Chiense energy art - taichi etc

[rodimus]

anyone here interested in Tai Chi, Qigong or Chinese energy arts?
Like to make a friend!

[DrMattJames]

Hi Rodimus,

I have studied some eastern philosophy but mainly in the area of energy work and the complete study of feng shui. I have not had the opportunity to study the disciplines you mention, however, I did take Aikido for many years and loved the energy aspect of it.

What would you like to talk about?

Matt

[Don]

Hi, Matt.

I didn't know you had studied feng shui. Do you prefer one of the two systems over the other? If so, which one. I'm coming from a position of not knowing a great deal about it.

Also, have you studied Vaastu, the philosophy/techniques from which feng shui evolved?

[DrMattJames]

Hey Don,

I got into feng shui a few years ago and have spent the most time studying the compass method. I have found that to be the most useful in what we teach. I teach it at level 4 of Huna every once and a while and the students love it.

I have only read a little about Vaastu because I have found it is best to find someone that knows about the system and have them recommend books. As you know, there can be a lot of misleading information in esoteric books.

At the convention we should talk about Vaastu, I would love to learn more about it.

Matt

[MadCap]

Hi Rodimus,

I have studied Tai Chi, unfortunately I have become a little relaxed in my practice over the past couple of year (mainly due to a lack of a good teacher).. I have studied the Yang Style short form (CMC) and also the Chen style, as well as QiQong.. I did study Aikido as well for a very short while (something I will take up again when the opportunity arises) Is there anything specific you wanted to talk about??

Many thanks

Matt

[rodimus]

Hi guys,

Yeah the reason I asked was, is there a standard basic practice (breathing exercises etc) that you do regularly? Sometimes i do it i can feel the tingling Chi in my arms and hands, but only when i am totally relaxed i guess.

Do you guys like the exercises of chinese/japanese martial arts, or do u also go into the philosophies (Eg Taoist philosophy of 3 treasures, tao etc)?

Are there a set of ENERGY ACCUMMIULATING/RAISING EXERSICE that one can do easily and quickly to replenish energy after a day's work? (Huna, TaiChi, Qigong, Akido etc). Please share. I am very interested in energy accummulation.
:)

[Simple Guy]

Rodimus,

It's best to work with a competent and balanced teacher when moving chi,
ki, kundalini, energy -- whatever someone may refer to
it as. I practice meditation ("insight" or Vipassana based, mostly), yoga
(for the last few months) and have practiced martial arts. I enjoy learning
about some of the philosophical underpinnings of these practices.

What is helpful for one person can be harmful for another.-- Some energy
"awakenings" can be dangerous, so I'd not recommend any specific "ENERGY
ACCUMMIULATING/RAISING EXERCISE," as you asked about. My personal
opinion is that it is usually best to experience a healthy energy flow that
results as a benefit of a practice, rather than as a goal in and of itself.

By the way, tingling and similar sensations are not uncommon. When I
begun meditating years ago, I felt reassured to read that this too was
an experience that was shared by Sylvia Boorstein, in one of her books.
She is a meditation teacher that I very much respect. But, I'm not in
a position to speak in any way to your own experience with tingling.

[rodimus]

Hi Simple guy,

yes i guess the taoist meditations are a lot more safer than kundalini raising which the yogist teach. Many people use the Yogi method to raise the serpent energy and some end up with energy stuck in their head causing fears, possible schizoprenia,insanity etc. Because the energy has nowhere to vent.

The taoist (qigong) method teaches people to open the front channels of the body, from the head down to the belly first. And only when those points are cleared/open for energy to flow thru, then they teach people to open up the back channel (of the spine) similar to yogis. Therefore they create a vent first, as a precaution, and then they raise the energy up to open the 'microcosmic orbit'. There are a few cases of students who studied with yogis who had the kundalini haywire syndrome, and the yogis couldnt fix, and then refered to taoist teachers who helped them open up the front channel.

