Chi Kung and T'ai Chi are only two of the keys to self trust and to physical harmony. With the use of these techniques you can succeed with many accomplishments, without having to put yourself through great psychological or physical efforts, violent conflicts or aggression. You may be sure that, once you dominate the genuine laws of the universe, which you assimilate by these methods, it will be impossible for you to be dominated by someone else.

Chi Kung ? the art of internal harmony

Chi Kung is a philosophical system at least 5000 old, which made survived through all those the centuries, to become very popular at the beginning of this millennium. This art of the vital energy is the most advanced and complex method of improving health and longevity, by offering a feeling of harmony with yourself and with the surrounding world. The four main principles of this technique are: the mind, the eyes, the movement and the breathing.

The mind represents the intention, the eyes are considered the focusing of intention, the movement is the action of intention and the breathing is the flood of intention. It obviously takes time and practice to understand their dynamics fully.

The benefits which result from practicing Chi Kung can be divided into five:

1. Curing illnesses, and a general improvement in health;

2. Gaining an increase in vitality, and the development of your internal force;

3. Prolonging youth;

4. Cultivation of the mind and intellectual capacities; and,

5. Spiritual progress.

According to Chinese medicine, various diseases can be the result of such human characteristics as anger, sadness, joy, harmony and optimism deficit. All these factors, coupled with poor diet and nourishment, cause Chiu ? the vital energy ? either to diminish, or to be present in only certain parts of your body. By practicing Chi Kung you can learn to be more conscious of what's going on in your inner universe, and to build yourself a defensive system against the disequilibrium, which affects your vital force.

The harmony of breathing, and the agility obtained without efforts during the training sessions, confer a better concentration and a fast recovery from stress, tiredness, by inviting you to meditation.

T'ai Chi Chu'an ? the wonder dance

You have probably seen on TV that in China, very early in the morning, hundreds of people, in large groups or alone, perform apparently weird movements out in the open. This exercise, with waving movements, is an ancestral inheritance. The eternity of the universe, and the rhythm of its permanent changes, have brought about the idea that the human being can become immortal, if only he adapts to and follows this rhythm. This technique represents a putting into practice of the subtle side of the human being (spiritual evolution, mental control etc) and the physical side (muscles, articulation, bones etc).

Whenever you feel intellectually or physically tired, T'ai Chi Chu'an gives you the possibility to gain back, in only a few minutes, your strength and your harmony.

There are also other Chinese arts whose efficiency has been proven over the centuries, so why not attend Chinese seminars, or search the internet, in order to get more information, whenever you have the chance? It is a move you may well benefit from, in body, mind and spirit.

Roy Thomsitt is the owner and part author of http://www.routes-to-self-improvement.com