When I saw an article in a paper, I intuitively felt that Zhineng Qigong was something for me. And I was right. Now I’ve practised for ten years. From the beginning I practised on a regular basis but still quite carelessly. Five years ago I felt the need to increase the training. My work is stressful and also I get older all the time. Actually it was during that period of time that I started to practise for real. I attended every basic course and Summer Course that I could. At home I increased my practising efforts. It has cost me time and money but I’ve consciously made the choice to give priority to Qigong. I feel that I really need it.
Support at Courses
Even if you know a good method, you won’t get any help from it unless you practise. Zhineng Qigong has a well working concept with courses to repeat. You get a lot of help and support which makes it easier to keep the continuity in the training. At the courses you meet a lot of positive models and hearing about other students’ improvements increases the motivation.
Secret Friend
Other people might keep fit in different ways, for instance by dancing or jogging. But if something happens, you might break a leg or it’s too slippery to go jogging, then you can’t continue. You can always practise Qigong. You can practise everywhere, at any time, no matter if you are old or young, healthy of sick. You can take the training with you everywhere.
Sometimes I’m very nervous before travelling. If I practise well the evening before then I sleep well and I can practise again when I arrive at the destination. Alfons Aberg has his secret friend. Qigong is mine. It follows me everywhere.
Physical Improvements
Improvements from the training have come gradually. I haven’t any concrete pain that has disappeared. But still I get older and it’s hard to know where I would have been without Qigong. Clearly, my standing posture has improved. My head and shoulders were a bit crooked before. Getting corrected at courses has made my body straighter. My body is also much softer and more flexible, even though I’m ten years older today compared to when I started to practise. After all, the body should have gotten stiffer. My friends have also noticed my improvements.
Emergency Medication
Qigong is like emergency medication for any kind of problems. It makes me calmer if I’m worried. It’s a medicine against headache if I have pain in my head. If I get home after a hard day I practise a bit extra and then I feel better. That is a better way for me to calm down instead of slouching in the couch in front of the TV.
Actually I don’t practise to get any special improvements. Practising is a goal in itself and I really enjoy it. It’s a reward to me, not at least the group trainings, not to speak of the Summer Courses. At every Summer Course I’ve had times when I felt like a child again, as if I had the whole life in front of me. There I get the feeling of which person I could be and that feeling I can bring home with me.
Margareta Willner-Rönnholm