From Reiki to Qigong
 

Hi all. I began exploring spirituality just three years ago. Reiki was the first modality put in my path. I am now level two, and have learned from two different teachers as well as a mentor online...each with different techniques and perspectives. While I have found truth in bits and pieces from each of my teachers, I have since fallen out of practice over the last few months due to a recurring episode of month-long dizziness that no one can explain. Out of desperation I had a few acupuncture sessions which gave unpredictable results with each session. However, the concept of meridians and traditional Chinese medicine and practices had me very intrigued to learn more. I stopped going for acupuncture when the last session left me more dizzy then when I went in, and the questions I had for the acupuncturist went unanswered. I felt if they are sticking needles in my skin they better have a better explanation or more than a few words answer for how I can manage what symptoms were surfacing! I believe this particular practitioner was more interested in money than anything.

So here I am again, back at the drawing board searching for a modality that works and is not so unpredictable. Qigong has come up quite a bit on my radar the past several months and I want to learn more, if anyone can explain the difference between the two or share their personal experiences.

Please note, I am not knocking Reiki or Acupuncture. I am describing my personal experiences with each of the above, and am left scratching my head, a bit confused, as well as impatient at the moment.

Thanks in advance!

There is a lot that you can read about qigong. If you want something thorough, I would suggest The Root of Chinese Qigong by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. If you're just looking for some basic practices to try, do some searches on youtube and see what you think. I would also recommend not over-conceptualizing your practice; internal feeling-awareness is really the basic building block for a lot of energy-related practices. Robert Bruce's book Energy Work speaks to this if you're looking for something very down to Earth. Also consider the importance of grounding practices, and the fact that it's best to start working on chakras/the energy body (the subtle energy in the body that qigong/reiki work with) from the bottom up (lower energy centers first)

To your question, reiki is just one model that can be used to work with the body's natural healing capacity. Qigong can be used the same way, but also has a lot of internal and external practices that you can also do, depending on what your goals/interests are. Qigong and reiki can both be used to empower the other

Very interesting and thank you so very much for your insight! I agree with working with the lower chakras first, it's funny because in reiki I was taught to begin at the crown, which never made sense to me to work from top to bottom. I'll definitely check out the book "Energy Work" you mentioned. Sounds like it's back to basics for me and time to stop confusing myself so much..haha.

Lucky don't confuse Qigong with Reiki, they are entirely different practices.
Qigong is thousands of years old, Reiki is fairly new.

Oh I'm sure they are very different practices.

Reiki is very passive with mind and body.

In Qigong, one is always active while the other is passive.

Active body - still mind.
Still body - active mind.

Altogether a much better arrangement especially because the two 'conditions' can alternate, i.e you may shift from one to the other at any time.
You are the flow AND the channel.
You can let it flow and at other times attempt to direct the flow.
You are an active participant despite 'doing' nothing.

In what way is Qigong active?

In its basic principle

Active body - still mind.
Still body - active mind.

Active here in terms of movement, not in an exercise or work out active sense.

[quote=markings]In its basic principle

Active body - still mind.
Still body - active mind.

Active here in terms of movement, not in an exercise or work out active sense.



Do you mean movement of Chi?

[quote=sky123] I wonder how many times I have to repeat 'body' and 'mind'?

Body is physical, mind is mental. Either one can move, calm or agitate senses, emotions, spiritual states, including Chi.