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'How do you write a good book on qigong? Having read many on the subject, I have concluded that writing on this subtle, experiential art that originated from another culture can be devilishly hard. This is perhaps not surprising given that its central tenet - qi - remains so richly controversial. Existing texts on the subject tend to slip into recognisable types. For instance, the uber-traditional treatments of the subject - often written by Chinese authors - that give instructions in the original, esoteric code (‘Guard the qi in the cinnabar field’ etc). This approach can be challenging for Westerners without any background in traditional Chinese culture or language. The enigmatic tone of such instruction can, however, serve a useful function - forcing the student to think deeply (in the spirit of Confucius’ single corner of a handkerchief or Bruce Lee’s ‘finger pointing to the moon’). Then there are the glossy, photo-heavy ‘how-to’ texts, often to be found in cut-price bookshops, in which an attractive model dolled up in silk pyjamas is photographed in various positions that betray they do not have a clue what they are doing. I wonder if readers of these books have ever found their way to anything useful. Another type, often written by over-enthusiastic Western adepts, presents high-level qigong practices together with disclaimers that on no account should these be learnt from a book; I suspect that the material in these books has often been lifted directly from a source text or passed on verbatim from a teacher without the requisite practice to gain mastery of the practices.

This text is different. The author, despite his huge experience in the East Asian healing arts, is up-front about his limitations as a non-Chinese reader, and straight about the fact that - by definition - the book constitutes a snapshot of ‘how I understand and practise at the moment’. Along with this humility goes a playful sense of humour which, without being flippant, takes gleeful aim at the preposterous aspect of these arts (How many qigong practitioners does it take to change a light bulb? One hundred - one to change the light bulb and 99 to stand around muttering that’s not how we do it in our school’). Refreshingly, the information is imparted not from a lofty, other-worldly ivory tower, but as practitioner to fellow practitioner. That said, the text resounds with the author’s command of his subject matter and his delightful clarity of prose (for example, ’Our sky, our heaven, is yang - the expanding, spacious, bright ruler of our daily and seasonal changes’).

Humility and humour aside, one thing that marks this book out as a keeper is its effortless synthesis of intellectual rigour with transmission of authentic traditional practice. In a spirit similar to the author’s Live Well, Live Long, traditional wisdom is juxtaposed with modern scientific knowledge in a way in which each can illuminate the other. A solid section on fascia and qigong, for instance, explains how the fluid, elastic movements of qigong can counteract the inflammatory fascial congealing caused by a sedentary lifestyle (and which, terrifyingly, can become the environment in which cancer thrives). A section on mental attitude during standing qigong sees the author recommend consciously befriending our microbiota, evidenced by recent research that Tibetan monks who meditate have healthier microbes than their neighbours who eat exactly the same diet. There are many such discoveries for the curious reader, such as Todd Hargrove’s ‘brainbody maps’, the importance of proprioception, Confucian ritual dances or Feldenkrais’ parasitic tension of unnecessary muscles.

The book is divided into chapters on Fundamental theories, Cultivating the body, Cultivating the breath, Cultivating the mind and emotions, Yinyang in qigong, History of selfcultivation practices, and About practice and other reflections. Appendix-like later chapters include diagrams of the main acupuncture points, pointers towards relevant research and further reading. For those focused on practice, the traditional directions for postural alignment are presented in full, along with elucidation of essential foundational concepts such as song/ release, the six harmonies and the kua. The author drills down into these instructions far beyond the terse source texts of the ‘taiji classics’; the resulting explanations will enrich the practice of even the most seasoned qigong player. Courtesy of this book I am currently working at bringing lateral widening of the sacrum into my standing practice. Some nuggets will resound long after reading, such as, ‘The shoulder blades, like the sacrum, are downward pointing triangles and it can be helpful to feel all three releasing downwards at once.’ The author’s half century of exposure to meditation means that this solid grounding in the physical aspects of practice is amply supported by skilful treatment of its mental aspects.

The extensive discussions on qi will be extremely useful to acupuncturists. The fundamental theory section represents a solid primer on the subject and is both rigorous yet inclusive of aspects that elude capture by concrete language. Given the author’s pedigree, the intersection of acupuncture and qigong is never far from the surface - whether pondering the origins of acupuncture in the Great Flood, or pointing out that the sensations of warmth, tingling and throbbing felt during qigong represent the same ‘arrival of qi’ that is the desired outcome of acupuncture needling; physical directions for practice are also informed by a rich understanding of the jingluo (‘Six acupuncture channels pass through the toes, so we want to keep them alive and strong’).

