The
mind/body wellness exercises of Asia have a significant
potential to improve health care in the Western world. In
November 2005, a panel of more than 30 recognized experts
in Qi Gong and Tai Chi, physical activity and aging, and
biomedical research gathered to explore and recommend strategies
for proliferating accessible Qi Gong and Tai Chi programs.
For
thousands of years in the case of Qi Gong and hundreds of
years in the case of Tai Chi, the benefits of practice were
limited to martial artists, monks and imperial court ministers.
Recently through decades of political upheaval Qi Gong and
Tai Chi have become more widely available in China, however,
the benefits have not been thoroughly understood. Even as
these mind/body wellness practices entered the US and Europe
successful programs did not engage in research. Much of
the information that was gathered about effectiveness emerged
from intervention programs of short duration that were designed
primarily for research.
Many
questions must be answered in order to translate research
evidence into robust Qi Gong and Tai Chi community programs
that can be delivered in a variety of settings including
hospitals, social service agencies, schools, corporations,
faith based institutions and retirement communities. The
more traditional Qigong and Tai Chi programs that assist
participants in deeper understanding will tend to attract
greater numbers when entry level programs are more widely
available.
The
panel of experts agreed that the major challenge to the
wide dissemination of these profound practices has been
the exclusive dependence on masters or experts to transmit
the teachings. For community based programs to proliferate
the benefits of Qi Gong and Tai Chi, it was determined that
lay leaders and peer facilitators must be trained in the
fundamentals of Qi Gong and Tai Chi to create a wider entry
level to the practices.
This
is similar to the morning practice in the parks in China
where the large numbers (estimated 100 million on a daily
basis) are mobilized by citizen teachers. 
More
advanced practice groups get students from these entry level
classes.
This much more open entry level then will significantly
increase the numbers of students that make their way to
the more advanced teachings.
The
expert panel used a powerful process of information gathering
to reach consensus on these questions:
