Qigong or taichi?

[Toni]

Sorry to ask such a question but I can't help it . what do you think is better in the long run for developing health and energy, qigong or taichi? 

I know it is also a very generic and abstract question, as there are many different types of qigong and even of taichi. But what is your opinion about that?

[Everything]

Well, I know it may sound cheesy. But whenever a question contains the word "or" just replace the word "or" with the word "and".

Then when you have done that, consider it.

And then replace the word "and" with the word "is".

And there you got your answer.

 

Always works for me. Maybe it's some kind of universal permission slip by which we more fully allow ourselves to be our own evermore greater realisation of all that we truely are being and becoming of evermore.

So take the best of both worlds, which work for you, and then you will improve your relationship to both, as you will become the greater relationship to both and also of both.

Kind of like a triad. Where on top you have Toni. Bottom left qigong and bottom right taichi.

Then take the relationship between the three as a line between the three. And you got yourself a triangle.

Then consider that these relationship lines, can also develop a relationship with eachother. Which is an inverted triangle, within the greater triangle. So now you got yourself a tri-force.

And this is how you allow yourself as a consciousness to allow your very own evermore greater realisation of all that you truely are the evermore greater being and becoming of evermore.

 

I'm now gonna attempt to make a tri-force. And I hope I will succeed. But most often, I always fail. So here goes nothing. I hope it looks like something at the very least, on your screen.

 

                   Toni

                      /\

                    /__\

                  /\    /\

                /    \/    \

Qigong ----------------- Taichi

 

It is way to elongated and out of shape, but it will do for now. There's always room for improvement. Right?

So your relationship with both, will relate to one another, and thereby create a third relationship, between qigon and taichi itself, by virtue of its ability to reflects it's relationship of the relationship between your relationship with both... If that makes sense... Kind of sounds like inception... 

Edited July 20, 2019 by Everything

[rideforever]

For it to develop health then you would have to do it regularly, and so you should find something you would actually do and would like to do.

And there are many things called qigong or taichi out there.

Some just lead to health, others leads to the Tao/spirituality.

 

 

[OldDog]

That's a tough question. But what Everything points out is really true. Taiji is really a qigong ... But not exclusively a qigong.  After practicing taiji for a number of years, I took up a qigong practice and it greatly helped my taiji. And I suppose the reverse is true ... taiji can really benefit qigong.

 

As a general recommendation, I would suggest taiji over qigong for a couple of reasons. First, taiji is not only about developing energy, which it does very well, but also about maintaining energy connection while moving. In addition, taiji also develops your ability to sense/receive energy, as well as direct energy. It involves developing intent. These things are true iff you can find a good traditional instructor.

 

A side affect of a good taiji class can be a social one. Many taiji groups are little communities with a family like composition. They are usually a mixed group with practitioners of different levels of ability. Cooperation and support from the group can be a very happy and health encouraging thing.

 

Of course, I am clearly speaking from a taiji bias. So, take it with a grain of salt. That said, you are probably more likely to find a taiji group than a qigong group. Either way, it is really important to have hands on instruction to guide and correct your gongfu.

[freeform]

Taiji is much more fun.

 

Qi Gong has more scope for spiritual development.

 

But the biggest deciding factor should be your access to a good teacher... 

[Fa Xin]

37 minutes ago, rideforever said:

For it to develop health then you would have to do it regularly, and so you should find something you would actually do and would like to do.

 

Good advice. 

 I do both, sometimes I’ll be feeling more Tai chi and other times a quick 5 min qigong. 

[dwai]

They are not mutually exclusive. Tai chi is a type of qigong, and you get to meditate while moving, which may or may not be part of a qigong set. 

[windwalker]

11 hours ago, Toni said:

Sorry to ask such a question but I can't help it . what do you think is better in the long run for developing health and energy, qigong or taichi? 

I know it is also a very generic and abstract question, as there are many different types of qigong and even of taichi. But what is your opinion about that?

 

 

Qi gong if  ones focused on qi gong,.

 

Qigong doesn't pretend to be anything else.

