On the path of exploring Qigong. Or in another words one of the toughest of all internal arts.
Either I have very poor memory, or forget suffering easily, or the so 20 years of triathlon training seems to attest to it.
Now I see, and completely understand why so many would ask, „hey, what do you mean Qigong is tough? – It seems to be so relaxing and mainly for the elderly interesting.”
When I joined Damo Mitchell and Lotus Nei Gong in 2016, at the annual Sweden retreat, I just stood there in the training hall, and asked myself: ” Adam, did you really finished your triathlon career to do this? This much pain again? ”
Just later on I found out it is not only sometimes deeper bodily sacrifice, but can be tough mentally and emotionally to, let alone spiritually. So how come than, everyone thinks Qigong is the softest nicest and I am claiming here it is strong competition in pain with the highly taxing triathlon training? It must be some truth in it , right?
It is not exactly the pain only, but the complexity and depth. The subtle realms, the mental qualities and resilience and perseverance. And clarity at all times, amongst any circumstance.
The human fabric is multilayered. Examining it seems to me to be science and at the same time a continually changing process, a transformation by daily practise over years and decades.
My conclusion is, the main confusing factor for people to use the same term: Qigong for many things, which obviously are not that. And that is it. Everything has the right to exist, only call them by their own, right name.
Photo: Reinhard Pacejka