Aihan Kuhn - Brain Fitness: The Easy Way of Keeping Your Mind Sharp Through Qigong

I studied conventional Western medicine in medical school in China from 1977 to 1982. Much of the information in this book is based on general information I learned in medical school blended with practical knowledge I gathered from my natural healing practice. The information in this book also comes from other reputable sources. I have done my best to synthesize my taiji experience with my medical and scientific knowledge.

When I was young, I used to wonder why taiji and qigong masters were so smart, so healthy, so calm, and so cool. When I started to learn taiji, I just wanted to be like them. In the first several years, although I didnt come near to their achievements, I did feel good overall, in health and well-being. Now I have been teaching and practicing for a long time, and as the years have gone by, I have started to see the difference. I have begun to see myself as a different person, as a master of my own life.

I used to have a poor memory, perhaps from my poor genes. My parents had poor health. My mother and her family had arthritis, and my father had tuberculosis when he was nine years old. In middle age, he had chronic bronchitis and asthma, which often turned to pneumonia. He also had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. My poor memory showed in schoolespecially medical school. It took me twice as long to learn, sometimes three times as long as my classmates to memorize the coursework.

In Chinese medicine, the brain is related to kidney energy. If you have poor kidney energy (and I was apparently born this way), you will have memory, arthritis, hair, teeth, and bone issues. Actually, I have all of these. My saving grace is that I am a taiji and qigong practitioner. Even though I have many issues, I dont have too many symptoms that affect my life, work, or career. I attribute this to my practice. Also, my memorywhich should be getting worse with agehas not diminished. But it is almost the same as it was when I was young. In some ways, it is even better than before.

My learning ability has improved too. I wasnt born smart. I could never picture myself using a computer before. I used to get lost when driving even though Id been to my destination before. I had a hard time reading a map. It was just too confusing. I remember one time at night when I finished teaching a class at a new place, I drove thirty miles in the wrong direction while trying to get home. I ended up calling the police department to have a policeman guide me back to the highway. By the time I got home, it was almost midnight. And I would never have thought I could speak in public. I could barely make it through talks with groups of friends when I was younger. Here, living in a different country and struggling with English, its even worse. How could I ever give public speeches? Now I do use a computer every day, and I often get compliments from my computer-geek husband. I make fewer wrong turns when I go to new places, and I can use a map very well now. I regularly give speeches all over, at trainings, lectures, workshops, and in the course of teaching. I attribute all of these improvements to my taiji and qigong practice and teaching.

I share this with you because I believe anyone who is willing to change and put in the effort for self-improvement will see results. Besides, taiji and qigong simply make you feel good. Who doesnt want to feel good? Taiji is a journey, a healthful journeya way to a better life.

Dr. Aihan Kuhn