KG asks: “Is Baduanjin harmless for Catholics or does it have religious implications?”Baduanjin is a type of qigong that has been practiced in China for nearly 1000 years and is deeply rooted in the spiritual and philosophical foundations of Taoism, Buddhism, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
A recent news article on Fox News Digital about clinictrials showing that 10 minutes of Baduanjin practiced daily can lower blood pressure without medication in people with Stage 1 Hypertension has drawn new attention to the ancient practice.
For those who have never heard of it, Baduanjin consists of eight slow movements combined with breathing and meditation focused on balancing one’s internal energy (qi). Some of the movements include the “Separating Heaven and Earth” movement that consists of raising one arm straight up with the palm pressing the sky while the other arm presses downward. The “Wise Owl Gazes Backward” starts with a relaxed stance, then turning the head and upper torso as far as possible to look over one shoulder, returning to the center, then repeating on the other side. “Bouncing on the Toes” involves standing with feet together, then gently raising the heels off the ground and dropping them back down, repeating this seven times. Each of the eight movements are designed to impact different muscles and internal organs.
As this site explains, it is believed that “Baduanjin Qigong helps in circulating energy to help produce maximum health benefits. It is done with movements and physical postures, breathing mechanics, and, concentration and focus. The movements in this qigong are balanced and are done symmetrically on each side. The focus of these exercises is to allow energy flow in the meridians or energy pathways of the body. This helps one have more balanced well-being.”
According to the Fox report, researchers studied a small group of adults (216) age 40 and older with Stage 1 hypertension. Participants practiced either baduanjin, self-directed exercise or brisk walking for one year. It was found that those who practiced baduanjin five times per week experienced lower blood pressure within three months.
“Given its simplicity, safety and ease at which one can maintain long-term adherence, baduanjin can be implemented as an effective, accessible and scalable lifestyle intervention for individuals trying to reduce their [BP]," concludes Jing Li, MD, PhD, senior author of the study which was published in the American College of Cardiology.
"Baduanjin has been practiced in China for over 800 years, and this study demonstrates how ancient, accessible, low-cost approaches can be validated through high-quality randomized research," said Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC, JACC Editor-in-Chief. "The [BP] effect size is similar to that seen in landmark drug trials, but achieved without medication, cost or side effects. This makes it highly scalable for community-based prevention, including in resource-limited settings."
For the discerning Christian, there are several areas of concern. First, would be the potential to believe their improved blood pressure is due to the balancing of qi, a non-existent energy force associated with pantheistic belief systems.
It should also be noted that the meditation aspect of baduanjin involves concentration exercises rather than what Christians know as traditional meditation (such as reflecting on a Gospel passage). The kind of meditation practiced in qigong involves quieting the mind in order to enter into an altered state of consciousness. The Vatican document, Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life, warns that these states “create an atmosphere of psychic weakness (and vulnerability)” (Sec. 4).
The Christian should also be aware of Baduanjin’s religious foundations. For example, the emphasis on qi is part of Taoist iInternal alchemy that seeks to balance yin and yang through movement and stillness. The soft, flowing movements are believed to clear blockages along the 12 energy meridians.
Buddhist and Shaolin influences in the practice emphasize using the movements as a moving meditation to quiet the mind, foster mental clarity and achieve spiritual discipline. Even the choice of eight movements refers to Daoist figures Zhong Liquan and Lu Dongbin, two of the “Eight Immortals” in Taoist mythology which are said to possess magical powers.
Even though health organizations have tried to adapt Baduanjin to secular health regimens, its core philosophy remains fundamental to the practice.
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