Qigong Exercise for the Immune System

Here is a Qigong exercise for the immune system vlog by White Tiger Qigong Instructor, Alwyn. This routine aims to open up the chest and tonify the lungs. This will help in strengthening the immune system and improve our overall health and well-being.  Watch the video to follow through the practice. 

Immune system 

The immune system has a very important role to keep our bodies healthy. It serves as the body's guardian against infections and diseases. When our immune system is not in good condition we can get illnesses faster and heal slower. Therefore, taking care of our immune system is very important in this day and age, especially with the pandemic. 

Covid mainly attacks our immune system and the lungs which associates with the immune system. It is very important to keep the lungs healthy. Qigong exercise for the immune system is a very effective practice to help us improve our health. Also, it is important to have healthy lungs and a strong immune system to keep us from suffering greater effects of viruses like covid.  

Qigong exercise for the immune system

Meridian Qigong

Qigong is a great complementary and alternative way to heal yourself when we face illnesses. It does amazing wonders with strengthening the immune system. 

Colds and flus tend to be more rampant in colder and drier conditions. These illnesses may also last longer in these conditions. The lungs play an important role in the quality of our health. If our lung qi is weak, our body will also have a weak ability to protect us. The frequency of how we can get diseases, illnesses, viruses, allergies and etc. would be higher. 

The Meridian Qigong is a very effective exercise to open up the meridians and allow qi to flow in our body more smoothly. It is recommended to do this exercise to help our body warm up and release tension before doing a more dynamic qigong or any exercise. One of the easiest and yet very efficient exercises from the Meridian Qigong exercise is Shaking in out. 

Shaking it out

Shaking it out is an ancient practice of letting go. In this exercise we not only let go of our bodies to release tension. We also release any tension in our mind, emotions, and spirit. In Chinese medicine it is known that our spirit is intrinsically connected to our body. Shaking it out can be done for several minutes, depending on how much time you have. This exercise alone is useful especially for those who want to wake up the body for having to not move for a long period of time. 

5 Element Qigong 

The 5 Element Qigong consist of 5 powerful forms which are associated with 5 powerful animals. These animals are connected to the 5 Elements of Ancient Chinese Medicine. These forms each are also associated with an organ, color, emotion, direction and many more. 

The 5 Element Qigong consists of deep rhythmic movements and deep stances. It is a good qigong exercise for the immune system because it works to heal and balance the internal organs and the meridians of the body. This qigong works to squeeze out the toxins and emotions in the organs. It is known in Chinese Medicine that excess emotions stores as toxins in our organs. Likewise, toxins may affect the organs. When the organs are weak the emotions which connects with it may also have problems. This is why this qigong is a very effective exercise because it doesn't only focus on symptoms but has a holistic approach to healing. 

In the 5 Element qigong, we focus on 3 important components which are the Body (Form), Breath, and Spirit (Intention). It is important to know and apply all these components because without one of these components it is not qigong.

Tiger Qigong 

In this qigong exercise routine, we will be doing the Tiger Qigong from the 5 Element Qigong. The Tiger qigong connects to the metal element. The metal element connects with the lungs. We will focus on balancing the emotion of grief with joy. 

This form is one of the powerful forms in this system. The Tiger is one of the most powerful animal in China.  It is also the king of the Chinese pantheon. 

Through the expansion and contraction of the chest, we will wring out the excess toxins and emotions in the lungs. This motion allows fresh qi to enter the lungs. The lung is the organ which associates to our immune system. Tiger Qigong serves to strengthen the lungs by releasing first the negative toxins and then bringing in fresh qi. 

Standing Meditation 

Most people would think that only dynamic qigong movements are necessary in order for our practice to be effective. However, our practices should have balance. The Daoist concept of Yin and Yang is very vital even to our practices. Before we start our dynamic qigong exercises we first start with Zhan Zhuang or standing qigong to settle down our energies and focus on our Lower Dan Tian. The lower Dan Tian is the one of the 3 Dan Tians (Upper Dan Tian, Middle Dan Tian, Lower Dan Tian). It is where our vitality or life source is stored. After our qigong practices it is also where we pack the qi.

We do standing meditation after our dynamic practice to release the toxins and excess emotions. After we release, we fill our body with the antidote emotion. We fill in our body with the color of the element next. After this, we bring in the energy of the earth and the energy of the heaven to our body. Next we pulse the energy in the organ. After that, we expand the energy to our entire body from the organ. Lastly, we pack the qi to our lower Dan Tian. 

The Standing Meditation is a very effective way to end our practice to help us cultivate the energy we gather during our practice. 

Strengthen the immune system against diseases through Qigong

Our body needs lots of energy to have a strong immune system. Practicing qigong is one of the safest and most effective ways to help us strengthen our immune system. Our body has a natural way to heal, and through our practice we enhance these abilities. It is about time that we become responsible for our body's health. Sure, external medications can help, but the longevity of having a healthy mind, body and spirit through qigong will help us efficiently prevent disease, heal faster and cultivate good overall well being.