We Don't Succeed Alone

Hundreds of scientific studies have shown that having at least two allies dramatically increases positive health outcomes and helps us succeed in our goals. I call this the "ally effect" and it works it's magic in our qigong practice too. Qigong will provide all the health benefits you intend even if you practice alone. However, the health benefits are even greater when you practice with someone else. This is why group participation is so important.

Here's how the ally effect works. (The following is taken from SuperBetter.com: The science behind allies.)
An ally is identified as a strong social relationship with these four traits: positivity, honesty, support and closeness.

Positivity: You feel good when you see each other.
Honesty: You can talk to each other honestly about problems and challenges in your lives.
Support: You feel comfortable asking each other for help.
Closeness: You see each other in person or talk at least once every two weeks.

Allies make each other stronger in four key ways:

Stronger immune systems:
Social support from at least two people is linked to better immune functioning—our wounds heal faster, we catch fewer colds, and we even fight diseases like arthritis and fybromyalgia more effectively.

Lower stress levels:
Positive social interaction reduces the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in our bodies.

Cardiovascular impact:
Spending time with people we like lowers our blood pressure and decreases our heart rate.

Social resources:
Allies help us gather the resources we need to achieve our goals.

And the health benefits work both ways. Every time you connect with an Ally, you're making THEM stronger, too.

Here's some of the scientific research:

Social Relationships and Health:
 http://m.hsb.sagepub.com/content/51/1_suppl/S54.full

Social Ties and Cardiovascular Function:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2765114/

Social Relationships and Mortality Risk:http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000316

Depression and perceived social support:http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03868.x/abstract