QiGong and Church Bulletin Insert

[bjseth]

This week our Church bulletin had an insert about an event being held at a local “holistic center” which works with families with members who are autistic or have special needs. I looked at the center’s website and was concerned (but not surprised) to find that one of the various therapies they offer is QiGong. From what I have read about it, QiGong is not compatible with Church teaching. Would I be presumptuous to ask our Pastor about the insert? Perhaps the “inspirational Christian Rock” group that would be performing at the event made it seem ok, but I’m afraid that it would point people to a service, which, while it may have good effects with some of its therapies, is also incorporating practices which are in contradiction to Catholic teaching. Thank you.

 

[Ghosty]

QiGong refers to a very wide range of practices, and not all of them are incompatible with Catholic beliefs. Since this is a medical center you’re talking about, I can only assume that it utilizes Chinese herbal medicine and possibly breathing techniques, which are not really problematic from a Catholic perspective. Unless the event is going to be promoting Taoism and/or Buddhism I don’t see why it should be raised as an issue.

Just my two cents.

Peace and God bless!

 

[Todd520]

At a definition level, it just looks like good alternative medicine. Took the below from wiki

The practices of Qigong are differentiated by four types of training: dynamic, static, meditative and activities requiring external aids.
-Dynamic training involves special movement and applies to exercise such as Tai ji quan.
-Static training requires the practitioner to hold the body in a particular posture.
-Meditative training involves visualization or focus on specific ideas, sounds, images, concepts or breathing patterns.
-There are also training methods that involve an external agent such as the ingestion of herbs, massages, physical manipulation or interactions with other living organisms.

A qigong system can be composed of one or more types of training.

 

[bjseth]

Not so sure it’s just herbal medicine and breathing. From their website:
Qi, pronounced “Chee,” means energy/life force, and Gong, means work. QiGong is the ancient Chinese practice of working directly with the body’s vital energy, to promote and maintain good health. So, QiGong is therefore the practice of “working with one’s life force.”

In both exercise and massage with our Qi sound massager, Qi, is circulated and balanced throughout the body, thereby allowing vital energy to flow evenly, blood circulation increases, and bodily functions perform properly.*

The “working with one’s life force” sounds, well, not focused on Christ, but on the self.

Thanks for your responses.

 

[Byzantine_Wolf]

I would confer this privately with your pastor/priest/general superior first. If you feel this has become unsatisfactory, take it to a higher up, either the local bishop or anyone above your spiritual leader.

 

[SedesDomi]

The “working with one’s life force” sounds, well, not focused on Christ, but on the self.

Following this logic, one should never exercise, or go hiking, because those activities are focused on the self, not Christ.

Then again, one can exercise and hike while focused on Christ. So, I’m pretty sure one can practice QiGong while focused on Christ too.

 

[Hesychios]

QiGong refers to a very wide range of practices, and not all of them are incompatible with Catholic beliefs. Since this is a medical center you’re talking about, I can only assume that it utilizes Chinese herbal medicine and possibly breathing techniques, which are not really problematic from a Catholic perspective. Unless the event is going to be promoting Taoism and/or Buddhism I don’t see why it should be raised as an issue.

Just my two cents.

Peace and God bless!

I agree withb your assessment.