Gentle Qigong for Health (柔和養生氣功)
Feng Zhiqiang's Hun Yuan Qigong -
Sinking Qi and Washing the Internal Organs
"The process of dispelling staleness and absorbing freshness is a manifestation of the body's movement."
Jiao Guorui
Qigong Master and TCM doctor
Welcome to the Gentle Qigong for Health website.
updated: 2022-05-04
Qigong is a Chinese exercise system that helps us recover from ill health and develop increasing levels of wellness. These are exercises that can be used by people of all ages and can be modified to help people at various levels of health.
The exercises are meant to be practiced slowly and gently.
The first level of study is to learn the physical movements.
The second level of study is to observe the breath throughout the movements.
The third level of study is to imagine the flow of breath, blood, and energy as one practices the movements.
I have created this site to help my students as they practice the Qigong exercises that are taught in my classes. I have created video clips of the warm-ups and exercise sets and placed them on the following pages of this site.
I hope you find them useful. Remember, move slowly, move gently, and breathe.
Kevin Siddons, Ed.D.
The exercises are meant to be practiced slowly and gently.
The first level of study is to learn the physical movements.
The second level of study is to observe the breath throughout the movements.
The third level of study is to imagine the flow of breath, blood, and energy as one practices the movements.
I have created this site to help my students as they practice the Qigong exercises that are taught in my classes. I have created video clips of the warm-ups and exercise sets and placed them on the following pages of this site.
I hope you find them useful. Remember, move slowly, move gently, and breathe.
Kevin Siddons, Ed.D.
Please donate to the Bethlehem Area Public Library
I have completed my first book - The Five Animal Frolics Qigong: An adaptation of Master Jiao Guorui's Five Animal Frolics.
This is a training manual containing Master Jiao's teaching on these wonderful forms. The five animals are the Bear, Crane, Deer, Tiger, and Monkey. Each animal has five unique movements.
The books are $20.00 a piece.
If you are interested in a copy, please email me at kevinsiddons@gentleqigong.net.
This is a training manual containing Master Jiao's teaching on these wonderful forms. The five animals are the Bear, Crane, Deer, Tiger, and Monkey. Each animal has five unique movements.
The books are $20.00 a piece.
If you are interested in a copy, please email me at kevinsiddons@gentleqigong.net.
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Crane Frolic #2 - Crane Spreading Its Wings
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A second book is nearing completion: 15 Taiji Movements Yangsheng Qigong: An Adaptation of Master Jiao Guorui's Fifteen Taiji Movements Qigong.
Yangsheng is Chinese for 'Life Cultivation'. There are 23 individual movements in this form: three beginning movements which are meditative in nature; there are 15 main movements which are based on the 13 forms of Taijiquan; and five self massage movements which are the finishing movements.
The book is going through final editing and proofreading. It will be printed this year.
Yangsheng is Chinese for 'Life Cultivation'. There are 23 individual movements in this form: three beginning movements which are meditative in nature; there are 15 main movements which are based on the 13 forms of Taijiquan; and five self massage movements which are the finishing movements.
The book is going through final editing and proofreading. It will be printed this year.
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Part of the sequence of movements of movement 3 - Sinking and Lifting Ball
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About me:
I have a Bachelors degree in Psychology and a Masters and Doctorate degree in Health Education.
I had trained for 10 years in Shorin no Tora karate with Sensei Vince Ward (Bethlehem Pa). I had trained for 6 years in Aikido with Dr. Ming (Bethlehem Pa).
I was introduced to Qigong by one of my Mindfulness teachers (Thu Nguyen) of Plum Village Buddhism (the buddhism of Thich Nhat Hanh) during a Day of Mindfulness, and then at a weekend retreat. The movements were slow and gentle and reminded me of my previous martial arts practices. I decided then to continue practicing.
During my first year of practicing I used a DVD to learn the Yi Jin Jing form (Muscle Changing Qigong). After a year I earnestly searched for a teacher to practice with. I came in contact with a local teacher and began practicing Hun Yuan Qigong. I continued this for over 6 years. Hun Yuan Qigong and Taiji were developed by Master Feng Zhiqiang. I was touched by his philosophy regarding his art:
"Xinyi Hunyuan Taijiquan is not an inheritance from my masters. It is a rich legacy to the people of the world. I have a responsibility and duty to promote it to the world to benefit human kind." - Master Feng
In my effort to understand more about this wonderful practice, I began researching the teachers that developed this form of qigong and taiji. I worked with the Bethlehem Area Public Library and located early texts written by these teachers. These were all in Chinese. In the years that followed I was able to get together with several translators to bring these teachings into English.
Presently I am a student of Dr. Henry McCann, another teacher of Hun Yuan Qigong and Taijiquan. He has worked with me in reviving the qigong forms and teachings that I have had translated.
Now that I have several texts translated, there is so much to learn and practice. This is very exciting. Qigong and Taijiquan are arts that one can practice for a lifetime and always find something new to learn about themselves and the world around them.
I have a Bachelors degree in Psychology and a Masters and Doctorate degree in Health Education.
I had trained for 10 years in Shorin no Tora karate with Sensei Vince Ward (Bethlehem Pa). I had trained for 6 years in Aikido with Dr. Ming (Bethlehem Pa).
I was introduced to Qigong by one of my Mindfulness teachers (Thu Nguyen) of Plum Village Buddhism (the buddhism of Thich Nhat Hanh) during a Day of Mindfulness, and then at a weekend retreat. The movements were slow and gentle and reminded me of my previous martial arts practices. I decided then to continue practicing.
