Internal work when sick...

[tai chi hermit]

When you are ill, becoming ill, or any effects that are slight illnesses (congestion, coughing, etc).... how does that effect training in internal styles and chi kung? does it have any bad effects or does it matter?

[NJM]

You shouldn't practice Qigong when sick.

[mantis108]

It's largely depended on what kind of Qigong or internal work that you are practicing. Also what you have described are the symptoms generally associated with cold or flu. Assuming there's nothing serious happening with your overall health, meditation practice can continue with some form of Qigong (ie breath of light). But it would not be beneficial to do more vigorous type of energy work (ie Kundalini or Zhou Tien Ban Yun).

If the sickness (temporary tension within the system) or the disease (major and long term tension within the system) are caused mainly by constant stress, meditation practice can help and often have good results in the healing process. Internal work especially with energy is meant to be for spiritual pursuit. A sickly consistution is not an optimal state for that practice. So it would be adviseable to not do strenous internal work during notable tension in the mind-body continuum.

Mantis108

[Zenshiite]

I'm pretty much out if I'm sick because I can't breathe for ish. So can you even breathe?

[tai chi hermit]

i cant breathe into both nostrils.... you know how if you lay on one side then you cant breathe on that side.... and my hole head is pretty congested. i have been doing a lot of stretching and strengthening but not normal routines.

[doug maverick]

i've always ben told it is extremely bad to practice any type of qi gong while sick as it will spread it.

[couch]

I know in the Eight Pieces of Silk (Brocade) that I practice, there is a motion "Turning the head" that is for convalescent/recovering. I believe it drains the lymph, etc.

As said above, as long as the exercise isn't rigorous to the point of sweating too much, it's okay.

Best,
Kenton Sefcik