How can something be new and ancient at the same time? Well, you know how us Westerners are. We hear about some acient practice from the orient and suddenly it becomes all the rage. Yoga and Tai Chi are two good examples. Well, the most recent “ancient Chinese secret” to make its way across both sides of the pond is called Qi Gong, pronounced “Chi Gong” and sometimes written all in one word: Qigong.

Qi Gong translates to “breath work” with Qi meaning breath or gas in Mandarin Chinese, and usually associated with the energy produced by breathing that keeps us alive. Gong means work or technique. Qigong is then “breath work” or the art of managing the breath to achieve and maintain good health, and especially in the martial arts.

I can’t really explain Qi Gong in a single blog entry, but the video below does a pretty good job of it:

Here are some good Qi Gong products from Gaiam, if you’re interested in learning more about the practice.