Using Qigong to Treat Arthritis

1. Regulating the Body:
Before you start your Qigong exercises, you should first calm down your mind and use this mind to bring your body into a calm and relaxed state. Naturally, you should always be concerned with your mental and physical centers. Only then will you be able to find your balance. When you have achieved both mental and physical relaxation, centering, and balance, you will be both natural and comfortable. This is the key to regulating your body.

When you relax, you should learn to relax deeply into your internal organs, and especially the muscles that enclose the organs. In addition, you must also place your mind on the joints that are giving you trouble. The more you can bring your mind deep into the joint and relax it, the more Qi will circulate smoothly and freely to repair the damage. Click to learn how Chinese medicine treats Rheumatic Arthritis.

2. Regulating the Breathing:
Breathing is the central strategy in Qigong practice. According to Qigong theory, when you inhale you lead Qi inward and when you exhale you lead Qi outward. This is our natural instinct. For example, when you feel cold in the wintertime, in order to keep from letting the Qi out of your body, you naturally inhale more than you exhale to lead the Qi inward, which also closes the pores in the skin. However, in the summertime when you are too hot you naturally exhale more than inhale in order to lead Qi out of your body. When you do this you start to sweat and the pores open.

In Qigong, you want to lead the Qi to the internal organs and bone marrow, so you must learn how to use inhalation to lead the Qi inward. When you use Qigong to cure your arthritis, you must inhale and exhale deeply and calmly so that you can lead the Qi deep into the joint and also outward to dissipate the excess or stagnant Qi that has accumulated in the joints. Therefore, in addition to relaxing when you practice, you should always remember to inhale and exhale deeply. When you inhale, place your mind deep in the joint, and when you exhale, lead the Qi to the surface of the skin.

3. Regulating the Mind:
In Qigong, the mind is considered the general who directs the battle against sickness. After all, it is your mind that manages all of your thinking and activity. Therefore, a clear, calm mind is very important so that you can judge clearly and accurately. In addition, your attention must also be concentrated. Your mind can generate an EMF (an electromotive force or "voltage") that causes your Qi to circulate. The more you concentrate, the more strongly you can lead the Qi.

When you have a calm and concentrated mind, you will be able to feel and sense the problem correctly. Therefore, when you practice Qigong for your arthritis, you must learn how to bring your mind inward so that you can understand the situation, and you must know how to use your concentrated attention to lead the Qi.

4. Regulating the Qi:
Once you have regulated your body, breathing, and mind, you will be in a good position to start regulating your Qi, and will be able to lead your Qi anywhere in your body in order to make repairs.

5. Regulating the Spirit:
The final key to Qigong is raising your spirit of vitality. Good morale or fighting spirit is necessary to win the struggle against illness. When your spirit is high, your willpower is strong, your mind is firm, and your patience can last a long time. In addition, when your spirit is high your emotions are under control and your wisdom mind can stimulate the Qi to circulate in the body more efficiently. This will significantly reduce the time of healing.