Book excerpt: The beneficial health effects of daily chi-gung practice have long been known in China, but in the West, chi-gung is becoming increasingly used for general well-being and to complement conventional medical treatment. The Essence of Chi-Gung is an easy-to-use workbook that teaches the fundamentals of chi-gung practice and provides a safe, basic daily regimen that can be adapted for people of all ages and physical abilities. The view in Chinese medicine is that good health is maintained by circulating and increasing chi, the vital life energy that we are all born with. In chi-gung practice, slow, rhythmic breathing is synchronized with body movements, in a way which is beneficial to both the nervous and immune systems and to overall health. This manual includes over fifty step-by-step illustrations of the warm-up exercises and movement forms.