An Introduction to Qi Gong

A 4,000 year old practice that can help you live better in 2020.

Qi Gong is a rich, multifaceted practice that has been a cornerstone of Chinese medicine for at least 4,000 years. The words Qi Gong loosely translate as energy work, and at its most basic, involves the cultivation of energy flow throughout the body. The Qi (pronounced “chi”) is often described as a life force that flows through the body’s twelve meridians, and in keeping with ancient Chinese beliefs about the creation of the universe, this Qi is comprised of both yin and yang elements. Perhaps the most basic objective of Qi Gong is to balance the yin and yang aspects of Qi.

Yin and Yang describes many dualities that are found in the natural world, such as light and dark, fire and water, expansion and contraction, and it is believed that a proper balancing of these two contradictory forces is far more beneficial than either by itself. Yin is the black side, and yang is the white side. The relationship between yin and yang is often described in terms of sunlight moving over a mountain and a valley. Yin (literally the 'shady place' or 'north slope') is the dark area shaded by the mountain's bulk, while yang (the "sunny place' or "south slope") is the brightly lit portion. As the sun moves across the sky, yin and yang gradually trade places with each other, revealing what was obscured and obscuring what was revealed. In this way, the interconnectedness of all things is represented by the symbol, wherein both yin and yang contain a seed of the other. It is also the inspiration for our Synergy logo.

Qi Gong is often described as a form of movement with meditation, coordinating slow-flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and a calm meditative clearing of the mind. Depending on the particular discipline, certain sounds, such as different vowels, may accompany the breathing. Because it is so low-impact, and can be done sitting or standing, it is accessible to seniors and the medically challenged, making it suitable for recovering from a wide variety of health issues. People practice throughout China and worldwide for self-healing, recreation, exercise, relaxation, preventive medicine, and meditation. Qi Gong also has a strong connection and application to the martial arts.

The lineage of Qi Gong is complex, as one might expect of a practice that goes back 4,000 years. Many varieties have been handed down by renowned teachers, and their lineage guarded vigorously. Others have evolved out of practices that people have used to recover from serious illnesses. Most contemporary practices fall under the general categories of medical, spiritual, intellectual, life-nourishing and martial arts. It could be argued that Qi Gong is capable of improving one’s life in each of those ways.

The Five Elements Practice

My own experience with Qi Gong came 20 years ago when I had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. I was being given 18 months to live by conventional doctors, and I was investigating alternative approaches. I was referred to a Qi Gong teacher in San Rafael named Donald Rubbo. He taught a particular form of Qi Gong called Primordial Qi Gong, which has a long and respected lineage. I learned a practice based on the Five Elements which the Chinese assigned to nature: water, wood, fire, earth and metal. Each of these elements is tied to a compass direction, an internal organ, a season, an emotion and a color.

There were gentle movements and vocal sounds accompanying each of the elements. It began with facing the east and focusing on the element of wood, the liver, the emotion of anger, the color green and making a “Shhhh” sound. Then face south and focus on the element of fire, the heart, the emotion of manic joy, the color red and making a sound like “Haaah.” The next element was earth, associated with its own season of late summer, thus “adding” a fifth season to correspond to the five elements. Facing southwest, the focus was on autumn, the spleen, the emotion of worry and the color yellow. Then face west and embrace the fall season, the metal element, the lungs, grief or doubt, the color white and make a hissing sound. Finally face north, where the focus was winter, water, the kidneys, fear and the making of a “Whooo” sound.

Afterwards, practitioners were encouraged to recharge the body’s three dantiens – energy receptacles in the abdomen, chest and head – by raising hands over head and visualizing a ball of Qi energy the size of a basketball and slowly lowering this imaginary ball through the head and torso, descending to the abdomen, while making a “Heeee” sound. This is known as the triple burner and is found in many Qi Gong practices.

Obviously I recovered, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. I believe Qi Gong, along with other alternative strategies, helped me through my brain tumor. Much as quiet practices such as meditation and tai chi, Qi Gong, can do much to optimize the body’s energy flow and lead to greater well-being.

If you are interested in exploring Qi Gong for yourself, we can recommend Lee Holden, a Qi Gong instructor who offers individual and online classes. His website can be accessed at https://www.holdenqigong.com. A YouTube video of an excellent 20-minute daily routine can be found at https://youtube.com/watch?v=pj4qo2KL9f4&feature=share

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Women and Cannabis

In March we celebrate International Womens’ Day drawing attention to womens’ achievements in society and the struggle for equality. In the world of cannabis women play substantial roles, from breakthrough medical researchers to cultivators and activists. Here are just a few of the many incredible women who have contributed to the advance of medical cannabis.