The USP of this book is arguably its multi-media aspect. A formidable 12 hours of videos are included that, while not entirely taking the place of a teacher, constitute far more than a casual toe-dip into qigong practice. In fact, a student who immersed themselves in this content could make substantial progress in their practice. The videos focus on fundamental loosening, standing and breathing practices, specific zang organ ‘gongs’ as well as more refined physiological pointers like releasing the shoulders, softening the tongue and turning the waist. The videos work synergistically with the text to provide a clear guide for practice.

The book is liberally sprinkled with quotes in which martial artists, philosophers, scientists and artists of every description have been assembled to contribute to the elucidation of qigong practice. Whether short and pithy or more extensive, the quotes are organised down a side-bar of the spacious text, thus gathering into one place a corpus of extremely useful material. The voices are eclectic, and see Wang Xiangzhai (the founder of I Chuan) next to Leonardo da Vinci, rubbing shoulders with biomechanist Katy Bowman, joined by Mr Miyagi from The Karate Kid … you get the picture. I appreciated the inclusion of selected - previously unpublished - personal comments from qigong practitioners, for example this cracker from Claudia Citkovitz: ‘Qigong is bodywork I can do on myself, every day, for free. I watch in awe as my body teaches itself exactly the geometry it needs today, to swim strong and straight in currents of gravity and time.’

I appreciate the real-world pragmatism of this book. It is for qigong practitioners who live in the world - people with jobs, people who get tired, who may be sceptical of flaky Orientalist claptrap and people who have other interests beyond qigong. It does not silo qigong off from all other forms of exercise as if it was the only game in town, but rather helps the reader to understand how this system of cultivation might be used to improve health and wellbeing alongside other activities. As part of this, the author takes us on a deep dive into movement itself, showing how mindful physical practice of the qigong-type represents a vital counterbalance to the epidemic of sedentary distraction on the one hand and the high stress extremes of the fitness industry on the other.

I have trained with some high level teachers of taiji and qigong and have no hesitation in endorsing this book (and Peter’s qigong teaching more generally) - it is up there with the best of them. It will be of great use to those interested in taking up qigong, as well as those with an existing practice. I know many patients who dutifully attend their local qigong or taiji class but come away with questions beyond the basic choreography - questions to which their teacher does not always have answers. For these people, this book will be a boon. For those of us engaged with the East Asian healing arts, its inclusion in our libraries will need no further recommendation.

The author finishes the book with a fairy tale, ‘The Black Pearl and the White Pearl’. This playful signoff encapsulates the concerns at the heart of this book - the life-nourishing power of qigong in the life of real human beings. And with that said, it is time to close this laptop, stretch out, loosen my joints, relax down, breathe, soften, lengthen and gong some qi.'

Daniel Maxwell, from JCM issue 134.

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BOOK REVIEW
Qigong: Cultivating Body, Breath & Mind by Peter Deadman

“Don't think. FEEL. It's like a finger pointing at the moon. Do not concentrate on the finger, or you will miss all of the heavenly glory.”
Bruce Lee

One of the great paradoxes of starting to learn qigong, a practice that guides the mind into a non-thinking state of pure meditative experience, is that we are taught through the thinking mind. Any book written on the subject, naturally first engages the thinking mind and the hope is that this will be taken up by the reader to translate this into practice.

It is with that context that Peter Deadman’s new book ‘Qigong: Cultivating Body, Breath & Mind’ succeeds more than many other books on the subject in guiding the reader most directly to the essence of practice. Not only does it give great emphasis to leading the reader through the core concepts and points of structure and attention that engender the desired mental state, but it is complemented by 42 videos that illustrate the points and give the reader the opportunity to practise and experience for themselves.

As a lifelong practitioner and teacher of qigong myself, I am often asked for recommendations for books on the subject by my students. There are many good books but it is often hard to recommend just one because they each have particular strengths and weaknesses. However, this is a book that captures the core essence of what is necessary for a foundation in qigong practice and strikes a perfect balance between depth of insight and knowledge and keeping focused on building the fundamentals that lead to successful practice.

To a seasoned practitioner, the subtitle of the book, ‘Cultivating Body, Breath & Mind’ immediately inspires confidence. No matter how advanced a practitioner, bringing body, breath and mind together will always form the core of practice. It also forms the structure of the book. After an initial chapter on fundamental theories (e.g. yinyang, jing, qi, shen), the initial part of the book proceeds with a chapter on cultivating the body, followed by one on cultivating the breath and then one on cultivating mind and the emotions.

The book greatly benefits from Peter’s wide knowledge and experience, from qigong itself to Chinese medicine to modern scientific developments. In addressing the challenge of defining qi, for example, he gracefully sweeps through the linguistic – ‘clouds, breathing, the weather, gases and strength’; to etymology and history – ‘the very earliest appearance of the character for qi had the shape of vapour rising to form clouds’; to Chinese medicine highlighting its function and activity, movement and transformation; and finally to the most important orientation for practice, how we can experience it – free flow, breath, awareness of bodily sensation.

