You’ve probably heard us talk about Qigong a lot at LightSpace! Why? Well, because it is SO USEFUL for a variety of things – from stress/anxiety release, to overall health and wellness, to pain management. Plus it’s FUN! How can you compete with something that’s both useful AND fun….?

Plus, at LightSpace we’ve found that Qigong and Pilates complement each other (which we refer to as “QI-LATES”). How? Qigong movements help release superficial physical tension that can create imbalances in posture and alignment, often leading to injury. Once this tension is released, it is much easier to activate the deeper core muscles that are particularly difficult to access, but provide stability, support, and flexibility for more efficient movement patterns.

You might also be wondering, well how exactly are Qigong movements going to help me with my pain? If I move around a bunch isn’t that actually going to make my back pain WORSE? Shouldn’t I just pop some ibuprofin and rest on the couch?

While it might be tempting to take those pills and rest (sure, we’ve all been there!) – here are some reasons why you should continue to move your body with some gentle Qigong movements:

Here are 10 reasons why Qigong is so awesome for pain:

1. Qigong uses movement – but gentle movement that anyone can do.
2. Qigong gives you all the pain-reducing benefits of mindfulness meditation.
3. Qigong gives you all the pain-reducing benefits of tai chi.
4. Qigong is ridiculously simple.
5. Qigong gives results faster than tai chi or meditation.
6. Qigong is non-martial and non-religious.
7. Qigong can be practiced even if you areoverweight, in a wheelchair, or recovering from surgery.
8. Qigong is non-addictive, unlike opiod medications.
9. Qigong brings many other benefits in addition to relieving pain.
10. Qigong works.

(taken from Why You Need Qigong If You Struggle With Chronic Pain)

Now, going a little deeper….how exactly do these Qigong movements work? Sure they’re fun and I feel better when I do them, but what exactly is happening.

Good question!  Here’s some insight for you…(taken from the same article):

Everyone has qi – it is your life force!

1. If you have pain, then your qi is stagnant.
2. If your qi is stagnant, then it is caused by either an excess or deficiency of qi.
3. Whether the stagnation is caused by excess or deficiency, the solution is to circulate the qi.
4. The best way to circulate qi is with qigong.

Make sense? Are you wondering when you can stop in for Qigong class at LightSpace?

Mondays at 7 pm and Thursdays at noon! Or, if you can’t make it to class, ask your LightSpace instructor to show you a few movements at the beginning of your session – we LOVE sharing it with the world 🙂