zhineng qigong worldwide mexico: we are honored and thankful that master liu again shared his...

Scientific Research: The Benefits of Medical Qigong, Zhineng Qigong in Cancer Survivors The Ohio State University

Debra Weisenburger Lipetz, China Certified Zhineng Qigong Teacher

In 2009, as Master Liu walked me to my airport gate in China after the month-‐long Zhineng Qigong Teacher Training, he mentioned casually to me that I would be doing Zhineng Qigong research. After finding my seat, I thought about his comment laughing quietly to myself. It seemed an absurd statement from Master Liu, considering I personally needed no proof of the healing results of ZQ and was not interested in scientific research. I simply let it go.

A couple of months later, I was approached by a colleague at The Ohio State University James Care for Life avidly recruiting me in a possible research study with qigong students and cancer. I quickly became a member of a research team at OSU. It was an arduous, challenging time learning to follow all the rigid requirements for scientific research. I have never been an advocate of the sciences. I had to re-‐form my brain in order to “play the game” and integrate with the left-‐brained rigid thinking and methodology of a huge corporate conglomerate, The Ohio State University. As I released my personal biases toward science, the experience opened an expansive book of new information within myself.

Contents: Research on the Benefits of Medical Qigong by Debra Weisenburger Lipetz 1 Master Liu’s Travels 3 Qi Running by Stuart Braune 6 Nature Life 8 Yuantong Liu A Day of La Qi 9 Harrison Beard, Jane McClocklin, Riki Howard, Sue Ashwell Remembering Stephanie Carson 11 Meaning of Zhi Neng Qi Gong 13 Yuantong Liu ______________________ Editing: Martha Work, Stuart Braune, Consulting Lenore Crenshaw, Russell Crenshaw, LeAnn Benevento, Graphic Design: Martha Work

Zhineng Qigong

Worldwide Summer 2013

At this point in time, the article is due for publication October 2013, in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, a long process for final publication, approximately four years. The research study is linguistically tedious and intended for a scientific audience. But, I can give you a synopsis of the study. You are welcome to research specific charts and protocols when the article is available to the public.

I was given six weeks to prove benefits of health to cancer survivors through Zhineng Qigong. Although I argued the inefficiency of time allotment for 6 weeks, that is all OSU would allow. I was given 3 groups of new 6-‐ week ZQ students/patients over a one year time period during 2011 and 2012 at the James Cancer Hospital, The Ohio State University. Protocol stated we meet once a week for a six-‐week time period. All participants were considered cancer survivors and may have been actively undergoing some type of cancer treatment (surgery, hormonal therapy, radiation therapy or chemotherapy) or undergoing no treatment. Inclusion criteria included participants who were 18 years of age and able to speak and read English. Exclusion criteria included participants cognitively unable to consent or unable to understand English or unable to understand the consent process. The implications for practice were: 1) Medical Qigong is a mind-‐body exercise that includes movement and meditation. 2) Medical Qigong when practiced for 6 weeks can help enhance mental well-‐being and decrease reports of depression. 3) Medical Qigong can be practiced by cancer patients in any phase of treatment.

The aims were to describe the effects of ZQ classes in all types of cancer survivors with respect to fatigue (Brief Fatigue symptom inventory-‐BFI), health-‐related quality of life (SF-‐12), depression (CES-‐D) and sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index-‐PSQI). Also, to compare scores for quality of life (QOL) combining all the instruments used after the completion of the six-‐week ZQ classes. All HIPPA laws were enforced

and many charts and instrumentation involved for each 6-‐week ZQ class. The protocol was strict and adhered to in every aspect of scientific research.

My main priority, as teacher, was to organize a strong qi field full of information and joy so all could integrate, connect, receive, relax, and enjoy the results of our Zhineng Qigong class for the short 6-‐weeks we were together. Each class time was one and one half hours, although we often stayed a little later. Students learned Lift Qi Up Pour Qi Down Method and La Qi. Healing circles were added after the second week of class. All participants were asked to keep a journal to see their individual progress over the six weeks. Each student filled out a Gong Sheet designed to daily include: full ZQ practice, La Qi/or listening to the CD, or no practice. All students were asked to honestly fill out the correct achievement symbol, whether they practiced or not. The six weeks flew by, yet friends bonded and students willingly shared experiences. Many students expressed profound changes, physically, emotionally and mentally. Each six weeks the protocol remained the same, but the class dynamics varied. Students continued to share their experiences resulting in all of us learning more and more.

