Customer Reviews

Heal Yourself with Qigong: Gentle Practices to Increase Energy, Restore Health, and Relax the Mind

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After three years of antibiotics, trying to rid myself of lyme disease, I had had enough of western medicine. Even in the western med world, there was a big bruhaha between the lyme specialists (who saw most everything as lyme and were sure that there had to be the right antibiotic brew out there somewhere) and the med skeptics (who thought if 30 days meds was good enough for the insurance companies, it was good enough for them). Problem was, I wasn't getting any better. So, on a referral from a friend, I visited this sassy, left coast, NY jewish, former lawyer, acupuncturist who started to pay attention to what I was saying. She treated me with needles and herbs, then Qi Gong. I don't which part did it, but the symptoms went away. Is the disease gone? I don't know. But I feel healthy. I am not beating up my body with antibiotics and I love Qi Gong! Now, she has writtten a book. The book is just as great as she is. She is clear. She is concise. She speaks Qi Gong from a western cultural perspective. So, it makes sense. Thanks, Suzanne, for everything!

I've read a handful of books about qigong, including the other books by the same author. This book is simply the best introduction to qigong I've found. Simple, accessible, beautifully designed, it includes clear instructions to more than 100 qigong exercises you can do in five minutes. And the exercises really work; I've used them to rid myself of headaches, sleep better, and ease my back pain, all in just a few minutes.

If you want a more thorough explanation of qigong, I'd recommend The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing as a companion to Heal Yourself With Qigong. But if you just want to see results fast, devour this book and practice the exercises.

If you want to use Qigong to improve your health this is the only book you'll ever need. It is filled with so many simple exercise prescriptions for just about any physical or emotional health issue you may be having. It is also written so clearly and accessibly that it is truly a one-size-fits-all kind of book....a must have for anyone that is serious about taking an active role in their own healing.

I have personally benefited greatly from many of the prescriptions in the book especially in regard to stress reduction, mood lifting, insomnia, and digestive issues.

There is something for everyone in this book, whether you're a complete beginner in Qigong, or have experience. Author Suzanne Freidman has given deceptively simple exercises and movements which create impressive results. All the exercises are gentle, easy to follow, illustrated with drawings, and take five minutes or less. They cover everything from stress reduction/relaxation to weight loss, blood pressure reduction, and headache relief. Meditations and acupoint stimulations are also included.
My personal favorites include an energizing exercise called Wash Your Face (amazing, instant results), the Waterfall Visualization to purge stress (really soothing), Gathering Earth Energy (very grounding), and Liver Qi Massage (mood stabilizer).
Anyone can do these exercises, regardless of physical condition (all exercises can be done standing or sitting) or time constraints. Pick and choose depending on your need of the moment. I highly recommend this book.

I find this book -- one of the best books for Qigong beginners. With easy to understand instructions and detailed explanation of Qigong exercises and meditations(unlike many other books on Qigong practice), people interested in the great art of Qigong, can start their path in cultivation energy and developing skills of maintaining their physical and spiritual health. This is "must to have" book for anybody interested in practicing Qigong. I practice Qigong and martial arts for more than 12 years and teach my students many of the exercises from this book, with great results. This is another great practical book by Suzanne Friedman, based on a strong knowledge of Chinese Medicine and experience in Medical Qigong practice.
I am sure that this book will help many people to improve their health!

Suzanne Friedman's Heal Yourself with Qigong is a wonderful instruction manual full of simple self-healing techniques. The exercises are written in a comprehensive format and plenty of illustrations make it easy to follow and learn. From learning how to decrease tension, anxiety and stress to alleviating headaches, nausea and indigestion, the exercises in this book are time tested formulas for harnessing the power of our own body's healing system. Perform three to four exercises in this book that speak to you on a regular basis and you will see improvement in not only you're ailments, but in your emotions and mental function. Suzanne Friedman's knowledge of Chinese medicine and Qigong are unparallel.

A good collection of straight-forward tools to help resolve a hefty number of common health concerns, including low energy, stress, insomnia, acid reflux, emotional upsets, etc. Many exercises are deceptively simple, but I've tried several already to good effect! I'm glad to have a clearly written guide with illustrations to help me conquer the aches and pains of daily life.

This little book makes it easy to learn and do tartgeted exercises to help resolve and prevent health problems. Suzanne Friedman has already done the hard work for us -- gleaning the simplest, most efficient exercises from many years of intense study and practice within several qigong traditions.

They are presented here in a straightforward, no mumbo-jumbo manner so that it is easy to get the hang of the movements, and most importantly, to grasp the intent behind them; something many qigong learning aids leave out.

There are no confusing, arcane or esoteric concepts to grapple with. This is a users manual for busy modern people who have 5-10 minutes a day and want to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Thanks to Dr. Friedman for this terrific tool to help us "help ourselves."

This is yet another well-written, easy-to-follow Qigong guide. There is something about this modality of exercise that seems to welcome calm, clear, common-sense instructions while managing to convey that deep work is brewing at the surface.

After describing why she entered the world of Qigong and the rest of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the author offers a three or four brief but important fundamentals, then offers a total of 62 simple Qigong exercises. They are organized into Instant Energy Boosters, Restoring Physical Vitality, Balancing Your Emotions and Calming Your Spirit. While nothing should stop you from doing all of the exercises in a certain segment- or book, for that matter- you don't have to. You can do one or however many you'd like and in any order you'd like. (Unlike many other forms of exercise, the sequencing isn't as much of a make or break issue here.) However, the author does advise a consistent daily practice, even if it's only five to ten minutes long.

Throughout the instructions, the author assures that it's okay to start from where you are, or come as you are. If it's possible to start with a 30 minute practice, do so. However, knowing that many people are tired and stressed and are coming to Qigong to alleviate those symptoms, she advises starting with what we can manage. She notes that as the practice begins to work for you, the distractions of stress and anxiety will slowly become more manageable, which will in turn allow for a longer practice, which will then lead to less anxiety and stress. A positive cycle.

The illustrations are good, but in certain places they could have been more descriptive. Also, having trained as a Pilates and yoga instructor- and having some training in qigong- I'm not sure I agree with her postural instructions. Tucking hips under- and especially to the degree she advises- can lead to tightened hips and lower backs. I would advise that everyone find the range they are comfortable with. In general, neutral spine is best for all physical activity.

If you are interested in a qigong practice but don't have hours per day to devote to it, check this out.

I read this book shortly after I began to practice Qigong. It is a blessing. I appreciate Dr. Friedman's clear and concise instructions combined with the charming illustrations for each practice. The Introduction and first three chapters provide a sound basis for the practices that follow. There are exercises to heal all parts of the body, as well as to address issues such as stress, anger and sadness. I was particularly drawn to the last chapter which provides a variety of exercises to calm the spirit - a useful antidote to these interesting times we are experiencing. Thank you Dr. Friedman. I am sending copies of this book to my adult children, and to several friends who will surely benefit from it.