Interested in what you guys think about this - Chi Kung

[andrushkin]

We know that some internal energy does indeed exist, and is quite important for personal/martial development and practice (attending/intending and so on), especially in something like dim mak.

So I'm interested in what you guys think about this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyDYHpLpCys

Personally, I don't know what to think, but guessing it is a hoax...

[IronFist]

That was definitely real and definitely not a stage trick.

[rett]

That was definitely real and definitely not a stage trick.

I liked this answer best, in light of the recent "kerfuffle".

[rett]

When it comes to charismatic sects, I believe it's not important that miracles or demonstrations of magic power be especially convicing or plausible. If anything, it's more a question of "if they'll believe that, they'll believe anything". You need followers willing to suspend belief. The resulting groupthink dynamic will carry you through the rest.

In Burma there are secret societies of wizard-bodhisattvas. One has a yearly ritual where the wizards fly from a secret mountain to the temple. Hundreds of devotees witness them fly in through the window and land. Except that they actually just climb up from outside the window and jump in.

It's an ecstatic ceremony and the people are so psyched up they see it as if the wizards were flying. And the few that don't see that probably just think there's something wrong with their own heads; that maybe they don't have enough faith or something. They certainly don't question it openly.

[Scott R. Brown]

When it comes to charismatic sects, I believe it's not important that miracles or demonstrations of magic power be especially convicing or plausible. If anything, it's more a question of "if they'll believe that, they'll believe anything". You need followers willing to suspend belief. The resulting groupthink dynamic will carry you through the rest.

In Burma there are secret societies of wizard-bodhisattvas. One has a yearly ritual where the wizards fly from a secret mountain to the temple. Hundreds of devotees witness them fly in through the window and land. Except that they actually just climb up from outside the window and jump in.

It's an ecstatic ceremony and the people are so psyched up they see it as if the wizards were flying. And the few that don't see that probably just think there's something wrong with their own heads; that maybe they don't have enough faith or something. They certainly don't question it openly.

I am sure the wizards are just so humble they are making it "seem" like they are climbing in the window so as not to appear to be showing off to non-believers!

[David Jamieson]

Regard all phenomena as illusion - Buddha

[lkfmdc]

I liked this answer best, in light of the recent "kerfuffle".

yes, clearly much better to say all frauds are in fact god like masters than risk the wrath of an ambulance chaser

[pazman]

We know that some internal energy does indeed exist...

That's a big assumption to begin with.

[rett]

I don't believe that any human being is capable of lighting a fire by emitting internal energy from their hands.

Electric eels can emit shocks, but a look at wikipedia shows how a large part of their bodies are specifically designed to function as a chemical battery.

[GoldenBrain]

Combine glycerin and potassium permanganate to paper, wad paper up and wait...Oh, and don't forget to shake hands around over the paper for a greater effect.

[IronWeasel]

Combine glycerin and potassium permanganate to paper, wad paper up and wait...Oh, and don't forget to shake hands around over the paper for a greater effect.

So....it *IS* real!!

All I have to do is rub my opponent with gycerin and potassium permanganate...



The skeptics need to apologize now.

[IronWeasel]

"The time to hesitate is through..." -- Jim Morrison

[GoldenBrain]

So....it *IS* real!!

All I have to do is rub my opponent with gycerin and potassium permanganate...



The skeptics need to apologize now.

Sure, it's real. If you add these chemicals together on a piece of paper it will burn, for real.

It's an old Indian street fakery trick. The reason they wad the piece of paper up is to combine the two chemicals together and make a little view port so only the trickster can see the fire starting and then they wave their hands around to make it appear that they started the fire. You can tell it's a chemical reaction by all the black smoke issuing from the paper as it burns.

I'm not saying Ki, or Chi or whatever you want to call the energy that flows through the body doesn't exist but this trick is definitely a scam.

[andrushkin]

That's a big assumption to begin with.

I agree, and would like to add that the explanation requiring the least assumptions is usually the most correct.

I don't believe that any human being is capable of lighting a fire by emitting internal energy from their hands.

Electric eels can emit shocks, but a look at wikipedia shows how a large part of their bodies are specifically designed to function as a chemical battery.

There are a few other things in the video which raise my attention to skepticism, for one, I from experience know that he is in nearly no danger when he places his hand on the end of the barrel of the pellet rifle.

His other 'feat' which raised a red flag for me, was the chopstick through the table. I don't think I've seen anything quite so perfectly set up. He shows that he can't go through the top of the table cloth, sure, most likely because under the table there is a seam or gap in the wood through which he can easily pass the chopstick through. Not to mention, that this is at one of his "favourite local restaurants".