I agree with the Sphinx: not a religion. As far as its relationship to religion, that is a fair question and from my study over some years, I will try and be fair in my answer.
There are qigong practices that come out of specific religions, but they have little to do with the ideology or beliefs of the religion, but were health practices that were developed to enhance the adept's health, energy, concentration and longevity. For example, there are some qigong forms and schools that are closer to Taoism, which was not a formal religion for most of its early philosophy, but rather was closer to a philosophy and a collection of practices and wisdom development that had no specific beliefs. Early Taoists and for much of its history, were wanderers who shared healing techniques, herbs, meditational practices and philosophy with each other or certain students. But it was not formalized for hundreds of years. There was no single Taoist faith or religion until recently, historically speaking. And early Taoists would not recognize a Taoist Temple as being truly Taoist.
There are also qigong schools and forms that are closer to Buddhism. And in some of those cases, the practices were more formalized because Buddhism itself was more formalized. But even there, the practice of qigong had little or nothing to do with any Buddhist doctrine, beliefs or scripture.
But to put the above into a clearer perspective that might help a bit, there are also martial art schools, forms and practices that also either came out of some of these religions or gravitated to them. And for some of the same reasons: to maintain health and preserve and protect life (the life of the practitioner and sometimes other innocent life). This includes both empty hand forms as well as weapons and applications.
And many martial art schools, even when divorced totally from any religion connection, had qigong practices both for general health and to develop concentration, as well as for specific reasons such as toughening the skin.
In almost all of these practices, the big question had nothing to do with doctrine or religion as we understand it, but rather "Does it work?"
There is a "spiritual' dimension to qigong practice, but here "spirit" is not related to a dogma, doctrine or thelogy, but more peace of mind, a feeling oc being connected to the universe and to life.
There is a kind of parallel here with Yoga visa vis this question: Is Yoga a religion? As the Sphinx said, no, it is not. But is yoga related to a religion? Well, it is. Both historically, as well as in practice now for some people. Yoga comes out of Hinduism and in fact Hatha Yoga, the practice that includes physical asanas or postures and exercises is only one form of Yoga out of many. There are those that are intellectual, mediational and devotional. All of them come out out of the Sanskrit word "Yoga" which is the same root as the English word "yoke". It means a way to connect or "yoke" oneself to the deity. The phyical practice of Hatha Yoga is a way of purifying the body and approaching a state of health that makes it easier to connecto to the deity.
But for at least the past 40 years or more, the practice has become almost completely divorced from the religion of origin, at least in the West. People who practice what they call "Yoga" do it for flexibility, for weight loss, for general health. And as with qigong, it may still have a vestigial or residual "spiritual" dimension for many who practice. But that "spiritual" aspect for many of those people has little if anything to do with anything "religious". And in both cases, that of Yoga and that of qigong, there are people in many religions who practice them with no sense of conflict with their faith. Which is as it should be.
I am a case in point. I am a religious Jew and in fact, a rabbi. I have been practicing Tai Chi Chuan and qigong for over 25 years. I have never felt any conflict. On the contrary: I feel my qigong practice deepens my own spiritual life within Jewish practices, as well as without it. And I think that will be true for almost any person. Whatever your belief, faith , or lack thereof, qigong can help enhance, support and compliment.
And finally, when it comes to Spring Forest Qigong, which really is a native American form, developed by Chunyi Lin, that though it has its roots in older forms, is its own thing with no relationship to any specific relgiion.
So Spring Forest Qigong is neither a religion nor does it have any relationship to religion.
I hope that helps.
Last edited by shakurav; 05/31/07 12:29 AM.
