Christians often fold hands in the prayer position during devotion. But did you know that folding our hands this way was first done to honor the Hindu god Shiva long before the Bible?

That doesn’t mean you should stop folding your hands in this position, as it’s just a physical gesture to humble ourselves in worship. What matters is where your heart is, and who you’re offering yourself to.

The same is true with yoga and qigong. My grandmother really wanted to do yoga, but worried it might be anti-Christian. The truth is, unless you are dedicating your stretches and devotions to some foreign entity, then you are free to offer your exercises and meditations to the Lord Jesus.

After all, God created us in his image, says the Bible. And that image didn’t include all the surgeries and pharmaceuticals of modern medicine. Yet, many Christians would rather ingest chemicals produced in labs and have organs surgically removed than practice a foreign exercise that might restore their body to the glory of God’s image.

I find it ironic, and very sad, because Christians should be in the best health, as fit bodies serve and exemplify God better.

But what About the Mysterious energy-work, or Qi?

Qi, pronounced “chee,” means life-force energy in Chinese. Many wonder if “qi” is evil, as it sounds mysterious and can do things like heat us or remove pain.

But qi is simply a medical phenomenon. Scientists see qi as the bio-electromagnetic field surrounding our body and every organ. And we can feel our qi flowing through us when stretching and exercising.

“Qi” is no more evil than the salt on your skin. It’s a natural part of life that flows through you, regardless of your spiritual leanings. Qi is a physical reality, how we can “feel” the thrill of living on this planet.

And qi is not the Holy Spirit either. Unlike the Holy Spirit, qi will not cast out demons or cause people to speak in tongues. But cultivating your qi will make you feel really good, and possibly prevent some illness.

As a Christian, I often incorporate qigong into my devotion to God. It helps me feel my inner light stronger, avoid a lot of sickness, and serve others the way Christ called us to do.

Ironically, much of my success as a Christian is due to my practice of qigong and yoga, as they keep me more healthy and fit in both body and mind than I would be otherwise.

What about Qigong’s Mystical Origin?

There’s Neolithic pottery dating around 8000 years old depicting someone doing what looks like a qigong move. As a practice, qigong has been around so long that it carries elements from the ancient cultures from where it came; specifically, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

And it’s true that some early practitioners of qigong were shamanic tribes connecting with nature spirits.

However, the type of qigong most practice today (including by Club Qigong) incorporates only medical qigong for the scientific benefits, mainly based on traditional Chinese medicine.

So you can fold your hands in prayer, and even consider doing some yoga and qigong from a teacher who incorporates the medical aspects without invoking other spirits and powers.

To be honest, I’ve never felt more in God’s image than after a good qigong practice, prayer and meditation.

? New for the Year of the Rabbit: Watch me do the Snow Rabbit Form!