Meditation is a practice designed to bring awareness, clarity, peace and simplicity of being into ones life. The stages of practice are as follows: relaxation and awareness of the body and mind, neutralizing negative emotions and thoughts and planting seeds of proactive energy. These methods of meditation stem from the diverse spiritual traditions.

Qigong is an elegant, hands-off method of working with the fields of subtle energy called qi (pronounced “chee”) that emanate from the different layers of the body and soul. All traditional cultures have a word for this energy, such as prana in Sanskrit and ki in Japanese, as well as well-developed methods of working with it to restore health.

The Chinese place great importance on qi, having studied it for thousands of years. Qi is essential to all life and is present in all substances – air, food, water, bone, muscle, etc., as well as in thoughts and emotions. As long as something is alive, it has qi circulating through it and emanating from it. And at death, the qi departs. Disturbances in the flow of qi lead to symptoms, and eventually disease. Through practice, qi can be gathered and circulated to clear blockcages and excess and to nourish deficiencies to bring about health.

Like acupuncture, Qigong was already a well-developed healing art in China by the time it was first described in the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine written in 2,697 B.C., though it dates back even further than acupuncture. In China, acupuncture, herbal medicine and qigong are fully integrated into hospitals as an essential part of a treatment plan. These healing modalities are widely available in the United States, though usually not in conventional settings.

Taijiquan is an internal martial art renowned for its healing benefits. Practice consists of slow circular movements of the hands and arms while stepping through a preset sequence of moves, with precise but relaxed placement of the four limbs throughout the form. When done correctly, it also qualifies as Qigong and meditation practice. Some of the tangible benefits confirmed by studies in the last decade have shown that Taijiquan practice boosts the immune system, improves strength, balance, flexibility and circulation, and increases bone density. Additionally, as a martial art, the techniques have practical applications, though one need not focus on these to reap the health benefits.

In its classical form of Hatha Yoga, various physical positions are held that are especially valuable in developing the physical body in a sound, systematic fashion – lengthening and strengthening the sinews and muscles simultaneously and enriching the bones – while opening the channels of subtle energy and stabilizing the mind. There are, however, a wealth of yoga disciplines to guide people in both understanding and working with the many dimensions of bodily existence, including breathing, circulation, thought, emotion, subtle energy and virtue, as well as in cultivating relationships and deepening devotion and service.