Qigong skills are vital to your success as a Qigong practitioner.
Why?
Because it is your skill with Qigong that will dictate the level of results and benefits you will achieve.
One of the most basic skills of Qigong is being able to generate an energy flow. It is this energy flow that is vital to removing blockages to the harmonious flow of energy through the meridians (energy streams) of the body.
How is this skill developed?
Like any skill you have to learn it from a teacher who has this skill.
Let’s say you want to learn how to drive a car. Would you want to learn from someone who has never driven a car in their life, or someone who is a good driver?
The answer is obvious.
Many people mistake techniques for skills. They think that if someone is very knowledgeable about something then they must be very skilled at it. Such thinking incorrect.
Imagine we have two Qigong teachers.
Teacher A knows over 500 different qigong exercises.
Teacher B knows only 10.
Which Qigong teacher would you want to learn from? It’s human nature to automatically think that Teacher A has the most knowledge and skills, because they know more exercises and therefore is the better teacher.
But, we dig a bit deeper and we discover that Teacher A has learned all his qigong exercises from books and DVD’s, but does not know how to generate energy flow, because they have never learned this skill from a teacher who has that skill.
We also discover that Teacher B has learned all of her qigong exercises from a great Qigong Master who also taught her the 3 core skills of Qigong.
Now which is the better teacher?
Whilst Teacher A had the most techniques (qigong exercises), Teacher B has more skill.
Always remember it is skills that are important in Qigong. It is skills that make Qigong a powerful tool for healing, for energising, for mental and spiritual cultivation. Not how many forms you know, or how much qigong theory you know.
I’m still amazed at how many people think they can learn qigong from a book. yes, you can learn qigong exercises (techniques) from a book, but it is virtually impossible to learn the skills of Qigong from a book.
You wouldn’t learn to swim, just by reading a book, you wouldn’t learn how to perform surgery just by reading a book, you wouldn’t learn to drive just by reading a book.
You’d want to learn from a real live teacher who had the skill you wanted to learn.
The same is true for Qigong. Qigong without skills is qigong form (see my other post Qigong Vs Qigong Form)
If you are going to invest your valuable time and hard earned cash in Qigong keep your eyes on the skill level of your teacher and not how many qigong exercises they can teach you. How can you tell if a Qigong teacher is the ‘real deal’, well perhaps the best way is to trust your instincts, failing that try reading my ‘Guide on how to find a great Qigong teacher‘.
Bye for now
Marcus James Santer
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
definitely agree with you, I read your other post about the wu ji stance, and I know you don’t talk much about seated meditation, but what would you say are the steps to enter a meditative state while doing seated meditation?
Hello Dwayne,
As far as I’m concerned the best way to enter a meditative state of mind whilst seated – is to relax:
This is the best place to be to start your seated meditation. Whether it is counting breaths or whatever method you use.
Hope that’s helpful.
Bye for now
Marcus