Qigong Meditation

What influences health the most?

In order of importance, based on the amount of time most people can potentially engage each area for healing:

1. Breathing– Something we do all the time, and influenced by movements and stretches like Qigong & Yoga; there is much to try to directly work with breath itself.
2. Eating– a particular fascination in materialistic-based cultures
3. Exercising– movement therapies like Qigong, and good old walking

We will start at the bottom of this list and work our way up.

EXERCISE

All of this website is dedicated to a type of movement therapy called Qigong, one that re-defines exercise. Children are taught to exercise harder and longer. The result is that most adults stop exercising as they go through life. What is missing for them? Are they just lazy?

In fact, there are clear benefits to aerobic exercise like Qigong, where the heart rate stays calm, over more vigorous anaerobic activity. Either one is much better than no activity. Children in China are taught more active exercises like martial arts, while elders are drawn to calmer forms of movement like Taiji and Qigong. Youngsters often have more energy than they know what to do with, while we become calmer and more reflective in our mind and movement as we age. In energetic terms, we move from Yang to Yin. Individual temperaments and needs vary in any case, so one should do any exercise that is suitable, that brings joy and peace.

One interesting idea came from a lecturer during a Qigong tour in Beijing in 1998: Our minds are influenced by our daily practice, so if we work out with machines, we will come to think like them. Since then, machines have become more part of our lives, so finding a natural way as a point of comparison is increasingly rare. Qigong gives the opportunity to explore what natural movement can be like and do for us.

FOOD AS MEDICINE

Food is a popular area of interest, with so many options and growing information.

There are many theories and case studies in healthcare, and that includes the field of nutrition. It is difficult to find quality research with tens of thousands of patients over decades. One outstanding approach is the work of a cardiologist from California, Dean Ornish. Decades ago, he was consistently able to generate positive outcomes using the most rigorous research to test natural approaches to heart disease. The positive results led to congressional hearings, followed by government insurance coverage (Medicare) for his 4-part program. This program has 4 parts:

• Mostly plant-based, low-fat foods- with some minimal supplements
• Exercise- up to an hour (results plateau after that)
• Meditation- an hour or more (results only increase with more time), termed “stress reduction”, and including Qigong, yoga, guided imagery, etc.
• Support groups- for love

Over the years, he branched out into other diseases and conditions, such as cancer of the breast and prostate, along with Alzheimers. It is striking that his approach is the only solidly positive research outcome we have for treating this type of ‘senile dementia’ that is all too common. There is presently no drug, herb or practice that is scientifically proven to make a difference in Alzheimers the way this approach has–and in about a month for starters.

After I was diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 66, Dr. Ornish’s approach gave me results and confidence as I faced different treatment options. He also provided an inspiring, integrated vision for health and healing. The biggest change of habit for me was with what I ate: I was eating too many dairy products and eggs, for example. (Chinese men have much less prostate cancer than American and European counterparts: While the causes are impossible to pin down, it is intriguing that Asians ingest less cow’s milk and eggs, while eating more soy–all involved in prostate cancer cell generation.)

Following his dietary guidelines led me within 2 weeks to:

• Lose 25 pounds and 2″ at the waist (which then stabilized), thereby reducing my risk for other cancers in the abdomen
• Increase both my energy (no more naps) and signs of circulation
• Clear active points on my abdomen that are used in Acupuncture to diagnose and treat various conditions and circulatory blockages
• Greatly reduce my food bill, along with my carbon footprint (more than all forms of transportation combined).

I found slightly different versions of his dietary guidelines as the knowledge evolved over decades, depending upon when the book or website was published. Later versions included some low-fat chicken and also non-fat dairy (although the latter is still contra-indicated for prostate cancers in online searches in 2026). So one should consult one’s healthcare team when contemplating big changes like this.

Also, the knowledge on supplements has changed significantly since his earlier work. For example, check each supplement with an online search for one’s particular diagnosis. Often, supplements are not needed or even detrimental.

The more we know about whole, plant-based foods, the more we love and need them.

