Tomm Voss didn’t set out to become a qigong teacher.
He was a bodybuilder and fitness model intent on pursuing an acting career when, in his late 20s, he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and thyroid issues.
“I was told I’d have to take medications every day for the rest of my life,” he said.
There had to be another way, he thought, so he started researching ancient healing traditions such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Eventually, he found his way to a medical qigong practitioner.
Voss wept through the first session, he said, which unleashed a flood of memories of being bullied as a child. After the visit, the practitioner told Voss to reduce his medication dose and return for weekly sessions. His blood levels returned to normal within three months, he said.
“I haven’t been on any medications since, and this was 16 years ago,” said Voss, who teaches qigong at UCLA and shared his story during a FITWELL Talk presented by UCLA Recreation. “Qigong has had a profound effect on my health and well-being, and on my life.”
What is qigong?
Part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, qigong (pronounced chee-gung) translates to “life-force cultivation,” Voss said. It consists of meditative and movement practices designed to support energy flow and balance.
There are three types of qigong, he said:
- Medical qigong, where a practitioner works to balance an individual’s energy through touch, breathing and mental focus
- Hard qigong, which trains the mind and body for explosive power, such as “what Shaolin monks do when they break things on their bodies,” he said
- “The moving meditation of qigong,” Voss said, “where you cultivate your own energy, your own chi, to restore harmony and balance in the body.” This type of qigong includes gentle, mindful movements aligned with breath and body awareness.
UCLA Health’s East-West Medicine considers qigong among Traditional Chinese Medicine tools such as acupuncture and nutrition and offers free instructional qigong videos for adults and children.
Benefits of qigong
Studies show qigong is helpful for several chronic diseases and health conditions, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. While most studies have been small, consistent qigong practice has been shown to improve:
- pain, sleep and physical and mental function in people with fibromyalgia
- lung function, quality of life and ability to exercise in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- balance in people with Parkinson’s disease
- cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life in people with chronic heart failure
- fatigue level and sleep quality in people with cancer
- cognition and memory in people with mild cognitive impairment
- anxiety symptoms in people with substance use disorders
These same studies find no negative side effects from practicing qigong, which is generally considered a safe activity.
How does qigong work?
Qigong supports energy flow by bringing the body out of fight-or-flight and into a more calm, relaxed state, Voss said.
“When you’re tight and tense, energy doesn’t flow really well in the body or life in general,” he said. “Our parasympathetic nervous system that’s dominant when we’re resting, when we’re recovering, when we’re in a happy and relaxed state … is where the body heals itself.”
The practice typically begins with a meditation before incorporating slow, gentle movements.
It’s not unusual for students to become emotional during a qigong session, Voss said: “When the body gets into the parasympathetic state for a prolonged period, emotion starts to come to the surface.”
Thirty minutes to an hour of practice can generate a relaxed state, he said, “but it fizzles,” so consistent practice is best.
“The more you can practice,” he said, “the more and faster you can cultivate your energy and life force.”
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