At the completion of the yearlong research study, data was tediously collected and compiled and charts and graphs were developed. The initial results looked promising. The final results for the 6-‐week Zhineng Qigong weekly classes over the year showed great improvement. In the total sample, the pre and post intervention PCS (Physical Component Summary) mean was improved. The pre and post MCS (Mental Component Summary) mean was improved. To briefly summarize all the components, the Mental Component Summary (MCS) and the Depression (CDS-‐D) scores were SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED post intervention. All scores were more favorable after the ZQ classes! Sleep scores were

Master Liu has been busy traveling, teaching and sharing the gift of Zhineng Qigong.

Since April he has taught in Singapore, Mexico, Austria, Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Following are some photos

from Austria, Mexico and the Netherlands.

Austria-‐ Photos courtesy of Manfred Tiefenbach

the least improved following the classes, which may be due to the scores at the beginning of the classes only slightly reflective of sleep problems.

Therefore, the research study discussion concludes that Zhineng Qigong is effective in reducing some of the problems associated with a diagnosis of cancer and cancer treatment. While only MCS (Mental Component Summary) and CES-‐D (depression) scores were SIGNIFICANTLY better post intervention, all of the scores were more favorable after the ZQ classes.

The research study quotes, “Zhineng Qigong is a practice that gradually changes the mental paradigm, thus altering perceptions of some of the challenges that arise with a diagnosis of cancer and cancer treatment. ZQ can help

cultivate consciousness which can transform self, resulting in enhanced notions of well-‐being and a more positive outlook for the future.” This particular research study is a wonderful basis for future study for hospitals and universities, showing that offering alternative classes such as Zhineng Qigong can be extremely helpful to students/patients diagnosed with cancer. Educating medical staff and physicians is important in implementing more scientific research. Although the task is challenging, I encourage all Certified Zhineng Qigong Teachers to begin exploring this new frontier of science through Zhineng Qigong. One need not have fear of the scientific research departments. Patience is the key. The sciences and Zhineng Qigong are one and the same, just different syntax.

Master Liu has been busy traveling, teach

From Mexico: We are honored and thankful that Master Liu again shared his knowledge of Zhineng Qigong during the Healing workshop in Mexico City. Many friends were very happy and some healings happened during the workshop. Thanks for the unconditional Love and the help in many ways to make the workshop a reality: Especially Astrid Jimenez, who flew to Mexico from Washington DC. Also Alejandra Ortega, who lives in Mexico City, and Tatiana Kapps, who always helps with love. The organizers in Mexico City were Javier Ibarra and Miriam Antoun, 12, 13, 14 of July 2013. Hun Yuan Ling Tong..!! Miriam Antoun

Liu and Manfred in Austria

Miriam Antoun Mexico

Natasha Ibarra Mexico

Miriam Antoun Mexico

All photos on pages 5 and 6 by

John van Veen, Holland

These pictures were taken during the yearly training of Master

Yuantong Liu in Epe (Holland.) Next year he will be back in August together with Master Feng...

Master Liu's 2014 visit to Oakwood in the US has been scheduled from June 6 -‐ July 3.

More details to follow.

Running with Qi

ChiRunning® was developed by a marathon runner and trainer working in conjunction with a T’ai Chi instructor “to help you love running forever” by teaching a “safe and efficient, natural running technique to reduce injury and improve personal performance” (from the ChiRunning web site). As someone who has enjoyed running for the last 35 years or so, I started teaching myself this technique about 5 years ago (in my upper 50’s) when the Chi Running book was being passed around among the runners at my office. Being familiar with Qigong, I thought it would be cool to incorporate Qi principles into my running. The technique can be rather complex to learn I discovered – breaking old habits, basically – but here are some basic points you may recognize.

• Relaxation: The whole body is relaxed. After each step, the leg and foot that are lifted off the ground become very relaxed. The arms swing naturally (moving with the momentum of the body, not resisting it).

• Alignment and posture: The posture is the same as beginning a wall-‐squat with the top of the head extended and the Mingmen slightly out to straighten the spine.