BREATHING

Breathing is something we do all the time, albeit unconsciously. Imagine if we could find better ways to breathe, or heal specific conditions with it. A problem is that it is difficult for conventional, materialistic science to grasp the subtleties of breath. Ancient civilizations, particularly in India, had no problem relating it to prana, and developing systems of investigation based on that. The proponents of different ways of breathing can be very enthusiastic from their findings and case studies. However the outcomes and mechanism of action may not meet current criteria for matter-based science.

Another issue is that practices that focus on the breath, like pranayama from India, can be difficult for beginners without adequate instruction. We find in Qigong that some parts of forms that include conscious breathing can lead to uncomfortable feelings in the chest, a kind of stagnation. I found this to be true for my students with a history of asthma.

A superbly developed form of breathing practice is that of a Russian doctor Buteyko (now deceased after a long life). I was introduced to this approach by a colleague, while teaching at NUNM, by Dr. Sussanna Czeranko, ND. She used it to heal pain and trauma after a car crash. The head of the organization she was part of, Patrick McKeown of Ireland, leads in generating free materials online from decades of teaching Dr. Buteyko’s research.

The basic ideas, as I understand it, is that the vast majority of us benefit from:

• Breathing through the nose
• Slowing the breath down- Qigong gives the opportunity and training for this
• Using the diaphragm and belly instead of the upper chest- the focus on the ‘lower Dan Tian’ in traditional Chinese practices invites this
• Lengthening and emphasizing the exhale- in classical Chinese acupuncture writings, the exhale is the Yang breath, inducing a special calm like basking in the pure Yang of the sun.
• Stretching the chest and lungs on occasion- Qigong standing forms are often perfect for this, such as Turtle Part 2

Many of us were taught to breathe more, instead of less. A finding is that this is like over-eating: too much of a good thing. The gas exchange at a cellular level shuts down when breathing too deeply or too much. Expanding one’s capacity to be comfortable for longer periods within bounds of “air hunger” may be better than fasting practices for foods.

After my first exposure to Buteyko’s counter-intuitive findings, I noticed changes in my joint pain and mood within about 5 minutes. I continued it while bicycle commuting to reduce my intake of air pollution. I didn’t keep it up though, and found it a bit mechanistic for my habit of mind.

After a successful prostate surgery 3 months ago, I came across the book Breath by James Nestor. He skillfully wrote about the history of a variety of schools of breathing, and from a very human point of view. This re-kindled my interest in Buteyko and other similar approaches to breath training. They have been very helpful in helping nerves relax after the stress of needed surgery.

It came at the right time for me: Nothing like surgery to open one’s mind! I started becoming conscious of breathing during walks outdoors, during Qigong, and sitting meditations.

For pacing the breath, one can use seconds, heartbeats, or walking steps. Nestor recommended about 4-5 beats per inhale, with 5-6 per exhale as a good, moderate one to start with. Then, as one teacher he studied with said, “you must find your own rhythm.”

Within days, I was comfortable walking to 3 breaths inhaling per step, and 7 out. If I went up one of the many inclines that we have in Colorado, I would ‘down-shift’ as with bicycling, to maybe 5 per exhale (depending on the slope). I tried to keep it just this side of “air hunger.”

During the first week of these practices, a large mole fell off my chest. I had it for years (after getting laid off from my job during Covid). As an acupuncturist, I recognized the site of the mole to correspond to the right margin of the diseased prostate organ, the area of interest to my surgeon. (This is based on an ancient concept, that each part reflects the whole.) I was very encouraged by this event. The chronic soreness where the mole had been, also disappeared under my fingers.

Lately, I enjoy breathing in for 2 steps or heartbeats, and exhaling for 10 or sometimes up to 13 or more. This has added more focused relaxation to my walks and depth to sitting meditations.

Ongoing healing is necessary with cancer. It is one step to remove a tumor with surgery –or with the spiritual means more often employed by necessity in parts of the world where free, hi-tech treatments are not given. no matter how the disease is initially removed, it is essential for the patient to do their own work to prevent recurrence. My own prognosis is excellent, but this experience was a great wake-up call for on-going engagement with health and life.

I am grateful for all forms of healing.