09/06/2019
Heart-Mind Awakenings is the name I have chosen for my Qigong and Reiki practices. They are both energy healing modalities that work by activating and flowing energy to promote healing and enhance overall wellness.
Qigong is a gentle form of moving meditation. It is often referred to as Chinese Yoga, and its roots go back over 3000 years. Qigong integrates posture, breathing techniques, slow graceful movements, and mindful meditation. It has many benefits include relaxation and stress reduction, mental clarity, and improved health and wellness. In theory, Qigong works with qi (pronounced “chi”), the universal life force, which is similar to “prana” in Yoga, and the “ki” in Reiki. Qi is all around us – it’s in the air we breathe and the food we eat. We are constantly moving through a vast ocean of qi; we are in it, and it is in us. Through the practice of Qigong, we learn to circulate this qi throughout the body, and activate the body’s natural healing response. Qigong is an integral branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is said to be the mother of Tai Chi and Kung Fu, but it is not itself a martial art, and it involves no physical contact.
Reiki is a spiritual healing art with Japanese origins. The word “Reiki” refers to two things - the universal life energy that flows through all things, and a system of healing that was developed in Japan by Dr. Mikao Usui at the end of the 19th century. Where Qigong is typically more of an individualized practice to maintain improve health and wellness and enhance one’s own natural healing processes, a Reiki practitioner will use a variety of hand positions to flow energy into another person to help break up stagnant or blocked energy, and help that person connect with his or her innate healing abilities. While the approaches may be different, the ends are essentially the same - to bring about relaxation, reduce stress, improve general well-being, and accelerate the healing process on a physical, mental and emotional level.
