Qigong: A study of energetic force that can change your life
By Amy Doem of “Hmong Times”

In 1994 when Peng Her was 13 years old, he began to “delve deeper into qigong and meditation.”  Qi (pronounced “chee”) refers to the “energetic substance” that composes everything in our universe.  The study of Qi began nearly 5,000 years ago with Chinese physicians.  According to Her, “Simply put, Qi is the motive energetic force that causes change.”  Qigong is the study of this force.

There are 3 types of Qigong—Martial Qigong, Religious/Spiritual Qigong and Medical Qigong.  Her describes his path, “There gets a point with Qigong that you have to decide whether you are going to continue or not.”  From an initial class of 12 youth Her was the only one left practicing Qigong.

After attending St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy and the University of Wisconsin, Parkside and a period of time in the Army National Guard; Her knew he had to make a decision about his future.  He had used his training throughout his life, including developing his own self defense course entitled “Kung Fu Concepts,” in response to a series of sexual assaults on the University of Wisconsin campus.
After seeing a documentary where Kung Fu masters used their training to heal, he decided that he wanted to use his skills for more “productive work instead of destructive.”  He first worked with a cousin who had been paralyzed in a car accident.  Using Qi around his cousin’s head and back, Her discovered that his cousin had a tingling sen-sation in first one foot the other.  After continued treatments the tingling stayed longer and increased.  At this point he “knew I had some-thing” and started looking for a master.

First he went to Yo San University in Los Angeles then transferred to the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in St. Paul.

On Friday and Saturday May 4th and 5th Her offered free public lectures on Qigong at the offices of the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.  Her described briefly the history of Qigong.  He added that unfortunately, currently the title, “master’ seems to be of monetary significance.  “Kids wear black belts,” Her explained, and many times a “training” is offered for 3 weekends.  “What was once fluid, potent and more important “Traditional” is now lost because people want to water down their systems.”

Of greater concern is the danger of not understanding the time and effort needed in any meditation practice.  “Many people put God/Spirituality above everything else.”  While Her admits that this is important, his feeling is that you must first have Physical health, then Mental/Emotional health.  After these two levels have been reached, then you can begin to search for the Spiritual.  Even then it is a life long process and not to be taken lightly.  Her stated that he keeps comparing himself to “these 70-year-old Masters” but then he has to acknowledge that they have had a lifetime to work.

After explaining the history of Qigong, Her demonstrated with both a diagnoses and treatment.  Volunteers were asked to come up without telling about their ailments.  He would then use Qi to discover them.  He added that he can sometimes even sense past injuries.  Then four volunteers participated in treatments.  The ailments ranged from Fibromyalgia and stiffness to depression.