My meditating

[Daniel09]

You don't understand. My father's the kind that would think of it as a waste of money to do anything like this. I mean, I could convince him to, but it leaves me with a bad conscience knowing that I'm using the family's scarce money for my own benefit. I just can't bring myself to do it.

[The Xia]

I still stand by my advice. If you want to learn Kung Fu and Qigong, I recommend getting a qualified sifu. If price is an issue, maybe you can look around and try to find something you can afford. Talk to teachers and see if you can work out some deals. Check out places like YMCAs, community centers, etc. Also see if there is anyone in parks. Remember to ask around. And last but not least, do your research to protect yourself from getting ripped off!

[qiew]

Hi, Daniel

Doing still qigong is simple and easy.

Sit cross legs with both bottom of the feet facing up. If that is hard, sit cross legs with one leg over the other.

Breath slowly towards your belly button, exhale slowly out without any force. Relax yourself all the time. Make sure your shoulder is not stress.

As you can see colour of light, you have reached the state of calmness. Keep that state all the time and keep seeing the light. Keep breathing slowly until you can master your breathing using your diaphragm ( between your lungs and intestine) that your tummy is moving more than your lungs. Eventually learn to breath so that you can hardly hear your own breathing and each breath last about 15 seconds. Eventually your tummy hardly move at all. That is embryonic breathing.

You will feel a strong energy ( qi) gathered inside your belly button. Keep meditating until that qi lasts longer and longer even after stopping meditation. That qi may linger from a hour to a day or more. Keep harvesting that qi until your reach the basic state of qigong meditation. That qi would eventually move down your genital and up your spine towards your head and back toward your belly button. You may need guidance at that time. That is called micro cosmic orbit or small circle or Shao Chou tian. By then, your immunisation would be very strong that you would not fall ill again easily.

I haven't been sick a day for the last 10 years working sometimes under the rain and at all weather.

It may take up to a life time to reach that state, but at your age and seeing green/blue light now, you can probably achieve it in less than 2 year with some guidance.

Then you can go on doing a second state of meditation. You may then grow up working with the ability to support yourself in finding a good Sifu. There are a few states to go yet.

Have faith in yourself. Qigong is not a mystery. There are many dynamic qigong which is difficult to learn. Learn this simple sitting meditation which is simple and easy to achieve good health without paying money to so called Master. It is easy to reach basic state, but difficult to achieve a higher state.

But bear in mind that you also need physical exercise to balance the still qigong meditation to strengthen your muscles and your heart. However, aerobic exercise will eventually wear down your cartilages of your jounts. TaiChi is the best, but you must find a good teacher which is difficult. Learn Chinese so that you can understand the origin books written by authentic master.

Regards

qiew

[Daniel09]

Thanks a lot. I guess I need guidance then, since I haven't been sick in ages (since I started seeing the colors). I'll try and find a teacher in my area.

[PangQuan]

My advice, get a qualified sifu to teach you.

i seriously second that.

I personally had a VERY bad experience with qi gong trying to experiment on my own.

I tried to work something more advanced and actually made my heart either stop momentarily or skip a beat. it scared the living daylights out of me and i decided that moment some things just need teachers.

[Daniel09]

I think I did something like that a few months ago when I was first seriously meditating, and since I didn't know anything about qigong and hardly anything about meditating, I didn't take it as something to worry about, just to slow down a bit and take it from the beginning again.

I had a good session about an hour ago. Very nice feeling to have considering how long it's been since I last meditated. Hopefully I'll find a teacher. I have a feeling I'll stumble upon one soon.

[Scott R. Brown]

For a contrasting view:

I have meditated and practice Chi Kung exercises without any instruction or guidance for over 35 years. I am extremely independent and personally averse to instruction when not necessary. While instruction may be a benefit it also creates structures that must be transcended eventually. (Of course structures are created by an independent meditator as well.) Just because something is beneficial does not make it necessary.

Try not to let the fear mongering here scare you. There is nothing really to fear for most people. To not get caught up in the effects is the key. That is, avoid emotional clinging. Effects are fascinating, interesting and sometimes beneficial, but they are inherently empty experiences.

Fear comes from the unknown. The experiences cited by those here scared them because they didn't understand them. A slow and sure approach is of more benefit than a fast and furious one. Think of it as slowly getting into a hot bath tub so your body will acclimate to the temperature as opposed to jumping right in and experiencing unpleasant effects. Another metaphor is moving to a new country with different cultural rules than you are accustomed too. First you must observe the social rules to become aware of what is considered appropriate behavior and what is considered inappropriate behavior. The mind is a landscape with rules. It merely takes caution, practice and experience to learn to navigate the mind effectively, but first must learn how your mind functions and how to use it according to the inner rules of the inner environment.

For now it is more beneficial use your reason and analysis skills when evaluating your experiences and the effects that occur. Eventually, as you become more familiar with the landscape of your mind, rational analysis will be tempered and experiences will occur differently that you can now imagine.

There is no reason to fear independent practice, but as with all activities, be smart, don't overdo it, and look before you leap.

[Daniel09]

But of course.

Nay be the man who stumbles for he ran before he could walk.

[The Xia]

Without proper instruction, how is he supposed to do qigong correctly? What's stopping him from hurting himself? Maybe you call what PangQuan described happening to himself as "fear mongering," but it's actually mild compared to some of the stuff I've heard.

