Wind Path

[Cheese Dog]

Hello all.

I recently have begun training the wind path of chi circulation, where you send the chi up the conception vessel on the front centerline and down the governor vessel on the back. Whenever I do this, I get a "jumpy" feeling around my heart region, almost like a case of nerves. Has anyone else experienced this?

Am I just failing to circulate the energy past the middle dan tien, causing an excess of chi there?


Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Cheese Dog

[Repulsive Monkey]

What you are doing is very dodgy and you cause hypoertension like symptoms and cardiac problems too let alon respiratory ailings. Why on earth would you want to circulate Qi the wrong way???? Qi descends down the Ren mai and ascends up the Du mai. What possible benefit do you hope to achieve by perverting the natural flow of qi?? What you have just described sounds correctin that the jerky feeling you are experiencing is the result of reversing the flow of the qi and it begining to rebel in the Ren mai. If you already had a history of heart problems this could have severe effects upon your general cardiac health. I could only imgaine that one would try to attempt this circulation if they had a minimum of7-10 years of the natuarl micro-cosmic orbit flow, and it being spontaneous not intent driven, then and only then could one possibly reverse the flow without side effects.
I would seriously advise you to desist with practice as it can cause all sorts of symptomatic problems, and I am not sure what its use is either.
Why does one reverse the flow???

[Cheese Dog]

Thanks gentlemen for the advice.

I have only been doing normal circulation for a couple of years, so I'll wait a few more before starting to train the reverse. Sometimes I need more patience! ;)

[_William_]

Is it true that the chi flows in reverse for females?

[Repulsive Monkey]

Not at all where did you here that from? Qi naturally descends down the Ren channel and naturally ascends up the Du channel, male and females.

[Repulsive Monkey]

I've just done some background research and aren't you getting the Water path and the Wind path mixed up a little?
The Water path is the reverse of the Fire path (i.e. the natural direction of qi in the Ren and Du mai) and the Wind path is actually still following the direction of the Fire pathe but goes up the theough the centre of the spine and delineates inwards towards the pituitary so as to activate the Chong Mai, and then back down the front again.

[BaldMonk]

I'm not familiar with the terms, where is the ren mai located and where is the Du mai located? Also, what is the proper direction for chi to flow thru them? Can you guys recommend any books on Meditation and/or the five element theory. We're at the point where we're discussing the different organs jing comes from during different movements in Baji. I'm interested in these things for my martial arts and meditation growth. There's no difference in my view of things. I'm looking for some good books in English.

Recommendations?

[prana]

BM, I am not familiar with the terms either, even if I am chinese :D :confused: but I know my old sifu used to explain it like this....

In the normal cycle, the qi rises from the base of your spine between the anus and the scrotum (for guys) and rises in a tube in front of your spine. It ascends to your crown (gate) and descends through the front side of your torso, and down. These two meridians are probably the most important in qi-gong. Athough I was taught the technique, I am not too sure about recirculating the cycle backwards and why, but some of the others here will be able to tell you. I havent practised it either since I was too young to appreciate it so whatever I say about reversing the cycle is like pulling it out of my @$$

RM perhaps ? (hi btw)

edit: from the post, the ren is the front and the du is the rear etc.

[Cheese Dog]

RM, I don't think I am. However, different disciplines may use different tems for the same thing; that could be what has occured here.

[Repulsive Monkey]

I've just had it confirmed Cheese dog, in that I was right about the 3 paths. I've had a Chinese Medical Qi-Gong Doctor confirm it for me about the 3 paths and thw Wind does NOT go up the front channel and down the back it is definitely the Water path that does that. He confirmed that from a Toaist point of view that this is the same, so I take it your discipline is neither TCM based nor Taoist based?

[sapphire tygre]

So where does the chi go? Can it go out your fingertips?

[Repulsive Monkey]

Normally, or should I say naturally, Qi descends down the front of the body along the Ren Mai (Conception vessel) and loops under the scrotum and then ascends up the Du Mai (Governing vessel) over the head and reconnects to the Ren Mai at the roof of the mouth hence internal disciplines usually insisting on one pressing the tongue gently against the roof of the mouth to complete the energetic direction of qi.

On its own Qi naturally follows this path but only when one is adept does try to deviate from this path as it can cause a number of physiological and energetic problems.

[Cheese Dog]

RM, you are quite correct! I just looked it up. I did mean the water path, which only makes sense if I had thought about it. After all, fire and water are kind of opposites aren't they!