Frequently Asked Questions About

423 Meridian Qigong

1. Can pregnant women safely practice 423 Meridian Qigong?

Due to the fact that certain pressure points can cause the womb to contract, it is highly recommended that women who are pregnant, or even suspect that they may be pregnant, should only practice 423 Meridian Qigong whilst under the care of a trained healthcare professional such as Professor Liu.

2. What should I do if I do not feel medium pain or numbness when pressing my meridian points?

Based on our observations over the last 10 years, we have found that about 20% of people do not feel medium pain or numbness when their meridian points are pressed. Medium pain or numbness is a reaction of meridians signaling that your pressing is right on point and most effective. If you do not feel pain or numbness when pressing your meridian points, try massaging with some force a wider area along the meridian, or tap the meridian points with your knuckle. However, pressing, massaging or tapping meridian points will still be effective even without the feeling of medium pain or numbness.

3. For how long should I massage each meridian point?

The appropriate length of massage time will depend on your health status. For a healthy person, 1-2 minutes per meridian point is sufficient. If you have a specific illness or illnesses, we recommend that you massage each of the relevant meridian points for 3-5 minutes.

4. How many times a day should I practice 423 Meridian Qigong?

We recommend twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. If you have specific illnesses, three times a day will be beneficial.

5. How to practice stomach breathing?

When you practice stomach breathing, we recommend that you lie down, relax the whole body, and straighten your legs naturally. Breathe in through your nose, keep your chest still and let your stomach rise slowly; then breathe out through your mouth, let your stomach fall slowly. Normally each breath (in and out) takes about 10 seconds. You can slow down the breathing speed after some practice – the slower, the better.

6. Which diseases is stomach breathing especially effective in treating?

Stomach breathing is an exercise with oxygen. It is an important part of the 423 Meridian Qigong. Since there are 9 meridians going through the stomach, stomach breathing can not only tone your stomach, but also stimulate circulation of these meridians and play an important role in the proper function of internal organs. Our observations over the last 10 years suggest that stomach breathing is especially beneficial to patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, insomnia, stress, coronary heart disease, asthma, and diseases in the kidney or liver.

7. Can I massage points other than the 4 points in the 423 Qigong?

When you massage the 4 meridian points in the 423 Qigong, you stimulate circulation in 6 meridian lines, and improve the health status of related organs and limbs. If you find that you are more sensitive to other meridian points close to the 4 meridian points we recommend, you can also stimulate circulation of the same meridians, and achieve similar health benefits.

8. What should I do if my Zusanli meridian point is not sensitive?

Since there is thick muscle on top of Zusanli, you do not usually get the feeling of medium pain or numbness unless you massage with considerable strength. In that case, you can tap the meridian point with your knuckle or use a massage stick.

9. What should I do if I experience soreness, red skin or swelling after massage?

Some people with sensitive skin or brittle blood vessels may experience soreness, red skin or swelling after practising 423 Qigong for the first few times. You can use a body lotion or massage oil. These symptoms are temporary. They will disappear once the body is accustomed to the exercise.

10. Where should I practice 423 Qigong?

You can practice it anywhere, but the best places are those that have fresh air, and are quiet, for instance, by a river, in a park or in your back garden. If you practice indoors at home, we recommend that you open your window to let fresh air in.

11. What is the best posture for massaging meridian points?

There is no definite requirement. You can do the massage while standing up, sitting down or lying down as long as you feel comfortable.

12. What is the best time of the day for practicing 423 Qigong?

We recommend that you practice once in the morning and once in the evening. The best time in the morning is between 6-8am. In the evening, it is best to do the exercises at least 30 minutes after meals. If you are short of time, it is ok to practice while watching TV. The main thing is to be consistent.

13. Can children practice 423 Qigong?

There is no harm if children are willing to practice 423 Qigong. We do not recommend that adults press meridian points for children. However if a child (over 1 year old) is sick, parents can massage relevant meridian points for them, but make sure that the strength level used is appropriate.

14. What should I do if my nails are too long for massaging?

Long nails can cut your skin when you massage. We recommend that you either cut your nails or hit your meridian points with your knuckle or use a massage stick.

15. Which diseases is 423 Meridian Qigong effective in treating?

432 Meridian Qigong can be effective in treating diseases in all parts of the body. However to gain the most benefit, you will need to develop your own routine, and spend more time massaging those meridian points that are most relevant to treating your disease. Our observations suggest that 423 Meridian Qigong has benefited patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, angina, coronary heart disease, asthma, insomnia, headache, stress, cancer, hepatitis, dyspepsia, irregular menstruation, mental disorder, menopause, etc.

16. Why do we recommend exercising your arms, waist and legs?

There are 6 meridians running through the arms, 6 meridians running through the legs, 3 meridians running through the back of the waist, and 9 running through the front of the waist. Hence, exercising the three parts of the body can stimulate the circulation of 24 meridians, balance yin-yang in the body, and increase the body’s immunity against diseases.

17. What should I do if doing squats is too hard for me?

Doing squats stimulates blood circulation in the lowest part of your body, and can help you lose weight and boost your respiratory system. If squats are too hard (due to, for instance, arthritis in knee joints, or heart disease), you can do half squats or other leg exercises that you can manage such as walking.

18. Should I do other exercises apart from 423 Meridian Qigong?

Exercises that stimulate blood circulation are beneficial to your health. We recommend that you choose the exercises of your preference and combine them with 423 Meridian Qigong. The exercises that we believe have the benefit of stimulating meridians include: running, walking, taiji, skipping, swimming and dancing.

19. How should heart disease patients choose their exercises?

Patients suffering from a heart disease such as coronary heart disease or angina should choose appropriate exercises according to their health status. The general principle is that one should stop before feeling tired or uncomfortable. Therefore it is advisable that heart disease patients start any exercise at a slow pace, and gradually increase the level of exercise as their health status improves.

20. What should I do if I do not see any improvement in my health after practicing 423 Meridian Qigong for some time?

Based on our observations over the past 10 years most people who practice 423 Meridian Qigong experience improvement in health after 2 months. The reported rate of effectiveness is about 95%. If you do not receive health benefits after 2 months, we suggest that you review your practice over the previous 2 months and see:

(1) whether you spent sufficient time each day practicing;

(2) whether you felt medium pain or numbness while pressing meridian points;

(3) whether your stomach breathing meets the requirements, etc.

If you believe you have done everything right, and still have not benefited from 423 Meridian Qigong, then you might belong to the very small group of people whose meridians are relatively insensitive. In that case, we suggest that you be patient and continue practicing, you will most likely experience improvement in health after 5-6 months.

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