you’ll be able to feel, do, or experience once you achieve your aims. Doing this at the end of each practice session works well. This is distinct from fantasy — it’s deliberate, grounded visualisation of a realistic outcome.

4. Reward Yourself for Progress

Don’t wait until you’ve reached your final goal to acknowledge progress. Practiced a full week without missing a session? That deserves a reward. Met a short-term objective? Reward. Rewards don’t need to be expensive — just meaningful enough to reinforce the behaviour.

5. Record Your Progress

As Peter Drucker put it: what gets measured gets managed. If you’re not tracking your practice and its effects at least monthly, you have no reliable way of knowing whether you’re moving toward your aims or away from them. A simple progress journal or tracker is enough.

Putting It Together

These five strategies work because they replace passive wishing with active structure. Applied to qigong, the combination of a clear plan, social accountability, positive focus, regular rewards, and honest measurement creates conditions where consistent practice becomes the path of least resistance — not a daily act of willpower.

For practical strategies on building the habit of daily practice in the first place, see 10 Ways to Build a Regular Qigong Practice — a useful companion to the motivation framework above.

To learn qigong the way it’s practiced at Qigong15, take a look at the online course — week one is free.

If you’re practicing real qigong — not just qigong form — one of the most common mistakes is practicing multiple exercises in a single session. This page explains why that undermines your results, and what to do instead.

The Mistake: Treating Qigong Like a Sequence of Forms

A common question from newer practitioners goes something like this: “Why practice one form per session? Wouldn’t it be better to practice Lifting the Sky, Butterfly Dancing, Shooting Arrows, and Plucking Stars all in the same session?”

It’s a reasonable question — and it reveals a misunderstanding that holds a lot of practitioners back.

The mistake is thinking that the forms of qigong are qigong. They aren’t. They’re forms — the external movements that, when practiced with correct energy and a Qigong State of Mind (QSoM), produce real qigong. Without those skills, you’re doing gentle exercise. The form is not the art.

Why Different Forms Produce Different Results

Each qigong exercise works on specific meridians — the energy channels that run through the body and connect to the organs. Different exercises influence different meridians, and as a result, produce different types of energy flow.

When you practice one form in a session, your energy flow is directed and coherent. When you practice several forms back to back, the energy flows compete and fragment — you get less of everything rather than more.

This is also why many practitioners taught by Tai Chi teachers don’t get the results they expect from qigong. Tai Chi is typically practiced as a sequence of forms performed one after another — and teachers trained in that tradition often apply the same structure to qigong. The outward movements may look similar, but the underlying approach is fundamentally different.

How to Apply This in Practice

Focus on one qigong exercise per session. Over time you’ll notice that certain exercises suit you better than others — some will produce stronger energy flow, some will address specific areas more effectively. Practicing one form at a time is what allows you to discover this.

Practicing several forms in one session — what might be called Self Manifested Energy Flow — is an advanced approach used in specific contexts. It is not the standard method for building qigong skill, and is not appropriate until the underlying skills are well established.

The qigong practiced at Qigong15 is high level, which is also why sessions are short — 15 minutes of correct practice is enough. More is not better. Overpracticing can lead to problems that come from not following instructions rather than from qigong itself.

The Broader Point

Qigong skills — entering a QSoM, generating energy flow, standing meditation — take time and correct guidance to develop. Focusing on one form at a time is part of how those skills deepen. If you’re unsure whether what you’re practicing is genuine qigong or qigong form, the Qigong vs Qigong Form page covers how to tell the difference.

To learn qigong the way it’s practiced at Qigong15, take a look at the online course — week one is free.

The ideal way to learn qigong is directly from a qualified teacher. But that’s not always possible — travel, cost, family commitments, and geography all get in the way. For the many people who are serious about learning qigong but can’t learn in person, an online course is a genuine and worthwhile alternative.

It helps to know what you’re looking for. Not all online qigong courses are equal, and a poor choice costs you more than money — it costs you time. Here’s a simple framework for evaluating your options:

Good: Learning from a well-written qigong book
Better: Learning from a good online qigong course
Best: Learning directly from a qualified qigong teacher

The goal of this page is to help you find the best online option available to you.

5 Things to Check Before Choosing an Online Qigong Course

1. Check the instructor’s credentials

What is their background? How long have they been teaching qigong specifically? Be cautious of instructors who claim expertise across many different disciplines simultaneously — qigong takes years of dedicated practice to master, and breadth of claims can be a sign of shallow depth in any one area.

