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Incorporating Qigong into A Regular Yoga Regimen

Writer's picture: Enrique Martin Danderfer Enrique Martin Danderfer


Qigong and yoga share many characteristics. They both combine movement and mental focus to build a strong body and a clear and focused mind. Both practices also come from ancient origins in the East. Qigong originated in China thousands of years ago; yoga emerged in India many thousands of years ago as well.


Most important, both practices use the breath as a focal point for the mind. In Qigong, the goal is to breathe deeply and naturally. In yoga, practitioners link their breath to their physical movements. These similarities make it easy to consider integrating the two practices.


Use Qigong As A “Warm-Up” For Yoga


Qigong’s slow movements and meditative quality make it a complementary way to perform warm-up exercises prior to a yoga practice. Qigong practices offer long as well as short forms. A short form Qigong practice may easily precede a complete yoga practice. The nature of Qigong allows it to serve several purposes as a warm-up.


· Transitioning from sleep to waking movements if it precedes a morning yoga practice

· Transitioning from regular daily activities and entering the meditative state conducive to practicing yoga

· Building energy for use during a yoga practice


Use Qigong As A “Cool-Down” For Yoga


The slow and meditative movements of Qigong, as well as the mental qualities it engenders, make it an excellent follow-up to a yoga practice. Yoga poses build strength and endurance by holding various postures (asanas) for several breaths at a time. Some styles of yoga, specifically vinyasa, link the poses into a series of flowing movements. In general, the pace of yoga may be faster than Qigong or less fluid.


The continuous slow-motion movements of Qigong may be applied as a series of counter postures to soothe the muscles and joints following a yoga practice.


It may also assist with smoothing and calming one’s energy in preparation of Svasana (corpse pose) the final pose of a yoga practice. During Svasana, the body and mind are allowed to rest and integrate the benefits of the yoga poses.


Practice Qigong To Prepare For Meditation


Depending on how they are practiced, both Qigong and yoga can be moving meditations. Each uses the breath as a focal point and guided movements or postures to build strength and direct energy in the body. While Qigong explicitly offers moving meditation, it can be argued that yoga’s meditative qualities are more implicit and come with extended practice.


The poses of yoga are intended to prepare the body for seated breath work and meditation. They are two of the traditional eight limbs of yoga, pranayama (breathing exercises) and Samadhi (meditation). By practicing Qigong prior to a seated meditation, a practitioner may find themselves more able to access the state of mind and quality of energy best suited to a seated meditation practice.


They may also find themselves able to sit for a more extended period of time, as they won’t have expended as much mental energy centring and dissipating their thoughts to prepare for meditation.


While many people practice Qigong or yoga exclusively, the two may be combined to form one practice. As with many mind-body forms of exercise, the practice may be customized to meet the capacity of the practitioner and to supply specific desired benefits.


Alternating Days


Besides combining the two into one routine, another option is to practice both but on different days. Since each practice yields its own set of benefits for health and wellness there is no reason not to do Qigong on a Tuesday and Yoga on a Thursday. This makes for a well-rounded fitness lifestyle where yoga can do more to support physical strength, while Qigong can provide wisdom, and general emotional and mental wellness.

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