 

Taiji is a type of Chinese martial art, that is packaged in many packages in order to make it

more public....

 

If in fact its taught as a type of qi gong. it would be batter to just drop the subterfuge 

and approach it directly.  

 

 

[windwalker]

9 hours ago, OldDog said:

That's a tough question. But what Everything points out is really true. Taiji is really a qigong ..

 

 

IF this was true then it wold be called qigong.

 

It is based on aspects of TCM  which being a CMA it would be just as all other CMA are....although they use 

different approaches.

 

For some claiming to teach taiji they are in fact teaching what amounts to a "type" of qi gong...probably not as effective as 

as a qigong practice due to the focus and depth. 

 

 

[Aetherous]

13 hours ago, Toni said:

what do you think is better in the long run for developing health and energy, qigong or taichi? 

 

Are you also getting real exercise? If so, then it doesn't really matter because both are usually really similar. If not, then exercise is better.

[Pilgrim]

2 hours ago, dwai said:

They are not mutually exclusive. Tai chi is a type of qigong, and you get to meditate while moving, which may or may not be part of a qigong set. 

Now do this effortlessly while working at your occupation, cutting the grass, doing the dishes, cooking the meal, grocery shopping, and dealing with a blow out on the highway, maintaining a none contrived equipoise that surprises even you for its genuine nature  then you will begin to comprehend the Paravastha state of Kriya.

 

I suspect the many ways of both Tai Chi and Qi Gong lead here as well but my goodness so very complicated. This is not to say it is inferior,  no far from it!

 

Having known many Kriya practitioners (Kriyabans), who do not get this, it is very fortunate other systems exist that do a better job of facilitating this and that in and of itself makes them superior. _/|\_ 

[dwai]

5 hours ago, Pilgrim said:

Now do this effortlessly while working at your occupation, cutting the grass, doing the dishes, cooking the meal, grocery shopping, and dealing with a blow out on the highway, maintaining a none contrived equipoise that surprises even you for its genuine nature  then you will begin to comprehend the Paravastha state of Kriya.

In taiji it becomes the natural state (to remain in the present all the time).  

 

Taiji automatically puts us into sākshi bhāva, and from there slowly all modifications of the mind can be released. But as with anything else, we get back what we put into it. 

 

Most important is to have a good teacher, and a committed personal daily practice. 

 

5 hours ago, Pilgrim said:

I suspect the many ways of both Tai Chi and Qi Gong lead here as well but my goodness so very complicated. This is not to say it is inferior,  no far from it!

Not complicated at all. People’s minds are complicated, that’s all  

5 hours ago, Pilgrim said:

Having known many Kriya practitioners (Kriyabans), who do not get this, it is very fortunate other systems exist that do a better job of facilitating this and that in and of itself makes them superior. _/|\_ 

I think it’s a case of a system that works best for an individual at a given time (based on various conditions, such as karmaphala, etc).

[Earl Grey]

20 hours ago, Toni said:

Sorry to ask such a question but I can't help it . what do you think is better in the long run for developing health and energy, qigong or taichi? 

I know it is also a very generic and abstract question, as there are many different types of qigong and even of taichi. But what is your opinion about that?

 

The problem with the question here is that it does not look at the depth of the options you have.

 

Asking for "qigong or tai chi" is silly because one, what kind of Tai Chi instructors do you have around you? What is your goal--health or martial skills? Are the instructors good or just parks and recreation level for health? 

 

With qigong, what systems do you have access to now? There's a huge difference between a free YouTube video of someone doing Eight Brocades versus learning from Terry Dunn his Flying Phoenix on DVD, a local class that teaches some basics, or learning something grand like Spontaneous Five Animals from John Dolic. 

 

If you have bad Tai Chi teachers around you, but you have a couple of good online qigong options, the answer to me is go with quality, and the reverse is true as well. 

 

Too broad a question; needs more details on things to consider, beginning with some of what I have mentioned above. 

Edited July 21, 2019 by Earl Grey

[Wu Ming Jen]

Supreme ultimate boxing or Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art. Energy work or  Chi Gung is the ammunition. Tai chi chuan is how to fire the weapon. Both should be practiced together.

