Nourishing Kidneys Qigong Exercise

Nourishing Kidneys Qigong - Ancient Remedy for Modern Health

Boost immunity, calm your nervous system, and support your vital energy

Estimated reading time: 7 - 10 minutes
Written by Tim Franklin
Date: April 18, 2025

Why Qigong Matters for Kidney Health

In our fast-paced modern world, many people feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or disconnected, recognised by traditional Chinese medicine as a sign of kidney energy depletion, which is the weakening of our vital life force, Jing. The kidneys are viewed as the foundation of vitality, governing the immune system, nervous system, bones, blood, hormones, and emotional resilience. This is why Nourishing Kidneys, a classical form of Qigong passed down through the Shaolin Temple and the 18 Lohan Hands lineage, is a powerful remedy for modern life.

 

How This Practice Works: The Ancient Meets the Scientific

Around 526 AD, the Indian monk Bodhidharma, known as the First Patriarch of Zen, brought a series of internal energy practices to the Shaolin Temple that would become known as Qigong - then referred to as Chinese yoga.

Nourishing Kidneys Qigong practice combines:

  • Gentle, mindful movement
  • Breath-led awareness
  • Sound vibration (“sshhh” to calm, “haaa” to release)
  • Internal visualisation
  • Energy flow
  • Stillness and grounding

This practice improves energy circulation, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, improves immune system function, and helps regulate the body’s stress response.

The Kidneys in Eastern Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Kidneys are considered the “Root of Life.” They:​

  • Store Jing (Essence) - the foundational energy of life

  • Govern the bones, marrow, and brain

  • Anchor the will (Zhi) - supporting perseverance and stability

  • Balance fear, the associated emotion of the Kidneys

  • Regulate water metabolism and support the Heart (Fire) in emotional balance

  • Are deeply nourished through stillness, breath, and inner awareness

The Kidneys in Western Medicine

Western physiology recognises the kidneys as crucial to:​

  • Filtering blood, maintaining electrolyte and fluid balance

  • Producing erythropoietin, which stimulates red blood cell production in the bone marrow

  • Activating vitamin D, which supports immune regulation

  • Regulating blood pressure, pH, and overall homeostasis

  • Supporting the health of bones, the nervous system, and overall resilience

  • Sexual function

Why This Practice Matters Today

The demands of contemporary life often stretch us far beyond our natural rhythms and equilibrium. Stress, sleep disturbance, poor posture, overthinking, emotional suppression, and environmental toxins gradually wear down our reserves. Over time, this can show up as:​

  • Physical fatigue, lower back pain, poor immunity

  • Emotional fragility, anxiety, low motivation

  • Mental fog, overstimulation, lack of focus

  • Erectile disfunction

  • Energetic stagnation or burnout

  • Disconnection from purpose or spiritual grounding​

From the perspective of Chinese medicine, these are all signs of Kidney energy depletion - a weakening of our vital resources. The Nourishing Kidneys Qigong practice helps to restore physical vitality, emotional stability, mental calm, energetic flow, and spiritual clarity.​

Expected Benefits from the Practice

  • Rebuild energy reserves (Jing)
  • Support bone marrow and red blood cell production
  • Calm the heart and reduce fear and anxiety
  • Boost immune response by up to 50%1
  • Improve emotional balance and hormonal health
  • Awaken your body’s natural intelligence for self-healing

Scientific Support

  • CD4+/CD8+ Ratio improved by up to 50% through regular Qigong practice 1
  • Parasympathetic activation improves heart rate variability and reduces cortisol 2
  • Immune modulation via breath and movement reduces inflammation and enhances white blood cell activity 3

Breath, Sound, and the Nervous System: Laying the Foundation for Inner Work

In many modern approaches to health, the role of the nervous system in shaping our biochemistry, immune function, and capacity to cope with stress is often overlooked.​

Qigong recognises the importance of this connection. Although regulating the nervous system is not the deepest aim of the practice, it is an essential preparation - helping to calm the body, still the mind, and create the conditions for energy flow, clarity of mind, and spiritual cultivation.​

The sounds used in Nourishing the Kidneys (the soft “sshhh” and the open “haaa”) are not just breathwork. Combined with mindful movement and inner attention, they help activate the parasympathetic nervous system - the part of your system that says: you are safe now; you can rest and repair.​

Chronic stress weakens immunity

When the nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight, the body prioritises survival responses over healing:​

  • Cortisol rises, which suppresses the immune response

  • T cells are reduced

  • Inflammation increases

  • Sleep, digestion, and hormonal rhythms are disrupted​

By contrast, Qigong helps:​

  • Increase vagal tone and heart rate variability

  • Reduce cortisol and inflammatory cytokines

immunity-from-infection

There are many ways to practice Nourishing Kidneys.

The following is one way...

  • Practice standing or seated posture
  • Bend forward to touch your toes
  • Stand upright, then gently bend backwards a little and look up ( this stimulates the Mingmen (Gate of Life)
  • Hands placed gently over the lower back (Kidneys) (or place your hands on your belly)
  • Exhale with a soft “sshhh” (with your front teeth gently touching ), guiding Qi into the kidneys
  • Return to upright with a soft “haaa” to release tension and spread energy
  • gently visualise energy flowing down the Kidney meridian to the Yongquan points in the soles of the feet
  • Repeat another 8 times

(Listen to a Nourishing Kidneys guided meditation audio from the 18 Lohan Qigong morning classes)

Practice the form of Nourishing Kidneys in this video

 

“Every time you exhale with a soft ‘sshhh’, you're telling your body: you are safe. You can rest. You can heal.”

Returning to What Nourishes You

Nourishing the Kidneys Qigong is not just a form - it’s an invitation to return to yourself. To slow down. To listen. To honour the quiet intelligence of your body and the strength that grows from stillness.

Whether you're seeking to restore energy, support your immune system, or simply reconnect with your breath, this practice offers a space to begin - or begin again.

Wherever you are in your journey, may this be a way back to balance, clarity and inner vitality, your way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I can’t do the form because of an injury?

You can adjust the forms in any way that suits your needs and ability. The most important thing is to stay relaxed and enjoy your practice. For example, with Nourishing the Kidneys, you can place your hands on your front instead of your back and simply imagine the energy flowing to your kidneys. Just visualising the movement can still provide real benefits.

Do I need any prior experience to begin Qigong?

Not at all. Qigong is accessible for all levels, and this practice is especially gentle. You don’t need flexibility, coordination, or prior knowledge - just an open mind and a few quiet moments.

How often should I practise to see benefits?

Even 10 - 15 minutes a few times per week can make a difference. Like water nourishing a tree, the effects are cumulative. Daily practice deepens the benefits for your immune system, nervous system, and inner energy reserves.

What’s the best time of year to nourish the Kidneys?

According to Chinese Medicine, winter is the season of the Kidneys. However, this form can be practised year-round, especially during times of stress, fatigue, or life transitions when your foundation needs replenishing. Morning and evening are also the best suggested times to practice.

For more information on Qigong, see the below link:

https://fully-alive.co.uk/online-classes/18-lohan-hands-qigong/

Footnotes

  1. Ryu, H., et al. (1995). Effect of Qigong training on T lymphocyte subsets.
  2. Jahnke, R., et al. (2010). Review of Qigong and Tai Chi health benefits.
  3. Chen, K. W., et al. (2020). Meditative movement and immune modulation.
  4. Kaptchuk, T. J. (2000). The Web That Has No Weaver. McGraw-Hill.
  5. Maciocia, G. (2015). The Foundations of Chinese Medicine (3rd ed.). Elsevier.
  6. Chung, M., et al. (2021). Vitamin D and immune function.