In Wild Goose Qigong (as in life), you are not just the 'goose'; you are also the mountain...

The mountain is a symbol for the inner obstacles we all carry, and Wild Goose Qigong treats these not as enemies to defeat, but as the very ground on which we grow.

At times, this Kunlun mountain stands as a symbol of strength and stability — the pillar between earth and heaven. But it also represents the obstacles within ourselves: inertia, resistance, the stubborn nature of our own thoughts, habits, and fears.

The mountain within you can feel immovable. It may manifest as self-doubt, old patterns of behavior, or the reluctance to ch...

In the practice of Wild Goose Qigong, you are the goose. Why did the Daoist originators choose this bird on which to build the system?

The Bar-Headed Goose is one of the highest-flying birds on Earth, migrating over the Himalayas and Kunlun Mountains, which is why Daoist originators used it as the founding image for this qigong system.

The Bar-Headed Goose (or in Chinese - "Da Yan" 大雁 = ‘great goose’) embodies freedom, adaptability, resilience and the courage to journey through life’s challenges. It is renowned for its awe-inspiring migrations over the Kunlun Mountains and Himalayas, and is a symbol of connection to the natural worl...

[In this lesson, 'silvery objects' is a metaphor for the shiny distractions — new techniques, quick fixes, other systems — that pull practitioners away from consistent practice].

On your journey of self-cultivation, the path may sometimes seem slow or uncertain. In these moments, distractions can appear in the form of “silvery” objects—new, shiny solutions that promise instant results or shortcuts to your goals. They glimmer with appeal, tempting you to veer away from the steady rhythm of your practice.

In Wild Goose Qigong, as in life, these silvery objects might be new techniques, untested ideas, or the belief that progress lie...

"There exists no miraculous methods in the world, only plain ones, and the perfection of the plain is miraculous."

— Fei Bo-Xiong, Chinese Doctor, 1863.

Fei Bo-Xiong, a renowned physician of the Qing Dynasty, spent over 60 years refining his clinical practice. Known for his innovation in herbal medicine and success in treating the “five overstrains and seven injuries”, he exemplified the principle that extraordinary outcomes arise from mastering the ordinary.

[Five Overstrains and Seven Injuries (五劳七伤), is a classical TCM term for the internal damage caused by prolonged overexertion of the body, mind, and emotions]. 

His phil...

Over the next 5 posts, I am going to be posting one of 5 Lessons - short motivational lessons I've written to help guide and uplift your Qigong practice:

• Lesson #1: "My Future Is in My Hands (Not in the Heavens)"
• Lesson #2: Perfection of the Plain
• Lesson #3: Avoid 'Silvery' Objects
• Lesson #4: You Are the Goose
• Lesson #5: You Are the Mountain
   

A short lesson from the mountain...

Each year, around March / April, I go stay in a hut up a hill to find some quietude, inside and out :) This time, I planned a lot of Jing Gong, some Dong Gong, and in between reading & writing. 4 days away which, as a home-schooling Dad and husband, was a long time from the 'red dust'* of real life.

The hut is only accessible by foot. A steep winding path ascends through native woods, and brings you out to a ridge clearing, where the hut looks out down the great Wangapeka River Valley. It’s an awesome spot.

On a still days, you can just hear the river deep below, and pines sifting the bre...

"The ordinary is the extraordinary" [Wang Xiang-Zhai, Qigong Master, 1885 - 1963]

These 5 words teach a powerful principle.

The principle applies to all areas of life not just the practice of Qigong, Yang Sheng / Nourishing Life (養生) or the Martial Arts. Let me expand a little: extra-ordinary levels of skill or success are achieved through consistent, deliberate practice of ordinary actions.

Fei Bo-Xiong, a Chinese Doctor writing in 1863, helps us to grasp this principle further: "There exist no miraculous methods in the world, only plain ones, and the perfection of the plain is miraculous."

The modern-day Self Development guru ...

Happy New Year!

We’re now 7 days into 2019. Actually, I’m more of a Chinese New Year kind person [February 5th - Year of the Pig]. Somehow it just feels more auspicious. I especially adore the Lantern Festival. Between now and then is that short window of time when we seek self-renewal and reset our inner compass - better health, relationships, productivity etc. All ‘resolutions’ and goals come down to a simple yet complex truth: stop doing what you know is bad for you and do more of what’s good. Change comes from within and requires us to take new action. Otherwise, we keep doing what we've been doing, with the same results. S...

“A moving hinge never rusts”

This ancient Chinese adage appears in the biography of the Daoist physician Hua Tuo c. 200. It also appears in this interpretation: “A [wooden] hinge is not eaten by woodworm” and often coupled with the phrase, "Flowing water does not stagnate [go mouldy].” 

The Daoists have a wonderful way of observing natural processes and applying them, either directly or metaphorically, to the human condition. And this quote is probably one of my favourites. 

Movement, like regular Qigong practice, lubricates the joints, moves the blood and Qi, strengthens the bones and soft tissues. Gentle physical exercise ca...