I learned taichi from a good teacher before, but i think its hard to find a good teacher who teaches the 'secret' meditations. Most teach taichi as a physical exercise only, like aerobics, without talking about the energy parts.

[Don]

Many people use the Yogi method to raise the serpent energy and some end up with energy stuck in their head causing fears, possible schizoprenia,insanity etc. Because the energy has nowhere to vent...

There are a few cases of students who studied with yogis who had the kundalini haywire syndrome, and the yogis couldnt fix, and then refered to taoist teachers who helped them open up the front channel.


Hi, Rodimus.

Could you give a list of some of the people who have ended up with schizophrenia, insanity, or "kundalini haywire syndrome?"

Thanks.

[Simple Guy]

Hi Don,

Allow me to respond to the question addressed to Rodimus. I have not
personally known anyone that ended up with these conditions as a result of
"energy" work. I have known people whose mental wellbeing were
adversely impacted by such work. (I've also known more people that
have been benefited by such work.) Of couse, some of these people
had underlying difficulties before doing the work and it could be
noted that correlation does not equal causation. However, the lack
of sufficient screening and competent care that they experienced, may
have contributed to their problems.

Some of the methods are powerful and should be used with caution,
particularly by those that already have fragile psychological
dispositions. For e.g., methods that encourage or facilitate a
breakdown of ego can be disasterous for those that already
have a weak sense of self.

[Don]

Hi, SG.

I would say the same thing. The work is not the cause so much as the impetus. The cause is already there. The energy work only brings that out. In short, from my experience, my study, and from the people I've talked with, all of the fears about K are a scam for a reasonably healthy person.


So the question is, who might have been passing on tales that it is dangerous to practice K without the guidance of a guru? How about gurus who make their living teaching it? Or maybe I'm just cynical...

[Simple Guy]

Hi Don,

We are probably more in agreement than not. Even healthy people,
though, should not proceed incautiously with energy work. "That which
has the power to heal, also has the power to harm" (borrowing a quote
from a homeopathy author) -- here and in other areas -- is worth keeping
in mind, even if potential harm results from only a misapplication of process.

I don't think you are being cynical. However, I don't think it's generally
wise for people to do self-work in isolation, i.e. without a teacher or connection
to a supportive and knowledgeable community. I'm not a fan of
gurus, for a number of reasons. Great teachers, though, are
a different matter. :) There are sources of disinformation about
this "energy" matter promulgated by vested interests. Some possible motives result
from financial incentives, family members looking to put blame for problems and tragedies onto
something external to themselves, ignorance, religious motivation, etc.
Some dangers of submitting oneself to a guru: disappointment,
manipulation, exploitation, loss of capacity for independent thought...
these are pretty clear cut.

[Simple Guy]

Hi Rodimus,

I empathize with you about not finding a current Tai Chi instructor
that accords the intrinsic, internal aspects of the art the standing
that it deserves. (Aside from this, many students would not recognize
the "fighting" applications that the movements were largely designed
for.) I've almost no training in Tai Chi, so I can't give you any guidance
other than to encourage you to continue to search out trainers and
other practitioners that have the depth you seek.

[rodimus]

Hi, Rodimus.

Could you give a list of some of the people who have ended up with schizophrenia, insanity, or "kundalini haywire syndrome?"

Thanks.

I don;t know their names. I read their cases from books. Why do you want their names for? To contact them and interview then PERSONALLY?

Read Bruce Kumar Frantzis' books and also Tao of Healing by Mantak Chia. Chia has helped cure a few people who have 'heated up' their brain from kundalini syndrome.

[Don]

Because I know lots of people who have "heard" about it or read about supposed cases, but I've never discovered one legitimate case. Not a one.

I haven't read Frantzis' books. Mantak Chia it a Taoist who comes from the school of Taoist Alchem. He deals with qi (the currently "correct" transliteration pronounced "chee"), not kundalini. Qi is closer in nature to prana, not kundalini.