2. Evaluate what’s actually being offered

A course without video is little better than a book — and a book is more portable. Check how the material is delivered: is it accessible without high technical literacy? Is there support available if you get stuck or have questions? Look carefully at the claims the course makes — do they seem realistic, or outlandish?

3. Check whether it’s comprehensive and systematic

A good qigong course should cover five qualities:

• Comprehensive — the material is complete, not partial
• Right level — pitched correctly for where you are as a practitioner
• Systematic — presented in a clear, step-by-step progression
• Beneficial — genuinely meets your aims and objectives
• Enjoyable — engaging enough to sustain regular practice

Does the course you’re considering meet all five?

4. Look at what others are saying

Search the course name and the instructor’s name online. Look for independent feedback on forums and social media — not just testimonials on the course page itself. What are people saying about results after completing the course?

5. Check for a money-back guarantee

The cost of delivering an online course is low compared to physical books or DVDs. What you’re paying for is the quality of the content — specifically, how well it helps you meet your goals. Any instructor confident in their material should be willing to offer a guarantee. A 30-day money-back guarantee is a reasonable minimum.

A Course That Meets All Five Criteria

The Qigong Secrets Home Study Course was built with each of these criteria in mind. It’s a structured programme with video instruction and a clear progression from foundations to advanced practice — and you can work through it at whatever pace suits you. A free preview is available so you can evaluate the course before committing. If it’s not right for you, that’s fine — but it’s a strong place to start your search.

In PERFECT Qigong, the R stands for Relax — and one of the most powerful tools for achieving genuine relaxation is Smiling from the Heart. It sounds simple. It is simple. But the science behind why it works is worth understanding, because it changes how you approach the practice.

What Science Says About Smiling

There are two types of smile worth knowing about:

• The Duchenne smile — a genuine smile that reaches from the mouth all the way to the eyes, named after the 19th-century neurologist who first described it
• The Pan Am smile — a surface smile involving only the mouth, named after the trained expression used to greet airline passengers

The intuitive assumption is that only a genuine Duchenne smile produces health benefits. Recent research suggests otherwise. Even a physically induced smile — one where the face is mechanically arranged into a smiling position, without any emotional trigger — produces measurable effects:

• Lower heart rate
• Reduced stress levels
• Improved immune function

In one study, volunteers holding a pencil between their teeth (which forces the lower face into a smile position) reported feeling happier than volunteers holding the pencil between their lips (which forces a frown) — without either group being told why they were holding the pencil.

The finding is straightforward: you tend to feel whatever expression you wear on your face, even when that expression is physically rather than emotionally generated.

What This Means for Qigong Practice

This is why Smiling from the Heart is built into the PERFECT Qigong system as a deliberate practice tool. If even a surface smile shifts your emotional and physiological state, a genuine, deep smile — one generated from the heart rather than the face — produces effects that go considerably further.

Smiling from the Heart in qigong is not about performing happiness. It is a skill: the deliberate generation of a warm, genuine inner smile that permeates the practice and deepens relaxation and energy flow in ways that a neutral or tense state of mind cannot.

A Common Mistake to Avoid

If you already practice Smiling from the Heart, make sure you’re not keeping it locked inside your formal qigong sessions. It is a skill you can apply at any point during the day — while walking, working, or waiting. The more consistently it’s practiced outside of formal sessions, the more natural and powerful it becomes within them.

Where to Learn It

Full instructions for Smiling from the Heart — written, video, and audio — are available in Smiling From The Heart, along with guidance on the other six steps of the PERFECT Qigong system. For an introduction to the system itself, see the PERFECT Qigong page.

One of the most common points of uncertainty for qigong students — new and experienced alike — isn’t how to practice. It’s which practice to commit to. Which exercise set. Which teacher. Which style. With a tradition spanning thousands of years and dozens of schools, the options can feel overwhelming.

A simple decision-making approach, borrowed from a children’s game, can cut through that uncertainty quickly.

The Hotter/Colder Method

You’ve probably played Hotter/Colder as a child — someone hides an object, and as you move around the room they tell you whether you’re getting warmer or colder. You don’t need a map or a plan. You just follow the heat.

The same principle applies when choosing a qigong path. When facing two options, ask yourself honestly: which one feels hotter?

Not which one looks more impressive, or which one a friend recommended, or which one seems most rigorous. Which one genuinely draws you?