Peter’s long learning in many aspects of east Asian traditional culture gives the book depth, coupled with his interest in modern research are evident in these thorough explanations. However, he has paid equal attention to making the book accessible and useful. Explanations are clear, succinct and to the point and each section flows into the next to help build a picture and foundation for the reader. These have clearly been honed over the numerous decades that Peter has been a teacher.

Building a foundation is another key throughline of the book. Peter pays great attention in his teaching, both in the written text of the book and the videos to helping practitioners to build up that foundational posture. Zhan zhuang (standing practice), is introduced early on, accompanied by a video. Following this there is guidance for every part of the body in the written text along with numerous videos dedicated to specific parts of the body and attention such as ‘not locking elbows and knees’, ‘relaxing the chest’ and ‘releasing the shoulders’.

Points of posture in qigong are not indicated just to make us look good, all postural adjustments should make our qi flow better and hence allow our mind to more deeply and profoundly profuse into our bodies. The more our mind or ‘yi’ deepens into the body, the more that qi can fill every tissue and space, bringing true profound health and mental wellbeing. As an experienced practitioner myself, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a whole new depth of practice through Peter’s subtle, detailed and nuanced teaching.

A passage such as this exemplifies his approach: "As its name implies internal practice prioritises movement deep within the trunk and core rather than the limbs. And as time passes we may find that our external movements grow even smaller, for example just enough to feel the shoulder blade extending and retracting, the elbow joint unfolding, the hip joint opening and closing or the waist and lower back lengthening and releasing, all the while ‘listening’ out for unhelpful tension."

The approach to our physical bodies is followed by an equally insightful treatment of the breath and then onto a tour of the Chinese medical internal anatomy of zang fu and key concepts like ming men and kua.

In places, Peter explains modern discoveries and theories that affirm and support the traditional knowledge and what it is that we actually experience in qigong. One example of this is his discussion of Todd Hargrove’s concept of brain-body maps. This is a modern understanding of how the brain can gradually reassign neurons from parts of the body that are not frequently consciously used. This can lead to a kind of ‘sensory motor amnesia’ which can lead to bodily dysfunction. Qigong reverses this process by restoring our conscious mind to repetitive graceful movement. This is possibly a modern way of modelling the concept that qi follows the mind.

Following the focus on building up the posture achieve relaxation (song) and alignment which is the basis for natural movement, Peter goes into a treatment of the cutting edge of how the body is structured and interconnected with the fascia, tensegrity, the gel like fluid contained in the fascia which can become more free-flowing when mobilised or heated, provides a more grounded picture of what is happening when we practise qigong and the matrix by which acupuncture and moxibustion works.

Following the fundamental chapters on body, breath and mind, there is an exploration of how yin and yang manifest in practice. This chapter guides the mind and attention to being able to experience, refine and attune to the ebb and flow of yin and yang as it manifests in our bodies, in our practice and how our bodies react to the cycles in nature, external and internal martial arts, stillness and movement, softness and strength, slow and fast, front and back, closing and opening, coiling and uncoiling, descending and rising, receiving and acting.

There follows two chapters which give good, useful background on the world of qigong, one on history and one on the various qigong styles and forms. The history section contains an interesting digest of how concepts of mindful movement had been perceived, developed and promoted by different figures throughout Chinese history. This extends right up to the 20th century where qigong practice in China oscillated between wide embrace and political repression. Thankfully, a more moderate approach to practice coupled with a general acceptance is now more the norm in present day China.

The chapter on qigong styles and forms gives a selected overview of key practices and styles. Peter is a dedicated tai chi shibashi (18 forms) qigong practitioner and teacher, a very popular practice devised by Professor Lin Hou Sheng in the late 20th Century. As Peter explains, it is not tai chi but it is influenced by Yang style tai chi. It ‘pays attention to the internal martial qualities of alignment, release, balance, weight shifting and soft power’. Shibashi qigong has the flowing, water-like, quality of tai chi, which is very appealing to me as a practitioner. Although, I have not practised much shibashi in the past, I have always most enjoyed the flowing quality of tai chi and so a qigong style that accentuates that element, is something I greatly appreciate.

While shibashi qigong is featured, the book and videos themselves take a universal approach which is a valuable foundation to any qigong style. This is a book that focuses on core concepts and points of attention and practice that are applicable as a foundation to any style or approach. Furthermore, after practising a number of styles in the past myself, the shibashi form feels to me like both a form and practice in itself as well as a deep foundation for any qigong practice. In addition to a video with the full shibashi form, there are videos on the baduanjin (eight pieces of silk), on bagua spiralling practice and tiger qigong.

