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focus…breathe…relax…
mastery of awareness
perfectly balanced
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Qi (or chi – pronounced “chee”) is frequently translated as life energy, life force, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts.
Gong (or kung; gung – pronounced “gung”) is often translated as cultivation or work.
Qigong (pronounced “chee gung”) refers to the cultivation and balance of life energy, especially for health. It focuses on breath, movement and awareness.
Qigong (and tai chi, with which you may be more familiar) is a traditional Chinese exercise. It is a form of gentle exercise involving movements that are typically repeated, composed of strengthening and stretching the body, increasing fluid movement, enhancing balance and building awareness of how the body moves through space. It is based on two ideas:
- Qi flows through the body along “energy pathways” called meridians. If the flow of qi is blocked or unbalanced at any point along the pathway, it is thought that you may become ill. Doing qi gong (or tai chi) increases energy flow and improves health through gentle, graceful, repeated movements.
- Nature, including the body, consists of opposing forces called yin and yang. Good health results when these forces are in balance. Qi gong (or tai chi) movements attempt to help restore the body’s balance of yin and yang.
Some believe that as a complement to Western medicine, qigong can help the body heal itself.
(Sources: WebMD and Wikipedia)
Notice the scrub jay in the photo above. He is perfectly balanced at the top of a 35+ feet tall tree with his right leg, and is holding his left leg steady, as if he is doing a qigong movement! He also has a deformed left foot, which doesn’t seem to hold him back much. (Click here to see another photo of this same bird.)
Also, seeing his pose reminded me of the original 1984 “Karate Kid” movie, when Daniel was learning an important life lesson about balance. (See image at the Wikipedia link here.) In reality, this bird was just waiting for me to put out some peanuts for his daily treat!
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Examples of qigong health benefits:
- Health Benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong – WebMD
- Health Benefits of Qigong – Wikipedia
- Qigong Study for Diabetes Patients – WebMD
- Qigong Study for Prostate Cancer Patients – Huntsman Cancer Institute
- What are the Benefits of Qigong? – eHow
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Have you tried qigong (or tai chi)? If so, what are your experiences?
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This is for the letter “Q” Story Challenge by Frizztext, to share a short story or reflection, even an aphorism using a word tagged with each letter of the alphabet.
Linking up with:
MACRO MONDAY
CAMERA CRITTERS
BIRD D’POT
WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY
RURAL THURSDAY
Creativity Aroused 
So very cute!
Thank you very much, LHB! I do like their poses!
It’s good to know even birds follow the ancient wisdom of Qigong!
Yes it is! They are wiser than we think. 🙂
Thank you very much!
I love this photo, Fergie! The blue backdrop is great that makes your subject stand out.
Thank you, Gracie! I’m glad he didn’t get lost in the blue background.
Okay FM, you outdid yourself with this post which is saying something. I am familiar with gi gong. The bird, the haiku, the post….seriously stellar! Margie
Awww, thank you Margie!
I hope the qigong is helpful for you.
I love this bird….and I also think the literal translation of the bird’s name is fantastic. Thanks for linking up this week at the Bird D’Pot!!
Thank you Anni, and thanks for hosting BDP!
isn’t it a lovely photo too
Thank you, Carole!
Beautiful and very interesting!
Thank you, Julie! I’ll be trying it out in the future.
Nice capture of a balancing act. Breathe in… breathe out…. breathe in… out… your post is reminding me to breathe mindfully. 🙂
Thank you, Emily! Yes, the breathing and mindfulness are important, and healthy for us.
Beautiful shot – birds do seem to possess perfect balance (unlike we humans)
Thank you, ladyfi! Yes, it is amazing to see.
Love the bird pose. How did you manage to get him to do that for you? Nice shot!
Thank you, Jennifer! I just asked nicely while I was bribing him with peanuts. Sometimes he listens!
I love the parallels to yoga here 🙂 The image of the bird balancing is just divine!
Thank you, Marina! I’ve done some light yoga. The balancing is just amazing to see. I wish I had that kind of balance overall.
consistent yoga practice will help… I have done it for years and still topple in poses. but it is persistent endurance. I have a yoga blog – http://www.bikramyogamusings.com Might inspire a practice? 🙂 we’re all in the same boat when it comes to balance – esp. when we start focusing on it!
Have ‘done’ qigong for over a decade [well, tried to!] – not at all surprised a bird not ‘brought up’ in the Western manner finds this a most natural position . . .
Thank you, Eha! Has the qigong been helpful?
Nature is very wise and has a lot to teach us.
Great capture of the jay, so perfectly balanced. It’s amazing that some animals are able to adapt to life with an injury or deformity. The haiku is lovely.
Thank you, Pat! Yes, they are quite resilient and teach us many good lessons.
Fergiemoto that is a perfect match of words and image!
