2020 has presented our world with a multitude of challenges. We interviewed Grand Master Nan Lu on the benefits of Qigong, in preparation for our upcoming virtual morning program. Click here to read Part 1 of this interview, Virtual Qigong and Consciousness: The Connection.

How do you begin Qigong practice? Why and how is it important to prepare yourself for the actual practice?

Preparing for Qigong practice is a big concept. The point of Qigong is to practice the Qi but you still have to use your body. Your body is a vehicle. You use your body to experience Qi deeply, but every body is unique.

Qigong is the path that allows you to discover life source and lead you to infinity. But there are many different types of Qigong. Each one has its own path. You have to discover which path is good for you. Choose wisely—the path you choose is very important. The path is your quality.

A master can give you guidance and help you understand the fundamental concepts: What is Qi? How do you practice Qi? What is the requirement to get high quality practice? But you have to put in the effort.

We always want to know: Is it easy to practice? How much effort do I need to put in for a result?

Once you have quality teachings, practice every single day. It all boils down to quality and quantity.

Could you speak a bit more about quality and quantity? How do we get the biggest benefit from our practice?

It doesn’t matter what you practice. You can practice yoga, pilates, even aerobics. The bottom line is still quality and quantity. What do you want to achieve? How much do you want to change? What body part do you want to change?

Many people say, “I’ve practiced for many years, but I don’t see the results I want.” If you practice for many months or many years and you don’t see a big change, the problem is in quality and quantity.

The master teaches quality first. The quantity is each person’s own responsibility.

So if you practice often, ask yourself: Am I doing quality practice? Am I putting in enough quantity? Quality can apply to every level. But every level requires different kind of practice. When the quality and quantity both change, you meet a new requirement and your level changes. Once quality and quantity meet the requirement, results will automatically show. The body never lies. It is a 3-D mirror that will show you on the outside what has been changing on the inside.

How does the mind come into play? How do you move past your mind when practicing Qigong?

The shortcut of Qigong practice is to drop the mind. But who can do that? Who can drop the mind? If you cannot drop your mind, you have to do long-term processing and go to the physical first.

Your mind is a barrier to your Qigong practice. But the mind is your last challenge, not your first one. The last step is to allow enlightenment—to make a quantum leap. Your first challenge is a physical challenge.

The body is alive! Still, your body parts are the mind, just a different way of the mind. At the beginning levels, your body is more important. If your mind is so strong, why can’t your mind fix a disease like cancer? Your mind doesn’t go to that level.

You once said, “Through guided meditation, we can find our balance point—our master key of balance. We can use this wisdom to heal ourselves.” How do you find your own balance point through hearing voice and seeing movement? Does that go through the mind or the body?

Guided meditation is not meditation. It’s a mind—intention—exercise. The mind is the invisible part of the body, but it’s still part of the energy flow. Instead of the mind jumping all over the place from one unnecessary task to another, guided meditation allows you to put all your mind and intentions together and focus.

Real Qigong practice never uses the mind. If you want a miracle, the mind cannot do that. Miracles never come from the mind; only from Qi.

In the beginning, the mind will help you to see some benefit. If you are distracted, you won’t have a quality practice. The quality will be diluted. So don’t worry about the mind. Go back to the fundamental concept: “I want to have good health. I want to feel good.” If your purpose is to feel good, put your mind and intentions into it and experience it. Allow your body to feel it.

Many things can make you feel good—coffee, chocolate cake, stretching, Qigong! But Qigong can do much more than help you just feel good. It goes much, much deeper.

At the cell and structural levels, each body part is different. When you move your leg, it’s a different kind of energy than when you move your finger. To reach that cell level, you have to first understand and agree to the fundamental concept. Your quality and quantity must match. Follow someone of high quality who will lead you and then, day-after-day, practice, practice, practice.

Do you have luck? The luck is the spirit. Who watches you? Who is behind you? That is something beyond everything—beyond the mind. How many people practice? How many people have that kind of skill? Qigong practice will allow you to connect to invisible spirit and much bigger dimensions. That’s one of the secrets and the beauty of Qigong practice.

Qigong is for Everyone! Join Us… Virtually!

Morning Qigong with Grand Master Nan Lu

This unique 5-week program begins October 17th. We’ll meet over Zoom on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at 8am. It’s the perfect way to start your day. Are you up for the challenge?