Qigong: Cultivating Body, Breath & Mind

Description

By Peter Deadman
Sewn softcover
ISBN 978-1-3999-6863-8
196 pages + links to 42 instructional videos

From the Preface

This is a book about qigong – a time-tested practice that blends skillful
movement, mindful absorption, and deep, slow breathing. While firmly
rooted in the Chinese tradition, I hope that it will also serve as a manual
for exploring the wider world of mindful movement.

My aim is to make this transformative practice better known. I have
attempted to explain where it comes from, the philosophies behind it,
and the growing body of scientific research that illuminates it. I have
drawn from my fifty-year experience of working in the field of Chinese
medicine, my decades of qigong practice, and my study of yang sheng—the
2500-year-old Nourishment of Life tradition. For those interested in
learning more, my book Live Well Live Long: Teachings from the Chinese
Nourishment of Life Tradition can be read as a companion to this one.

Because trying to learn qigong from illustrations and written instructions
is challenging, I have included links throughout this book to dozens of
demonstration videos. I hope this will encourage readers to go ahead and
try it out. Regular and committed practice will slowly reveal a treasure
that keeps on giving, year after year and decade after decade, a treasure
which can truly change our lives.

The cultivation and integration of body, breath and mind has been practiced
in China since the beginning of recorded history nearly two and a half
thousand years ago. For some, it was a way of improving health and lengthening
lifespan. Martial artists practiced to improve their fighting skills.

Daoists sought transformation and a merging with the Dao, Buddhists with
Sunyata (‘emptiness’) and Confucians with the Way of Heaven. Teachers of
the art of yang sheng encouraged their fellow literati to rouse themselves
from lazy and indulgent lifestyles, while for traditional medicine doctors it
was a way of preventing disease and supporting treatment.

Some of its practitioners favored quietness, stillness and deep presence.
They practiced breath control, visualization, mantra recitation, sexual
Cultivation, and internal alchemy. Others were drawn to the more physical
rewards of a strong, aligned, and balanced body, and especially to
‘internal’ martial arts such as taijiquan (tai chi)—the training of soft but
powerful movement. Yet all of these practitioners, in one way or another,
were working within the same tradition.

Given this variety of intentions it is no surprise that a host of different
names was used throughout its history. Ever since the 1950s, however,
the name qigong (or sometimes the ‘internal arts’) has largely supplanted
most of them and serves as an umbrella term for many of these varied
approaches.

Qigong needs no special equipment or special clothes, is free, and can
be practiced anywhere—from a mountain top to a bedroom. Its aim is
better health, longer life, connection to something greater than ourselves,
and effective and compassionate action. It can enhance every aspect of
our lives.

Those of us committed to its practice know what a rich gift it is. It is my
hope that this book will go some way to explaining why slow, mindful
movement is so good for us. I also hope to instill in others the same love of
qigong that has inspired me for over three decades.

Reviews

“Drawing on his 50 years of training in Chinese medicine, Peter Deadman has crafted a rich, comprehensive, and timely book on qigong. Written and laid out beautifully, it comprehensively and insightfully weaves together its core principles, its roots in traditional Chinese medicine and culture, the scientific evidence of its many therapeutic benefits, and a practical set of training skills including links to multiple online training programs. This book is an invaluable resource both for those wish to begin to learn about qigong, as well as those who are already deeply committed to these practices.”

Peter Wayne, PhD., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Author of Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi

“With this book and accompanying videos, people will learn authentic qigong and will develop the capacity to judge whether any instruction they receive elsewhere is solid, legitimate and grounded in East Asia’s rich and profound health culture.
Peter Deadman has written THE qigong book, a work that is as encyclopedic as
it is practical, as wise as it is humorous, and as rooted in science as it is
steeped in ancient common sense.”

Kaz Wegmuller, Author, Acupuncture for Curious People

“Peter Deadman has written a thorough and approachable book in which he makes connections between qigong and modern research on exercise, health and physiology in a way that enhances and elevates our understanding. The accompanying videos give the reader an opportunity to immediately experience and practise a variety of qigong exercises, thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.”

Tom Bisio , Founder Internal Arts International