In 1988 Allyn Howlett PHD, a medical scientist, discovered the CB1 receptor, which provided the gateway to research into the endocannabinoid system. This first breakthrough has led to a whole new area of medical science, there are now ‘ endocannabinologists’ who are focussed on revealing the entirety of this vital component of our physiology. Howlett is still actively researching, presently she is studying how proteins interact with cannabinoids, leading to the development of effective cannabis medicine.

Cannabis legalization wouldn’t have passed without the medical doctors who were prepared to start prescribing patients with cannabinoid-based medicine. The stigma and misinformed beliefs about cannabis which had been endemic throughout the twentieth century were deconstructed publicly by the doctors who openly embraced the plant's potentiality. Dr Rachel Knox MD is one of these doctors. Knox became frustrated that her colleagues were quick to dismiss cannabis medicine’s usefulness citing the lack of clinical evidence. This led Knox and her parents, both medical practitioners, to set up ‘The American Cannabinoids Clinics’. The clinic’s methodology is to treat the endocannabinoid system when assessing a disease’s process in the body. Cannabis is the most versatile tool that works on the endocannabinoid system and so cannabis and other complementary natural plant medicines are prescribed in ACC practices.

Cannabis activists have also been prominent in the emergence of cannabis into mainstream awareness and the late Michelle Kendal, who made the cannabis documentary ‘Schedule 1’ deserves to be remembered. Kendal had stage 3 ovarian cancer when she was diagnosed, chemotherapy was ineffective and left her no conventional options. At home in Colorado with her parents, her mother introduced her to cannabis medicine. Kendal’s tumor markers shot down in response to her cannabinoid regime and her doctors were amazed. ‘Schedule 1’ is an important documentary furthering the conversation about cannabis medicine and it is, in itself, a fitting tribute to Kendal and her life’s legacy.

The Sisters of the Valley, of Merced County in California are non-denominational nuns dedicated to healing the world with cannabis. They take their inspiration from the Beguine communes of the Middle Ages, who were lay nuns who lived and worked to support their communities through medicine and sustenance. The Sisters of the Valley also provide support in their local communities and produce cannabis products for the retail market to fund their non-profit foundation.

Last, but not least, I’d like to offer my gratitude for the women of Synergy Wellness, whose knowledge, insight and compassion provide our many members with the support that they need.

Cannabis in the 21st Century

Antiquity shows us the history of how long humans have utilized cannabis for medicine; ancient texts from China, India, Egypt, the Middle East and across the Roman Empire all cite cannabis for treating a wide range of conditions. In Europe, Materia Medica from the Middle Ages onwards acknowledged the healing power of cannabis for conditions ranging from headaches to rheumatism, gout, depression and womens’ reproductive health.

In 1850 the United States Pharmacopeia listed cannabis as treatment for over thirty ailments, including opiate addiction, alcoholism and convulsive disorders.

Despite the thousands of years of cannabis’ medical credibility it all ended with the criminalization of cannabis in the twentieth century.

Since the 1960s cannabis activists have pushed back the negative propaganda surrounding cannabis and worked tirelessly for legalization. This persistence eventually led us to legal medical use with the 1996 Compassionate Care Act in California and full state legalization 20 years later with the 2016 MURSA Act.

Unfortunately, despite the many significant scientific advances the old negative stereotypes of the shiftless, lazy pot-smoker still lingers in the media and popular imagination.

A new large scale study of adult cannabis users in the U.S. and Canada reveals a very different reality and discredits these outdated tropes. Dutchie, the largest cannabis tech company in the world recently commissioned a study of 5000 adult participants to find out what the modern cannabis user is really like.

Instead of the unmotivated bedraggled pothead they found that 54% of users in the sample were highly educated with a college degree or higher to their credit. Users were also more likely to be active in the workforce and well represented professionally: doctors, lawyers, professors, nurses and therapists.

Women were the highest users with treatment for reproductive health, depression and insomnia most quoted. The big takeaways, 58% of users led an active lifestyle exercising regularly and taking hikes and 57% considered themselves health conscious, even preferring recreational cannabis over alcohol and tobacco.

Overall the study showed a diverse group of intelligent, hard-working community minded people who are embracing the scientific discoveries of medical cannabis and that normal day citizens are making the most of the options provided by the new legalized environment; the study also showed that safe, transparent and legal procurement was a high priority for the users, 55% using dispensaries and 24% buying online.

Although we face stiff challenges in the 21st century, the adoption of legal cannabis shows how our culture is capable of radical change. This new data is a positive indication that appreciation and understanding of the value of cannabis has permeated our society on many levels. Baby Boomers who now hold seniority in society are significant influencers and users. Our growing awareness of how many different uses and applications cannabis has can only be a harbinger of positivity for the future.