Applying It to Qigong Decisions

Here are the kinds of choices where this approach is useful:

• Which exercise set to focus on — The 18 Lohan Hands is a complete set with broad health benefits. Zhan Zhuang builds internal force through stance training. Ba Duan Jin is gentle and widely practiced. Which feels hotter to you right now?
• Whether to learn from a teacher or self-study — Learning directly from a qualified instructor produces better results, but isn’t always accessible. An online course is the next best option. Which path is actually available to you — and which feels more sustainable?
• How much time to commit — 15 minutes daily practiced consistently produces better results than an hour practiced occasionally. Does a shorter daily commitment feel hotter than an ambitious schedule you won’t maintain?
• Which health focus to prioritise — Some people come to qigong for physical health, others for mental clarity, stress relief, or spiritual development. Which of the five main reasons people practice qigong feels most relevant to where you are right now?

You Don’t Need Certainty — You Just Need a Direction

Many qigong students delay committing to a practice because they want to be sure they’re making the right choice. But certainty rarely arrives before you begin. What the hotter/colder method offers isn’t certainty — it’s a direction. And a direction is enough to start.

You don’t need to know what your practice will look like in five years. You just need to decide whether one option feels hotter than another — and then follow it with consistency and commitment.

The real challenge, as any honest teacher will tell you, isn’t choosing a path. It’s staying on it. For practical guidance on that, see 10 Ways to Build a Regular Qigong Practice.

Yes — qigong can be learned without direct access to a teacher. You don’t need special equipment, athletic ability, or a lot of time. Many people have built a genuine, beneficial qigong practice entirely through self-directed study. But there’s an important distinction worth understanding before you start.

The Difference Between Form and Qigong

Qigong has two components: the physical movements (the form) and the art itself — which includes genuine energy flow and a Qigong State of Mind (QSoM). The form is not the art of qigong. Practicing the movements alone produces limited results. Practicing them correctly — as qigong — produces the health benefits the tradition is known for.

This distinction matters for self-directed learners because it’s the part most easily missed. A teacher catches it immediately. Without one, you need clear, explicit instruction on both the movements and the energy and mind components — not just a demonstration of the form.

What Self-Directed Learning Looks Like in Practice

A useful way to think about your options:

• Good: Learning from a well-written qigong book — useful for theory and history, harder for learning movement correctly
• Better: Learning from a good online qigong course — video instruction closes the gap that books leave, especially when the course addresses both form and the skills needed to practice it as qigong
• Best: Learning directly from a qualified qigong teacher — the fastest route to correct practice and the deepest results

If a teacher isn’t accessible to you right now, a good online course is a genuine and worthwhile path — provided it teaches the art, not just the movements.

What to Look for in a Self-Study Resource

Whether you use a book, a video, or a structured course, look for instruction that goes beyond the physical form. The best self-study resources will teach you how to generate energy flow, how to develop a Qigong State of Mind, and how to know whether your practice is working. Without these elements, you’re learning exercise — not qigong.

For a full breakdown of what makes a good online qigong course, see: learning qigong online — what to know before you start.

Getting Started

You only need enough space to move, and 15 minutes a day is sufficient for a meaningful practice. The 18 Lohan Hands is a good starting point — a complete, well-documented set of 18 exercises that builds systematically from foundations to advanced practice.

If you’d like structured guidance through the full set, my online course covers all 18 exercises with video instruction and the supporting material needed to practice correctly at home.

Qigong is widely considered safe — and for most people practicing foundational exercises correctly, it is. But the honest answer to “can qigong cause harm?” is yes, under specific conditions. Here’s what determines the risk, and how to stay on the right side of it.

1. Not All Qigong Carries the Same Risk

Qigong covers a wide spectrum of practices, and they don’t all have the same safety profile when practiced without a teacher.

At one end are foundational exercises made up of several movements — like the exercises in the 18 Lohan Hands set. These are safe to practice from written or video instruction. If you get a movement slightly wrong, the effect is simply that you get less benefit — not that you cause harm. The PERFECT Qigong System has safety features built into it for exactly this reason.

At the other end are advanced practices — Zhan Zhuang, Small Universe, Big Universe — where the work is primarily internal. You can’t see what’s happening, which means you also can’t tell from the outside whether it’s being done correctly. Attempting these without proper guidance from a qualified teacher risks causing harm that may be slow to manifest and difficult to trace. This is covered in more detail on the Qigong Deviation Syndrome page.

2. Following Instructions Matters More Than Most Practitioners Realise

For foundational qigong practiced from a reliable source, safety largely comes down to following the instructions correctly — which sounds obvious but is less common than you’d expect. Qigong practiced in a Qigong State of Mind, with relaxed and gentle movements, within the structure of a sound system, is safe. Qigong practiced mechanically, with effort, or with modifications that feel more intuitive than correct, is where problems begin.

