At last!!Comments,anyone?

[Lin-Wu]

Until some days ago,I had been practicing taijiquan because it was healthy and because it was "stimulating" me to meditate.But when (SPECIALLY,not only)I was doing Hands Like Clouds,I felt that the tip of my thingers were becoming "heavier",but I didn`t mind at the time.Until one day,it started to puzzle me and I asked my sifu about it.He said that what I was "sensing" was my own chi weighing within the tip of my thingers.He also said to me that people have different sensations when "discouvering" their chi,as he "discovered" his chi by feeling some numbness on the palm of his hands.So I am curious.What did you guys felt when you took notice of your chi?Thanx!!!

[Brad]

Warm. I just figure it's a sign that everything's working ok Speaking of strange sensations, my mom feels this cold line running through her hand. It's really wierd, because if you touch her hand one small line is like ice and the rest is normal after she practices. Anyone else ever feel this?

[T'ai Ji Monkey]

Brad.

I have felt something similar, with me the tip of the middle finger also feels heavier.

One good first sign of Chi flowing are sweaty palms after practice I was told, they will sweat regardless of actual room temperature.

Another sign is felling like the air is pushing against you and you are moving through a heavier medium.

Said that people can and do experience it in different ways at different times.

[T'ai Ji Monkey]

Lin-Wu.

You have felt it, now don't try to concentrate on this and don't be dismayed if it doesn't happen again.

If you concentrate too much on feeling your chi you are heading down the wrong road or you might mistake other symptoms for your Chi.

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

Please don't take this comment as trite, but.. I think we experience Qi every moment of every day, in every movement, in every way.. (yikes, it rhymes).. What we lack is awareness.. Qi is ever-present, it is our "life-force".. with training and appropriate "intent" we can become so aware as to feel its presence and movement, we can move it, use it (or abuse it), cultivate it, all with our consciousness.. since it is every aspect of a conscious living being, we can be aware of it in so many ways that a single description would not do it justice.. the awareness should be repeatable, we should be able to sense the Qi in the same way again and again.. warm, weighty, tingly, etc... movement of those feelings along or through the body should, as my personal experience suggests, produce a sensation of a ripple of energy exciting muscles and aligning structure according to training as it moves toward an intended application..

Somewhere in my second year of training i was doing the Ji (press) portion of Grasp the Sparrow's Tail.. as my waist began to turn my spine/shoulders toward the front and i began to add the rear leg power, a unique sensation of a ball of energy began rising from the ground up the rear leg, through the hips and into the spine.. suddenly, my alignment snapped into place, the spine twisted the shoulders and arms into a remarkably quick and powerful "press".. i was dumb-founded, once the energy began rising it took almost no physical effort to explode into the most powerful feeling i had experienced.. My Sifu walked across the room, slapped me on the back and said, "now you know".. 12 years later that sensation is a familiar one (though, still not as consistent as i would prefer).. the one thing i find consistent, is it usually manifests itself when i am not "trying" to do it.. it seems to occur when i relax and just "put my intent where i want my body to be", then suddenly, effortlessly, powerfully, i am there.. then when i "try" again it seems less natural, more contrived, and not nearly so amazing.. Oh well, sometimes my mind gets in the way of "me"...

Just another perspective.. be well..

[Lin-Wu]

Tai`Ji Monkey,I`ll try,but it`s really difficult to focus with it calling your attention.What did you do to prevent being distracted by it?

Tai Chi Bob,as I understand,you use your Qi unintentionally,and as you notice about it,and try to harness it,it didn`t flow the way it should,or did.Does that mean that you never have the Qi under control(not that I want to have it under control,just curious)?What did you do not to be distracted by it?

Brad,I also feel warm,but I don`t know if that`s because of the weather,or because of the Chi flow.As for the cold line,does it have some connection to the meriddians?

[SingleWhip]

Sensations of any kind in your hands (warm, cold or heavy) can be felt during almost the first a few days of correct practice of Taiji.

The next indicator is if you start to feel similar sensations in your Dantian, Kiddney and waist areas.

I have been feeling strong warmth in my Dantian and my kidney areas. It started as occasional and now more permenant as soon as I start my form.

It happened a few times in the past that I felt quick and hot flashes around my waist. Teacher told me it is Dai Channel.

If you start to have loud bubbling sound in your belly (normally after 3-5 years of extensive training), you are really close to clearing Ren and Du channels now.

I completely agree with T'ai Ji Monkey that all these sensations can come and go (or never coming back for a long while) till you are advanced. Do not intentionally seek them, especially if you do not have a qualified teacher guiding you.

[Repulsive Monkey]

Are NOT a good sign of good Taiji practice in that it is something to aim for. It is NOT a platform for better practice if this happens all the time, it is in fact a sign that there is a low level kind of illness and the body is trying to sweat out of the distal limbs and digits of the body.
If it happens for a limited period of time then yes it shows that the body has managed to expel sick pathogens, however if it constantly happens then it means the body is not able to expel it properly and it's best do get some other treatment whilst maintaining your Taiji to rectify the deficiency.

[SingleWhip]

Originally posted by Repulsive Monkey
It is NOT a platform for better practice if this happens all the time, it is in fact a sign that there is a low level kind of illness and the body is trying to sweat out of the distal limbs and digits of the body.
If it happens for a limited period of time then yes it shows that the body has managed to expel sick pathogens, however if it constantly happens then it means the body is not able to expel it properly and it's best do get some other treatment whilst maintaining your Taiji to rectify the deficiency.

So what about sweating in general? I sweat profoundly when I do my form even in cold temperature. It seems to concentrate on my head and it drips into my eyes. Really annoying.

My teacher said it is OK as long as I do not breath heavily (which I don't).

Interesting thing is I do not sweat like that playing tennis for hours or jogging.

Will this sweating stop someday? Of course I do Chen form which is very physically demanding. Some perspiration is expected but not this heavy.

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

Tai Chi Bob,as I understand,you use your Qi unintentionally,and as you notice about it,and try to harness it,it didn`t flow the way it should,or did.Does that mean that you never have the Qi under control(not that I want to have it under control,just curious)?What did you do not to be distracted by it?

There is the nuance of control vs. intention.. i have learned to simply "intend" the movement/application and let my training and natural inclinations happen in the best natural fashion my body/mind/spirit can manifest.. control implies resistance, that something is doing one thing and you try to "control" it to do another.. you act upon it to redirect it (implying resistance at some level).. The "intention" sets the course, and leaves the action along the course to be naturally expressed..

Do i "never have the Qi under control"?.. hmmm, i can't answer that question.. i do not forcefully manipulate the Qi, i intend it to accomplish certain goals and to the degree i believe it will do so, it does.. To avoid distraction i simply assume that the intention is will accomplish itself and don't bother with it anymore.. once the intention is released (to manifest itself) i am intending the next response and so forth.. distractions occur when i lose faith that the intention needs further "control" on my part, it is as though i don't trust that my training and clarity will deliver (and THAT is distracting).. Whenever i put my attention on the Qi and its manifestations i lose the flow of my intentions and the system begins to fragment and slow down.. for me, the issue is to stay present in the moment, listen to the music (situation) and "dance (respond) as if no one were looking"..

Be well..

[bodhitree]

this sensation will pass


The next sensation will pass

[Lin-Wu]

TaiChi Bob,thanx,you answered more questions than you can think of.

I`m feeling less of the sensation now.I think it`s because I must be trying to feel it more.I just don`t know.I`ll give time to time and simply wait.With practice,comes discipline,right?