I have been building a Qigong practice for about 18 months, and am impressed by the multiple benefits. Within weeks, I felt more freedom and less pain and tension across my upper body. Now, I find I am more present and embodied, too.
From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) Perspective, this 4,000 year-old movement exercise is understood as a practice that cultivates awareness, attunement, and regulation through movement, breath, and attention. It provides predictable, safe input to the nervous system, supporting coherence across body, mind, and relational capacities.
Enhances Self-Regulation: Qigong trains interoception (the ability to sense internal bodily states), which helps individuals recognize stress or tension and engage in self-regulation before becoming overwhelmed or shutting down. The intentional movements act as internal relational signals of safety.
Core Benefit: It supports resilience, reduces allostatic load, and improves one’s capacity for attunement by teaching the nervous system patterns of safety, predictability, and connection.
Group Practice and Co-regulation: In a small group, Qigong creates a shared field of attention and rhythm. People naturally attune to the collective steadiness, which is a powerful form of co-regulation that helps the system loosen its guard. It offers a rare experience of collective, non-judgmental movement, which can quiet internal alarms related to a culture of comparison and competition.
A trusted instructor deepens the experience by offering a steadying presence. Their pacing and tone act as cues for the system to settle, allowing for greater presence, deeper breath, and more easeful movement. This steadiness serves as a reference point for genuine co-regulation that spreads throughout the group.
A Good Place to Start: Mimi Kuo-Deemer’s “8 Brocades” video. Her description: “This is the qigong practice of the 8 Brocades, or Baduanjin. Regular practice is believed to improve organ function and overall wellbeing. It was filmed in Beijing in September, 2014. Watch out for some cameo appearances from interested onlookers and passers-by! [That one guy cracks me up every time!] Hope you enjoy it.”
