QiGONG: When the rhythms of your breath and your movements are sychronized, your mind is empty and your spirit is free. This is the essence of Qigong. Once you have reached this state, you have entered your shrine within.

Qi-MEDITATION whether moving, quiet sitting or reclining empties your mind, quiets your inner energies. Meditation can be done in silence, with music or sound, or with visualizations.

There are many ancient traditional meditation practices to experience which can be done daily or even in a crisis. And you never have to get the forms perfect either. It is so simple. Just do your Qi practices to feel good. Qi practice requires no equipment, is completely free and always available to you. It's your birthright. Once you reach the qigong state you have arrived. Your spirit is free.

So go ahead and try out as many forms as you like and then use the ones you find suit you best at any given moment. It is better to do some practice each day than none at all. Everyone is different and different stages of life require different practices. So be inventive, change forms and styles as much as you wish. Always focus on entering your shrine within.

SELF-MASSAGE is an excellent way to stimulate areas of your body that have become insensitive, stiff or painful. The secret of self-massage is to locate the tender, stiff, stagnant or sore areas and work them with your hands by rubbing, pressing and pushing the needy area. These stiff places are the beginnings of stagnation and lack of Qi flow that are connected to your inner energy and organs. By self-massaging these external sore spots, you send vibrations inward, stimulating the inner areas as well and releasing any internal stagnation. This is why you should always massage the tender and stiff external areas daily as needed.

There are many wonderful methods for self-massage and most of these can be sprinkled throughout your day. You can do 3-5 minutes on your head, feet, face or hands. And you can do 5-10 minutes on your neck, back, arms, legs and abdomen. In 20 minutes you have massaged your entire body and you feel wonderful for hours. Twice a day of self-massage in the early morning and mid-afternoon on isolated area will lift your spirits and allow you to feel joyful and heavenly all day long.

Recommended Reading:
Acu-Yoga (book or audio) by Michael Reed Gach
Beginner's Tai Ji Book by Chungliang Al Huang
The Book of Do-In by Michio Kushi
Do It Yourself Shiatsu by Wataru Ohashi
The Healer Within by Roger Jahnke.
The Healing Promise of Qi by Roger Jahnke
Qigong (video), by Ken Cohen
Taoist Healing Imagery, by Ken Cohen
The Way of Chi Kung (hardcover), by Ken Cohen
The Way of Chi Kung (audio), by Ken Cohen

Reading for Philosophical and Spiritual Awakening:
In the Dark Places of Wisdom by Peter Kingsley.
Shaman, Healer, Sage by Alberto Villaldo.
The World's Religions, by Huston Smith