Olga wrote: I am also interested in the opinions of eurythmists about eurythmy and Qi-kung (not Tai Chi). Could we compare them somehow? I'm aware of the differences, but the most interesting things for me are the external curative effects, when a patient sometimes plays a passive role (it is probably not very anthroposophical, but therapists or doctors exist for helping people who suffer). (http://www.philosophyoffreedom.com/node/1763#comment-6486 [1])
As I am not a eurythmy therapist and I have only a thin slice of experience with qigong I cannot make any authoritative statements about either. I hope that we can develop some useful clarity in conversation here.
Eurythmy derives from the spiritual research of Rudolf Steiner with the intention to inaugurate a deeply meaningful artistic discipline of movement. I have written more about this here [2]. Eurythmy’s therapeutic potential was subsequently recognised and then researched by Steiner.
What is qigong?
"Qigong is not just a set of movements, not just meditation, mantra recitations, or cultivation of qi. Qigong is a path of life mastery, a path to enlightenment. The movements, mantras, and meditations are tools that are used towards that end. The tools should not limit you. They should help you grow... A Qigong form is meant to assist a person in gaining the health, energy, and sensitivity needed to explore the more spiritual dimensions in life. After the basics of Qigong are learned, proper posture and alignments, etc., the student is ready to explore some of the deeper aspects of the art. What happens to some practitioners of spiritual movement systems such as Qigong ... is that they strive for perfection of the form, that is, perfection of the outer form, their posture and alignment. And they end up ignoring the inner experience... What is most important is what is happening on the inside, the energetic, meditative, and spiritual aspect of the art."
(www.qigonginstitute.org/html/qigonghealth.php#SpontaneousQigong [3])
Eurythmy, like all the arts, has the capacity to reveal and communicate spiritual truths. It is clear to me that eurythmy is not “a path to enlightenment”. For the anthroposophical path of spiritual development the Philosophy of Freedom offers a starting point. Steiner’s How to Know Higher Worlds [4] offers another approach.
This video clip gives some interesting pointers.
Watch it at YouTube [5]
One of the points mentioned in the video is the need for a warrior to be a healer. Here is a difference to therapeutic eurythmy, as a therapist does not need to be a warrior.
Another aspect is the use of the qigong healer’s own energy to release blocked qi in the patient’s body. Here the presence of the patient’s own healing capacity is acknowledged. So also in therapeutic eurythmy, but it is the eurythmy itself that is active in promoting a healing response, not the energy or etheric forces of the therapist. The video also mentions that qigong draws on the chaos of nature. I find this significant. Eurythmy draws on the power of universal formative forces that we recognise in speech. So it would seem that the qigong practitioner uses personal intention and power to catalyse healing in the patient’s body. Therapeutic eurythmy rather introduces formative forces through the gestures that give direction to the healing process in the patient. This would seem to demonstrate a fundamental difference of approach.