3. The Level Determines the Risk

There are three broad levels at which qigong practice works on energy flow through the meridians:

• Multiple exercises in one set — using three or more exercises in a QSoM to generate energy flow. Medical qigong falls into this category. Generally safe for self-practice when learned from a sound source.
• Single exercise practice — one exercise performed in a QSoM with correct breathing. This is the approach taught in the online course at Qigong15. Safe and effective for most practitioners.
• Advanced techniques — Zhan Zhuang, Big Universe, Small Universe. These rely almost entirely on internal processes that can’t be observed or corrected from the outside. These should only be learned directly from a qualified teacher.

The Bottom Line

Foundational qigong, practiced correctly from a reliable source, is safe and worthwhile — even without direct teacher access. The benefits will be somewhat less than learning in person, but they are real and meaningful. Advanced qigong is a different matter entirely, and the risk of practicing it without proper guidance is not theoretical.

If you’re considering starting a self-directed practice, the Can You Teach Yourself Qigong? page covers this question in more depth. To start learning with a structured, safe approach, the online course is built around the foundational level where self-practice is both safe and effective.

Most people know qigong as a practice for physical health and stress reduction. Fewer know that in traditional Chinese medicine, courage and confidence are directly linked to the health of a specific organ — and that targeted qigong practice can strengthen both. Here’s how it works.

The TCM Basis: Da Dan and the Gall Bladder

The Chinese word for courage is Da Dan (大膽), which translates literally as “big gall bladder.” This isn’t metaphorical — in traditional Chinese medicine, courage, confidence, and decisiveness are considered functions of gall bladder health and Qi. A well-functioning gall bladder, with strong, unobstructed Qi flow, supports boldness and the ability to act despite fear. Weakness or blockage in that system manifests as timidity, indecision, and lack of confidence.

This is consistent with the broader TCM framework in which emotional states are understood as expressions of organ health, not purely psychological phenomena. Just as the heart governs joy and the kidneys govern fear, the gall bladder governs courage.

Which Qigong Exercises Work on the Gall Bladder

Not all qigong exercises work equally on all organ systems. Two exercises from the 18 Lohan Hands are particularly known for their bias toward the gall bladder meridian:

• Plucking Stars Change Galaxies — works specifically on the gall bladder and helps clear blockages associated with timidity and indecision
• Reverse Hands Bend Waist — stimulates the gall bladder meridian and is associated with building decisiveness and inner confidence

Practiced correctly — as qigong, with a Qigong State of Mind and genuine energy flow — these exercises do more than stretch the body. They work directly on the Qi of the gall bladder system, with the emotional and psychological benefits that follow from that.

What to Expect

The benefits here are the same as with qigong for physical health: they come from consistent daily practice over time, not from a single session. Courage and confidence built through qigong aren’t manufactured — they’re the natural result of clearing the energetic blockages that were suppressing them. Practitioners often describe the shift as feeling less held back, more willing to act, and more open — as if doors they assumed were locked turn out not to have been.

For a broader picture of what qigong can address, the Qigong for Health section covers a range of physical and emotional conditions in more depth.

Setting up a daily qigong practice is straightforward — maintaining one is where most people struggle. If you’re finding it hard to stay consistent, you’re not alone. Here are 10 strategies that have worked for practitioners of chi kung (also written as qigong) over the long term, drawn from over a decade of daily practice.

