In Conversation
  • Name
    Stephane Kamesh
  • Location
    Berlin
  • Craft
    Qi Gong Master
  1. What is Qi Gong?

    Qi Gong is to China what yoga is to India. Qi Gong is a movement-based meditation with up to 60,000 breathing techniques, but only 3000 have been thoroughly researched. The purpose is to help cultivate a better life and good health. Qi Gong can also be used as energetic medicine and as a way to heal the body and the soul. It’s a complete philosophy that envelops a lot of things, it’s very complicated, beautiful, and in some ways easy to learn.

  2. How does this philosophy manifest in your day-to-day?

    I think that Qi Gong surprises us. There is an immediate cause and effect within the practice, but it also promotes a personal development of character and morals that takes time. It clarifies not only the body but also the soul, meaning that it helps you feel complete again. I can see the tremendous transformation that happens in all of my students and there’s a reason that many stick with this practice for life.

    I have been practicing for almost 30 years now and have cultivated what you might call a “zen spirit.” It’s an open-minded approach, like that of a child, where I simultaneously recognize that I don’t know everything yet, but also have everything I need. The entire earth is in constant development, so Qi Gong is about embodying the spirit of a beginner.

  3. You’ve lived in many places—Turkey, Sri Lanka, France, India, China and now Germany—how do you feel at home in the world?

    By cultivating small rituals like waking up each morning and acknowledging that I’m still alive and that’s good news. Every morning I ask myself, “what am I going to do with this day?” and every evening I say, “thank you for this life, for this opportunity.” Throughout the day I’m careful to breathe mindfully, I meditate, practice Qi Gong, and read good books. I think intention is the most important thing. For example, by asking myself why I’m motivated to practice or meditate helps me stay motivated throughout all activities. Having a clear intention makes it possible to maintain spiritual discipline which is a guiding force regardless of your ever-changing environment.

    — Interview from June, 2018, translated from French to English

By Carina Adam
Ensō by Stephane Kamesh