[The Xia]

From this thread,
http://forum.kungfumagazine.com/foru...ead.php?t=5004

Here is a post from Gene,

Well, beyond misfired hard qigong stuff (and I've seen more than my share of injuries there) the negative effects of qigong, or I should say bad qigong practice, are more subtle. I firmly beleive that qigong can affect people's minds negatively - it can bring stuff to the surface that is hard to process, and those issues can easily make people lose their minds. Now, that being said, I've not seen anyone go stark raving mad, but I've seen more than my share of egotist - in fact, egomania is the most common pitfall - and I do have a fine collection of bizarre letters, even a few manifestos, from various qigong practitioners that are somewhat unstable. I would like to think that the qigong just brought out some instability that was already there instead of thinking that it actually caused mental problems. I think this is where it's important to get a good teacher who can guide you through such obstacles. Of course, how to you know that the teacher isn't nuts too? That is the source of most cults, in my mind.

TenTigers adds,

Jow Faw Yup Moor-ask someone who -one-is Chinese, two-is also adept at ch'i-gung, and you might have your answer. Basically what Gene said is true, and it can get to much deeper levels. Ch'i Gung has become so popular that people think that they can read a book, and now they have an understanding of it.

[Scott R. Brown]

Hi The Xia,

Well “fear mongering” was not the correct term to use; I was pressed for time and couldn’t find the term I wanted, but “fear mongering” gets across the general idea I was looking for.

I am sure we have all “heard stories”. I have never experienced any truly ill effects nor have I met anyone who has experienced ill effects that could not be reasonably explained and dealt with using simple reasoning skills. The ill effects that I have heard about directly from the persons with the experience have all occurred according to the structure or method they followed. That is, the effects are defined by the method and do not necessarily reflect true ill effects. The method followed influences and defines the effects and whether they are considered ill effects or beneficial effects. Ill effects are defined by ignorance (lack of understanding what is actually occurring), fear, and foolishness and are all inherently empty. The meaning they have is the meaning you give them.

The dangers of Chi Kung are over-rated as well. There is no inherent danger as long as one uses reason and progresses in a measured manner. There is nothing wrong with reading a number of books on Chi Kung to get the general outline. Learning is mostly accomplished by doing. Instruction helps us to avoid mistakes, and tends to increase the learning curve, but it is also attended by structures (methods) that tend to confine (define) personal experiences that may be of value, but do not fall within the defining structure of the method one is studying.

If there was only one way to do anything there would not be so many views, schools and methods. A method is merely a tool used to assist us in accomplishing a specific purpose. In the end the highest practice is to transcend the methods. Method leads to No-Method! If some develop their own method, good for them. Their experiences and knowledge is not necessarily less valid and in many cases they provide insights that may transcend the confines (definitions) of established methods.

As with most things advice and instruction are beneficial, but not necessary!

[Daniel09]

I understand that there may be serious ill effects. I will find a teacher in time, that is certain. But for now I must go solo. I was merely agreeing with scott that going slow is the best way most times.

[Scott R. Brown]

Hi The Xia,

Gene’s comments are somewhat accurate.

There is inherent instability in many people and this is the cause of the ill effects, not the actual practice. The megalomania would likely occur with these individuals under any circumstance in which they interpret themselves as “special” or “gifted” beyond the abilities of others. These effects are created by feelings of insignificance by the individual and NOT the Chi Kung or the meditation practice.

Fantasy is the stabilizing factor in the mind’s of these types of people. Some people develop their megalomaniac behaviors through the study of the MA and then consider themselves Intergalactic Grand-Masters. The problem with these people is the same as with those who create any kind of cult following, that is feelings of insignificance that are over compensated for by feelings of grandiosity. We do not blame the MA for the imbalance of these people, we blame the individual’s instability. Just so, there is no reason to blame meditation or Chi Kung exercises for the personal issues of individuals. Sometimes the instability is brought out by the MA, sometimes Chi Kung, sometimes they are bosses at work, or any other reason.

Further, the inability to express or explain ones personal experiences does not make the experience without meaning. It is inherently difficult to accurately and effectively express the inexpressible. It takes a lot of practice and the linear expression will always be inadequate.

[qiew]

Hi

There is no mystery to do still qigong. Be confident and let nature do its own course. As Scott said, "don't rush".

There is so many so called qigong masters who would siphon your money away. They are no doubt good but money to them may be more important. I have spent thousands of dollars and benefit a fair amount. In the end, I prefer my still sitting qigong which I self learnt it when I was 14.

Daniel, don’t waste your money until you can find a good teacher which is rare and difficult.

Do your meditation but learn to prolong your breathing NATURALLY using your diaphragm to drawn air into your tummy. It is that simple. Eventually, you can master doing 4 breaths a minute.

Learn to bring your mind, your thought, your hearing and your sensation deep inside your tummy (Dan Tian). Meditation brings you tranquillity which is beautiful and peaceful. I can meditate at that state for 2 hrs forgetting any hunger and time.

When you have problem or in doubt, ask any one here for second opinion although some one may disagree with others.

Self learning is ok.

Regards

Qiew

[Daniel09]

I always find it neat when a half hour's passed and I remember nothing but blissful silence. Thanks for all your help guys, I was kinda confused for a bit, but now I've got my mind made up. What my decisions are, I will keep to myself. I'd prefer not to get caught in a 'tug of war' of opinions.