Seekers of the flow: Lee Holden here, mystical Baby Bathwater Qi guy. When I first taught a Qi Gong class on Powder Mountain for a bunch of savvy entrepreneurs, I didn’t know if the class would be well received or just be a good post prandial (that’s a big word for a Qi Gong guy) joke. I was pleasantly surprised to hear, over late night drinks and laughs, that the BBW folks very much appreciated the morning Qi.
Over the years, I’ve taught Qi Gong to the Babies on the beaches of Croatia, and Cabo San Lucas, as well as the balmy patio of New Orleans. Each and every time I was amazed by the sensitivity, the appreciation of this BBW crew to drop in, try something new, and get their post party mystical vibe flowing.
Qi Gong is an ancient practice stemming from the martial arts traditions of China. The most well known practice being Tai Chi. Tai Chi has its roots in Qi Gong, combining the breathwork and flow principles with Kung Fu movements. Qi means “life force energy” and gong signifies “skill”.
For entrepreneurs, having “skill” implies many things: To be successful as an entrepreneur, thinking outside the conventional box is important. Entrepreneurs are trailblazers by nature, pioneering a path that has not been taken. Entrepreneurs are visionaries. To be successful requires a particular kind of Qi and a particular set of skills (Gong).
Qi Gong is a practice that gets you into a flow. Flow in Qi Gong has a few defining characteristics:
- Increased energy
- Heightened creativity
- Focused attention
- The ability to shape the unknown
- Integration of mind, body, and emotion
Qi Gong is a movement practice, an exercise form that combines movement, breathwork, stretch, relaxation and flowing movements as a way to cultivate Qi.
I often describe Qi Gong as a practice of “Less Stress, More Energy”. Stressing less is vitally important to entrepreneurs, as stress is a killer of new ideas, clear thinking, and flow state. And, the more energy we have, the more inspiration, passion, and excitement we can bring into our business.
Qi Gong will help you cultivate a Zen state of mind and help you get flexible at the same time. Entrepreneurs are often efficient with their time. We don’t always have enough hours in the day to go to the gym, do yoga, and meditate. Qi Gong combines the benefits of all of these into one cohesive practice that leaves you feeling relaxed, clear and charged up.
Try it for yourself (No spandex or Kiai’s necessary)