[Makani]

I have had the great good fortune of having a disease healed with our modalities, hypnosis/NLP/TLT, coupled with acupuncture, Chinese medicine. From there I found a very respectable dojo and am still learning, will always be learning, tai chi which is almost equal to the meditative peace and energy I get from hula. The biggest difference is I get contemplative or go to the void in tai chi; in hula I am in bliss, joy, hau'ole.

QiQong has been a great experience, but I have been blessed to be under the supervision of two instructors well-trained in China and my own doctor who uses it in Chinese medicine treatment. I think one should take care here to follow the wisdom of centuries patiently. In turn, I again find Huna energy work comparable. My guess is that they are both ancient and less tainted processes and, because they are outside of the western paradigm, I can happily "not think".

Neither my instructors (over 40 years at tai chi and aikido) nor my doctor (a tai chi and qiqong master) know of any of the abreactions cited in this thread.

It's done as you believe.

[Simple Guy]

Makani,

Thanks for sharing your experiences and congratulations on the healing.
"Not think," is a very good thing at times. :)

[phill]

Hi rodimus, i havent been taught anything yet, but "Hei Gung" is what my gung-fu instructor will be teaching me in the near future.

This is an article on our site about it.
http://www.yunhoiwingchun.com/Default.aspx?tabid=178

[irisheye]

I've studied Tao'ist yoga,it's great for sexual energy.I've never kept with the program however.


I'm also a reiki master but that just does'nt resonate with me too much,even though it did in the past.

I practice Ki energy exercise's the most as this is part of my Hapkido training.

anyway,

[lam]

i would be interested, my dad learns taichi and it's really helped with his temper.

[knaiyee14]

i would be interested, my dad learns taichi and it's really helped with his temper.

for personal reason may i have a copy on how it is done pls??:)

[pbpv]

I have taken Yang Style long form taichi. My experience is that when the instructor goes through a warm up breathing excercises which relaxes and slows me down I start feeling the tingling in fingers and feet. That feeling is further enhanced at different parts of my body using taichi.

There were instances when other instructors taught the classes and each have their own way of beginning the lesson, one would go through streches which was good but it was hard to get the same tingling feeling or effect. The other person directly jumped into the form flows, I had a hard time adjusting.

Partially I think it was because I was a bit stressed from work but still those warmups breathing excercises helped a lot with the state change.

[ohmmmm]

I've studied Chi Kung, Nei Kung and now am completely absorbed in a taoist study incorporating energy. The field is so vast its difficult to explain. I've not encountered anything dangerous in it. I suppose if someone is unstable to begin with, the energy stuff could make them more so, but I've found that the energy accumulation and practices to be very beneficial to people.

During the first years of training, people have to address and get rid of a lot of karma and accumulate energy. The process of getting rid of karma involves finding out who they are and making choices. Accumulating energy helps a person to be more stable and in the moment...basically they can have the presence to observe and make choices that are beneficial to themselves and others. The first years can also be a bit traumatic as there are ups and downs. We carry a lot of our past in our bodies in the form of energy blockages/connections. Opening up these channels takes time and sometimes requires opening deep emotional wounds and addressing habits of thinking. Both are not easy to do.

The accumulation of energy and growth requires us to completely relax. This is not easy for most of us busy people and it takes time to practice. The process does take years and effort, however, people can begin to see positive results in only their second week. Beginning is usually a process of feeling the body and learning what makes us strong and what weakens us.

I think its very important to look for a teacher with lots of experience and a historical lineage. Its important to talk with the teachers students to get a feel for their growth and wisdom rather than just talking with the teacher/master. Overall, spriitual practice like this is not a part time...once in a while thing. It requires a commitment of time and effort....such as going to class three to five times per week and doing an hour or more of homework per day.

[Simple Guy]

Hi ohmmmm,

Nice post. :) You've left me curious about the taoist energy study
that you are now participating in. Sometimes speaking about such
work can impede it, so I'm not asking you to do so.