1. Set a Fixed Time — Choose a time each day when you’re unlikely to be disturbed, and protect it. Negotiate with family or partners if needed. The goal is a non-negotiable slot: “It’s 8pm — time for qigong.”
2. Get Up 15 Minutes Earlier — We spend a third of our lives asleep. Shifting your alarm by 15 minutes is a small ask for a practice that pays back considerably more. Prepare your clothes and space the night before so there’s no friction when the alarm goes off. That warm, comfortable “I can’t get up” feeling disappears the moment your feet touch the floor — and it’s replaced by something much better.
3. Make a Contract — Accountability works. Tell someone what you’re committing to, and agree on a consequence if you don’t follow through. One approach: for every day you skip practice, you owe a set amount to someone you care about. For every 28 days you maintain it, you give yourself a meaningful reward. Written or spoken, make it feel binding — because it is.
4. Find an Accountability Partner — Agree with someone what you’ll both do if you miss practice, and what you’ll do to celebrate 28 days of consistency. Having someone else invested in your progress changes the dynamic significantly.
5. Increase Your Understanding — Doubt is the main obstacle when building a new qigong habit. The more you understand what you’re doing and why it works, the less doubt can take hold. Review any course materials you have, ask questions, read widely. Understanding sustains commitment.
6. Be Realistic — Qigong is not a 30-day cure. It’s powerful, and you can feel effects quickly — especially if you’ve learned directly from a qualified instructor — but significant change comes from regular, correct practice over time. You didn’t arrive at your current state of health overnight, and you won’t transform it overnight either.
7. Get Clear on Your Why — Remind yourself why you started. What will you lose if you stop? What becomes possible if you continue? People are motivated differently: some are driven by the reward ahead, others by the cost of not acting. Know which applies to you, and use it.
8. Treat It as Sacred Time — Many consistent qigong practitioners treat their practice time as non-negotiable personal time. If the phone rings or the doorbell goes — too bad. You give a great deal of time to others. A healthy, well-practised version of you serves everyone better. Make your practice a priority, not a casualty.
9. Practice With Like-Minded People — Regular qigong practice with a group is more enjoyable and easier to sustain. Being able to discuss your practice with people who understand it is genuinely valuable. If you stop 100 people on the street, the vast majority will never have heard of qigong — find the ones who have.
10. Start Again — Every Time — Every time your practice stops, start again as quickly as possible. Drop the guilt. Erratic practice won’t deliver the full benefits of qigong, but restarting is always worth it. The Chinese define success simply: “Fall over seven times, stand up eight.” Never give up on something that matters to you.

If you’re struggling to maintain a daily qigong practice, pick one strategy from this list and apply it this week — just one. Consistency built on small commitments tends to outlast motivation built on big intentions.

To learn qigong the way we practice it at Qigong15, take a look at the online course — you can even try it for free.

If you could distil qigong practice into two words, they would be these: relaxed and gentle. Not powerful. Not precise. Not effortful. Relaxed and gentle. Here’s what that means across every dimension of practice — and why getting it right changes everything.

Why Relaxed and Gentle?

Qigong works by promoting the smooth flow of Qi through the body’s meridians. Tension — physical, emotional, or mental — is resistance. It interrupts flow. Effort creates tension. Forcing creates tension. Even trying too hard to relax creates tension.

This is why “relaxed and gentle” isn’t just a nice attitude to bring to practice. It’s a functional requirement. Without it, you’re working against the very mechanism qigong relies on.

What Relaxed and Gentle Means in Practice

Your Movements

Qigong movements should be slow, smooth, and unhurried — performed without strain or sharp transitions. There’s no need to stretch to your limit, hold positions with effort, or move with precision. The movements are a vehicle for Qi flow, not an athletic performance. If a movement feels tense or forced, ease back. Relaxed and gentle is always the right direction.

Your Breathing

Breathing in qigong should be natural and unforced. Don’t try to control the depth of each breath or time it rigidly with your movements. Let the breath settle into its own rhythm as you practice. Forcing the breath creates exactly the kind of tension that interrupts Qi flow. Gentle, natural breathing supports it.

Your Mind

This is where most practitioners find the greatest challenge. A relaxed mind doesn’t mean an empty mind — it means a mind that isn’t grasping, straining, or judging. Thoughts may arise during practice. Let them pass without engaging with them. The quality of attention you bring to qigong should feel like the difference between staring hard at something and simply resting your gaze on it.

This quality of mind is at the heart of the Qigong State of Mind (QSoM) — the first of the 3 core skills that underpin effective qigong practice.

A Simple Test for Your Practice

At any point during your qigong session, ask yourself: am I relaxed and gentle right now? Check your shoulders — are they held up or softly dropped? Check your jaw — is it clenched or loose? Check your breath — is it forced or easy? Check your mind — are you straining to get it right, or simply practicing?

If the answer to any of those is tension rather than ease, don’t correct forcefully — that just adds more tension. Simply notice, let go, and continue. That act of noticing and releasing is itself qigong practice.

The Paradox of Effortless Practice

It can feel counterintuitive — especially for people used to exercise that rewards effort — that doing less produces more. But in qigong, relaxation is the skill. The practitioner who moves gently and breathes easily and holds their mind lightly is doing more genuine qigong than one who strains through the same movements with great concentration and effort.

This principle runs through every aspect of the practice, from the most basic qigong exercises to the most advanced. Relaxed and gentle isn’t a beginner’s instruction to graduate past. It’s the standard, at every level.