• Landing midfoot: The strike is midfoot (unlike the heal strike of other running techniques). The running cadence is quite fast (85-‐90 strides/minute). The legs in motion create a circular pattern. Run light on your feet.

• Forward lean: A forward lean during the run – just as you would begin a wall-‐squat if your feet were a little back from the wall – provides a gravity assist to the forward momentum. You are basically “falling forward” with the legs cycling to keep up with the fall so that you move forward. Adjusting the speed is basically a matter of adjusting how much you’re leaning.

There will be a 3 week healer training at the Life Qi Center in Meishan, Sichuan, China.

September 5-‐26, 2013

Visit http://www.lifeqicenter.com/Hunyuan_Qi_Healing_training.html for more information.

Healer Training

• Using the core for propulsion: Rather than pushing or pulling with the leg muscles, the core muscles of the body power the movement. With these muscles, you are basically lifting and placing the foot and allowing it to circle around very naturally to the next step.

• Connect body and mind: The idea is to keep a rather keen awareness of the body during the run to help avoid injury -‐ not to “zone out” or fall into much distraction. (No -‐ or at least not too many -‐ distracting thoughts.) Much of the enjoyment of the run comes from this mindfulness of the body and of the physical surroundings.

If you like to run and this looks interesting, visit chirunning.com. There are a number of training materials available (of course). I know I’m not as proficient with this technique as I might be, but I’ll keep working on it. I combine this approach with a pair of Vibram 5-‐fingers running shoes. (You know -‐ those weird looking shoes with the toes. I tried running barefoot for a while but was concerned about injuries to my feet.) This last spring I ran in the Louisville, Ky, mini-‐marathon (a half-‐marathon of 13.2 miles). I trained for the race for about a year (picking up running again after Deborah’s passing) at 20-‐25 miles/week. I had run very little in the 2 years before this and hadn’t run a mini in something like 15 years. I was happy enough with my overall time (which was 02:17:20 for you runners), but more than that, I really enjoyed the run and felt quite full of energy (and even had enough juice left in the last mile or so to pass quite a number of other runners). For my weekly running, I run in the hilly countryside of southern Indiana around where I live. I try to use my running time to relax, to keep in shape, to be in my body (as a counter-‐balance to my desk job), to enjoy the country surroundings, and to watch for any little insights that might pop up (rare, but it happens). One particularly hot/humid day in July, a little overheated and completely drenched with sweat, I stopped at a creek that was along my route to soak my T-‐shirt and cap in the cool water. As I started back on my run now more refreshed, this little verse began forming in my mind:

A good run

Body born of this very earth

Moisture of sweat recycled for eons

Air breathed through so many beings

Fiery energy creating the magic of movement

Trees, field, cows, hill, flies, birds, clouds, sky

Barking dog, tractor cutting hay, chimes at a country church at noon, an old pickup

A long stretch with no shade, a heron fishing at the creek, a kid on a dirt bike

Qi inside / Qi outside – no difference!

“Put one foot in front of the other” we were told

When we didn’t know where to turn or how to move forward

Good advice

For a good run

-‐Stuart Braune

M.Work

Nature Life

June 4, 2013 by Yuantong Liu

I am nature Within nature

Time reveals changes Space stores, holds natural life

Nature evolves, revealing birth, growth, death -‐ life transformation

Transformation teaches the process of nature’s changes

Time moves secretly and without sound

Immersed in Peace and Quiet Keep it

Do not break, disrupt

Space is hiding its face and heart Never revealing

Only in the process of life transformation One can see their true face and heart

Are you seeing

I am nature My body life is the nature

Body, physical transformation is the transformation of nature

I am transforming in the moment In peace, joy….very happy

Past life disappears New life gives birth

I am natural Life

I now truly enjoy my nature

A Day of “La Qi”: Thoughts and Reflections

Harrison Beard

During one of our Teacher Training sessions, our group decided we should schedule a day dedicated to La Qi practice. We scheduled July 9 as our day to meet; and we were going to try to do La Qi for 8 hours. We got the idea from the successes reported by our own Stephanie Carson and from the success of Gail Lansdon and others. Stephanie had been part of a group testing an experimental drug. After her involvement, she started having headaches that lasted almost 24 hours a day every day. Stephanie found that long sessions of La Qi were very beneficial for relieving the pain for longer and longer periods.

