An Interview with Dr. Kevin Chen on translating the official textbook of Medical Qigong in China

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Kevin W. Chen, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Center for Integrative Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, in the USA. Educated at top universities in both China and the USA, and with a PhD in research psychology and statistics, Dr. Chen has many years’ experience and training in blending Eastern and Western perspectives.
Dr. Chen is one of the few scientists to have a hands-on knowledge of Qigong practice and be actively involved in scientific Qigong research. Dr. Chen is currently funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other foundations to conduct clinical studies into the feasibility and efficacy of applying Qigong and meditative therapy in the treatment of arthritis, addiction, and anxiety disorders.

Here, Dr. Chen answers some questions about the new English translation of the textbook Chinese Medical Qigong, for which he is the Associate Editor in Chief. Professor Tianjun Liu, OMD, is Editor in Chief of both the English translation and the original Chinese editions.

Dr. Chen, how did this project come together?

The first time I met with Professor Liu was in 2002 at an international conference in Tokyo. We both presented some research and reviews of external Qigong, and found a lot of common interests in research and in our personal Qigong cultivation. We are among the few in academia who consider Qigong research as a career, and soon we became good friends.

Later Professor Liu invited me to assist him in translating his book – the only official textbook of medical Qigong in China – into English. In the beginning, I was really hesitant to take the challenge, (though I felt the endeavor was important for the field of Qigong study) since I haven’t really studied medical Qigong in a systematic way, and was afraid that I might mislead readers if I could not reflect the true meaning and values of the original book. After some lengthy discussions on other alternatives for this project, Professor Liu convinced me that the few people who might have both the language capabilities and the necessary experience in medical Qigong would never have the time to do such a big project in the near future – a project for which we did not yet have any financial support, a publisher or an assistant for editing.

After reading the book carefully, I realized how important the subject is for the field of mind-body medicine, and for the entire academic study of complementary and alternative medicine, and I felt an obligation to help the project become a reality. I also realized that I might need help with my ancient Chinese to understand the ancient literature of Qigong, and my English might not be good enough to reach the level of academic publication. We figured that those who had good knowledge in ancient Chinese might not have good English, while those who had both language skills might not have the necessary experience and knowledge of Chinese medicine and Qigong. Medical Qigong is really a special field that requires expertise across four fields – ancient Chinese, modern academic English, Chinese medicine and Qigong cultivation. Therefore, we decided that the most practical way to get the original Chinese text translated and published in English was to form a collaborative team with experts in all four areas.

It took more than five years to accomplish such a large project. First a group of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) professionals in China translated the modern and ancient Chinese into English, focusing on respecting the original Chinese meanings. Then a group of bilingual American Chinese with TCM training double-checked and edited the accuracy of the English translations against the Chinese texts and smoothed out the English as best they could. Finally, a group of native English-speaking Qigong scholars and professionals edited and finalized the text for English language readers.

It is a great honor and privilege for me to have worked with so many professionals and to have participated in organizing such a rewarding project.

What differentiates medical Qigong from health Qigong?

Although there might be more similarities than differences among health Qigong and medical Qigong, the main differences may be found in three aspects:

  1. The difference in purpose of practice. Health Qigong is for preventive care or general well-being, and can be practiced by anyone in any condition; while medical Qigong is mostly designed for specific medical or healing purposes, and used for clinical applications of treating disease or disorders. Of course, it could be used for preventive care as well.
  2. The difference in delivery channels. Health Qigong can be taught by any Qigong instructor without much restriction or other requirement in health or medicine, while medical Qigong is created and practiced by medical practitioners, and delivered with specific prescription by them. This may require special clinical license or knowledge of other clinical and medical training so that the patients or practitioners can benefit from the holistic perspective of TCM.
  3. The difference in the practice method or limitation. Medical Qigong, especially those prescribed by medical professionals, may have certain restrictions on timing and quantity of practice, and sometimes, the practitioner is required to stop practicing once the specific symptoms disappear, just like other prescriptions in medicine, while health qigong does not have these restrictions.

Qigong hasn’t yet been fully adopted as a clinical healing modality in western healthcare systems. Why is there skepticism about the utility of Qigong to diagnose, treat and prevent illness? How does your textbook help to resolve such doubts?

It is true that there are not many qualified medical Qigong practitioners in the healthcare field, mainly due to the fact there has been no systematic training available to the healthcare professionals in our medical system, and partially due to the fact that not everyone who goes through medical Qigong training could actually become a qualified medical Qigong healer.

