Have you noticed that qigong, a fundamental pillar of Chinese medicine, is gaining much wider recognition by the public? In fact, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) recently updated the Health Information section of its website to include a section titled, “Qigong: What You Need to Know.”
In the past five years, from 2018 to 2023, at least 69 PubMed meta-analyses or review articles have asserted a range of improved chronic clinical conditions and/or enhanced well-being because of having trial participants practice qigong or tai chi.
I have been particularly pleased to learn what has been documented by clinical research studies on individuals over 60 years of age. Specifically, regular qigong practice by older adults has been helpful for physical and mental health conditions, as well as reducing symptoms related to chronic disease.
An educational resource that I recently acquired from the Samueli Integrative Health Programs distills the benefits of tai chi and qigong. This three-page pocket guide, Moving Meditations – Tai Chi & Qigong Pocket Guide, can be found on the Healing Works Foundation website.
My Personal Qigong Journey
I remember the first acupuncturist I was treated by when I lived in Jacksonville, Fla. He asked me if I knew about tai chi and qigong, and if I wanted to practice it. The acupuncturist explained to me that practicing qigong or tai chi between my acupuncture treatment sessions would enhance my well-being.
Since that time, I have come to appreciate the healing benefits of this profound meditative movement practice. In fact, during my 15 years (2004-2019), as the CEO of the NCCAOM, I had the privilege and opportunity to learn and practice qigong and tai chi for my own health. I now appreciate decreased stress, improved sleep, better posture, and more energy to help me meet the demands of my day.
In 2020, I took my next step in cultivating and managing my “qi” so that I could share this practice with others in my community. I decided to focus on advancing my knowledge and skills by incorporating the practice of breathwork, body alignment, and gentle movements to stimulate my organs, and with the practice of self-massage, while completing a 25-hour Tai Chi Easy Practice Leader certificate program sponsored by the Healer Within Foundation.
Since 2020, I have come to understand why some acupuncturists have become advocates of practicing and promoting qigong – not only for their own self-care, but also as a way to enhance the healing journey of their patients.
Other Perspectives
I have reached out to several acupuncturists who have not only applied medical qigong with their patients but have also recommended that their patients practice qigong or tai chi for their own self-care. Gayl Hubatch, OMD, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM) explained to me that in the treatment room, in the presence of her patients she realizes deeper sensing qualities, especially as she moves through the day seeing different patients.
Dr. Hubatch further mentioned that incorporating qigong during her time with patients enhances her ability to detect imbalances in her patients. “Qigong has helped me develop greater accuracy in pulse diagnosis and subtle meridian readings that I have developed,”she said.
She also mentioned that she is “teaching qigong breath and movement to her patients, and that empowers them to take better care of themselves, and they heal faster.”
Speaking of breathwork, I read with great interest the Acupuncture Today article, “Using Breath Practice to Enhance Patient Healing,” by Peter Deadman, who also promotes this healing practice for acupuncturists. [April / May 2022 issues]
Daniel Jiao, DOM, LAc, Dipl. OM, current NCCAOM board member and treasurer, has been practicing medical qigong throughout his career. Dr. Jiao sees seven major benefits of practicing medical qigong:
Increasing in Popularity
In a March 2023 NCCAOM PDA Spotlight posting on Facebook, I noticed three of six PDA offerings featured qigong practice providers. NCCAOM CEO Mina Larson reported: “There has been an influx of both interest from its Diplomates and NCCAOM PDA providers who are offering Qigong as continuing-education classes.”
In fact, in my recent conversation with Mina, she stated that “the pandemic was one of the contributing factors to an increase in Qi Gong and Tai Chi classes approved by NCCAOM because these practices lowered stress during those challenging times and did not require an in-person office visit.”
She added, “Qi Gong and Tai Chi have always been a vital and fundamental part of East Asian medicine; however, during the last few years, many Americans are realizing its incredible benefits for finding balance, reducing stress and illness, and adding it to their self-care regimen.”
Ready for the Next Step?
If you are interested in doing community outreach by offering qigong or tai chi to reach new clients, and get NCCAOM PDA credits, the Healer Within Foundation, as a PDA provider, offers its certificate program online and in various locations in the U.S. annually.
If you want to take a deeper dive into qigong to strengthen your own self-care or acupuncture practice, a second NCCAOM PDA-approved course, Energize the Organs and Meridians With Qigong, is open for registration as well. Additional meditative movement practices courses can also be found at the Healer Within Foundation website.
As an acupuncturist, you may be interested in teaching a course that aligns with the mission of the HWF, which is to advance community-based qigong / tai chi and other self-healing, body-mind-spirit practices through collaborations with individuals and organizations, to sponsor trainings, community practice groups and research. Please visit the HWF website if you are interested in presenting a course. The HWF Programs Committee will review your application.
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