Explaining Qi/energy

[sanjuro_ronin]

They did refer to it as energy sanjuro, the nei yeh, the oldest known book on Tao discusses the benefits and uses of "vital energy" and "vital essence" that is produced from "vital energy".

I

The vital essence of all things:
It is this that brings them to life.
It generates the five grains below
And becomes the constellated stars above.
When flowing amid the heavens and the earth
We call it ghostly and numinous.
When stored in the chest of human beings,
We call them sages.

II

Therefore this vital energy is:
Bright!--as if ascending the heavens;
Dark!--as if entering the abyss;
Vast!--as if dwelling in an ocean'
Lofty!--as if dwelling on a mountain peak.

Therefore this vital energy
Cannot be halted by force,
Yet it can be secured by inner power [Te].
Cannot be summoned by speech,
Yet can be welcomed by the awareness.
Reverently hold onto it and do not lose it:
This is called "developing inner power."
When inner power develops and wisdom emerges,
The myriad things will, to the last one, be grasped.

VIII

If you can be aligned and be tranquil,
Only then can you be stable.
With a stable mind at your core,
With the eyes and ears acute and clear,
And with the four limbs firm and fixed,
You can thereby make a lodging place for the vital essence.
The vital essence; it is the essence of vital energy.
When the vital energy is guided, it [the vital essence] is generated,
But when it is generated, there is thought,
When there is thought, there is knowledge,
But when there is knowledge, then you must stop.
Whenever the forms of the mind have excessive knowledge,
You lose your vitality.

The equating of Chi with air is a metaphor for its numinous nature. Chi may be gathered from other sources besides air. It is also found in food, sunlight, moonlight, and natural environments in general.

Thanks Scott.
Even though I place "air" in quotation marks I do believe that Chi is far more "air" than energy, we are just exchanging views so let me add this example:
When you die, you have no energy, energy cease to exist in your body ( eventually) and what keeps you alive? "air", so what sustains energy? "air" and if chi is energy what sustains chi? Air.

Not saying I am right, just saying what I think.

[uki]

Thanks Scott.
Even though I place "air" in quotation marks I do believe that Chi is far more "air" than energy, we are just exchanging views so let me add this example:
When you die, you have no energy, energy cease to exist in your body ( eventually) and what keeps you alive? "air", so what sustains energy? "air" and if chi is energy what sustains chi? Air.

Not saying I am right, just saying what I think.

wow.... that's the only word i can think of right now in response to this post.

[sanjuro_ronin]

wow.... that's the only word i can think of right now in response to this post.

Don't be so closed minded, I accepted more from you.

[uki]

Don't be so closed minded, I accepted more from you.

it's not being closed minded, hell i can half my mind open and there is still room for you in there.

[sanjuro_ronin]

it's not being closed minded, hell i can half my mind open and there is still room for you in there.

You brain is that small?

[Lucas]

You brain is that small?

maybe his heads that big?

[sanjuro_ronin]

maybe his heads that big?

As much fun as we are having here reaming each other over something that no one knows for sure what it is or what the ancients meant, we do have to realize one thing.
Uki has a big head.
:

[Hendrik]

Thanks Scott.
Even though I place "air" in quotation marks I do believe that Chi is far more "air".

Qi in Qigong/internal practice is well define and can be handle.

Qi is not air. that is certain.

Qi surface when the conscious and breathing fused.

Thus, Qi can be grow and Qi can be directed for different purposes. In fact, Grow and Directed are two core action of Qigong practice.

1, one needs to know how to Grow it, and surface it.
2, one needs to know how to direct them for different purposes.

Without knowing and have a handling on the above. One simply doesnt know Qigong or Qi in full.


Some said, one must not attach to Qi sensation. That is correct. however, the above two are not attach to Qi sensation but a needed process.

Having and Knowing Qi sensation is a must for the practice, for that indicate the effect. and via the response, one knows what step to take next or what step not to take or defocus.

Thus, it is not attach to the sensation however the sensation...etc must surface because it is a causal world.

Qi is not something one THINK but something one have and can evoke it and manage it.

[sanjuro_ronin]

All the chi in the world will avail you not if you can't breathe.

[uki]

All the chi in the world will avail you not if you can't breathe.

yet if not for chi, there would be no you to breathe in the air...

[Xiao3 Meng4]

All the chi in the world will avail you not if you can't breathe.

I can have all the air and ability to breathe that I need, but without water or food I'm done for in the long run, too.

Or say I have a twin. Both of us have adequate amounts of food and air and genetic health, but he gets an infection and dies, and I don't.

Or say my twin and I are separated at birth. We both still get good food, air, and water, but my twin's upbringing ends up being very abusive and he ends up with all kinds of health problems, eventually dying as a result of them.

What does all that say about Qi being air?

[sanjuro_ronin]

I can have all the air and ability to breathe that I need, but without water or food I'm done for in the long run, too.

Or say I have a twin. Both of us have adequate amounts of food and air and genetic health, but he gets an infection and dies, and I don't.

Or say my twin and I are separated at birth. We both still get good food, air, and water, but my twin's upbringing ends up being very abusive and he ends up with all kinds of health problems, eventually dying as a result of them.

What does all that say about Qi being air?

How long can you last without food? without water?
Air?
I understand what you are saying and see your point, but I think you may be missing mine.
Lots of what ifs there, but my point is very clear with not many what ifs:
Breathing is life, no breathing, no life.
If chi is the essence of life then, it being "air" (breathing) seems far more viable than it being anything else.

[taai gihk yahn]

I think that long before anyone came up w/the idea of or even articulated the direct experience of "qi" as such, hom0nids were living and doing quite well for themselves; the whole technology of meditation, qigong, etc. is, at base, a corruption of one's true nature; it's just a "less bad" corruption than the effects of civilized living!

[sanjuro_ronin]

I think that long before anyone came up w/the idea of or even articulated the direct experience of "qi" as such, hom0nids were living and doing quite well for themselves; the whole technology of meditation, qigong, etc. is, at base, a corruption of one's true nature; it's just a "less bad" corruption than the effects of civilized living!

We are having pleasant conversation on the BS that we each think Chi is, and here you come with logic and common sense.
Go sell crazy somewhere else, we are all stocked up here !

[taai gihk yahn]

We are having pleasant conversation on the BS that we each think Chi is, and here you come with logic and common sense.
Go sell crazy somewhere else, we are all stocked up here !

Crazy, get yer hot, fresh CRAZY heeeeere!!!