Re:Qigong v. Hatha Yoga

Oh, I'm going to let my ignorance spill out all over the place again. I learned meditation from a healer. It is my practice to move energy, sense energy, and heal myself and others in meditation. Although I've never practiced qigong, it is my understanding that this is its focus, using movement.

On the other hand, I have done yoga in various forms over 20 years. (Don't mistake me for someone who can touch her toes, however.) Depending on the yoga and the teacher it can vary from a form of relaxation, competitive yoga-size, strict adherence to form, posture, and attention to the body, or a spiritual meditative technique. I can't say that I have ever really been part of a group that was advanced enough to practice yoga as a meditation, except once. However, as a meditator, I can experience the breath and the simple flowing movements that my body is capable of performing and begin to access a meditative experience. I have just assumed that a deep meditative yoga practice requires a level of fitness that my body has not attained. I do, however, use the meditative sense that I have and apply it to weight machines at the gym. It's truly counter the the gym culture, but I love to experience the rush and the relaxation after "pumping iron." I don't think that yoga focuses on healing energy in the way that qigong does, unless perhaps someone is very advanced. I've read about teachers who can sense energy and injuries. It's not my understanding that this is necessarily part of Hatha yoga; you might want to explore kundalini yoga, which deals more with energy centers and moving energy I think.

I'm not one who successfuly reaches a meditative state through movement easily. I must say that since I learned meditation from a healer, moving energy and healing is my focus in meditation. I've tried to learn about other forms of meditation. I've always been curious whether or not all forms of meditation ultimately lead to healing and pyschic experiences (feeling, seeing, hearing energy).

I can't address whether or not one form is better for one affliction over another. Improved physical health always improves mental health. Hatha yoga brings awareness to the body in a way that few other things can. It's great for old physical injuries too. I've watched physical therapists over the years incorporate yoge exercises into therapy with little credit to the source. From my experience, feeling energy is about feeling sensations and emotions in the body, or becoming aware of where they are block/not felt. There is a truth about all the chakras--love in the heart, anger in the gut/third chakra. Becoming aware of what you feel, feeling the feelings, and feeling them in your body is key to good mental health. So, if that is part of qigong as it has been a part of my healing meditation, I would say that that would be good for anyone experiencing anxiety and depression.

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Re:Qigong v. Hatha Yoga, by , 09/09/02

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