The essential key for health, well-being and inner freedom

When confronted with dis-ease or setback, it is natural to set out on a course to greater health and well-being. It can be a wake-up call that changes your life. Qigong can support you on this journey. Not only with soft meditative movement, but also with chants and insights into what we call ’the programmed nature’.

What is the programmed nature?

The programmed nature are all those habitual programmes of thinking, judging and evaluating of what you experience. These habitual programmes are built up from the moment of conception on. All impressions and experiences of our life are translated into this story that we tell ourselves of how to judge everything that we experience. You could say it is your personality self, rooted in all the memories that are part of you, consciously and unconsciously.

Maybe you recognize that some people are very strict to themselves? They set high goals, have strict rules on what to eat, how to live etc? While other people are very argumentative; they really like a good discussion, but it can be a bit too much (sometimes) ;-)? These are examples of their programmed nature.

The five elements as a framework

In Chinese tradtional culture the five elements are used as a way to explain differences in character and emotions as well as in the physical reality. The programmed nature is seen as the Yin-character of each of these elements.

• The Wood element is related to spring, but also the liver and gallbladder, muscles and ligaments, the eyes, the lips. The related emotion is anger. The Yin-character is being angry (and staying angry) with others.
• The Fire element is related to summer, as well as to the heart and small intestine, blood and blood vessels, the tongue. The related emotion is joy. The Yin-character is being argumentative, easily arguing with others.
• The Earth element is like the middle, the center, related to pancreas, spleen and stomach, the flesh. The related emotion is worry. The Yin-character is that someone easily resents the other (can also be oneself).
• The Metal element is related to autumn, to lungs and large intestine, to the skin and your hair. The related emotion is sadness. The programmed nature is easily seeking the negative aspects in the other, a situation or oneself.

How to transform the programmed nature?

In this series teacher Ning not only shares information to recognize the programmed nature in yourself and others. He also offers quite simple ways to start make a shift. On the one hand it works with being aware of your own reactions. On the other hand you can practice certain (Chinese) words with which you invite the positive (Yang-nature) to return to the natural state of harmony and balance.

Why is this an essential key for health, well-being and inner freedom?

As science more and more starts to recognize, is that about 80% of physical illness is somehow related to stress. Especially Gabor Maté shares about the impact of trauma on both emotional, mental and physical well-being. The Chinese Qigong masters know this already for many decades. Although the emphasis of Qigong is on movement and relaxation, they all agree that for healing to happen, we do need to open our heart and mind completely.  Transforming the programmed nature is a method to work on this in a very hands-on manner.