What is qigong? What does the word mean?

Qigong is an ancient healing practice from Master Chunyi Lin’s native country, China, which brings your mind, body, and heart energy together to achieve balance through active meditative movements and sitting meditations. The Chinese call the energy in a person’s body “qi.” Qi works in this way: when qi flows smoothly in the body, life is good and you are physically and mentally healthy. When the flow of qi is interrupted, energy blockages form and can lead to physical or mental health problems. When qi totally stops, that is the end of life. “Gong” means the “the flow of” or “the practice of.” Qigong, then, means the flow or practice of energy.

Qigong practice helps the qi (energy) in the body flow freely so the body stays in balance and healthy, which helps prevent energy blockages. It can also help heal energy blockages when the body is sick. Many people in China practice qigong, and many doctors teach their patients different qigong exercises and postures to help them heal.

How do I pronounce “qigong?” How about “qi?” “Chunyi Lin?”

“Qigong” is pronounced “chee-GONG.” “Qi” is pronounced “chee.” The pronunciation of Chunyi Lin is a cross between “choon-yee lin” and “chun-yee lin.”

What is Spring Forest Qigong and how does it work?

Spring Forest Qigong is a practice of breathing, focusing your mind, doing very simple body movements, and meditating. In creating Spring Forest Qigong, Master Lin has blended these components together into a system that is very simple yet so very powerful. Thousands of students have found the practice life-changing.

Because the science of qigong is so little known in the West, this may all sound very complicated, or even impossible, but it is not. Spring Forest Qigong is designed to be very simple to learn and practice, yet very powerful in its benefits. And all you need do to learn how to enter this world of health, wellness, and happiness is to take a class or turn on a DVD or audio CD and follow along.

Who is Master Chunyi Lin?

Master Chunyi Lin is a Grand Qigong Master and the creator of Spring Forest Qigong. His fluency in numerous Chinese dialects provided him the rare opportunity to study with many of the most respected qigong masters in his native China. He has been teaching qigong and using qigong techniques to help others for more than twenty years.

Who can be helped by Spring Forest Qigong?

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes every condition can be treated and helped. This is also the belief of Spring Forest Qigong. Many people come to this practice as an adjunct to their Western medical care, others because they want to try a holistic approach to their health concerns. Many students, with minor and major health concerns, have benefited greatly by practicing Spring Forest Qigong. We have also worked with many people with chronic and terminal illnesses and have seen and heard how helpful Spring Forest Qigong can be. Even if your body has massive or chronic blockages and the damage is irreversible, while Spring Forest Qigong may not be able to help you physically, it can help with the emotional and spiritual aspects of your life.

Also, we do not believe that anyone can tell you exactly what is going to happen to you when you have a certain illness or injury because everyone is different and responds differently to illness and healing. The most beautiful and powerful thing about Spring Forest Qigong is that it tells you that you were born a healer. You have the power to heal yourself by waking up the energy from within and creating a miracle. We see it all the time. Whatever your level of health, Spring Forest Qigong can open your heart to love, kindness, and forgiveness, bringing more joy into your life.

Are there people who shouldn’t practice Spring Forest Qigong?

If you have any history, or family history, of any psychotic disorder, it would be best to consult your mental health professional before you start practicing Spring Forest Qigong.

Why should I practice Spring Forest Qigong?

Many people come to Spring Forest Qigong to learn to be calmer so they can better deal with stress and the pressures of life. Others come to help themselves heal from physical or emotional problems or to help themselves heal quicker while under a doctor’s care or using medicine. There are also many people come to Spring Forest Qigong to become a professional energy healer. It is also very beneficial to use Spring Forest Qigong if you want to have more energy at work and at home or if you want to be more creative with your job.

A special aspect of Spring Forest Qigong is that it helps you discover that you were born a healer and that you can help yourself and your family heal when illness happens. Because qigong helps bring peace and balance to your life, it also helps to prevent future problems and provides you with a better quality of life.

Is it difficult to learn? How much will I have to practice it?

It is very simple, not at all difficult. After years of study, Master Lin specifically designed Spring Forest Qigong so that anyone can learn and practice it. He created a revolutionary approach to qigong which simplifies the learning process while increasing the student’s level of understanding and, most importantly, enhancing the benefits of qigong practice.

You can practice Spring Forest Qigong as much or as little as you want. You can do five minutes a day. You can do 30 minutes twice a week. Do what you can–everything will help. A lot of people report that practicing one-half hour a day greatly improves their energy, reduces their stress, and improves their general overall quality of life; however, if you have a serious physical condition and you want to see significant improvement, Master Lin says that you must be willing to practice one to two hours a day for two to three months. You might see the improvement immediately, or it might take the full two or three months. For most people though, a half an hour a day usually leads to a significant shift–they are healthier and live a more balanced life.

What if I’m in a wheelchair or unable to move my arms? Can I still do Spring Forest Qigong?

