In Love With Qi Gong

Qi Gong literally means “energy work” and I have never found something that satisfies something so deep in my life. It follows perfectly with my faith as an Orthodox Christian because both of them are lifelong entities you learn.

Recently I learned that this coming Thursday was the last qi gong class that would be taught and I find myself almost in tears each and every time I think about it, because this truly is something that matters to me.

I have studied different internal qi gong methods on my own, independently, but the pieces never completely fell into place until the previous class and then this intermediate class. Finally there was a real live person I could ask questions of and get answers from. As I began practicing anew, I have found myself feeling physically better, as well as emotionally and psychologically more relaxed in tense situations.

Because of qi gong I have come to the acceptance that what I am currently doing for a living is actually hurting me in more ways than I can explain, even though it is a job I can do. There have been some days, especially here recently when the qi gong exercises I have learned have kept me calm until the end of my shift when I can then do more in depth exercises that actually help me to release the day, which then leads into prayer and more settling.

My husband is in love with tai chi chuan, as you all know, and it is fantastic, but it didn’t suit me. Qi gong does. It isn’t that qi gong is not a “martial” art – something that can be used to defend yourself with if need be (this is a very loose interpretation and explanation) – because, as I have noticed, thanks to a statement Bill made at dinner after qi gong, that any particular movement learned can be a martial movement. I am not a pacifist in any shape or form, but have always been made to feel that any true martial art is beyond me except for maybe tai chi chuan. It also isn’t that qi gong is so out there it cannot be grasped by everyone, or anyone. The main reason it suits me, I realize, is that it is completely internal.

By this, I mean: it is me that is affecting me by reaching out into the Universe, to God if you will, to help myself. No one can take this away from me or alter what I know about it or how it makes me feel. It is as private as my faith. It is almost as important as my faith is to me. It is inside me and, most importantly, I am seeing and feeling results. Serious results.

I bet you’re wondering what type of results, right? Well, here is just a very short list I will share with you:
 My appetite and food desires have drastically changed. I love food. I mean I love food. Food is my drug of choice if I must be completely honest with myself. Nothing makes me happier than to cook, eat, and enjoy good food with good friends. I don’t want the same foods as I did. I have actually begun to listen to my body and realize that I need certain things, such as nuts. I have also begun an orange kick. Even though the oranges can hurt my gall bladder, if I eat these things in moderation I feel better deep down. Even going out to eat my taste has changed – soups are at the top of the list for me of late. And, when I have ignored my body and just picked something from the menu just to eat because I am hungry, it hasn’t worked out very well for me digestive wise, or feeling wise. I know when I am eating something I really shouldn’t, and I accept I must pay for it.
 I am very aware of how physically strong or weak I am and what needs to be improved. I know this doesn’t sound like very much, but, trust me, it’s huge! Up until now I have known I needed to be stronger here or there in my body, but only on a surface level. Now I understand just how important it is as a whole, and exactly which body parts need to be worked on. Another thing that is different is the fact that instead of just putting it all off, I actually work on it and put a good effort into improving and not just ‘trying’ to improve.
 I feel more connected to myself, and thus to the people around me, and thus to God. I hear my body and what it needs. I also hear what others are saying and needing from me or for themselves. I also hear, through reading the Bible and attending Church, what God needs of me and what I need from God.
Qi gong hasn’t answered all of my problems, and in some ways it has just presented me with more questions while presenting me with a more clearly marked path or direction I need to go for the different answers.

Don’t misunderstand either, qi gong isn’t something that teaches you to be completely calm, but it does give you a major avenue in calming down once you are upset or relieving the stress you find in yourself. It doesn’t make you a guru of peace and love, but it does give you a tool to use in obtaining a better understanding of what your need for you to be healthier, happier, and more balanced in so many different areas of yourself. But, this is what I get out of qi gong. Someone else may get something completely different from it. You’ll never know until you try qi gong. It doesn’t matter how good your body is, or how strong or weak it is – qi gong will give you a tool to improve your life.