During my first year of practicing I used a DVD to learn the Yi Jin Jing form (Muscle Changing Qigong). After a year I earnestly searched for a teacher to practice with. I came in contact with a local teacher and began practicing Hun Yuan Qigong. I continued this for over 6 years. Hun Yuan Qigong and Taiji were developed by Master Feng Zhiqiang. I was touched by his philosophy regarding his art:
"Xinyi Hunyuan Taijiquan is not an inheritance from my masters. It is a rich legacy to the people of the world. I have a responsibility and duty to promote it to the world to benefit human kind." - Master Feng
In my effort to understand more about this wonderful practice, I began researching the teachers that developed this form of qigong and taiji. I worked with the Bethlehem Area Public Library and located early texts written by these teachers. These were all in Chinese. In the years that followed I was able to get together with several translators to bring these teachings into English.
Presently I am a student of Dr. Henry McCann, another teacher of Hun Yuan Qigong and Taijiquan. He has worked with me in reviving the qigong forms and teachings that I have had translated.
Now that I have several texts translated, there is so much to learn and practice. This is very exciting. Qigong and Taijiquan are arts that one can practice for a lifetime and always find something new to learn about themselves and the world around them.
I updated the list of accomplishments in the section further down the page (the GoFundMe campaign section).
Video classes have been updated 2022-05-04.
I've added descriptions of several of the Hunyuan Qigong movements.
Sinking Qi Washing the Internal Organs. (2021-07-10)
Gathering Qi to the Middle Dantian. (2021-07-10)
Gathering Qi to the Lower Dantian. (2021-07-10)
Gathering Qi to the Upper Dantian. (2021-07-10)
Rolling the Middle Dantian (2021-07-20)
Video classes have been updated 2022-05-04.
I've added descriptions of several of the Hunyuan Qigong movements.
Sinking Qi Washing the Internal Organs. (2021-07-10)
Gathering Qi to the Middle Dantian. (2021-07-10)
Gathering Qi to the Lower Dantian. (2021-07-10)
Gathering Qi to the Upper Dantian. (2021-07-10)
Rolling the Middle Dantian (2021-07-20)
Greetings my friends,
The Bethlehem Area Public Library has been tremendously helpful in the growth of these classes. Because of their support, my classes have always been free. When we were having in-person classes I asked for attendees to make donations to the library. During these virtual classes, I urge you to go online and make a donation to the library. No donation is too small.
Here's the link:
clear-give.com/egive3/index.cfm?LocID=000360001&terminalID=&refresh=true
Supporting the library supports these classes.
The Bethlehem Area Public Library has been tremendously helpful in the growth of these classes. Because of their support, my classes have always been free. When we were having in-person classes I asked for attendees to make donations to the library. During these virtual classes, I urge you to go online and make a donation to the library. No donation is too small.
Here's the link:
clear-give.com/egive3/index.cfm?LocID=000360001&terminalID=&refresh=true
Supporting the library supports these classes.
Greetings my friends.
I hope your are all enjoying the recorded classes. There are videos of my Qigong classes and my Taiji classes.
If you find them useful/helpful please take a moment and make a donation to my GoFundMe campaign. A couple of dollars will help me get the book completed. Above all, enjoy the video classes. Practice, practice, practice.
Yours in the fellowship of practitioners,
Kevin
I hope your are all enjoying the recorded classes. There are videos of my Qigong classes and my Taiji classes.
If you find them useful/helpful please take a moment and make a donation to my GoFundMe campaign. A couple of dollars will help me get the book completed. Above all, enjoy the video classes. Practice, practice, practice.
Yours in the fellowship of practitioners,
Kevin
Jiao Guorui's 15 Taiji Movements Qigong - Movement 1: Calming the Shen Regulating the Breath
The essence of Qigong is to mobilize the body's functional activities and stimulate movement so as to maintain the equilibrium of Yin and Yang which adjust to and inhibit each other, harmonize Qi and blood, dredge the channels and collaterals and cultivate vitality and Essential Qi.
Jiao Guorui - Qigong Master and TCM doctor
Beginning of Hunyuan Taiji form 13 Postures.
The butterflies came along for the ride.
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What is the difference between Qigong and Tai Chi?
Both Qigong and Tai Chi are Chinese exercise systems. Both have health benefits. What are the differences? Tai Chi is primarily a martial art. Also known as 'shadow boxing', it is a series of movements that are attacking and defensive moves. Done slowly and gently, it can be a marvolous moving meditation. Qigong is for self healing and self improvement. The exercises are shorter in length and done repetetively. The movements are also done slowly and gently. There are also exercise sets that can be done in sitting positions. |
Hunyuan Qigong movement - Rotating the Ball
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From the Chinese University Textbook - Chinese Qigong Science (1999)
Basic management of Qìgōng exercises consists of regulation/adjustment of the body, breath, and heart/mind, often simply referred to as the “three regulations”. All the myriad forms of Qìgōng practice consist of these three regulations. Their only difference is in how these three regulations align with each other, but it would never be such that one of these regulations would be missing. Within the three regulations, in fact, is a complete system for self-regulation of the body. Not only do we never depart from the three regulations in training, all the basic operations ...... of a human being inextricably linked to the body, and to the regulation of one’s mind and breath. From an operational perspective, Qìgōng is a system of self-regulation for one to grow beyond one’s limitations, develop the potential of one’s body, and cultivate skills that benefit the health of the body and mind. |
