Qigong originated from India’s Hatha yoga and pranayama (breath and energy control) tradition over 4000 years ago. It travelled into China in two ways.
Firstly, it came to the Shaolin Temple in central China. It was taught to Buddhist monks to strengthen their bodies to withstand prolonged meditation sessions and maintain their health.
The second source of Buddhist qigong is the Tantric tradition of Tibet, from where it spread throughout western China before moving eastward.
Qigong combines specific movements with breathing patterns in a repetitive flowing posture. It is described as both meditative cultivation and physical exercise. Qigong increases strength, flexibility and energy flow in the body at the muscular, skeletal and organ level. Its soft and gentle approach means it's suitable for everyone.
Tai Chi is an evolution from qigong where postures are developed into a form of more complex movements in a way that harmonises mind, body and breath. Tai Chi also drew on martial arts practised in the Southern Shaolin Temple where our form was developed over hundreds of years.
The Tai Chi form incorporates the pure crane style of martial arts which is famous in southeastern China. The resulting form, Shuang Yang, was used for cultivating the monks' health as well as training in martial defence.
The secret of Tai Chi lies in coordinating postures with the breath resulting in both flow and control at the same time. The practitioner develops a deeper understanding of movement along with increasing strength and flexibility. This understanding of how one’s own body moves also brings awareness of, and ability to predict, how others move which gives the practitioner an advantage in any situation.
Continually dealing with stress drains our energy resources and leads to fatigue and burnout. Practising Qigong and Tai Chi regularly releases the tension resulting from the stress of day-to-day living, freeing up energy for the body and mind to function at their optimum level. The result is better physical condition coupled with a calmer mind so you can navigate your life with greater ease and resilience.