In general, most people who go through medical school training will get their medical license and become a doctor, but this may not be true in medical Qigong. Appropriate training with qualified instructors (who are lacking to start with) alone may not be enough to make the trainee a medical Qigong doctor. They must also commit long-term to quality Qigong practice, as well as to the Wù or Wù Xing (悟 or 悟性) for mind-body integration – the illuminative understanding or the instinct of comprehending the ineffable; in other words, an indirect way to comprehend things in energy healing. In Qigong practice, Wù may also imply the ability to integrate the comprehended knowledge, or the ineffable, into one’s Qigong practice so as to eventually be united with the Dao. Those who complete their full medical Qigong training without such a nature would never become a qualified medical Qigong healer. That is why there are so many stories from Qigong history in which the capable medical Qigong teacher seeks out the student who possesses such a Wù Xing, instead of just students searching for good teachers.

As to people’s general skepticism of Qigong, it is understandable. The concepts of Qi and Qigong healing are still new and unproven to western medicine and the general public, people tend to believe only in those things they can see or touch. There are indeed quite a few fake Qigong masters or Qigong tricksters out there disturbing the development of medical Qigong. However, as more and more research in medical Qigong becomes public knowledge, and more and more people practice Qigong or mind-body exercises themselves, I am sure there will be more acceptance of medical Qigong since the potential healing capability of medical Qigong without any side effects will really make a difference to our health and to healing.

What do you think is the significance of this book to the field of mind-body medicine in general, and specifically to Qigong practice?

Chinese Medical Qigong provides a solid foundation for bringing Qigong into the formal clinical setting as a healing tool, and establishes medical Qigong as an important academic discipline in research and teaching. It demonstrates that Qigong is not just another mind-body exercise, or mere preventive-health practice, but an important healing modality in traditional Chinese medicine that precedes herbal, acupuncture and other modalities. The book contains systematic theories, developmental history, documented knowledge and practical techniques. It has the potential to integrate different mind-body exercises, perspectives and traditions into a commonly acceptable foundation for more practical regulations, instructions, and clinical applications.

What would healthcare look like if Qigong was adopted more widely?

Because Qigong introduces the concept of self-healing and mind-body integration into health care and daily life, it has the potential to change people’s general lifestyles and philosophies of health and healing. The term “Qigong” sounds very Chinese, but the practice of mind-body-breathing exercises that have been called Qigong in China can be found in many different cultures. As you will see in the book, meditation, yoga, Reiki, Taiji quan, deep breathing and guided imagery are all described thoroughly in ancient Qigong literature, and all mind-body or energy practitioners can work under the same theory and principles to promote a similar healing philosophy: self-healing, cultivating the mind or spirit, and achieving mind-body-spirit harmony or balance through practice.

If these mind-body-spirit integration practices were adopted into our healthcare, and practiced by most people, their lifestyles and attitudes towards life would improve. As we have seen, Qigong practitioners live a less stressed, happier life in general:

“Remain detached with empty mind, the genuine Qi will follow easily; keep essence-spirit within, no illness will arise.”

– from The Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic, regarded as the most important book in the early history of TCM.

Qigong may be the most powerful stress management tool we know today. At the same time, stress is the number one reason why people get sick and go to the doctor, accounting for 80% of primary doctor visits! Following this example, if Qigong were more widely implemented, healthcare costs would be reduced significantly and most people would feel healthier and happier.

Although we do not have hard evidence of the benefits of Qigong in double-blind, placebo-controlled trials yet, I cannot help but mention the study cited in my book introduction. A survey study in China of 500 Qigong practitioners, conducted by the Xiang-Tan City Bureau of Senior Cadres and Health Department, indicated that healthcare spending between 1992 and 1995 for those 500 government officials, mostly retirees between 50 and 70 years old, was decreased by 83% on average, in sharp contrast to the increased spending typically seen in this same age group, and 232 of them (46%) reported no medical spending at all during the same period of time. Given this stunning example, can you imagine what kind of change medical Qigong might make to our lives, and to our healthcare system?

Copyright © Singing Dragon 2010.

What is ‘Tai Chi’?: An Interview with Singing Dragon author Peter Gilligan

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Peter Gilligan has over thirty years’ experience of Tai Chi, Qigong and the Nei Jia (internal arts), and is a registered instructor with the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts. Peter is also the founder and director of the DAH School of Chinese Internal Arts, the only full-time school of its kind in Belfast.

Here, Peter answers some questions about his recent book, What is ‘Tai Chi’? and shares a sample chapter (scroll to the end).

What first attracted you to the study and practise of Tai Chi?

