Qigong and Tai Chi for Beginners
How two Chinese traditions bring breath, movement, and attention together
A few months after my daughter was born, I would sometimes feel my heart racing. I was a new mom, stressed and trying to manage without much help. I went to a cardiologist, who explained that I was experiencing heart palpitations related to anxiety. As I looked for ways to manage that stress, I came across Qigong videos and started following along at home. That was 26 years ago.
Those videos became a lifeline and the beginning of my healing journey as they introduced breathe in a profound way. Over time, I noticed that my heart was no longer racing and that I was sleeping better. That was my first real experience with Qigong. Today, I still come back to it when I want to find my center, feel more connected to nature, or settle down before bed.
In The Healing Promise of Qi, Roger Jahnke writes, “My story and your story may not be so different.” You may have come to this article out of curiosity, or because you know what it feels like to reach the end of the day with your shoulders still lifted. Either way, there’s a simple place to begin.
What is Qigong?
Qigong, pronounced chee-gong, is a family of Chinese practices that bring together posture or movement, breathing, and attention. In one practice, you might stand quietly and notice the rhythm of your breath. In another, you might slowly lift and lower your arms, repeating the movement several times. Some forms emphasize stillness, while others use flowing movements.
In Chinese tradition, qi is often described as vital energy. Jahnke describes intentional practice as a way to cultivate inner harmony, which he connects with the flow of qi and with health and longevity. What I come back to in his description is the role of intention. For me, that can be as simple as noticing where I’m holding tension or giving myself enough time to finish an exhale before beginning the next movement. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health · Roger Jahnke, The Healing Promise of Qi
How are Qigong and Tai Chi related?
Qigong has roots in Chinese practices of movement, breathing, and attention that go back thousands of years. Tai Chi, also called Taijiquan, developed as a martial art. UNESCO traces Taijiquan to the mid-17th century in Henan, China, and describes how it developed into several styles. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health · UNESCO
If you watched the two side by side, you might notice a similar unhurried quality. In a Qigong exercise, you might repeat a single movement and explore how it feels with each breath. In a Tai Chi form, you might shift your weight, take a step, and let one movement lead into the next. Both give you a reason to notice how you’re standing and where your weight is, even when the movements look effortless from the outside.
What does the research tell us?
A 2024 review looked at whether Qigong could help people manage stress. Some studies found that people who practiced Qigong reported less stress than those who received no intervention. Studies are promising, finding Mind-Body Practices (MBP’s) also known as nonpharmacological interventions, enhance cognitive reserve and neuroplasticity through integrated breathing, meditative, and physical movement. This is a critical finding so don’t wait until you’re an older adult, adapting MBP’s like Qigong, Tai Chi and Yoga support improvement of cognitive function compared to no intervention.
Researchers have also studied Tai Chi for fall prevention. A systematic review found that Tai Chi may reduce the rate of falls among older adults living in the community. That finding is specific to the people and programs studied. It gives us a concrete example of how researchers evaluate a practice that includes deliberate stepping and weight shifts. Systematic review of exercise for fall prevention
A simple way to begin
When I practice before bed, I start by standing tall with my feet about shoulder-width apart. I roll my shoulders back and down a few times, soften my knees and hips, and breathe gently in and out through my nose. I spend about a minute there in stillness.
Then I round my hands as if I’m holding a globe. With my fingertips facing each other and my palms up, I breathe in and draw my hands toward my heart. I turn my palms down and breathe out as my hands slowly descend, as though I’m pressing the air down. After about three minutes, I add a gentle bend of the knees as my hands lower and stand tall again as I breathe in. I continue for another few minutes. By the time I finish, I feel very relaxed.
If you’re curious, start with five minutes and see what your body is asking for. You might want to spend more of that time breathing quietly, or you might feel like moving. Give yourself room to explore.
Join us for Qigong in Verona
Qigong has traveled far from its roots in China. I’m glad we get to share it here in Verona, with room for anyone who’s curious to try it.
Join us on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Evolve Well Center in Verona, New Jersey. Our guest instructor, Carol, has been teaching Qigong and Tai Chi for nearly 20 years. She’ll guide you through Qigong movements and breathing practices you can return to at home and provide handouts to help you remember what you learned.
Come as you are. However you’re feeling when you walk through the door, our hope is that you leave feeling cared for and supported.
