Qigong Foundations: Breath, Posture & Intention

Qigong is said to be the mother of Taiji (Tai Chi) and was originally called Dao Yin—guiding and leading the qi. These were simple exercises to stimulate the meridian channels and points, open the orifices, and gather, transform, and use qi for health, balance, self-awareness, and life force.

At the heart of qigong are three foundations:

Breath · Posture · Intention

Everything else grows from there.

Breath and Jing: Your Original “Savings Account”

Breathing is the first and last thing we do in this incarnation. With our first breath—separating from the womb—we begin to draw on the Jing and Essence we inherited at conception.

I often describe Jing as your original savings account. At the moment of conception, the Jing of your parents combines with the energy of the cosmos and your own spirit. That blend becomes your blueprint for this life—your stored capital. The health and vitality of your parents at conception influences how full that account is.

As we live outside the womb, we slowly spend from this account. The qi we need for daily life is generated from Jing and stored primarily in the Kidneys, whose spirit is called Zhi, or Will. Between the kidneys sits the Gate of Life (Ming Men), just behind the navel. This is the fire that drives metabolism.

Our breath fans this fire. It supports digestion, absorption, and elimination—transforming food and grain into qi and blood, the “mediumship” of the body. The Lungs govern our defensive qi (wei qi), the smooth muscles, and the pores of the skin. Strong Lung qi means a stronger immune system, and this is directly tied to how we breathe.

Posture: How the Body Speaks to the Organs

The second component of qigong is posture. The way we stand, walk, sit, and lie down is how the body speaks to the organs.

• Standing nourishes the Kidneys

• Walking supports the Liver

• Sitting steadies the Spleen

• Lying down restores the Lungs

There is always a corollary:

• Excessive sitting weakens the Spleen

• Excessive walking taxes the Liver

• Excessive standing strains the Kidneys

• Excessive lying down depletes the Lungs

Medical qigong practices are designed to support specific organs and meridian pathways—either tonifying what is deficient or dispersing what is in excess. Much of this regulation happens through coordinated breath and posture.

Holding standing postures over time strengthens the legs and increases muscle mass. The body responds by increasing bone density in the femurs, which in turn supports the production of bone marrow and a more resilient immune system. This is one example of how a seemingly simple posture can have deep physiological effects.

Intention: The Mind Leads the Qi

The third component is intention. In this medicine we say:

Qi follows the mind.
Qi is the commander of blood, and blood is the mother of qi.

As our qigong practice deepens, the mind becomes clearer and more stable, and intention grows stronger. The body begins to direct qi to where it is needed without us having to micromanage the process.

I find it remarkable that our mind and heart can summon and direct energy that is universally abundant. Qigong is simply the training in how to gather, build, and store qi—first for our own healing, and then, when appropriate, for the healing of others.

The Three Treasures and Healing

There are three primary energy centers that correlate with the Three Treasures:

• Jing – Essence and blueprint

• Qi – Energy needed to fulfill that blueprint

• Shen – Spirit of the heart

Qigong practice nourishes all three. Breath feeds the Gate of Life, posture frees the channels and supports the organs, and intention guides the qi so the body can reorganize around balance instead of strain.

Over time, this work changes how we relate to illness and challenge. We begin to recognize that:

All illness is energetic with physical manifestations.

Addressing only the physical leaves the roots untouched. When we include energy, intention, and spirit, deeper healing becomes possible.

In Practice

I think it is extraordinary that we can participate so directly in our own healing—that through breath, posture, and intention we can influence how our qi moves, how our organs function, and how our spirit rests in the body.

As we practice, something else happens as well:

As we heal, those around us heal.

The shifts we make in our own field ripple outward into our families, communities, and the wider world.

Thank you for taking the time to read this teaching. My intention is to offer my energetic healing abilities to anyone who is ready and open to unlimited possibilities for health, happiness, and self-cultivation.

If you’re not local and want support, explore Remote Healing Sessions. If you have questions, Contact me.