And Bill, you realize I’m going to be hounding you with questions now about when and where the next class is going to be. You continue to teach me my dear friend, and I will learn…even though it may take me a bit to wrap my head around some concepts.
In Love with Qi Gong



Qi Gong literally means “energy work” and I have never found something that satisfies something so deep in my life. It follows perfectly with my faith as an Orthodox Christian because both of them are lifelong entities you learn.

Recently I learned that this coming Thursday was the last qi gong class that would be taught and I find myself almost in tears each and every time I think about it, because this truly is something that matters to me.

I have studied different internal qi gong methods on my own, independently, but the pieces never completely fell into place until the previous class and then this intermediate class. Finally there was a real live person I could ask questions of and get answers from. As I began practicing anew, I have found myself feeling physically better, as well as emotionally and psychologically more relaxed in tense situations.

Because of qi gong I have come to the acceptance that what I am currently doing for a living is actually hurting me in more ways than I can explain, even though it is a job I can do. There have been some days, especially here recently when the qi gong exercises I have learned have kept me calm until the end of my shift when I can then do more in depth exercises that actually help me to release the day, which then leads into prayer and more settling.

My husband is in love with tai chi chuan, as you all know, and it is fantastic, but it didn’t suit me. Qi gong does. It isn’t that qi gong is not a “martial” art – something that can be used to defend yourself with if need be (this is a very loose interpretation and explanation) – because, as I have noticed, thanks to a statement Bill made at dinner after qi gong, that any particular movement learned can be a martial movement. I am not a pacifist in any shape or form, but have always been made to feel that any true martial art is beyond me except for maybe tai chi chuan. It also isn’t that qi gong is so out there it cannot be grasped by everyone, or anyone. The main reason it suits me, I realize, is that it is completely internal.

By this, I mean: it is me that is affecting me by reaching out into the Universe, to God if you will, to help myself. No one can take this away from me or alter what I know about it or how it makes me feel. It is as private as my faith. It is almost as important as my faith is to me. It is inside me and, most importantly, I am seeing and feeling results. Serious results.

I bet you’re wondering what type of results, right? Well, here is just a very short list I will share with you:
 My appetite and food desires have drastically changed. I love food. I mean I love food. Food is my drug of choice if I must be completely honest with myself. Nothing makes me happier than to cook, eat, and enjoy good food with good friends. I don’t want the same foods as I did. I have actually begun to listen to my body and realize that I need certain things, such as nuts. I have also begun an orange kick. Even though the oranges can hurt my gall bladder, if I eat these things in moderation I feel better deep down. Even going out to eat my taste has changed – soups are at the top of the list for me of late. And, when I have ignored my body and just picked something from the menu just to eat because I am hungry, it hasn’t worked out very well for me digestive wise, or feeling wise. I know when I am eating something I really shouldn’t, and I accept I must pay for it.
 I am very aware of how physically strong or weak I am and what needs to be improved. I know this doesn’t sound like very much, but, trust me, it’s huge! Up until now I have known I needed to be stronger here or there in my body, but only on a surface level. Now I understand just how important it is as a whole, and exactly which body parts need to be worked on. Another thing that is different is the fact that instead of just putting it all off, I actually work on it and put a good effort into improving and not just ‘trying’ to improve.
 I feel more connected to myself, and thus to the people around me, and thus to God. I hear my body and what it needs. I also hear what others are saying and needing from me or for themselves. I also hear, through reading the Bible and attending Church, what God needs of me and what I need from God.
Qi gong hasn’t answered all of my problems, and in some ways it has just presented me with more questions while presenting me with a more clearly marked path or direction I need to go for the different answers.

Don’t misunderstand either, qi gong isn’t something that teaches you to be completely calm, but it does give you a major avenue in calming down once you are upset or relieving the stress you find in yourself. It doesn’t make you a guru of peace and love, but it does give you a tool to use in obtaining a better understanding of what your need for you to be healthier, happier, and more balanced in so many different areas of yourself. But, this is what I get out of qi gong. Someone else may get something completely different from it. You’ll never know until you try qi gong. It doesn’t matter how good your body is, or how strong or weak it is – qi gong will give you a tool to improve your life.

And Bill, you realize I’m going to be hounding you with questions now about when and where the next class is going to be. You continue to teach me my dear friend, and I will learn…even though it may take me a bit to wrap my head around some concepts.