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April 4, 2005
Four Prerequisites for a Successful, Longterm Qigong Practice
I hate to tell you this, but as wonderful and rewarding as qigong is... it'll also be one of the toughest, most demanding things you ever take on. I was reminded recently when studying with another qigong teacher, that there are four hugely important pieces that need to be in place, if you wish to maintain a lifelong qigong practice.
So here are the four factors, in no particular order:
Money (sorry about that!)
The Right Teacher
Connection to a Practice Community
Good Environment
First: money — and why it’s on the list. Extracting and accessing high-level qigong teaching is not cheap. While I have never totted it up exactly, I am sure in my life I have spent in the high five figures, perhaps even more, studying qigong and internal martial arts.
While you may occasionally luck out and stumble on a high-level qigong teacher who is prepared to pass on his knowledge for a low fee, my personal experience has seen a high correlation between quality and price. Qigong knowledge has often been developed as the prized secret of a monastic or martial arts group. One of the best ways to maintain this sense of value — and to discourage the casual “bottom feeder” — is by charging highly for the knowledge.
Cultivate the willingness and ability to make good money by providing high value to others and charging well for your services. Abandon poverty consciousness and learn to see money as a vehicle to accomplish your goals. Then you’ll have all the money you need to go on that seven-day qigong retreat three thousand miles away, or attend weekly classes for many years with the right teacher. And you are way more likely as a result to progress in your practice and feel motivated to continue.
Which brings me to the importance of finding the right teacher. It is highly improbable that you will succeed in a longterm practice if your qigong experience is based simply on reading books and perhaps watching a few instructional videos, worthwhile as those are within the right context. Practicing alone out of books and videos you’re almost invariably going to be off in your posture, breathing, movement and use of attention. It’s not much different from attempting to learn music without a personal teacher.
A good teacher will model what they teach. They will emanate the energy and calm they speak of. They will be able to communicate the essence of the qigong practice with a rich array of examples, stories, metaphors, similes and other teaching devices. They will give you crucial feedback on the finer points of posture, breathing and movement that can substantially transform your results. Qigong is way more than just picking up mechanical movements. Qigong can be called the “art of being” and the qigong practitioner “a work of art in progress” or a “living work of art.”
Choose a teacher who you can trust on this level — a fellow life-artist intent on helping you develop your full potential as a human being.
Closely allied to the choice of teacher, is connecting to a group of fellow believers. The continued inspiration you receive from your co-travelers on the path will make a tremendous difference to your sticking with qigong over the long haul. In group qigong practice, the phenomenon of sympathetic resonance strongly impacts the overall energy experience. However well you do on your own, the orchestrated qi-emanations of the group will help power you through the dark days when you would otherwise feel stuck, unconnected or directionless.
And, while you can practice qigong almost anywhere, for longterm success actively seek out and maintain an environment that is going to be truly conducive to qigong. Create a place you can be, every day, which is tranquil and clean — with good air and good light. Let your external environment reflect the inner beauty you are cultivating.
Check out John Du Cane’s Qigong resources here.
Posted by james at April 4, 2005 9:23 AM