There are many people who don’t have the use of one or both of their arms or legs and they still have gotten great benefit from practicing Spring Forest Qigong. You can practice Spring Forest Qigong standing, sitting, or lying down. If you can’t move at all, Master Lin says you can still do the exercises and meditations in your mind. Again, the guiding principle of qigong is that everything is energy. Your thoughts and mental images are a very powerful form of energy that can help remove energy blockages and create energy balance that, as Chinese medicine teaches, is necessary for optimum health and wellness.

Is Spring Forest Qigong like yoga or tai chi?

Qigong has been called “Chinese yoga,” so there are similarities to yoga, and the movements of Spring Forest Qigong are similar to tai chi movements. However, Spring Forest Qigong is not as physically challenging as some other qigong schools. Spring Forest Qigong focuses primarily on the energy in the body, physical, emotional and spiritual, and is easily practiced by anyone, and the profound results are available to all.

Is there religion involved in Spring Forest Qigong?

Qigong has nothing to do with any religion. It is the study of energy flow in the body and also the study of the relationship between the body and nature. The more one practices qigong, the more it quiets the mind, helps the energy flow unobstructed through the body, and consequently opens up the spirit or heart energy. When people in the West hear someone say “mind/body/spirit,” they mistakenly think the spirit aspect is tied to a spiritual or religious practice.

A better translation is “mind/body/heart,” as everyone has an innate heart energy that is not the emotional heart of the human, but a heart energy that, when open, is capable of unconditional love and sees the goodness in all people. So if you have a religious belief, you have this heart energy, and if you don’t have a religious belief, you still have this heart energy. It is inherent in all of us, and you can choose whether or not to use it in a religious practice.

It is a goal of Spring Forest Qigong to help you open your heart energy so it is easier to practice love, kindness, and forgiveness. This helps develop and purify your overall energy, allowing you to heal much more quickly and to help others heal much more quickly. You then walk in the world in a much more open-hearted way–a healing presence wherever you go.

How can I find other people who are practicing Spring Forest Qigong?

The Spring Forest Qigong International Guild has a Practice Group Directory. This list of practice groups is updated as more groups form. You can find a Practice Group Leader Directory on our website under Community on the home page site map or click on Spring Forest Qigong International Guild and find out more about Spring Forest Qigong Guild Practice Groups there.

Do I have to take a Level One class from Master Lin to get the best results, or can I get as much from the DVDs, etc., or from other Spring Forest instructors?

While it would certainly be nice if all new students could take a class from the founder of Spring Forest Qigong, Master Chunyi Lin, it is not practical nor is it important that you do so. While he is not available to teach all the Level One and Two classes, he has established a curriculum for his certified instructors to teach that is the most effective way to benefit the new student. If you can take a Level One class with others, or attend a conference, that is a very good way to learn and it gives you more energy as you learn.

But if you can only practice on your own, you can still get wonderful results. We have had many, many people call or write us and share their wonderful stories of healing themselves on their own. We have even had people call and say they watched the DVD one time and were cured of a chronic hearing problem or that their depression lifted. You are the healer–it is your birthright. Master Lin just teaches you some ways to tap into what is naturally yours. If you want to go to a very high spiritual level with qigong, however, you will do best if you can come to the Spring Forest Qigong advanced classes to learn higher-level techniques.

Level One and Level Two of Spring Forest Qigong are offered together. Is it best to take them that way or to leave time in between?

It is fine to take Level One and Level Two classes together, as they both are taught at the same level of energy. Level One is about healing yourself, and in Level Two you begin to learn a lot about helping others heal. Sometimes people want to take Level One and build up their own energy and confidence before taking Level Two. This is fine, too.

Master Lin says to see a light, or visualize colors or smoke or butterflies when I do active Qigong exercises or meditate. I can’t do that. I can’t even concentrate. I am still getting anything out of my practice?

Yes — keep practicing! If you cannot visualize, say in your mind that you are seeing the light, butterflies, smoke, or colors. If you cannot concentrate, keep trying. Not everyone visualizes easily and not everyone focuses well. You are still benefiting from your practice, and the practice is designed to help you do these things better.

Spring Forest Qigong offers a lot of different courses. Where do I start?

The Spring Forest Qigong Level 1 Course is a great start. You can learn through the Self Study Program or a live class. This teaches you techniques to heal yourself, helps you to understand the fundamentals of qigong, and prepares you to begin helping others to heal. You can also begin with the Five Element Healing Movements. In this course, Master Lin pairs specific positive emotions with each of the active qigong exercises for the fastest self-healing.

What is the difference between live classes and the Self-Study Courses? Do I get the Self-Study materials as part of a live class? Can I use the Self-Study Courses for Qigong Certification?

The live classes and their corresponding Self-Study Courses cover the same material, but the live classes are taught by Certified Spring Forest Qigong Instructors or Spring Forest Qigong Masters and offer the most up-to-date information. And not only do you enjoy the energy of the Masters and Instructors in a live class, but you experience a more spontaneous and personalized teaching in the company of other warm-hearted people. Although you do not receive the Self-Study Course as part of a live class, you do receive printed class materials with all the information you need to continue practicing on your own. The Self-Study Courses do NOT meet the pre-requisite requirements for our Certification programs.

I need information I couldn’t find on your website. What do I do?

Click here to see how our Support can help.