Four of us met at teacher Sue Ashwell’s home. To get ourselves started we chose a recording of Dr. Pang Ming leading and teaching a group in China. We all felt very comfortable with this recording even though it was completely in Mandarin – and none of us spoke Mandarin. As the day progressed, we did some sessions in total silence and other sessions where we each took turns leading the La Qi practice.

Other people who have done this full day of La Qi practice have reported near-‐miraculous results. I don’t feel that that happened with our practice; but I do feel that notable improvements did happen. Personally, I have been dealing with a pretty severe injury to my lower spine; and while I am still dealing somewhat with the injury even today, I also have to say that the pain aspect of the injury improved somewhat and continues to get better slowly day by day.

Even though we did not experience the miraculous results of others, we were happy enough with the results that we are already talking about setting up another day of La Qi in the near future.

Jane McClocklin

Prior to the “La Qi” day, I had read about the practice but had not spent a lot of time performing or experiencing this method of self-‐healing. We began the day listening to Master Pang’s La Qi CD. As I listened to words, without knowing or understanding many of the translated meanings, I felt my body let go, relax; my mind settled with conscious flow of visualizing external/internal qi in the rhythm of opening/closing, expanding/contracting, and releasing/absorbing. Dr. Pang’s voice and cadence was soothing yet very qi powerful. Spending the day, Dr. Pang’s influence and the experience have allowed me to appreciate and have a deeper relationship/understanding of the La Qi self-‐healing method.

Riki Howard

Calming the mind and having an intention for six hours. Wow. What a profound experience, starting with organizing the qi field with an expectation of peace, quieting the mind. Then after a while monkey mind started to come again saying get up and do something. I just was able to notice and then I could release the mind and really get a calmer peace and acceptance of what we were accomplishing for ourselves. As the time went on a rhythm began to flow with the voices, the music, the sounds and the flowing qi. The longer the time, the deeper I sank into this wonderful warmth of the primordial, powerful qi-‐field. No longer here, but here; no long there, but there, touching each other in the room, touching outward to others with compassionate energies. By the end I was peaceful, calm inwardly and wanted to sleep, which I did very quietly and restful.

Sue Ashwell

Our teacher training group in St. Louis (Harrison Beard, Riki Howard, Jane McClocklin and me) decided to practice La Qi for a day. I contacted Master Liu for guidance and to let him know of our plans. I asked if we should include other Zhineng Qigong practice methods or only do La Qi. Here was his e-‐mail response in case other practitioners want to gather for this experience.

“When the group is doing 8 hour practice, you all should be only doing La-‐Qi together. You can repeat playing La-‐Qi CD. Or one by one leading the group practice La-‐Qi one hour each. During the La-‐Qi process, please only keep one voice saying ‘Kai...., He’, or 'Open...., Close’. Hope we have time to join La-‐Qi with you together! Hun Yuan Ling Tong!!! Peace and Love! Liu”

In preparation I gathered several cds with the La Qi practice for possible use. We planned initially on an 8 hour practice, but our schedules (including a lunch break!) permitted six powerful hours of La Qi. We began and ended our day with Dr. Pang’s recording.

Interspersed with “La Qi” practice cds and silence, we took turns leading the group with the Chinese words, Kai…..He……. We rotated the leadership of the practice as quickly or slowly as needed by each of us. Our voice vibrations in the room made the Qi even more palpable for me. The extended focus and experience in/with the Qi Field brought tremendous peace and calmness, joy and refreshment.

I highly recommend this Day of La Qi for all practitioners!

Remembering Stephanie Carson

Heart to heart and mind to mind With your gentle spirit and all Of us who love you Stuart Braune

Those of us who knew Stephanie will remember her sweet and gentle spirit, as well as her powerful determination. She was an inspiration to many. For those of you who didn’t know her, the following tribute

from her brother Jason and excerpt from her blog will give you a sense of who she was.

