Note: In November 2018 I was diagnosed with severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea.Check my most recent posts on sleep apnea.
For the past few months I’ve been practising Qi Gong (almost) every morning that I don’t have college. I find the gentle meditative movement helpful and appreciate the light exercise it offers. I recently saw a Facebook post where Ashok recommended it as a good adjunct to The Gupta Programme too.
I generally get up just before sunrise every day and practise down near the beach which has helped shift my sleep pattern to match the sun more closely. I’ve also been switching off lights earlier and avoiding late night TV so that I can fall asleep before 10 PM most nights. I tried a couple of times doing Qi Gong in the evening, but even with Lee Holden’s evening routine I found it hard to sleep afterwards, so I find it better done in the morning.
I find Qi Gong easier to practise than it’s brother Tai Chi, as the movement sequences are simpler. I took a Tai Chi class a couple of years ago, but the routine was long and complex and we only covered a portion of it. I tried learning Tai Chi from YouTube videos, but again it’s tricky to master.
With Qi Gong it’s easier to follow along to a YouTube video. I bought a pair of Sony Wireless Bluetooth headphones so that I can put my iPhone on the ground a couple of metres in front of me and still hear the commentary. One of the reasons I like the videos below is because of the soothing, reassuring commentaries they have.
I have often found strong emotions arising during or just after practising Qi Gong, so remember to take care of your inner child when doing this. Witness the emotions arise and let them go. If they’re particularly strong and/or persistent, find someone to talk the feelings over with.
There are heaps of Qi Gong tutorial videos on YouTube, and you can start with shorter ones and work your way up to longer routines as you feel able. There’s plenty of variety so you don’t ever get bored with the same old routine every day. Get ready to meet your new YouTube friends Lee, Jeff and Marissa!
Here are my favourites:
Seated Routines
When I don’t feel well enough to do Qi Gong standing, I use one of these seated routines:
And here’s a playlist with more of my favourite seated Qi Gong routines.
Standing Routines
Here are my favourite standing routines, again ordered by increasing duration:
When you get really good, you might even be ready for this one I made:
And here’s a playlist with more of my favourite standing Qi Gong routines.
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3 Comments
Joseph · June 20, 2023 at 10:18 PM
I would like to express my gratitude for sharing your personal experience and insights in your blog post titled “My Favorite Qi Gong Routines For Recovering From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” Your willingness to share your journey and the Qi Gong routines that have helped you in your recovery is truly inspiring.
Diane · April 26, 2018 at 11:46 PM
I started doing Qi gong in the morning too. I do yoga at night. Qi gong in the morning seems to feel right because it’s a little more energy inducing. I love it. I love Merissa. I’ll take a look at some of these others you’ve posted. Thanks!
Zoë · April 26, 2018 at 4:53 PM
This looks interesting. I have been meditating now almost every day for a few months (never thought I’d say that!) and I have certainly seen the benefits and some physical improvement, too. I’d like to try Qi Gong/Tai Chi. It’s one slow step at a time, isn’t it? The recovery from this stupid illness, I mean, not the Qi Gong. Mind you, the description is fairly apt for that, too. I’ve been going to bed earlier and waking earlier, although I don’t fancy getting up at sunrise in the summer. In June where I live the sun comes up at 4am. Ugh. I think I am aiming for 6am – to give me time before the family are up. Definitely feel better for rising earlier and going to bed earlier.
I like the look of these. I will give it a go. Don’t know why I hadn’t thought to look on YouTube! Thanks, Graham (my autocorrect knows you’re Australian – after I put ‘thanks’ it immediately suggested ‘mate’).