What does Qigong have to do with Cooking? Carsten Dohnke, Qigong Trainer from Hamburg, surprised us with this comparison. In  spring 2008 there will be some phenomenal education under his guidance.
 
Qigong means “The art to feed your own life-power “.
Practicing Qigong resembles cooking. For a good meal you need several ingredients, which will be processed together and they have to be well attuned to each other. Then it will not only taste good, but  can also  be adapted on request.

In Qigong we distinguish three important “ingredients”: body exercises, working with your imagination and silent meditation. Through this combination inner power is developed, the flow of life-energy is activated, cells, organs and the immune system are positively influenced and old emotions like anger or fear can be processed. On top of that Qigong establishes a state of mind of inner peace. If I understand how these ingredients work together it will be simple for me to discover what is missing for me or others. This helps me as a teacher to build a seminar or to coach somebody.

Qigong is based on four principles, which explain how to “cook” best:
1. let go and relax
2. find your own center
3. be natural -  this also means leaving out excesses and cooperating with the power of nature
4. melt  with the forces of nature – the last principle is the most important one. It leads to a deeper understanding, power and inner peace.
 
Qigong is part of the Traditional Chinese Medicine. If you understand the principles of TCM – which has been an important aspect of my training – it will be instantly self-evident what the different forms and styles are working at. On top of that, the result of the exercises can be marvelously supported by Chinese herbs or special food.
The focus is not with the method but with the person. People that want to learn Qigong have completely different goals. In fact: they order different dishes. If I know the function of the different ingredients and I’m also a good cook, then I’m not as much attached to a specific recipe. In China a good cook doesn’t only serve that which has been ordered. He sees what is really missing for his guest and conjures another dish on the table as an offer. It’s here where the real art of Qigong starts!