I like to say that to better know what QiGong is it is important to practice, not just read about it. QiGong is different for each person, and is different throughout time for each person. Still, when offering a class or sharing a short description about the practice of QiGong, I manage to find some words and I realize the value of connecting through language. A few words can shift apprehension into curiosity and open the way to starting a practice.

My friend and colleague shared an article with me that discusses QiGong in a way that is very accessible and thorough. I don’t have an association with Master Wu or the Blue Willow World Healing Center but this writing contains primary and potent information:

http://bluewillow88.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/the-purpose-of-cultivation-an-interview-with-master-wu/

In particular, I was thinking about Master Wu’s comments that:

Yes, our lives are short – no matter how long we live, compared with the long stream of the time of the Universe, our lives are just a momentary sparkle. Sometimes, when people physically die, their spirits remain very much alive. The quality of our lives is not measured by the time we spend in this world, but how we learn to transform our personal emotional energy into a force that can help others.

When teaching Turtle Longevity QiGong I encounter an exploration of the word “longevity” that I link to Master Wu’s thoughts. Longevity is not the quantity of years but the knowing and acceptance of death as a part of a cycle, that is followed by rebirth.