I was initially attracted to the study of Taiji philosophy through the Yi Jing which I pursued for ten years before taking up the practice of the Quan form. During this time I worked as an Outdoor pursuits instructor but began to desire a form of exercise that did not require special equipment or travel to either the mountains or the sea; my specialisms were Rock Climbing, Sea Canoeing and Archery. Conveniently during one winter lay off a friend told me of a class in Plymouth, where I was living, with John Pollex one of Gerda Geddes’ students. My Yi Jing studies were being frustrated by my failure to understand the fundamental concepts of Taiji, namely Yin and Yang. So the opportunity to study Taijiquan based as it is on the direct expression and experience of Yin and Yang together – with its complete lack of the necessity of special equipment or location – couldn’t fail to pique my interest. I had also bought Feng Gia-Fu’s book, Tai Chi – A Way of Centering and I Ching, as part of my attempts to better grasp the Yin and Yang concepts. Whilst a pretty coffee table book, it did little other than inform that the art of Taijiquan existed. However it did provide the initial impetus to attend the class.

What effect has Tai Chi had on your life?

I would have to describe the impact of Taiji, both the philosophy and the physical practice of the Quan art, as moderately profound. The study of the Quan form certainly kick-started my stalled comprehension of Taiji and Yin and Yang. And I certainly had no expectation at the beginning that Taijiquan would become both my avocation and obsession so that I now find myself a professional Taijiquan teacher. Both the equanimity that the philosophy fosters and the active heath promotion and life extension that the Quan form cultivates proved exceptionally valuable in 1993 when I was diagnosed with a progressive terminal disease. I am literal and still living proof that Taijiquan ‘does what it say on the tin’ when practiced correctly. Treatments began to be developed in the late 90s such that my condition is no longer considered to be as terminal as once it was. Needless to say these pharmacological experiments have not been without their own not insignificant costs. Despite nearly loosing the use of my legs – a tragedy for a serious Taijiquan player because to key to excellence lies in the use of the yao and legs – I have been able to overcome even this. My ongoing regular practice, despite the major neuro-muscular damage, means that unless I choose to mention my problems most people I meet remain completely unaware of any difficulties. And I still enjoy both practicing and refining my expression of the higher levels of inter-personal physical application.

In your new book What is ‘Tai Chi’? you state that the Chinese emphasise the need for a teacher. Why is this?

The Chinese would say that the only way to learn is through direct transmission from a teacher and I agree. It is impossible to truly appreciate the possibilites inherent in our bodies without having direct experience of the accomplishments of a skilled teacher. Words alone can never transmit the experiential reality of Taijiquan any more than words can tell you the taste of chocolate or tomato if you have eaten neither. The Way of Taijiquan requires three phases summarised in the Chinese tag ‘Find, Train, Use’. Teachers are necessary to enable students to ‘Find’ that which is ‘hiding in plain sight’. Then, with advice and exercises, to assist the student in cultivating or ‘Train-ing’ so that dead ends and inefficient directions of practice can be avoided. Finally students need to experience the accomplishments of teachers in order to appreciate what it means to be able to ‘Use’ Taijiquan efficiently and effectively.

What can the practise of Tai Chi hope to teach us about ourselves?

By making us capable of being ‘at home’ with ourselves physiologically, mentally and emotionally the practice of Taijiquan can be of great benefit in discovering both the boundary between Self and Other, building an accurate self image, security and confidence, and the unity of ourselves with the context and ground of our being nutritionally, socially and environmentally. Becoming grounded in our own particular knot of existence – our personal Qi – enables us to respond appropriately to the fluctuating experiences and demands that life and living provide. Particularly in my work with recovering addicts I see the positive effect of ‘coming home’ to the safe place of the ground of our being, own bodies, having major benefits alleviating years of distress and torment from the negative consequences of an positively poisonous background and environment. While theirs is an especially extreme case, it is unfortunately true that far too many of us fail to learn to be either comfortable, or Natural, for much or any of the time. I can hardly put it any better than Yang Chen-fu: “If one realises that there are infinite variations in Taijiquan, with dancing hands and stepping feet then the interest increases daily. With practice over the years, this continuous and unforgettable joy greatly strengthens the body.”

On April 24th, thousands celebrated World Tai Chi and Qigong Day. What would you say are the most pressing issues for this global community in 2010?

My personal view is that the most necessary current task for this wonderful and ongoing project is the improvement in the understanding of the great richness and depth to be found in these arts. A major improvement in the knowledge and information of teachers is to be most dearly wished. My worry is that currently enthusiasm has greatly out stripped practical competence. This worry was a contributing factor in the writing of my book What is ‘Tai Chi’?

