Avoiding Harmful Practise

I have been reading of, and practising some internal
methods such as Yi Quan, meditation, and Chi Kung. I've
read and understood that as long as there is no mind
intent the practise should be safe. Chi Kung on the
other hand seems to use (often) mind to control the chi
energy in the body.

"Falun Dafa cultivation practise is free of mind-intent,
with no concentration, and is not guided by mind activities.
So practising Falun Dafa is absolutely safe, and it is
quaranteed that practitioners will not go awry."

-- from book "Falun Gong" by Li Hongzhi

(I don't actually train Falun Dafa, but I've read the book)

Also some discussions here at Kung Fu Magazine's
forums have impilied that you could "mess up" your
energy system by mixing methods too much.

So my question is: How do I avoid harmful practise,
and how do I choose Chi Kung exercises so that
I don't mess up my energy system?

Thanks.

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I've read and understood that as long as there is no mind intent the practise should be safe...

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from what you just said, I hope I am understanding you wrongly, else you should probably not read from that source anymore.

To keep it safe, well dont force, font exert, it should all be relaxed, very very relaxed.

"How do I avoid harmful practise,
and how do I choose Chi Kung exercises so that
I don't mess up my energy system? "

Find a good Sifu to teach you! :) and u picked a very controversial book to quote form lol

Some types of qigong use mind intent and visualisation, others use the movement to guide the qi (dayan qigong for example).

My Sigong, Sifu and myself practise both hard and soft qigong methods that have differences in method etc. and as long as we keep them seperate then there's no problem...

david

I think you are under a great misunderstanding because mind intent is essential to Qi circulation of any kind. You have either misread your sources OR your sources are throroughly incorrect.
Mind Intent is that which guides Qi circulation along with breth and correct alignment. In fact these 3 are the only ways to circulate Qi correctly.

Hi RM, of course you are correct. I think because i am only a beginner i can't explain what i mean properly, or understand it fully yet... I do know that we use correct intent, movement, posture and breathing to stimulate the body and circulate qi.

Is intent is different from visualisation? :)

david

I believe that obviously intent is needed in many types of Qi Gong, though some do practice that idea of emptying the mind. I believe that when training the QiGong that requires intent, one should have intent to guide the Qi but don't ever force the Qi.;)

Thank you for your answers.

Since I'm just beginning Qi Qong I want to avoid practise that could be harmful, and I thought that if I use my mind intent somehow wrong I could "leave" the Qi in the wrong place - for example head, which seems to be one of the most common problems.

.. just want to play it safe.

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for example head, which seems to be one of the most common problems.

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When beginning qi-gong you generally never move qi to your head.

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Hi RM, of course you are correct. I think because i am only a beginner i can't explain what i mean properly, or understand it fully yet...

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Dez, how are you man ? I dont think RM is talking about you. I think he is responding to SoulOnFire !

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Is intent is different from visualisation?

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It's the same thing really. But too much to explain.

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I believe that obviously intent is needed in many types of Qi Gong, though some do practice that idea of emptying the mind. I believe that when training the QiGong that requires intent, one should have intent to guide the Qi but don't ever force the Qi.

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I think this is the crux right here.

Mind intent is different from mind craving.

Trying to focus on your dan-tien (for example) is far far different from simply resting your mind in the dan-tien. One is motivated by craving and causes interference to the mind, making it difficult for the mind to stabilise and return to peace. It's like blowing the candle flame to the middle of the room. It is difficult....

When the mind simply rests in the dan-tien, then it simply is, like a candle that burns slowly in a very quiet room.

Hi Prana :)

hmmm... maybe u r right? But my explanation still sucked lol
I think you explained the difference pretty well btw. I always thought intent was kinda like you said, just to settle your mind and focus on what you are doing. Visualisation i'm not too sure about? Like i said, i don't really know too much theory yet, i just do what i'm told ;)

O/T: howz your car?

SoulonFire: i would still say find a good teacher as he can guide you :)

david

good stuff

i see focusing my mind on something; and then having it rest there akin to steps up the ladder of concentration

with the second being better than the first :)

i find normally i need some intent to get me started; and once my mind calms down more i can remove the intent and just rest on my meditation subject

however, i still have a few more steps to climb :)

peace
travis

Mind intent and visualisation are two different qualities that both utilise thought. One (visualisation) is created and contained in the mind even though it maybe with reference to another part of the body or even to something outside of the body. Intent is directed energy guided by the mind to a target. This explanantion in itelf is probably not the best or clearest either but its a little closer to the difference between the two.

thanks for explaining that RM :)

david