Qigong
by Maureen Goss

Qigong is different from western exercise because its essence is stillness. If we can learn to be still, the movements of our exercise will not be like our usual way of moving. They will be natural and fluid like the way the moon moves ocean water over the surface of the earth. This dance-like motion, which you can see people of all ages practicing in the parks of China, is generated from a point of stillness, so it is strong and supple rather than awkward and tense. If we can tap into this inner rhythm in our practice, our movement through life becomes more graceful as well.

Qigong which is rooted in Classical Chinese Medicine along with Taoist and Buddhist practices is thousands of years old. According to my teacher, during one of the dynasties in ancient China, women were banned from practicing because the men who ruled feared their "psychic abilities" would be enhanced and that was deemed a threat to their power. Qigong does not make one psychic. It does, however, allow one to tap into latent gifts and become much more sensitive to her surroundings. Perhaps what was feared most was a woman openly expressing her talents and allowing them to flourish.

Whatever the reason, if this is true, we should be grateful it is 2007. Qigong is taught at the acupuncture school I graduated from and in order to be licensed we needed to answer questions about how it works on the National Boards for the Foundations of Chinese Medicine. I still think, however, there exists an unspoken taboo on women expressing themselves fully. Perhaps there is a grain of truth to this story passed down to my teacher in China from his teachers to me.