White Crane Medicine's Qi Gong

http://www.whitecranemedicine.com/qigong.htm

1 of 5

16/07/2013 12:23

White Crane Medicine's Qi Gong

http://www.whitecranemedicine.com/qigong.htm

Qi Gong & Negative Ions Combined: The Breath of Extended Life

As stated by Don Strachan and Jim Karnstedt in their article Negative Ions - Vitamins of the Air: "Negative ions promote alpha brainwaves and increase brainwave amplitude, which translates to a higher awareness level. Negative ion induced alpha waves spread from the occipital area to the parietal and temporal and even reach the frontal lobes, spreading evenly across the right and left brain hemispheres. All of this creates an overall calming effect. On the physical side, they have given relief from hay fever, migraine and burn and post-operative pains. Along with the burn pain relief, they lessen infection, dry the burns faster, heal them more quickly and leave less scarring. After operations, not only did 57 percent of Dr. Igho Hart Kornblueh's patients treated with large doses of negative ions (10,000/cm3) feel less pain (as opposed to 22.5 percent of controls), but restlessness and infection were also reduced and healing quickened. But why are ions therapeutic? Partly because they kill germs. Back in the 1930s, a Russian team headed by A.L. Tchijevski found that large ion doses of either polarity retarded bacteria colony formation on plates. Ionization also sterilized enclosed air. Later experiments duplicating Tchijevski's work noted an exponential bacteria decay rate of 23 percent per minute for untreated air, 34 percent per minute for air with positive ions, and 78 percent per minute for negatively charged air. They concluded that the positive ion decay rate was due to simple bonding of the ions with the bacteria, whereas the negative ions actually killed them." Here is a table outlining some environmental factors in negative ion counts as summarized from Daniel Reid's The Tao of Detox: Polluted Air: Airtight Factories, Heavy Traffic 20 - 200 negative ions / cm3 / second Toxemia of Blood and Tissue

2 of 5

16/07/2013 12:23

White Crane Medicine's Qi Gong

http://www.whitecranemedicine.com/qigong.htm

Unhealthy Air: Heavy 200 - 500 negative ions / Urban Areas, Shopping cm3 / second Malls, High Rise Buildings Average Air: Sub Urban Areas, Low Lying Farm Areas Good Air: Forests, Unpolluted Ocean Fronts, Healthy Air: High Mountain Ranges 500 - 1000 negative ions / cm3 / second

Headaches, Lung Problems, Fatigue No Health Problems Associated

1000 - 2000 negative ions / Rejuvenates the Body and cm3 / second Purifies the Blood Stream Potent Detoxifying Ability, Up to 4000 negative ions / Accelerates New Tissue cm3 / second and Cell Growth

Qi often times is translated as "Air", and Gong as "Work". So Qi Gong can be considered "Working with Air". When you are practicing Qi Gong, you should do as the Ancient masters did, seek the fresh air of the mountains and forests that the Tao has provided. It is very basic math, the better the Air the more effective your Qi Gong practice will be. The true key to Qi Gong is in its most basic process, breathing. There are many forms of Qi Gong that have come and gone over the past several thousand years, but they all have breathing in common. The most important, and often times the most neglected aspect of your practice should be the four stages and three locks involved in proper Qi Gong breathing. You can have all bell and whistles in your practice you wish, but without proper breathing you are without roots.

Understanding the Process: There are steps that must be learned in proper Qi Gong breathing. All of these steps work in concert with each other. The steps which are outlined in this article will help you absorb the most out of the air you breath. Each step helps maximize the amount of time your lungs are exposed to the life giving elements in air, these steps also help increase the surface area you have in your lungs to absorb these elements into your blood stream.

3 of 5

16/07/2013 12:23

White Crane Medicine's Qi Gong

http://www.whitecranemedicine.com/qigong.htm

The Four Stages Inhale Condense Exhale Pause Inhalation should begin with empty lungs and flared nostrils. Fill your navel area first. Think of filling your lungs like pouring water into a cup, the bottom fills first. Do not make the mistake of many people beginning Qi Gong and only try to fill the bottom. Continue to fill the middle and upper portions of your lungs as well. Do not over fill your lungs, comfortably fill them. The idea is to expose the entire surface area of your lung to the air you inhale. Condensing the air in your lungs is fairly simple. Just slightly push it downward toward your navel and imagine energy being absorbed through the lung and into the body. Exhale the air in your lungs smoothly, and again, with flared nostrils. There should be a smooth transition between each phase. Make sure you exhale the lower sections of your lungs, but do not force the air out, just let it happen. If you are in a rush to inhale you've condensed the air for too long. A pause should happen at the end of each breath. This makes your blood circulate and removes stagnation. Take this time to check your posture and relax your abdomen for the next breath. The Anal Lock The Throat Lock The Abdominal Lock These techniques are considered locks in terms of energy, but they are more contractions from a purely physical view. It is very important to apply these locks because they help you look inwardly. They also help you condense the energy you are harvesting from the air, and seal them from leaking out. Each lock has it's own place in between a stage in the four stages described above. The anal lock is the first lock to be applied during Qi Gong Breathing. Apply this lock as you begin to reach a comfortable capacity for your inhalation. You should tighten the outer ring of the anal sphincter, which will stimulate
4 of 5 16/07/2013 12:23

White Crane Medicine's Qi Gong

http://www.whitecranemedicine.com/qigong.htm

the nerves of the sacrum. This is your first step in stimulating the Qi to raise from the sacrum to the brain. It is also important because this provides a firm foundation for breath compression. The throat lock is applied when you have reached a comfortable full inhalation . This is nice and simple, all you need to do is simulate swallowing. This will stop any air from leaking out from the upper portions of your lungs. Also, this will provide a firm ceiling for your breath compression. The abdominal lock is simple as well, all you need to do is relax your abdominal muscles and draw your navel in slightly toward the spine. This step is the last in the three locks, it is also the most important. In building up your internal energy you should focus on your lower abdomen, or Dan Tien in Chinese. These processes could easily be compared to compressing a large pile of shredded paper. You want to take something that is light and thin, and compress it into something solid and strong. Again, this all seems complicated when you start but after a few weeks or months it becomes natural and easy. My teacher likened many of these processes to driving a car. At first you need to clutch, shift, brake and check your mirrors, but soon it becomes natural. Now, consider what we learned about Negative Ions through Negative Ions - Vitamins of the Air and The Tao of Detox , and now you know the stages in proper Qi Gong Breathing. Combine these these powerful forms of knowledge, let all of those strengthening, cleansing, empowering Negative Ions be fully infused into your blood stream. Yours, David

5 of 5

16/07/2013 12:23