Welcome to the fourth edition of Qigong and Energy Arts Forum, a monthly collection of the best new articles on qigong (chi kung), reiki, kundalini yoga, meditation, and other related disciplines. This edition focuses on the risks and dangers–physical, intellectual, and spiritual–of improper practice.
Army’s New PTSD Treatments: Yoga, Reiki, and Bioenergy by Noah Shachtman (The Danger Room)
The military is scrambling for new ways to treat the brain injuries and post-traumatic stress of troops returning home from war. And every kind of therapy–no matter how far outside the accepted medical form–is being considered. The Army just unveiled a $4 million program to investigate everything from “spiritual ministry, transcendental meditation, [and] yoga” to “bioenergies such as Qi gong, Reiki, [and] distant healing” to mend the psyches of wounded troops…
Dangers of Kundalini Yoga by Anmol Mehta (Mastery of Meditation, Enlightenment and Kundalini Yoga)
Kundalini Yoga is certainly a powerful science and if not approached with intelligence and respect it can produce some challenges and difficulties for the practitioners. That is not meant to discourage you from taking up its practice, it is meant to help guide you so that you undertake Kundalini Yoga practice safely and thus, enjoy the enormous benefits that this form of yoga bestows…
Do Yoga and Christianity Conflict? by Paul Jerard (Aura Wellness Center)
Recently, I was reading about someone who claims Kundalini is “new age witchcraft.” Sorry to say, another person recently stated, “Good Christians should avoid the devil’s exercise,” in reference to Yoga. Are the Salem witch trials still so close to our hearts? These claims are interesting because ministers and priests have been practicing meditation for centuries…
Energetic Integrity with the Three Primary Energies of the Body by Gia Combs-Ramirez (The Science of Energy Healing)
Achieving energetic integrity with psychic, heart and sexual/creative energies takes a bit of practice. This post includes a podcast with a healing meditation for balancing and clearing the three energies…
The Christian, Energetic Medicine, “New Age Paranoia” by Elliot Miller
Flat earth Christianity is the too-often-prevalent Christian mentality that considers heretical and even demonic any theory that does not fit in with its traditions and present knowledge (e.g., for many medieval Christians the idea that the earth is round and not the Center of the universe was Considered anti-Christian). Although the view I’m advocating is exactly what inspired Kline’s term “flat earth Christianity,” I do not believe the label applies in this case. For Kline has not brought all the relevant factors into the discussion…
Why Are We Lazy? by baiguai (Kung Fu Artistry)
Why is it so hard to get up and exercise? The author [of a recent article I read discusses] how the reasons for our lack of physical activity are more complicated than we think, and outlines items like where we live, daunting exercise equipment etc. But the further I read, the more I saw it as even simpler, not more complex…
Mixing Holosync with Tai Chi by Norman Morse (The Game of Self)
I’ve created a new morning ritual (These things should change depending on your need, don’t stagnate). I listen to an hour of holosync while practicing Tai-chi Sword, Tai-chi open hand, Qi Gong and standing meditation…
The Scientist, The Master and The Deviant: Three Perspectives on Qigong by Martial Development
“I first lost control of one leg and then the other soon after. No concentration on controlling this force could help. My legs started walking without my control, and I started grabbing signposts and people to try and stay in one place. But to no avail: my legs were taking me toward Tiananmen Square. I called out to the soldiers not to shoot…”
Other submissions:
Opinions expressed in this article series do not necessarily represent those of its publisher, and should not be taken as a substitute for professional medical advice.