Belief that Qigong is not Science Based. There is a belief that qigong borders on New Age, hocus pocus nonsense and that a rational person should be wary of what appears to be supernatural claims. Although science is held up as the greatest good, it is not really science that is admired as much as a set of beliefs that is based on common assumptions that have presumably been proven by science. The irony is that this is a very unscientific approach because as Dr. Rupert Sheldrake, himself an innovative scientist, put it in his book Science Set Free, “The biggest scientific delusion of all is that science already knows the answers.”

Although Einstein’s theory of relativity and the theory of quantum mechanics have fundamentally changed science, mainstream cultural views are still firmly attached to materialism. Materialism looks at the functions of nature as a machine. The idea of qi or energy moving through the body may not fit the worldview of the materialist. While there is no requirement to have any set up beliefs to benefit from qigong, an antagonistic mindset may inhibit any potential benefit from the practice.

Mind Change. Keep an open, curious mind and enjoy the practice. Notice if you have a tendency to judge and analyze, and, if possible, suspend that frame of mind while doing qigong. We want to experience our qigong practice in a comfortable, relaxed frame of mind. There is scientific research that you may delve into after your practice if you are inclined to do so. Check out the Qigong Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting qigong via research and education (www.qigonginstitute.org).