Thank you so much, Gilly!
That is really a wonderful photo of the bird… but the post is outstanding…
Wow, thank you very much, Bulldog! I’m so happy when they offer such cute poses.
He’s a lovely litttle fellow! I’m off to my twice weekly t’ai chi class in an hour or so. I know I should practise daily, and I did once (before blogging took over my life). I’ve been going to classes for 5 years or so. I’m not sure if they help in a health-related way but I do miss them if I don’t go.
Thank you, restlessjo! That’s great you get to your tai chi class twice weekly. If you miss it when you don’t go, then perhaps it is helping in the long term in ways that are not noticeable now. I’m looking forward to giving it a try.
The peanut explanation may be the truth, but it does lack a certain beauty!
Nice picture.
Cheers and thanks for linking to WBW
Stewart M – Australia
Thank you, Stewart!
What a wonderful message!
Exceptional haiku & image. That little guy is a great poser! [even if he is waiting for a little reward!]
[I haven’t tried Qigong but I am learning kriya yoga breathing and I’m aware of the healing benefits of …breathing!]
Thank you so much, Marina! Yes, I love their poses. They actually have been more amusing lately, probably because they are excited about those daily treats.
Yoga, qigong, tai chi, breathing, etc…it’s all good! 🙂
Great shot of the Scrub jay! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Eileen!
thanks to the letter Q: so I hear from Qigong (first time)!
perfectly balanced with one foot only on the top of the world, it seems!
Thank you, Frizz! I will be giving qigong/tai chi a try.
How nice it would be to be balanced and on top of the world. Must be a euphoric feeling.
Great photo and message.
Thank you, TBM!
Perfectly Balanced … Perfectly Beautiful!
I LOVE it!
Thank you, Kerri! I’m so glad you liked it.
A beautiful image of an equally beautiful Scrub Jay~
Thank you, tingsgrove!
I have done Qigong! It is actually a good work out. However, I was no where near as graceful, effortless and beautiful as your little scrub bird, nice post and great shot!
Thank you, Christina! I’m glad you experience benefits from qigong. The birds are so amazing with this. How wonderful it must feel to be on top of the world.
How cute. The yellow leaves are bright.
I didn’t know “Qigong” . Interesting.
Thank you, cocomino! I am going to give qigong/tai chi a try.
So nice! F.
Thank you, federica!
A wonderful image. You seized a fleeting moment
Thank you, Gian Paolo! I’m glad to get this photo, but I didn’t notice the foot until I loaded the photos into my computer. It was a nice surprise.
I’ve just started to explore the world of Qigong!! It is way cool and wonderful. Talk about bringing the body into harmony.
Thank you for sharing, Cee! It’s wonderful that you are experiencing benefits from qigong. I will be giving it, or tai chi, a try also.
Great shot!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
Thank you, B&G!
Great shot of this beautiful bird.
Thank you, Jatta!
Are you a bird whisperer? How else can you get them to pose for you like that? 🙂
No, but I wish. Bribing them with treats helps! 🙂
Thank you, Madhu!
He’s beautiful and I enjoyed your explanation of Qigong.
Thank you, Nancy!
I love this – it does indeed look like he’s doing QiGong! Made me smile. 🙂
Thank you, Betty! They never cease to entertain and amuse in some way!
Karate Kid – my favourite movie while growing up!!!! 😀 Your capture of that fine balance executed is superb! Thank you! Sharon
Thank you so much, Sharon! The first Karate Kid movie is my favorite out of all of them. Aren’t those birds amazing with their balance?
how beautiful the scrub jay; I’m sure this is the first time I’ve seen one
Thank you, Carole!
Such an important ‘message’ both from you and the Scrub Jay! I will share. (I know I am sick right now because I have been so off-balance lately … the body, the mind, the spirit certainly do remind us what we are doing ‘wrong’ and ‘right’. (And nature certainly does that too). Then, sometimes, we are just waiting for ‘peanuts’! XO
Thank you for the nice comment and for sharing the post, Diane! I’m sorry to hear you are/were sick. I hope you are healed, and that you are able to get you body/mind/spirit back in balance.
You are right… He is indeed doing a Qi gong movement… This was very insightful 😉
Thank you, Eliz! I couldn’t resist – he just looked so qijong or martial-arts-like.
Most photographers get frustrated with their models. You, geez, it must be difficult to photograph your subject. You do it so well. You make it looks so easy. The pose of the bird is phenomenal. I guess with nature, it’s okay to find even difficulty if the result is always beauty.
Thank you so much, Rommel! You have such nice compliments! I was so pleased to get this shot. It’s difficult to get good shots, but these scrub jays are so full of personality while they are waiting, asking for and accepting their treats, that I have taken many, many photos of them.
a beautiful haiku and photo..and an interesting post..
Thank you so much, nightlake! I appreciate the visit.