by Paras Kaul 1/5/2025
Among meditation practices, Qigong is perhaps the least familiar to our Western culture. This practice includes meditation and body motion. The movements that comprise a Qigong practice are choreographed into a variety of sequences intended to stimulate Qi throughout meridians in the body. Meridians are thread like structures that act as channels for energy to flow through. Monitoring brainwaves before and after Qigong practices indicates that there is more coherence in neural activity between the brain’s right and left hemispheres after completing a Qigong practice, and brainwaves lower to predominantly alpha and theta frequencies. A Chinese master skilled in the Qigong once suggested that, “Every day you practice Qigong adds a day to your life.” Knowing his words may inspire you to try a Qigong class to see how a regular practice affects your life.
There is a relationship between the brain and the energetic aspect of the human body, which aspect is influenced by internal and external forces. Forces such as the body’s movement, the oxygen we inhale, the food we eat, the people we interact with, weather conditions, and environmental surroundings all affect the body’s nervous system and the energetic condition of the body’s internal organs. Rest and equal amounts of activity are required to achieve balance in the mind, body, and spirit. Maintaining this balance is necessary for overall well-being. When the left and right brain hemispheres are not in balance, the brain’s coherence decreases. Neural activity becomes more chaotic, which increases stress factors in the body. The greater the imbalance and lack of coherence in the brain, the greater the potential becomes for developing serious health problems. The physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of our lives are connected. When the brain function is out of balance, it affects mental processing and how the whole body functions.
Though living in the 21st century introduces us to technology, which may seem counter to meditative practices, technology also offers tools that can be used to facilitate our spiritual development. During this time, electroencephalographic analysis has enabled a closer look at the brain, which provides information about the energetic condition of the body. Brain-Computer-Interfaces give us the opportunity to monitor and analyze neurofeedback in order to balance and calm our neural activity and quiet the mind for Qigong practices. Our brain functions without any effort, but learning to activate, control and regulate energy in the left and right hemispheres of the brain stimulates coherence, enabling us to self-regulate neural activity and also to activate Qi throughout the body’s electrical system. Using neurofeedback media to provide an immersive audio and visual experience helps us alter the flow of nonverbal mental activity and more easily achieve clarity in thought with focused attention in low frequency brainwave states. Training the brain to more fully utilize the brain’s potential decreases stress and stimulates plasticity, which enables us to deepen Qigong practices.
When we let go of the myriad of thoughts that repetitiously stream through our consciousness, our minds become clear, similar to the way clearing the cache on our computer refreshes its memory. When we are able to achieve this clarity in our mental space, our attention becomes focused, and we achieve greater awareness. In this aware state, our perception enhances, which enables us to tune into the vital life energy in our bodies. As our consciousness deepens, we begin to recognize dis-ease in the body. Once recognized, it is possible to activate and focus healing energy on the problem. With extended Qigong practice, we learn to transform negative emotional responses to a positive life force, and to become receptive to the Qi of the earth and the universe, realizing ourselves as inter-dimensional beings existing between earth and universe and benefiting from both.
Connecting to universal energy helps us to eliminate extraneous thoughts that do not contribute to our well-being. When the unwanted thoughts cease, clear thinking occurs, awakening the mind to messaging that guides us through our everyday lives. This is the messaging that enables us to create the reality we want to live in.
Brainwave morphing is a methodology that directs the brain to function in an optimal state for the body to perform a particular activity. Using this methodology, one learns to consciously switch neural signaling from one frequency domain to another and also to raise and lower peak values of waveform amplitudes, which relate to the intensity of the waveforms. A Brain-Computer-Interface System (BCI) monitors brainwaves and uses conceptual brainwave switches to facilitate switching between beta, alpha, theta, delta and gamma frequency domains. Consistent morphing practice enables one to switch to low frequencies naturally in order to achieve heightened states of awareness. When sustained mental focus entrains brainwaves to predominantly low theta frequencies in the brain’s left and right hemispheres, brainwave coherence increases, which facilitates increased capabilities for self-healing, while influencing overall well-being.
Though meditation comes naturally to some, for others there is a learning process required to reach deep brainwave states, which are influential to our well-being. To accelerate the learning process, brainwave technology facilitates Qigong by accelerating the ability to control thought processing. In doing so, we begin to utilize our natural ability to stop stressful external thoughts influenced by the environment, in order to switch to inner reflection and energize Qi in the vital life organ systems. Using this morphing methodology, one learns to consciously morph neural signaling from high frequency beta activity to low frequency alpha and theta activity that is coherently streamed from the right and left hemispheres of the brain. When these conditions are met in the brain, a well-being experience occurs.
Developing the ability for deep diaphragmatic breath work is vital to a successful Qigong practice. Just breathe are the words of teachers who understand the need to relax the mind by eliminating toxins in cells of the body while oxygenating the blood to control blood flow. Focusing on the breath keeps the mind from processing stressful thoughts that are harmful to our well-being.
Qigong has the potential to transform preventative healthcare practices by demonstrating the power the mind has over the brain, which regulates the physical body. Quieting the mind from stressful, anxious, repetitive thoughts opens energy centers and stimulates Qi stored in meridians in the body. Further expansion of our consciousness activates self-healing capabilities, enabling us to realize and develop innate human capabilities to facilitate self-regulation of our personal health and wellness in order to better prepare for the future we would like to behold, since once again the times need to be changing.
A serious Qigong practice connects us cosmically to the energy of the universe and beyond, extending infinitely as an energy field that holds us all together. To quote Craig Hamilton in his e-book, Unlocking the Power of Meditation, “…transform not only our own lives—but human consciousness as a whole. ”For this reason, a meditating culture may be the solution for chaos that exists in a Nation.
