The question arises in nearly every beginner’s class, community center wellness program, and high-level medical symposium: What exactly is the difference between Tai Chi and Qigong, and which one should I practice?

The question took center stage at the recent Osher Center’s “the Science of Tai Chi & Qigong at the Whole Person Health” Conference. For researchers, instructors, and dedicated practitioners alike, parsing the overlap between these two ancient Chinese internal arts is more than an academic exercise—it is essential for guiding students toward the right path for their personal healthcare, longevity, and mental focus.
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To unpack this multi-layered relationship, I recently sat with two leading figures in the field: Tom Rogers, President of the Qigong Institute, and Siobhan Hutchinson, a veteran instructor with decades of experience in mindful movement. What emerged was a rich, nuanced dialogue that traced the history, cognitive demands, scientific mechanics, and regulatory battles surrounding these vital self-care practices.

Qigong Institute President Tom Rogers discusses interoception, the underlying neurological mechanism of mindfulness-based approaches to meditation and a key component of Qigong practice.

Interoception is a representation of the body's internal state and bodily signals based on proprioception, the senses, and biofeedback pathways which include bi-directional communication between the limbic system (thoughts and emotions), the frontal cortex, the neuroendocrine system, and the autonomic nervous system. Interoception is essential for physiological homeostasis, cognition, and emotional regulation.

Interoception refers collectively to the processing of internal bodily stimuli by the nervous system and includes physical responses in body and brain representation such that the sensing of stimuli is available for reflection, insight, conscious awareness, and action. This characteristic training of awareness makes Qigong an interoceptive awareness practice and therapy. The refined ability to sustain awareness characterizes what in Qigong is called cultivating the skill of self-observation and regulating emotional responses to bodily sensation.

Qigong Institute President Tom Rogers and Meditative Movement teacher and Qigong teacher for pain Josie Weaver discuss the Science and Practice of Qigong as part of the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi Level 2 Qigong and Tai Chi Teacher Training. The IIQTC has been training Qigong and Tai Chi teachers since 2005.