"Qi is the Chinese word for life energy. According to Chinese medicine, qi is the animating power that flows through all living things. A living person is filled with qi. A dead person has no more qi. A healthy individual has more qi than one who is ill. However, health is more than an abundance of qi. Health implies that the qi in our bodies is clear, rather than polluted and turbid, and flowing smoothly like a stream."
(Taken from The Way of Qigong by Kenneth Cohen, ISBN 0-345-42109-4)
A qigong ("chee gung") class uses simple movements, breath, meditation and guided visualization to move and stretch the meridians in the body. Qigong works on the same principles of Acupuncture except that instead of using needles, we use movement to stimulate the flow of energy. In Qigong, we use exercises to develop good posture, which in turn enhances relaxation, balance, proper breathing and energetic flow. In Qigong, we use sound, visualizations and movements to tone and strengthen internal organs, which in turn builds and distributes qi.