In qigong healing, calming the mind is not a secondary concern — it’s foundational. A cluttered, agitated mind creates blockages that affect the whole system. More practically, entering a Qigong State of Mind requires mental stillness — which means if your mind won’t settle, your practice suffers before it begins.
This page shares two simple, safe techniques for calming the mind that can be used independently, outside of formal qigong practice.
Understanding the Mind in TCM: Shen
In TCM, the mind encompasses more than cognitive function. It includes the Shen — your spirit, consciousness, creativity, and capacity for clear thought. A balanced Shen is reflected in bright, clear eyes. An agitated or depleted Shen shows in dullness, confusion, and difficulty articulating thoughts.
When the Shen is disturbed, relaxation becomes difficult, creativity dries up, and the mental stillness required for effective qigong practice is hard to access. Both techniques below work to soothe the Shen and restore clarity.
Technique 1: Take a Walk
This may be the simplest tool in the qigong healing toolkit — and one of the most underestimated. When the mind is full of clutter, the fastest route back to calm is often the most direct one: go outside and walk.
Nature is particularly effective — the environment itself has a measurable calming effect on the nervous system. But even a walk in a park, or through a quiet street, is enough to begin shifting the mental state. The change of scenery and physical movement interrupt the loop of anxious or intrusive thinking, creating the space needed to settle.
If your thoughts are especially fast or distressing, make it a brisk walk. The physical exertion helps burn off the agitation that mental stress produces but rarely resolves on its own.
From a Western perspective, the minimum benefit is endorphin release. From a TCM perspective, movement encourages qi flow — which is precisely what mental stagnation disrupts.
Once the mind has cleared from the walk, returning to qigong practice becomes significantly easier.
Technique 2: The Breathing Technique
This is a more structured approach — appropriate when you have a few minutes and somewhere quiet to sit. It uses the breath as an anchor for the mind, gently drawing attention away from mental noise and into the present moment.
- Find a comfortable, quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for 3–5 minutes. Sit symmetrically.
- Close your eyes. As you breathe in through your nose, say the words In Deeply to yourself. Feel your abdomen pressing outward — you’re breathing from the diaphragm, not the chest. Undo any tight buttons or belts.
- As you breathe out through your mouth, say the words Out Slowly to yourself. With each exhale, consciously relax the body and the mind a little further.
- Repeat for a maximum of 5 minutes.
Keep this simple. No visualisations, no additional instructions — just the breath and the words. When you finish, open your eyes gently and take a few normal breaths before returning to activity.
This technique can be practiced as often as needed throughout the day. Keep each session to 5 minutes maximum, and make sure you won’t be interrupted.
Going Deeper
These two techniques are entry points. Within qigong healing, calming the mind is closely connected to opening the Heart — the two support each other. For more on the Heart system and its role in emotional health, see Qigong and the Heart.
To develop a full qigong practice that supports mental clarity and emotional wellbeing, take a look at my online course — available to try for free.
