Qigong (ch'i kung) is the modern incarnation of a Chinese energy art that goes back over 2,000 years. With superior scholarship and scientific acumen, The Way of Qigong covers the entire range of theory and practice, including relaxation, meditation, massage, therapeutic touch, and postures. Qi (ch'i) means "life energy," and the goal of qigong, master and Chinese scholar Ken Cohen tells us, is "to train the mind to send qi where it is needed." In this encyclopedic work, Cohen teaches us not only how to do qigong, but what it means and how it benefits us, from what kind of tea is best in the summer to how to have better sex. Cohen is at his best when reducing arcane Chinese theories to plain English, and as a result, The Way of Qigong is as interesting as it is useful. --Brian Bruya
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Excellent step by step book Comment: Although I haven't finished with this lecture, I have found it quite interesting. Language is easy and for a person who has very little experience in this subject, this is a very useful book with lots of interesting data especially scientific ones (this gives the author more credibility). Great book! Customer Rating: Summary: extremely worth getting Comment: It is a very good book, and has lots of great information for both beginners and advanced students. Customer Rating: Summary: The way of Qigong Comment: A great book. Writen simply and clearly to understand the life from the jin and yang phylosophie that is far from being only black and white.
The excercises in the book are easy to follow.
Shipping was fast as well. Customer Rating: Summary: Interesting in some areas, apallingly inaccurate in others Comment: "The Way of QiGong" attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of qi gong, from its history to its applications in healing and improved sexual vigor. Other reviewers have done an adequate job of cataloging the book's strengths and shortcomings, so I'll touch on the one aspect that I haven't seen mentioned: the section on diet and nutrition.
The author does himself a great disservice by including the chapter "Dao and Diet", as it lowers the overall quality of the book substantially. The chapter is especially dangerous because it intersperses sound nutritional advice - try to eat local foods, try to eat organic foods - among absolutely terrible advice.
The first clue that the author has ventured outside of his area of expertise is when he references Barry Sears and endorses Sears' dietary recommendations. Sears is more of a snake-oil salesman than anything else; his work has never appeared in a peer-reviewed journal and has been widely discredited. (For a thorough indictment of Sears, and some actual valid nutritional advice, check out "The Food Revolution".)
The author then goes on to suggest that the reader take plenty of vitamin supplements and should strive to receive 30% of their calories in the form of protein. This is simply horrible, horrible advice. You don't need that much protein, and you're raising the likelihood of contracting a number of diseases if you structure your diet around these recommendations. For some statistics on the correlation between high protein consumption and cancer rates (as well as other diseases), check out "The China Study". (If you have a genuine interest in your health, and how food affects it, both of the books I mentioned are worth reading.)
Long story short: the book is worth checking out if you're new to qi gong, but disregard the author's stint as an armchair nutritionist. Customer Rating: Summary: The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing Comment: Ken Cohen's book is a very complete and illustrative book on the
subject. I would almost put it in the category of a college text book on the subject of Qigong. He is as qualified to write and teach about the subject as anyone out there. A must for anyone's reference library on Qigong. It is an important work that will stand the test of time. I had read a library copy, bought a copy in the past and gave it away. This copy is, again, for my own my reference collection.