Read a sample chapter from What is ‘Tai Chi’?:

Click ‘Expand’ to read the full-screen version.

Copyright © Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2010.

Curves, Twists and Bends: Pilates for Scoliosis – An Interview with author Annette Wellings

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Annette Wellings is a Pilates instructor who suffers from major scoliosis. She began exploring different ways of keeping her body flexible and healthy whilst working as a linguist and artist in Australia and subsequently, she retrained in rehabilitation Pilates.

She is the co-author of Curves, Twists and Bends: A Practical Guide to Pilates for Scoliosis with Alan Herdman, the leading practitioner of Pilates in the UK since introducing it there in 1970.

How did you first find out about Pilates?

While working as a linguist and an artist in Australia and Fiji, I became increasingly aware of my body becoming more hunched and painful with scoliosis. By the time I was about 35, my spine was rigid and my torso was becoming increasingly twisted. I realised that I needed to do something and explore options, instead of passively sitting by and lamenting the degeneration of the spine. I began exploring different ways of keeping my body flexible and healthy, and I discovered Pilates.

How easy is Pilates to learn for the complete beginner?

The beauty of Pilates is its simplicity and versatility. Essentially it is a gentle form of exercise that is constantly adjusted and moulded to suit the particular needs of the individual. For the complete beginner, it is important to go to a good qualified teacher who understands your condition. Pilates is a subtle process and, like many effective exercise programs, it requires time and focus in developing a mind-body awareness. Rather than instant gratification or a quick-fix, it bears gradual profound benefits over time.

How can Pilates complement traditional rehabilitation medicine?

Whether individuals have opted for surgery or not, it is vital that people with scoliosis (particularly severe curvatures) keep the spine and body as healthy, supple and lengthened as possible. Pilates provides gentle exercises that can help improve flexibility, posture and alignment, and lengthening.

Pilates can be particularly useful for scoliosis, by teaching how to move and engage separate muscle groups. This can help tease out asymmetrical patterns of muscle use, encouraging the strengthening of weak underdeveloped muscles, and breaking down the dominant bossy muscles which develop on one side of the torso.

While surgery focuses on straightening out the spinal curvature, it is important to highlight that Pilates exercises are not designed to restructure the spine. Their purpose is to encourage flexibility and length, and enable the body and spine to be as healthy and supple as possible. As such, Pilates is suited to all people with scoliosis. The basic exercise movements can then be modified and developed more precisely to suit the particular shape of an individual curvature.

Your co-author, Alan Herdman, suggests that the message of Pilates is ‘Quality not Quantity’. How often would a typical scoliosis sufferer need to practice Pilates to feel the benefit?

Alan is right. Pilates requires you to be mindful and put time and effort into any program, particularly if you’ve got scoliosis. To get full effect and benefits, two to three times a week is a great start. Including it as part of your everyday lifestyle is ideal. There is no quick fix for scoliosis, and it’s good to put in consistent time and focus over the long term, learning and listening to your body.

In the book you look at different strategies for living with scoliosis. As a sufferer yourself, what is the best advice you can give to other people living with this condition?

First, accept your scoliosis and recognize that it makes you unique. It is a symbol of your individuality. Get information about your curvature, so that you understand and are aware of what your scoliosis involves (e.g. location, size and type of curve). You should explore options available for treating your scoliosis and keeping your body strong, lengthened and flexible. It’s important to make yourself a health care plan for life, including adequate rest, a healthy diet, and a gentle regular exercise routine to keep the body as supple and healthy as possible. Think length. It’s wise to avoid movements and circumstances which jolt or compress the spine.

In short, let go and listen to your body. Accept, observe and explore your condition with curiosity.

Copyright © Singing Dragon 2009

Taijiquan, Qi Gong, and the Cultivation of Health, Happiness and Longevity: An Interview with Michael Acton

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Michael W. Acton is Founder and Senior Instructor of the Wu Shi Taiji Quan and Qi Gong Association UK. He has been training for over 30 years and is the sole representative of Dr Li Li-Qun, a fourth generation Wu Style Taiji Quan master and a leading Qi Gong master. Here, he answers some questions about his new book Eternal Spring: Taijiquan, Qi Gong, and the Cultivation of Health, Happiness and Longevity.

When did you first become interested in Taijiquan and Qi Gong?

