Many of us eat right and in moderation. Many of us exercise regularly to build strength and endurance. Then, in a moment, we encounter illness or injury that no amount of dietary responsibility or physical training could prevent.

Suppose we could learn a way to protect ourselves from illness and injury by taking mere minutes out of the day to promote inner harmony and outer awareness. Qigong provides this way.

Through using Qigong to promote inner harmony, our bodies become more able to deal with the constant barrage of pathogens that threaten to induce disease. By improving inner harmony, our mental and emotional faculties become more able to handle the inevitable stress and strain of daily life. Inner harmony means that the body works well, that the emotions are under control and that the mind is clear and accurate. Inner harmony provides the foundation so that the body, the mind and the emotions work together to help defuse and diffuse the stressful situations that inevitably arise. Illnesses are brief, mild and infrequent. Injuries are avoided or reduced in severity and heal quickly.

Through using Qigong to promote outer awareness, appreciation of and sensitivity to the environment is heightened. By promoting outer awareness, the link between the spirit and the physical body is strengthened and tempered. The people we encounter, whether strangers, casual acquaintances or dear friends become more like kindred souls on the journey of life. Situations are seen for what they are rather than for what we want them to be or what we are afraid they might be. As a result, emotional conflict is reduced or eliminated by proper perspective.

Qigong is a system of practices that comes to us from ancient China. It includes practices that have been handed down through the generations as well as those developed by contemporary masters of the art. Every generation of Qigong adds to the wealth of knowledge by careful observation of nature and society so that new problems are countered as they arise. Qigong is as useful to the athlete in top form and perfect health as it is to the couch potato whose main concern is whether there is anything good to watch tonight. Qigong practices range from the purely meditative, to the mildly active, to the downright strenuous. Qigong practices can also be adapted to those who have physical challenges of any sort.

The variety of stresses that men and women normally encounter in daily life as well as those that we impose upon ourselves out of duty and expectation become more than manageable through the use of Qigong. Life becomes the joy it was meant to be.

Richard Todd is a Certified Qigong Instructor and offers morning, afternoon, evening and Saturday classes. For more information call 321-631-6791 or visit www.rwtodd.net.