In our pursuit of health and wellness through movement, we often gravitate toward popular exercise programs such as yoga, aerobics, Pilates, Zumba, strength training, stretching, treadmills, and running, all of which promise transformative results. From cardiovascular workouts to muscle building, these trends captivate us with claims of weight loss, improved vitality, and overall well-being. However, beneath the surface, some of these approaches may unintentionally deplete our life energy—the vital force that sustains our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Let’s explore how this can happen and what alternatives we can consider.
The Appeal of Popular Exercise Programs
Popular dietary, exercise, and wellness programs attract us with promises of quick fixes and visible results. Whether it’s shedding pounds rapidly or achieving a heightened sense of wellness through intensive training and lifestyle adjustments, many embark on these paths with hopeful expectations.
The Impact on Life Energy
- Energetic Depletion: Extreme exercises, such as intense sports or rapid weight loss programs, place significant strain on the body, depleting its energy reserves. This leaves us feeling drained and lacking vitality, which can ultimately shorten our lifespan. The heart requires substantial energy to circulate blood throughout the body, and intensive exercise demands even more circulation, leading to excessive sweating. Sweat places additional strain on the heart, as it controls both circulation and sweating. This is why many athletes—especially those in sports like football and basketball, which put tremendous pressure on the heart—suffer sudden heart failures on the field or right after practice. Exercises like running, aerobics, and cardiovascular workouts do not build life energy; rather, they deplete it, overusing the body’s energy reserves, which can lead to a shorter life. This is one reason athletes often live shorter lives than the general public. Running hard is meant for survival or emergency situations, not for health and recreation.
- Energetic Imbalance: Intense exercises can disrupt the body’s natural energetic balance, leading to erratic energy levels, mood swings, and difficulty maintaining mental clarity—all signs of disrupted life energy flow. This includes some forms of yoga, strength training, and Pilates. For example, practitioners of Bikram yoga, which encourages excessive sweating for detoxification, often experience heart problems. Exercises that focus solely on balance, without considering life energy cultivation, are less effective for overall well-being.
- Lack of Vitality: While some exercises improve circulation, they may not provide sufficient life energy to sustain it. Exercises that disperse too much energy can leave us feeling weak, reducing the vitality needed for daily activities. Mental functions, such as clear thinking, require higher levels of energy. A lack of vitality can impair cognitive function, leading to mental health issues.
- Stress and Energetic Blockages: Certain exercises place significant stress on specific parts of the body—such as muscles, tendons, the heart, and the spine—leading to blockages in the flow of life energy through the body’s meridians. These blockages can obstruct the smooth flow of energy, ultimately impacting overall well-being. For instance, muscle and tendon injuries in the arms and shoulders from extreme stretching can lead to heart and lung problems. Exercises that can cause this type of stress include certain yoga practices, strength training, and Pilates.
As we discussed in a previous blog post, diet also plays a significant role in our life energy.
Cultivating Life Energy for Optimal Health
To truly benefit from exercise, we should focus on practices that consider life energy and its cultivation. These exercises should not waste your vital life force but rather conserve and gather it, using it only for healing when necessary. Life Energy Exercise, along with certain Qigong practices, are specifically designed to achieve this.
Healthy Exercise Practices
Life Energy Exercise stands apart from other forms of exercise because it integrates three key practices to support optimal health: Active Qigong, Instinctive Qigong, and Static Qigong.
- Static Qigong (no physical movement): This practice uses the body’s inherent ability to collect energy and promote self-healing. Meditation falls under this category. My book, The Total Life Energy Plan: How to Cultivate Life Energy for Long-Term Health and Vitality, highlights Standing Meditation (or Standing Post) as the most effective form of static Qigong. Many people practice meditation incorrectly, which can lead to health problems instead of healing. My book provides detailed instructions on how to meditate properly.
- Instinctive Qigong (effortless movements): This form involves spontaneous, natural movements of the body, guided not by the conscious mind but by the innate instincts built into humanity over generations. The Longevity Qigong falls under this category, using minimal resources while allowing the body to conserve and collect energy, promoting long-term vitality.
- Active Qigong (active movements): This practice uses active movements to acquire and circulate energy, stimulating bodily functions and supporting healing. The Steelman Qigong is one example of Active Qigong. It harnesses the body’s inner strength to improve circulation and nourishment, helping heal a variety of ailments.
Together, these three forms of Qigong help retain the body’s life energy, support its energetic needs, and promote long-term health and vitality. Practicing all three forms of Qigong daily is essential for achieving optimal health, especially when symptoms are present and for longevity.
Healing and Longevity
Practicing Standing Meditation, the Steelman Qigong, and the Longevity Qigong can help heal numerous health problems and contribute to a long, vibrant life. For example, I personally used Standing Meditation to overcome breast cancer. The Steelman Qigong is well-known for addressing complex health issues, while the Longevity Qigong has extended the lives of individuals who were deemed terminally ill by doctors.
We offer training classes for all three exercises:
- The next Steelman Qigong virtual class starts January 8, with sessions on Wednesday evenings from 6:30–7:30 pm.
- The next Longevity Qigong training starts March 7, for 6 weeks on Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm.
Sign up for the Steelman Qigong for healing and optimal health. You don’t want to be one of the many who must endure ill health, drugs, surgeries, doctor visits, supplements, gym memberships, medical expenses, or medical bankruptcy. You can avoid this path and take control of your health.
I look forward to seeing those who have already registered for the Steelman Qigong class in a few weeks.
Life-Saving Qigong
My Qigong healing can save lives. After practicing our Qigong exercises, you might even be able to do the same—save lives. If you know any children or young adults who are terminally ill, feel free to refer them to me.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope you gain valuable insights from it. If you have any questions or need further help with your health, I’ll be happy to assist you in a private consultation. I wish you all the best on your journey toward health and vitality.