 

Entry level is chi gung advanced level is Tai Chi Chaun or other internal martial arts.

 

All of the same energetics, moving with proper body mechanics, removing the stinky chi of post heaven energy are practiced and applied with chi gung and Tai Chi.

 

Chi Gung are short sets or single semi static postures Beginners do well with chi gung to get the right muscle memory and way of proper moving. Repetition is used to train the subconscious mind so we do not need to think about the movements then we get to the energetic level. Once we reach this level performing one movement or a short set is no longer sufficient to advance to higher levels of intuitive knowledge of chi and how to direct it.

[Everything]

10 hours ago, windwalker said:

 

 

IF this was true then it wold be called qigong.

 

It is based on aspects of TCM  which being a CMA it would be just as all other CMA are....although they use 

different approaches.

 

For some claiming to teach taiji they are in fact teaching what amounts to a "type" of qi gong...probably not as effective as 

as a qigong practice due to the focus and depth. 

 

 

Ofcourse, it is the greater and deeper intention of both, that just indicate that their being, in greater allowed evermore becoming of all that they truely are being the evermore becoming of, means, that at some point, they meet at a junction point of inter-related, inter-changeable, being and becoming, for the purpose of their own greater more fully allowed realisation of growth, of all that they truely are being the evermore being and becoming of evermore, in all directions of evermore greater allowed being and becoming of the evermore fully allowed realisation of their true nature of being and becoming in evermore greater allowed realisations of all the moreness of their ever expanding freedom and joy, evermore.

 

So often, when you truely realise something for what it truely is, the celebration is great. Their identity always expands into more fully allowed realisation, within and without. And that which it is not, is fully supportive of this greater allowed realisation of being and becoming the moreness of their evermore unique being and becoming of evermore greater allowed freedom and joy of their greater allowed being and becoming. You see, when qigong and taichi form a relationship, they don't become less, they become more fully all that they truely are their evermore being and becoming of evermore. And even if you try to make them less, well, they just become more anyway.

 

When you focus on one aspect of your preference, that is wonderful and great, that is the entire point of who you are. To be more fully realised of all that you truely are being and becoming evermore aswell. Of all the things that you enjoy the moreness of. As that is always the path of least resistance to your own evermore fully allowed realisation of your own evermore greater allowed being and becoming the moreness of all that you truely are being and becoming evermore of all the things you truely do want to be your very own evermore allowed and ever expanding unique enjoying of all the moreness of all that you do enjoy the moreness of of your own evermore becoming, which is also why you are also becoming the ever moreness of all of it.

 

And when other people do something else, than you also can also be more fully who you truely are aswell, when you recognize your difference and cherrish it and value it and love it. As you need the other to know the self. Who you truely want to be. As who they truely want to be, being different, is actually what gives you both more freedom to your own unique difference of preference aswell. So often even absolute difference, of absolute opposites, have an absolute exact commanality with one another, that they are both the exact same and exact equal opposite of and to eachother to the exact same equal degree of opposition, which means that they are perfect harmony and co-harmonized blending, of their mutual true union of greater allowed being and becoming of their commonality of absolute equal opposition, and greater allowed power, of fully allowed equality of opposition, of their true being, united and coming thus ever so more fully to their own evermore greater and fully allowed realisation of all that they truely are being and becoming ever much so more fully allowed in and through their greater allowed realisation of self and other and even with and through the self and other. And there is great joy and realisation and empowerment and freedom and knowledge in this allowed realisation of this union of opposites allowing their mutual expansion, through their co-fusing, and becoming the evermoreness of all that they truely are being and becoming evermore so fully and freely and enjoyably. In evermore allowed expansion of extacy and bliss, rapturous bliss, of ever more allowed expanding being and becoming, evermore.

[Pilgrim]

5 hours ago, dwai said:

In taiji it becomes the natural state (to remain in the present all the time)

The same.

[liminal_luke]

My recommendation?  Try both and then do what you want.  Assuming you have competent instruction, you really can´t go wrong.