Taking the time to research and decide if a particular interest is suitable is very important before embarking on the choice made. As in everything that affects the body, mind, and spirit, this philosophy should be followed.
Even though qi gong can be practiced with information gotten of the internet, books or from other sources, taking supervised sessions from experienced instructors is a better and safer choice to make. There are no real side effects from actually taking up qi gong, if it is done correctly, but it is possible that with impatience and changing the methods or movements even slightly serious repercussions can unfold.
Deviating from the normal qi gong practices can “confuse” the internal qi which can then bring about very unpleasant side effects. Some of the more common side effects resulting from these deviations are dizziness, headaches, nausea, ringing in the ears, and shortage of breath, distention, and complications in the chest area. There have been cases where the individual had to seek emergency medical treatment because of the deviations practiced.
Constant supervised sessions by experienced qi gong instructors are required in order to strengthen the ligaments and inner body structure. Going too fast through the different levels or movements can also cause problems like tiredness, headaches, unbalanced feelings or an aggressive or euphoric state, all of which are unpleasant and undesirable and certainly not what the individual anticipated when deciding to take up qi gong.
With the presence of a trained and experienced instructor, a student’s posture, movements, breathing or mental state can be corrected instantly so as not to effect or confuse the qi flow with the body system. It would also be prudent to pay attention to any changes that occur after starting a few sessions of qi gong.