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I didn't quote any sources, I can say something only based on my own experience, so my answers are based on my understanding of principles of qi circulation in the body and some clarifications from my instructor. From my point of view there only 3 ways to improve the Dan tien, which are good to be done together: 1. Receive outsource qi (good nutrition, good nature places with strong qi sources and some special ingredients containing enough qi) 2. Qi gong practice to normalize qi flows to initiate a self restoring mechanism for Dan tien 3. Correct way of life to exclude qi outcome wherever it is possible (stresses, wrong habits, bad people around etc.) As the possible injury deals with qi-categories as you have mentioned, my simple advice would be to find traditional Chinese healer with good reputation to see your patient. But 1st and 3rd advice can be followed without additional preparations as soon as possible. Rgrds, Ilya

There are two points. First, trying and comparing two systems requires doing them in parallel for a long time until any effect appears. Second, this effect might be rather mind-dependent (remember about placebos effect). Unfortunately this is a weak point of just comparing two systems or practices to see what will be. Rgrds, Ilya

That's absolutely correct. Lets assume streets fights to be a kind of "testing" of the martial system, independently of whether its Chinese one or European, traditional or new mixed one. But again, this shows only one aspect of the system - its efficiency in the street. And this "test" will never show hidden values of it. F.e. tai chi gas a hidden layout like qi circulation - how can we see this benefit? Rgrds, Ilya

My understanding is that Buddhists have lost the ming method some time ago and therefore had to concentrate on heart & mind stabilization, so-called Xing practices. They have gone far in these aspects but this is only one side of the coin. The reason why they are popular now and in the past times is that their methods are simple and available for the wide auditory. Rgrds, Ilya

Can we count such person as a Tao chi master? Tao chi assumes inner harmony cultivation while this case shows the opposite.

Lower Dan tien rupture means serious illness with the probable death as an outcome. From the other side it is not easy to rupture such strong energy area, some serious events must occur for one to come to this result. So its impossible to say anything further on this question without any details - what has happened and why did you decide that it is just ldt injured. Otherwise it would be fantasies on the case "what if". Rgrds, Ilya

The main thing giving us life is qi. Five elements give us another aspect of sequence of things. If we try to put analogies between chemical elements and those from wu-xing then we put our position to mechanistic understanding of this concept. Five elements from my understanding relate to different kinds of qi and inner qualities but not chemistry. Rgrds, Ilya

I dare if abstinence is equal to jing cultivation. Jing cultivation has concrete methods. Jing is the substance that maintains our vitality, and what is meant under the first term? In Taoism there is a strong consequent system if transition jing-qi-shen based on a scope of methods and practices.

This is exactly the first question you should ask yourself and try to find an answer. Otherwise it would be only a curiosity with some small possibility to develop in a strong interest for development in this area. We have discussed similar questions in the thread about tai chi. Rgrds, Ilya

I works if you limit your goals to martial aspect only. In case you want to be involved in the whole system and obtain understanding of qi flows, relaxation and harmony then this limitation with martiality will limit your complex development. Rgrds, Ilya

Yes. If we want to pay attention to something special then its better to look for something that has taoist thematic or anything quite unusual. Otherwise we would have hundreds of pictures from our life without bright impression on us and would say - look, its emanation of Tao... This is the way to decrease respect of Tao. Rgrds, Ilya

This is a good point but in this case everything optimized can be called Wu way... Are you sure that this is an exact meaning of this term? Just if you want to find Wu way in this video - look deeper, may be there is somebody laying under the sun without any activity behind the bushes while the cyclists are streaming somewhere... Rgrds, Ilya

There is one more thing we usually don't keep in mind. Ali ended his days as an invalid, as many other boxers, while I haven't seen such health deviations among tai chi masters. There may be some disputes about knees, but these cases are not obvious and discussable. It shows us another sides of "western" and "eastern" martial systems. Eastern ones assume martial aspect as a part of a warrior's life, equal to all other - ethical, social, philosophic, energy etc. Don't mix apples with plums and don't make them fight with each other :). Rgrds, Ilya

I am sorry to interfere, but could anyone (the topic starter also if possible) explain how does this smart trick corresponds to Wu way? This is a nice life hawk but it doesn't deal some ho to Taoism directly, the real subject is much closer to smth like "nice hits in our life" or "smart tricks on the road cleaned from stones" etc.

Let me a bit develop a thought that was posted earlier that Tai chi is not only a martial art. I believe that martial part is only a sort of benefit in this system, but its main result is development if yin-yang balance. As a result of this balance all other areas of our life will also become balanced - health, social life/communications, emotional stability etc. This is a multy-effect system, and if you look at it as at a killing art this means that you pay attention only to its one aspect. Rgrds, Ilya