When I was young I was fascinated by Indian Yoga and so I began to practice meditation when I was eleven. I was without a teacher then and pretty much in the dark. There were no yoga teachers anywhere near my home town in the early sixties and I certainly had not heard of Taiji quan or Qi Gong then. I have always been drawn to yogic practices.

I was also interested in all things Chinese and especially Chinese painting and its Daoist roots. I was already a good candidate for Qi Gong and Taiji though still knew little to nothing about it. My first introduction to Qi Gong was a small book of Daoist Yogic practies and I also found a book by the American dancer Sophia Delza who had studiied the Big Slow Form of Wu Style Taiji Quan with Ma Yueh Liang when she had lived in Shanghai. I think that was in the 1940’s. The illustrations in the book were hopeless to learn anything from and although I got the first few moves I got no further. It was not until many years later, after university, that I found a teacher of Taiji Quan.

I am not sure when I first saw Taiji even. There were only a few teachers in London at the time. I was however lucky enough to meet a young Chinese Malaysian who was starting a small group. When I saw him practice the form I was deeply impressed with the beauty and natural elegance and sense of integrated power. I started to learn the Wu Style form, Tui Shou and some Qi Gong from him. As fate would have it, it was the same form which Sophia Delza had studied and whose book I had struggled with back in my school days.

It was many years later (1992) in Shanghai that I would eventually find my true teacher; 16 or so years after my first Wu style teacher had returned to Malasia. During that time I had kept up my practice though not always systematically and even learned other forms and worked with and met other teachers. Only one however really impressed me. He was an old Chinese artist from Shanghai who had left China for London. His Traditional Yang Style, Hsing Yi and Ba Gua were quite remarkable and inspirational. When he stopped teaching and moved to Australia I realised that I would have to go to China to get what I wanted.

What do you think is the particular relevance of Taijiquan and Qi Gong for a Western audience?

Their relevance to the Western audience must surely be the remarkable ability of Taiji and Qi Gong to bring about good health, self healing and restore a sense of vitality and mental clarity. It also bring us back into contact with our true nature and the natural environment and the conditions of life.

Western Science will no doubt eventually explain much of what Qi Gong is and what it can do. But we don’t have to wait for explanations, we can cultivate the experience now. We can rediscover our innate ability to restore and heal ourselves and rest in mental dimensions that will always remain beyond science. In a world where we are sensorially overloaded and so many of our experiences are tailored, limiting and manipulative we can discover an internal freedom and strength and a sense of real liberation and empowerment and perhaps even spirituality. The methods for this were cultivated thousands of years ago. It has taken a long time for the West to notice them.

What would be your advice for anyone in taking up either Taijiquan and Qi Gong?

Find a good teacher and a good and mutually supportive group, and don’t get caught up in the politics of who does what and which form is best. Always avoid conceit and arrogance in a teacher and never submit anything for the promise of ‘secret knowledge’. Just do it with no aim other than giving yourself up to the experience. It may take a long time to feel you are getting somewhere so persevere and do not look at the end goal. The key to the achievement of Taiji and Qi Gong are firstly perseverance, then slowness, precision, lightness and correct awareness. I rate correct awareness very highly since without it form often remains only beautiful movement and the deeper levels of achievement will remain a mystery. There are often long periods when you do not seem to achieve much but progress often occurs when you least expect it. Suddenly you may discover that your level of practice is deepening and your ability to maintain a steady and undistracted awareness is maturing. Always return to the experience; perseverance is more important than talent and never give up. The extraordinary lies hidden within the ordinary.

What or who most inspires you?

I think it must be the people in China who rise early and go to the park to practice their Taiji or Qi Gong. In a way they have transcended the discipline of practice because for them it is as ordinary as eating rice; just an everyday activity. One feels good, the other tastes good and both are important for a long and healthy life. My teacher Dr Li Li Qun is one of them and he has been practicing since childhood. He is now in his 80’s and still cycles to the park each morning. Such an inspiration. His belief that Taiji and Qi Gong is for everybody is also inspiring. Finally I should say that I am inspired also by the humility of such people and their deep connection to an ancient and remarkable tradition and belief.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time (other than Taijiquan and Qi Gong)?

I make no distinction between spare time and Taiji and especially Qi Gong time which I try to practice continuously from morning to night. I am also an artist and so I am often thinking about paintings. I spend a lot of time with my wife and daughter and the rest goes on working to make a living. My first Taiji teacher said that making money must come first, then the family (since without money the family would not be secure) and finally the practice of Taiji Quan. It is a good rule of thumb in our modern world, though I’m afraid I have done it the wrong way around.

Copyright © Singing Dragon 2009