The book is rounded off with a chapter of thoughts and reflections on practice. There is some practical advice on how to cultivate a regular practice, how long to practise for and when and where to practise. This is followed by an extended discussion on how qigong can be part of a powerful health promoting and disease prevention programme drawing on Peter’s extensive expertise and lifelong dedication to yangsheng (and it would not be a Peter Deadman book if it did not have a passionate advocacy for drinking tea!).

This chapter finishes with an important discussion on how to navigate a world with qigong teachers with varying degrees of integrity and ego. An important reminder that one should never lose one’s own discernment and it beautifully underlines the core approach of the book that whatever practice or teacher we choose to follow, we always will return to the fundamentals of practice as laid out in this book.

As mentioned above, the book is accompanied by a series of videos which both inform and guide the reader into practice. Most importantly they enable the reader to apply and learn the ideas in the book to practice and experience.

Supplementing the practical videos, there are also a number of presentations on a variety of topics including the fascia and channels, the transformative power of slow deep breathing, the history of qigong and various yangsheng self-help topics like self-massage and how to eat.

This is a book that both novice and experienced practitioners can find great value in. It is one that I will be recommending to my own students and I am looking forward to using it as a study guide that they can work on in their own time in conjunction with my classes. It is informative but also has a lightness in tone and humour adorned with classical Chinese quotations and ones from a wide variety of sources.

Ultimately, the book is the successful articulation of the culmination of many years of practice and teaching and a sincere desire to enable others to gain benefit. In the same spirit that qigong has been passed down generation to generation, this book too will stand the test of time and likely be a treasured classic for future generations.

Alex Jacobs - The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine Journal.

"As a qigong teacher with two decades of experience – and a practising acupuncturist – I found this book to be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in acquiring a greater understanding of the historical, cultural, and medicinal aspects of qigong practice.

Deadman skilfully weaves together references to qigong and acupuncture, creating a unified approach that beautifully showcases the synergy between these two modalities. Whether you’re a novice looking to explore qigong safely, or an experienced practitioner seeking refined insight, this book caters to all levels of interest and expertise.

While the book is not dominated by excessive illustrations, the ones included are artfully incorporated and instructive, complementing the text perfectly. Additionally, Deadman provides well-referenced third-party sources, both in text format and through video links, offering valuable visual aids to enhance understanding.

Deadman manages to cover numerous aspects of qigong practice including fundamental theories of yin-yang, posture, breathing, emotions, as well as information about ancient teachers and styles of qigong. There are personal reflections, research information, and even a fairytale which adds to the rich tapestry of information provided.

Yet despite its comprehensive subject matter, the book reads easily, demonstrating Deadman’s deep understanding and appreciation of qigong’s beauty, art, and healing qualities. Each chapter is self-contained, making it a valuable reference book while also serving as a comprehensive guide from start to finish.

The well-thought-out presentation, structured organisation, and informative yet succinct writing style make Qigong: Cultivating body, breath & mind an enjoyable and enriching read for anyone interested in the profound art of qigong."

Heather Reade, British Acupuncture Council.​

“Drawing on his 50 years of training in Chinese medicine, Peter Deadman has crafted a rich, comprehensive, and timely book on qigong. Written and laid out beautifully, it comprehensively and insightfully weaves together its core principles, its roots in traditional Chinese medicine and culture, the scientific evidence of its many therapeutic benefits, and a practical set of training skills including links to multiple online training programs. This book is an invaluable resource both for those wish to begin to learn about qigong, as well as those who are already deeply committed to these practices."

Peter Wayne, PhD., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School - Author of Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi

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“With this book and accompanying videos, people will learn authentic qigong and will develop the capacity to judge whether any instruction they receive elsewhere is solid, legitimate and grounded in East Asia’s rich and profound health culture. Peter Deadman has written THE qigong book, a work that is as encyclopedic as it is practical, as wise as it is humorous, and as rooted in science as it is steeped in ancient common sense.”

Kaz Wegmuller, Author, Acupuncture for Curious People
 

“Peter Deadman has written a thorough and approachable book in which he makes connections between qigong and modern research on exercise, health and physiology in a way that enhances and elevates our understanding. The accompanying videos give the reader an opportunity to immediately experience and practise a variety of qigong exercises, thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.”

Tom Bisio , Founder Internal Arts International

“Very comprehensive, clear and accessible. I like the blend of East/West, traditional/modern scientific research and you include many important points for practitioners of all abilities to observe in their training. Full of good stuff, well rounded and exuding the deep value of a balanced approach.”

Sam Moor, Tai chi teacher