What is neigong or nei gung?

The energetic work of Taoist chi gung, internal martial arts and meditation is based on a sixteen-part nei gungⁱ system. The sequence of learning the sixteen components is flexible and depends on whether you are primarily interested in health, healing others, martial arts or meditation. The sixteen basic components of Taoist nei gung include:

1. Breathing methods, from the simple to the more complex.
2. Feeling, moving, transforming, and transmuting internal energies along the descending, ascending, and connecting energy channels of the body.
3. Precise body alignments to prevent the flow of chi from being blocked or dissipated; practicing these principles brings exceptionally effective biomechanical alignments.
4. Dissolving blockages of the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of ourselves.
5. Moving energy through the main and secondary meridian channels of the body, including the Energy Gates.
6. Bending and stretching the body from the inside out and from the outside in along the direction of the yin and Yang acupuncture meridian lines.
7. Opening and closing all parts of the physical body (joints, muscles, soft tissues, internal organs, glands, blood vessels, cerebrospinal system, and brain), as well as all aspects of the body's subtle energy anatomy.
8. Manipulating the energy of the external aura outside the body.
9. Making circles and spirals of energy inside the body, controlling the spiraling energy currents of the body, and moving energy to any part of the body at will, especially to the glands, brain, and internal organs.
10. Absorbing energy into, and projecting energy away from, any part of the body.
11. Controlling all the energies of the spine.
12. Gaining control of the left and right energy channels of the body.
13. Gaining control of the central energy channel of the body.
14. Learning to develop the capabilities and all the uses of the body's lower tantien.
15. Learning to develop the capabilities and all the uses of the body's upper and middle tantiens.
16. Connecting every part of the physical and other energetic bodies into one unified energy.

This information is reprinted from The Power of Internal Martial Arts by Bruce Frantzis. Including these components in any publication or web site requires permission from energy arts inc and the source must be credited.