Chasing Health and Being: I continue to do my Qigong/self-healing. It doesnʼt really matter anymore whether it helps me heal into life or death. (And of course everyone dies at some point….) I only know that it is healing for me mentally for sure so Iʼll keep practicing it till my last breath on this planet. I know how much easier it is for me to get through the hard times anchored to my inner peace. Thatʼs not to say I donʼt have down moments or moments when I wonder if this is the beginning of the end. I try to let them pass. I also try not to take it too personally when the results arenʼt what I expected. It gives me comfort to know Iʼm a part of nature and donʼt beat myself up about not successfully healing physically. Thereʼs so much I donʼt understand, but I also keep the idea in my mind that anythingʼs possible. There are so many unexplainable miracles that occur in this life. Thereʼs no reason that I couldnʼt be one of them. Stephanie Carson

Jason’s Eulogy

In thinking about my sister over the last few weeks since her death, and how she should be seen as not only a great example but a person we should attempt to imitate in our own lives, these two famous lines from the Jewish Talmud keep coming to my mind:

If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am for myself only, what am I?

I think one of the reasons Stephanie was such a remarkable person is because she strongly grasped the paradoxical nature of what is being said here. Consider the first line that was just cited, if I am not for myself, who will be for me. We all know how brave she was in her battle with cancer, in which she displayed a truly Roman stoicism against a terrible force that we can all simply thank God that we ourselves will probably never have to confront. It is important to mention here though that, although she of course depended heavily on the love and assistance of her friends -‐ many of whom are attendees today -‐ her family, and most of all to her husband John, who more than anybody else provided the love that Stephanie needed, Stephanie knew that ultimately she had to confront her cancer on her own, and that nobody else could do this for her. It was Stephanie who had to make the decisions at the end – who had to choose – whether to participate in this clinical trial or that one, whether or not to travel to Princeton or to Michigan to find specialists who could help her with those evil migraine headaches that afflicted her for nearly two years, and so on. And so she did – Stephanie would use that great mind of hers to evaluate her options carefully, and then she would take that leap of faith, knowing that with the Sword of Democles hanging that was her cancer she could never really afford to put off tough choices. It’s a cliché to say that a certain person’s death was a shock, was a surprise, that it always seemed that such-‐and-‐such an individual would live on; yet with Stephanie it seems that this was not a cliché at all but almost a self-‐evident truth.

And then there is the second line, if I am myself only, what am I. For Stephanie knew in her bones that it is not enough to live for oneself, that we have moral obligations to others, that indeed in helping others we truly become who we are meant to be. As we all know, Stephanie did this in countless ways. Another cliché we’ve all heard is, “Although she was so sick herself, she was always there for others.” This Stephanie was.

Still, in celebrating Stephanie’s life today then, what is most important is that we not only remember her integrity but do what we can in our own lives to emulate it. When we are having a difficulty in our job, or a problem in our relationships, or – at worst – facing the horrible specter of death – we should not be afraid but have courage, faith, hope, and love, being inspired by the beautiful example that was my sister’s life.

Jason Carson

M. Work

Meaning of Zhi Neng Qi Gong

Meaning of Zhi is wisdom, intelligence

Meaning of Neng is abilities

Meaning of Qi: The source of qi: External Qi: The Qi of Nature Internal Qi: One’s own life Qi The internal Qi and external Qi always are exchange each other, transform each other, balance each other and benefits each other, together show the evolution and regeneration of the life. II. Three forms of Qi: Physical Matter form Energy form Information form (pure Qi) These three forms of Qi always are exchange each other, transform each other and balance each other. Together shows the principles and laws of the evolution and regeneration of life.

Meaning of Gong: The technology, method and the times of training

Meaning of Qigong is: Training one’s internal Qi and external Qi exchange each other, transform each other, balance and benefits each other. Consciously use the mind consciousness inwardly and actively to integrate with Qi, induce Qi to follow mind’s intention to work. Base the principles and laws of the evolution and regeneration, to training one’s life Qi and the Qi of nature to exchange each other, transform each other, balance and benefits each other by the consciousness of the mind. To improve one’s health, wisdoms and abilities levels.

Meaning of Zhi Neng Qi Gong is by through Qi training to improve one’s health level, wisdoms and the abilities of the physical and mental.

Yuantong Liu

Zhineng Qigong Worldwide is published by ZQ Educational Corp. All rights reserved. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without the express permissionof ZQ Educational Corp.

zhineng qigong worldwide mexico: we are honored and thankful that master liu again shared his...

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