Yoga, Qigong and Chronic Illness
“All disease begins in the gut.”
I’ve lived with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) for almost 20 years now; I was initially diagnosed with pancolitis (Ulcerative Colitis) in 2002, then had total colectomy surgery and was subsequently diagnosed with fistulating Crohn’s disease. Auto-immune illnesses tend to be complex, layered pathologies, meaning there will inevitably be multiple components to a possible ‘cure’.
I am a firm believer of the idea that everyone needs to find their own path in health; in most complex auto-immune illnesses there is no one solution or wonder-drug that can cure them. They are complex illnesses where the body is out of balance and they require good medical guidance, but also individual inquiry and effort.
For me realising that I could and needed to take ownership, rather than solely relying on medical science, has helped me improve a lot. I realised that I was very disconnected from actually feeling, from listening to my body’s signals; from my own inherent wisdom. Yoga and Qigong opened the door to help me reconnect.
Yoga is a mind-body practice, helping to unite the different layers (Koshas) of our being; the physical, energetic, mental/emotional, wisdom and deeper Self. Through the path of the 8-limbs of Yoga we are able to connect to the deeper Self and feel total connection to ourselves and the outside world. We have the realisation that we are all one; non-duality. We find our bliss by quieting the ‘monkey mind’, that incessant voice in our heads constantly judging/fixing/comparing and can completely present in the moment. No more reminiscing the past or ‘what if-ing’ the future. Just being here, right now.
To get to this state in our fast-paced world, we need to slow down and do the work of yoga. The path of yoga follows ethical standards (Yamas), spiritual observances (Niyamas), movement (Asana), breathwork (Pranayama), going inward (Pratyahara), focus (Dharana) so we can go deeper into meditation (Dhyana) in order to find our deeper Self or Bliss (Samadhi). Yoga is also not just practiced on the mat, you try to live your Yoga every day. By being mindful, practicing Yamas (like non-violence, truthfulness and non-stealing) and Niyamas (like contentment, self-study and discipline), setting an intention to be living your life with more purpose and awareness.
Yoga has has changed -perhaps even saved- my life as I found it when I was in a very dark place. I was struggling with my physical and mental health and I was giving up on life. Yoga made me feel strong and flexible both physically and mentally and it also helped to open my mind to the more spiritual aspects. I could break away from my closed “I Know” mindset into a more “Maybe” frame of mind, open to the idea that life gets far more interesting when you really listen and become curious.
The one aspect that I still found very difficult to connect with was the energetic part. The Kosha model in Yoga views us as having five layers, starting with the physical, which is the most tangible. The second layer is the energetic (Pranamaya Kosha) also known as the subtle body as it is something we can’t see but feel; it is the part of us where the energy flows. The energy flows through energy channels; the three major ones being the central channel (Sushumna) and Ida and Pingala (the left and right channels weaving around the central channel) representing the Yin (feminine) and Yang (masculine) energy in the body. Besides the 3 major channels the Yogis believe we have some 72.000 minor channels (or Nadis) transporting the energy (or Prana) through our body. Along the central channel there are 7 energy wheels (or Chakras) from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, all representing different developmental and emotional parts of our being. One more way of energy to flow through the subtle body are the five Winds (Vayus). These flows represent the way that air and energy can flow in, through and out the body and the energetic quality this creates.
As you can see, it is all quite involved and then I found out that there are other ways to map energy; when I started learning about Yin yoga, we learned there were 12 main energy channels and 8 extraordinary ones and that energy (now named Qi or Chi) was stored in three energy centres (or Dantian). Then while learning Thai Yoga massage, they used 10 energy channels (or 10 Sen) but I did recognise the 3 main energy channels (although named them slightly differently; Sumana, Ittha, Pinkala). Finally those energy channels have connection points on the surface of the skin (acupressure points) where we can stimulate/manipulate the energy via needles (acupuncture) or pressure (massage, tapping).
While this all got pretty complex, it was also remarkably easy. Energy (Prana, or Qi/Chi) flows through our body through channels (Nadis, or Meridians or Sen). It can concentrate in certain areas (Chakras or Dantian) and if the energy flows freely and we have enough of it, we feel balanced, healthy and happy. When energy is deficient or blocked, we feel unwell emotionally and/or physically.
I was able to understand this in my mind and was open to believing it to be true, but the disconnect happened with sensing into it. In my Yoga practices I could feel energised through movement and breath, but ‘feeling energy’ I couldn’t…. Enter Qigong!
Qigong (Qi = Life Force Energy, Gong= Work/Skill) came across my path some 15 years ago when for two years I would practice Tai Chi (a mind-body practice based on martial art used for health and meditation) for 2 hours a week. At the time I wasn’t practicing Yoga yet. The Tai Chi felt flowy, it required focus and movement and to memorise the sequence, all of which I loved. The first hour of the practice was Qigong; it was slow and repetitive and for me at the time perhaps a little too slow. Fast forward to 2020 where I reconnected with Qigong. This time as a Yogi. I was able to slow down, focus and enjoy the repetitive movement as a moving meditation. Very quickly I was able to tune into the sensations in my body, the tingling, swirling movement of Qi (Qigong uses the same energy map as we do in Yin Yoga where they speak of Qi and Meridians). I could actually feel the energy. With practice I can start feeling where energy flows, but also where it is blocked or deficient. This I believe is crucial in my healing process.
“Whereas Yoga played a vital part in helping me to reconnect my mind and body, Qigong has been instrumental in connecting to the part of me my western mind was struggling to tune into; my energy, subtle body, soul or deeper self.”
Energy is closely connected to Emotions. The energy sheat or subtle body (Pranamaya Kosha) sits between the Physical sheat (Annamaya Kosha) and the Mental/Emotional sheat (Manomaya Kosha). It is the link between the mind and the body and an important place to address mental and physical health.
Emotions, experiences, events which we haven’t properly processed (things we’ve experienced as traumatic), are stored in the body (see Bessel van der Kolk’s ‘The Body keeps the Score’ or Gabor Maté’s When the Body says No’ for more insights on this). Furthermore, studies show that people suffering from IBD and other auto-immune illnesses who suffer from chronic fatigue, might suffer disrupted emotional processing. A lack of emotional regulation (unprocessed emotions, avoidance, suppressed emotions) might develop into anxiety and/or depression. Crohn’s disease itself can trigger traumatic experiences, worsening the illness and the emotions surrounding it. It’s a vicious cycle. So being able to better deal with emotions, in the moment through emotional regulation, but also the unprocessed emotions stored in the body, by being able to feel where the energy is blocked, I believe is a big part of my journey to better health.
Another simple yet highly effective tool is EFT (emotional freedom technique). EFT uses tapping on specific acupressure points (on those same meridians I mentioned from Yin Yoga and Qigong) in combination with recognising an emotion and positively affirming the underlying feeling (or limiting belief) was another big breakthrough. I feel I am about to extrapolate what I’ve learned so far from these simple yet powerful practices, the essential ingredient missing from my treatment plan; dealing with my dysregulated nervous system by working with and through my sublte/energy body. Finding the combination of awareness, focus, movement and understanding what energy to release, and what energy to strengthen I believe makes a big impact on health.
My plan is to keep combining Yoga and Somatics with Qigong and EFT in order to process emotions and balance my energy system. I want to share my practices with other people suffering with Chronic Illness such as Crohn’s and Colitis. More soon!