As a Hope & Cope volunteer, Barry Thompson brings with him a deep passion for sharing the healing art of Qi Gong. A dedicated practitioner of Tai Chi for fifty years, Barry discovered Qi Gong after being told he would need back surgery. For the past thirty years, he has practiced and embraced Qi Gong as a powerful path to healing and wellbeing.
“When I discovered Qi Gong, I was thirty days away from an operation to fuse my lower back,” Barry says. “Physiotherapy didn’t work. Medication didn’t work. Nothing worked. Qi Gong is the most powerful exercise I’ve ever seen.”
Qi Gong is a 5,000 year old Chinese holistic health system of meditation and gentle physical exercises whose initial goal is abundant health and longevity. Taoist philosophy is at the heart of this practice.
The Qi Gong Taoist philosophy
The main principle of Taoist philosophy is that everything is energy and there’s a unity to all things.
Taoist philosophy focuses on the natural harmony, balance and unity of all things. Daily Qi Gong practice emphasizes this connection.
Qi (Chi) – the life force or vital energy believed in Chinese philosophy to flow through all living things.
Gong (Kung) – skill developed through steady practice.
With regular practice, the Qi Gong practitioner quickly discovers newfound levels of energy and stamina, reduced levels of stress and overall calmness.
Three laws govern Taoist theory:
- Things change
- Nothing is as it appears
- You have free will.
“Pain and stress erode chi,” Barry explains. “Practicing Qi Gong is a way of cultivating more energy; it is not a cure but it gives back some control over one’s body.”
He adds, “If you don’t like the situation you’re in, you do what you can to change it. You may not get one hundred percent of what you want, but you might get seventy-five percent and that is better than zero.”
Barry describes two broad goals in Qi Gong practice. The first is physical: to gently open the body and encourage the flow of energy. The second is spiritual. This aspect, he explains, develops naturally and often unconsciously through the practice itself. Breathing becomes slow and deep, coordinated with movement. The mind grows calm and attentive, while practitioners visualize energy circulating through the body.
Teaching Qi Gong at Hope & Cope
Barry’s QI Gong lessons at Hope & Cope begin with a series of simple, slow, repetitive movements in which breath, imagination, and motion work together. Through this quiet rhythm, practitioners gradually cultivate and strengthen the flow of chi within the body.
“The main goal of the practice is to cultivate abundant health and greater resilience,” says Barry.
During the sessions, he guides practitioners to visualize drawing chi from the Earth and the Sky, feeling the energy circulate and bathe the body’s organs.
“This energy has its own recipe,” he says, “and that recipe is abundant in health. When you begin to feel more energy, problems become a little smaller.”
Barry also emphasizes the important connection between mind and body.
“There is a mental aspect to health,” he explains. “When people begin to feel the benefits of the practice, their sense of hope grows.”
Because physical movement in Qi Gong is closely connected to intention and thought, it must be practiced with care. The movements themselves are simple and accessible to anyone, yet they require precision and attention to detail.
Barry takes the time to help each practitioner gently “finesse” the movements so they can experience their full benefit. The practice is also adapted to individual needs . For example, someone who cannot stand may perform the exercises while seated in a chair.
Practicing in a group can also enhance the circulation of energy experienced by participants. Barry prefers to teach small groups of no more than ten people, allowing him to give each person the attention they need.
“I am open to providing what individuals need in terms of care and energy,” he says, “within the bounds of what they are able to receive.”
Learning Qi Gong
Barry learned the art of Qi Gong from a renowned Chinese master, a man who gave generously of himself in service to others. That same spirit of generosity infuses Barry’s own teaching.
Before coming to Hope & Cope, Barry volunteered for nine years at Maison d’Hérelle, an AIDS hospice, and also shared his time at two YMCA centres.
“I just want to see people practice,” he says with characteristic humility. Rather than turning his passion and expertise into a business, Barry chooses to volunteer his time.
What motivates him most is seeing others discover the benefits and power of this health practice, whether physical, emotional, or even a shift in attitude. Witnessing those changes, is what brings him joy.
He says, “When you help someone it’s a gift that you give yourself.”
To register for Barry’s Qi Gong classes, call the Wellness Centre at 514-340-3616.
Would you like to make a difference in the lives of people affected by cancer? Hope & Cope is always looking for dedicated volunteers. Contact us at mailto:volunteering@hopeandcope.ca to learn more, or fill out the application form.
