Insanity OR Qi

[Prairie]

Well folks, I think I might be teetering on the edge of insanity for thinking that my experience last night might be genuine as opposed to imaginary.

I was lying on my back with my hands resting gently on my belly - palms against the body. My belly would rise as I inhaled and fall as I exhaled (nothing odd - that's normal) but as I breathed I could feel 'something' turning in my belly. I could feel the sensation with both my hands and my body. The turning seemed to have a correlation with my heart beat.

I've read in books that one could eventually feel a qi ball turning in the belly. I've never truely believed in this, but thought that if it could occur that the speed of the turning would correspond to the duration of the breath. If what I felt was not imaginary, then it seems that the turning corresponds with the pulse not the breath (although I realize that pulse is affected by breath)

Any comments on this experience?

[kungfu cowboy]

It might have been gas.

[Kristoffer]

How do you train 4 this?

[Prairie]

Originally posted by kungfu cowboy
It might have been gas.

lol :) that is exactly what my boyfriend said.

One of my training issues has not been using the waist enough. I've taken to trying feel the individual muscles in the waist area work and trying to use them to the exclusion of other muscles. Currently, I find it easiest to do this when I don't have to support my body weight with my legs so I lie on my back.

What happenned on Saturday night may have been a result of this practice or it might not have been. I was very relaxed in a meditative state of mind and not trying to move anything. I was only trying to feel my body relax. This is probably why I could not repeat this "turning ball" of Qi or Gas ;) on Sunday night as I was unable to relax.

G:

I'll work on reversing the direction once it's clearer in one direction. Thanks for the encouragement.

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

As an analogy (since words get lost here).. try to feel the circulation from the DanTien downward transitioning through the perinium upward along the spine, then crossing the crown, feel it fall back to the DanTien.. Now, while inhaling, the breath mixes with the Chi in the lung region and refills the Dantien.. then, the exhale acts as a pump, pushing the "breath Chi" from the DanTien along the same path..

Circulating the DanTien is a bit like swirling water in a bowl.. we give it a little boost.. we collect it (inhaling), swirl it (rotate), and move it along the "Grand Circulation" (exhale).. two swirls, one inhaling, one exhaling.. Now, for applications, we can let the "swirling water" (Chi) spill out along the path (meridian) that best enhances the chosen application.. another analogy is like spinning a rock in a sling, when we release the sling, the rock (chi) moves to where we have guided it.. (so easy to say, huh?)..

Circulating Chi in the dantien is an unconscious natural activity that can be sensed.. the body wants to do this.. What we have done in our modern life is forgot how to "listen" to our bodies.. It is appropriate to try to remember how to listen and to recultivate this circulation.. the enhanced Chi circulation improves overall health and can help heal specific issues.. it can also be employed as a tool for martial arts.. Essentially, though, it is just energy.. it is up to us to shape, train and craft it for our own benefit..

Just another perspective.. Be well..

[TkdWarrior]

Originally posted by guohuen
Exellant post TaiChiBob.
Prairie, you were spot on about not being soong. That is exactly why you couldn't repeat it. Try using your imagination and visualizing the path that TaiChiBob Described.
doesn't this is against the advice ?? i was never asked to imagine or visualise but let it happen...
-TkdWarrior-

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

I understand your concern with such terms as visualization or affirmation.. Personally, i avoid such ritual endeavors, but.. i have also learned that as long as someone realizes that they are only "tools" used to get the more important job done, they are aceptable.. What happens is that too often people get comfortable with using the tools rather than getting the job done.. At some point we each had to visualize our goals and the processes to get there, then.. with good training or good insight, we set about the task of "doing it" rather that imagining it..

Prairie's situation is one where, without instruction, the sensations are confusing.. instruction includes mapping the body, having an understanding of the collected body of wisdom regarding these matters, and.. personal verification of this wisdom through experimentation.. somewhere along the way the mind must visualize the energy/physical workings of the body so that the sensations can be compared and verified.. this is the learning process.. once learned/verified your comment is appropriate, just do it.. cultivate it.. use it for the benefit of yourself and others..

I guess what i'm trying to say is that i don't routinely discount "tools", only the misuse of them.. Be well..

[Souljah]

prairie I know what u mean about feeling abit loops.

I try doing similar things with my relaxed hands close but not touching, and I could swear I feel a tingle at my finger tips, then a small rush in both palms. A few times I actually felt a small brush as I exhaled.....

I thought I was just imagining it, then I did it with my friend (the same thing but one hand each) and we did a few mins of concentrated breathing, after which he said he felt a small tingle/shock in his palm also.....

QI? Or are we just both raging lunatics holding hands in the park?
lol:D :D

[dfedorko@mindspring.com]

People who practice Qigong are the people you want to talk to at this stage. The reason is that they experience the same type of experiences that you experience. Two weeks ago, my most frightening experience happened. I felt an impulse(electrical in nature) starting from the end of my elbows (right/left), simultaeneously, going out my fingers. I am told that I have reached a new level but, in the meantime , can I have some guidance.

[TkdWarrior]

Greetings Mr TCBob...
thnx for explaining...
in that terms i think i wouldn't mind agreeing too...
well i m just a beginner in TC :)
hope to evolve more...
-TkdWarrior-

[Prairie]

I've felt those sensations between my hands before too. Sometimes I can feel them between my arms for almost the whole length during zhan zhuang. I try to ignore these sensations as I've been told that it's counterproductive. I wonder if this goes for this qi ball too? I've never tried with another person. It's very interesting that it can be felt between two people.

Those shooting impulses sound kinda weird. Do they occur when you're attention is on your fingertips? I've certainly never experienced this. It reminds me of the evil sith lord from Star Wars ;)

[TkdWarrior]

praire
i don't think those sensations r big deal...one can feel those in one good session of Qigong even for the first time...i used to do Zhan Zhuang for at least 45 minutes before TC practice nowdays i do only 20-25 minutes. and i try not to worry at all(actually i didn't knew mystics of Qi ball when i started :D ;))
now all happens naturally :) tho ZZ is hard stuff i wonder why one can feel all those sensations :D...
-TkdWarrior-

[Souljah]

Those shooting impulses sound kinda weird. Do they occur when you're attention is on your fingertips? I've certainly never experienced this. It reminds me of the evil sith lord from Star Wars

LOL

Yea it did happen when concentrating on my fingertips.
I did the same kind of thing to some girl I know but my hand was above shoulder, she said she could feel it getting warmer and tingling, but I right this off as just subconcious nerve stimulation or something (like when you put your finger just above the bridge between yours eyes and you can feel it without touching.....or something, tell me if im way off)
TkdWarrior
Yea I suspected it was minor so I waited for someone else to post something about inducing qi
:D :cool: :cool:

soul

[TkdWarrior]

lol souljah...well i didn't exactly meant like that...some ppl does take time to hav that sensations...some ppl doen't...
i don't wanna put off anyone with my comments :)
-TkdWarrior-

[dfedorko@mindspring.com]

Just wanted to clarify that the sensations I felt were not doing practice. I was under the impression that we were speaking of sensations we get while not practicing.

[TkdWarrior]

oh i understand now...actually there r many ppl who get's too excited when they start having those sensations(during training) so that's why i said it...
-TkdWarrior-