System of Internal Power Generation

All people are powered by their life-force energy, sometimes called “vital energy.”

The presence of life-force energy differentiates a living being from a corpse. A baby is born with a powerhouse of energy, which, as life goes on, will diminish if not cultivated. The abundance of vital energy is the secret to a baby’s boundless energy. We all have varying levels of vital energy depending on our state of health, which is determined by lifestyle and genetics.

The ancient Chinese developed energy-building exercises to make a weak person strong, an ill person vibrant and increase mental capacities. These exercises are known as qigong, which translates as “energy exercises.”

How Qigong Exercise Works

From the perspective of Chinese medicine, qigong and tai chi exercises are systems for directing and developing strong and healthy energy.

Qigong and tai chi exercise starts with physical moves that stretch the body’s tissues with the purpose of moving bodily fluids. With practice, you can eventually access the energy of your body. Once you access your energy, you can apply your mind’s intent to move your energy at will.

Qigong versus Neigong

The term “qigong” is used to cover all forms of oriental exercise for health, healing, power and mental clarity. There are two distinct kinds of exercises:

• Qigong—works from the outside of the body inwards
  (many systems teach from this perspective)
• Neigong—works from the inside of the body outwards
  (unique to our system and few others)

Qigong first works on the outer meridians and through these, affects your core energy. The same principles apply to acupuncture as a means of releasing pain and disease, and maintaining health and wellness. Qigong and tai chi exercises use the breath as a vehicle to move your vital energy and thereby activate one or two energy lines at a time.

Neigong, or “internal power,” also concentrates on working with and developing your core energy and, later, opening and energising all the energy lines of the body simultaneously. The breath may or may not be synchronised with the flow of vital energy since it's moved directly by the mind.

Note: “Qigong” can also be spelled “chi gung/ki gong/qi gong.” "Tai chi" can also be spelled "Taiji chuan" or "Ta'i chi." Regardless of the spelling, all terms mean the same thing. “Neigong” is also spelled “nei gung/nei kung/nei gong.”

The main difference between qigong and neigong is that in qigong, component A is followed by component B and then C, and so on. This has the effect of A + B + C. Neigong works components A, B and C at the same time, having the effect of A x B x C.

Traditionally, qigong has been used to heal specific problems whilst neigong has generally been used to develop overall health, strength and flexibility. Qigong and neigong systems comprise the internal workings of Bagua Circle Walking Meditation and tai chi, which can be learnt simultaneously—with each reinforcing the other.

The 16-part Neigong System

Within qigong, bagua and tai chi there are 16 components of internal power. Each of these has different levels and many subcomponents that combine to make a whole.

The aim is to fully integrate each component into your body. In this way, you can practice progressively more components simultaneously rather than sequentially.

Within the system there are longer and shorter routes to this end. The longest routes are concerned with learning the 16 components through bagua and tai chi without any separate training in neigong itself because individual component must be taught through each movement within bagua or tai chi.

The shorter routes involve learning neigong exercises to practice the 16 components separately and later integrating them into your bagua or tai chi form. In this case, you would learn neigong exercises side by side with your form.

16 neigong components:

1. Breathing methods, from the simple to the more complex.
2. Feeling moving, transforming and transmuting internal energies along the descending, ascending, and connecting energy channels of the body.
3. Precise body alignments to prevent the flow of chi from being blocked or dissipated; practising these principles brings exceptionally effective biomechanical alignments.
4. Dissolving blockages of the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our lives.
5. Moving energy through the main and secondary meridian channels of the body, including the energy gates.
6. Bending and stretching the body from the inside out and the outside in, along the direction of the yin and yang acupuncture meridian lines.
7. Opening and closing all parts of the physical body (joints, muscles, soft tissues, internal organs, glands, blood vessels, cerebrospinal system, and brain), as well as all aspects of the body’s subtle energy anatomy.
8. Manipulating the energy of the external aura outside the body.
9. Making circles and spirals of energy inside the body, controlling the spiraling energy currents of the body, and moving energy to any part of the body at will, especially to the glands, brain, and internal organs.
10. Absorbing energy into, and projecting energy away from, any part of the body.
11. Controlling all the energies of the spine.
12. Gaining control of the left and right energy channels of the body.
13. Gaining control of the central energy channel of the body.
14. Learning to develop the capabilities and all the uses of the body’s lower tantien.
15. Learning to develop the capabilities and all the uses of the body’s upper and middle tantiens.
16. Connecting every part of the physical and other energetic bodies into one, unified energy.

Sixteen neigong components excerpted from The Power of Internal Martial Arts and Chi book with permission granted by author Bruce Frantzis.

 

Neigong Exercises as exercise Therapy

Paul teaches neigong strands or groups of neigong in every course he teaches, whether via qigong, tai chi or Bagua Circle Walking Meditation practice. Additionally, he offers courses that focus solely on internal exercises from two of the key qigong system he teaches (Energy Gates Qigong and Heaven & Earth Qigong) to help people embody the internals that drive all external form work in the Relaxation Meditation System, which include:

• Standing Qigong—the foundation of all internal exercise, standing practice is a means for becoming aware of and feeling chi, including how to sink chi, to free up bound energy in the body.
• Cloud Hands Qigong—the first move of the Energy Gates Qigong System, Cloud Hands includes the essential form work found in tai chi, and serves as an excellent practice to upgrade any internal art you practice.
• Energy Gates Qigong Spine Stretch—the last move of the Energy Gates Qigong System, this unique exercise works to stretch the front and back of the vertebrae—without closing down either—with the purpose of opening and stretching the spine to release stored tension.
• Circling Hands Qigong—a key introductory exercise of Heaven & Earth Healing Qigong, Circling Hands is practised to deepen all aspects of the first three exercises to create a powerful massage for the internal organs and increase blood and fluid circulation.

See the listing of neigong and qigong programmes Paul teaches.