Energy flows through the body in specific pathways, which Qigong calls Meridians (which means 'channels'). The goal of Qigong is to have a smooth flow through these pathways. If not, blockages are caused which dam up the body, causing a feeling of congestion, tiredness, loss of vitality, aging, and more. Energy blockages are also experienced as pain and disease. Also, through trauma and attitudes, thoughts effect feelings, which in turn negatively effect the physical body. Energy blockages lead to stagnation, which leads to inflammation, which leads to infection, which leads to infestation (parasites). So, a downward spiral from subtle to dense occurs.
Doing energy work (Qigong) is as vital to living healthy as is eating, sleeping, and exercising. Tension, stress, anxiety, and so on accumulate inside us all day, regardless of how calm we are. We cannot attack or escape from the irritations of bosses, bills, or traffic jams; this lack of discharge of pent up stress wears us out over time, leading us to exhaustion or even explosive anger. As people get more tense, they soon get more numb. This accumulation of negativity causes a gradual loss of awareness physically and emotionally. People become less able to know what feeling good actually feels like. They become accustomed to feeling weak, tired, bored, and numb.
Feeling energy is the first step towards taking control of your life. By increasing your awareness of subtle energy, you can start to unravel the layers of negativity. The fundamental movements of basic Qigong help to begin the process of coming back to being fully alive, rather than in a zombie like state. You become aware of not only the physical anatomy (organs, bones, muscles, tendons, ligament, nervous system, lymphatic system, blood vessels, spine, etc), but also the Energetic Anatomy, which consists of its own pathways, vibratory frequencies, and functionality. The Energetic Anatomy can be likened to wireless antennas and how they connect people to the source of a signal and to other people, creating wireless communication. This "wireless communication" allows for transformational living to be possible. Transformational living is the process of generating changes that remove stagnation and that increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your life.
Within Qigong, this process of transformational change is symbolized by the Yin-Yang image, which shows light coming in, shadow going out, and harmonic stillness unifying the two. The Yin-Yang moves the way that energy moves. Energy transforms in three phases: pulsing in, pulsing out, and stillness (rest). All the molecules within our body and within everything in the universe do this alternating between pulsing in and out and resting in between. Within the body, rhythmic pulsations move in a cycle from the extremities to the core. All bodily systems follow this pattern of going in, going out, and stillness, from the blood to the breath to the nerves and so on.
The expansions and contraction that occur during Qigong clear out blockages and stagnation in a way that can be immediately felt. This newly unbridled energy can then be used by you to fight germs, heal injuries, process disturbed emotions, develops creative solutions to problems, and much more. By doing Qigong, you learn to tune in to the innate intelligence possessed within this unblocked energy flow.
Once aware, you can assist it in its natural healing or transformational work. This awareness is what Buddhism calls "mindfulness". You become sensitive to what you feel and thus to who you are. You learn to listen to your self. By being fully able to feel your body's functions, you can more clearly feel your body's boundaries. Then, when you shift your awareness from your body to YOU, you can realize that YOU do not have any boundaries, that you are infinite. Thus, you also learn that your body is within YOU, not the other way around.
