Manaus

Hello, Lam Kam Chuen, in his book The Way of Energy, chapter 2 Breathing and Relaxing, writes Quietly and slowly breathe out through your nose. As you exhale, draw your belly in so that you feel you are squeezing the air out of your torso from the bottom up. Breathe out smoothly and soundlessly, until you feel you have emptied your lungs. Emptying the lungs needs quite a lot of energy. How much do you squeeze?

You might be interested in Osho's explanation of a meditation from Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, "Pierce some part of your nectar-filled form with a pin [...]" Never tried though, I fear needles

I tried the practice, actually I can feel the return to motion of stuck blood/qi, and I feel better. But I stop after a bunch of slaps. Sincerily the purple marks on the limbs do not look very inviting.

Following to the letter Lam Kam Chuen's instructions, that it to relax the body, each and every part of it, I feel it as flabby and tender. The second part is quite a pleasure, to be noted. But I do not think the posture is so lax. The hands are there, maybe the thumbs fall. Anyone lived the same impressions? Thanks

Hello, I'm currently experiencing aversion for the length of time in my practice. After 3/4 of time, I'm starting to hope for the end. In Way of Energy Lam Kam Chuen talks about aiming at 15 minutes after 6 weeks, and 20 after 9. I suppose this is for the young and healthy, and later in the book says some cases have specific adaptations. As well, Yu Yong Nian says that if you end the session without tiredness, the time is too short. What is your sign of 'enough'? Comfort zone, or beyond? Thanks!

Guys you are all giving me great suggestions. I hope you will forgive if I stick to the current source and try to deepen my understanding. I received different impressions from reading Lam Kam Chuen's book, that you should go beyond what's confortable, "to grow beyond your normal limits of endurance". So after my practice, today, I felt exhausted and sad. Is it qi work, or is it overdoing? Professor Yu says the main sign of overdoing is that you cannot feel rest even after sleeping. Beside pain, lack of energy, feeling exhausted and loss of appetite and so on. But the main sign to take into account is that we do not recover simply after sleeping. I cannot really understand that But, does it mean that the other signs are of less importance, and can be disregarded? I take special care in wording. Thanks

Watching this video from Mantak Chia He says "Smile in front of you [...] feel a smile energy in front of you". This really I cannot manage to get. He takes it for granted that it is that easy, and immediate, and readily available. Is here anybody capable of that? Couple of seconds later he adds, "In taoism we always refer to the forehead [here] as the happy center". So I believe that giving attention to the yin tang awakens its properties of being able to project, to see happy energy. Does anybody support this statement? Thanks

Thanks guys, what I don't understand is how you can use something fake as a way to reality. One should step down from illusions to what is real, whatever it is, and beyond. My point of view.

Thanks GreytoWhite, my question, is it not a 'do', rather than a 'be'? I mean, practice should lead to a effortless flow. if I work on my breathing, no matter how subtly, it is still a job-for-a-result.

According to my reading of Yu Yong Nian's book, the range is between fatigue disappearing right away, and fatigue that cannot fade even after a sleep, and lasts several days (most important sign).

@cobi ZZ is not frozen liveless standing, it is full of activity. Somehow it is discovering the white dot within the black field, even if I don't think that is the aim of practice.

Hello, about the closing practices, generally I see there is a 'return to lower dantian', either by spiralling or by overlapping hands, or other means. Since I believe that, spiritually speaking, real things are something already hidden within us, I'm wondering what is the principle underlying spiralling clockwise and counterclockwise when closing the MCO. At least to me it's not natural, looks like a device to fix the attention on the lower dantian. And maybe all artificial things should be dropped. Is this spiralling practice falling in place somehow for someone? What is the sensation telling the closing is complete and done right? Can you really put qi 'in' the lower tantien? Thanks

Hi guys, I've practiced the Brocade set from the Chinese Health Qigong Association Dvds, but I cannot infer important details from the booklet or the video. Main of which is the strength or effort you should put in the push/stretch excercises. Clearly the set is the harmonious mixing of soft-yin with the strong-yang. But how much yang? I have read, the strength for toppling mountains. That is quite a heap of force. Good news it should not be muscular. I understand, but I'd like to get confirmation, that more than force what is important is the awareness/presence during the movement. Awareness should teach the right amount. Still I feel there is a part of me willing to 'push' a little more than the easy. The usual 'no pain, no gain' conditioning that wants to make all difficult. I tried also with a soft force, just enough to make the arm straight, without trying to distance/stretch the joints. That has a remarkable effect of making me more alert. Like coffee, so to speak But the Baduanjin booklet (I do not have it at hand) gives me of a more strong approach. Thanks for any comment

Hello, I've been a reader of Mantak's books ever since, but the practice as exposed by him never ringed a bell. He talks about 'points', 'concentration', which in the ears of a westener sound like 'no pain, no gain'. Am I missing something? I've heard: The more strength, the less qi but also: the more concentration, the more qi. What is the strength you apply when practicing microcosmic orbit meditation? How do I know when it's right? Thanks!

Thanks ChiForce, when you say 'gather' you mean that there's a certain quantity of qi in the body, and you take it from other parts to concentrate it on the spot? (just trying to understand the basics)

@ChiForce at the moment I have two places which I can focus on The first, it's behind the bladder. The sensation is of relief, other-than-me, peace. It's way below the navel, I'd say the baricenter of the body. The second is the navel. I can feel heat and qi there, which tends to go up quickly and 'highlight' the upper half of the body. The sensation is stronger, but it's more 'me'. Any idea which one is the LDT?

@z00se Wow, thank you so much for your time pal, what can I say... I hope the information you gave will help to make this a better world. On a personal level, I'm taking note.

Hello, I've been practicing ZZ for 9 months regularly following the instructions in Way of Energy by Lam Kam Chuen. I built up the hold time slowly, bringing it to 12 min in the 'hold the tree' position. Recently for an accident I had to stop that particular posture. What happens now is that even after shorter times (8 minutes) I feel very fatigued, and it lasts hours. Feel like sleeping and weak and cannot even think. It was never easy anyway. I don't know if I have to go beyond (8 minutes could be a really short time) or keep myself in the 'comfort zone'. In the book Lam Kam Chuen advises to 'relax' in case of fainting. But also "[in case of poor health] Do not force yourself to hold positions that cause you pain or exhaust you." Note that fatigue has been a major issue in my life even before starting practicing. Thanks for any suggestion

@forestofemptiness yes currently it's the only practice I do, I've been trying other practices out, Baduanjin, Yijinjing, etc, to no avail.

Last night I watched an interesting talk on TED by Ash Beckham, she exposes an interesting concept of Polarity vs. Duality. I think the wording of the latter is in my environment more related to the concept of the first. Nonetheless, hers looks like a clear codification.

Strictly following @the1gza advice, can I add that Paradise means orchard? Not a place of serenity above [or among] the clouds, but a garden on this (better 'that') Earth where man and woman lived in harmony with nature?

Steve, that is what I call a taoish vision! To put yourself aside and let the [ ] speak!

In my opinion, Mantak's teaching is often paradoxical: - follow the flow of energy, but bring it down - a sincere smile has value, but picture it in front of you at command (even fake is ok) - concentrate like a lenses with sun rays, but maintain 90% attention at LDT - MCO should always start from LDT, but you can start from mid eye brow - LDT is at the navel, but it is at the center of navel/sexual center/ming men - complete the MCO before macrocosmic (legs, hands), but if qi is stuck at the head concentrate on the feet - inner smile focuses on heart, MCO don't concentrate too much on heart How much frustration this brings, maybe it's part of the training, who knows?

Unfortunately I never received a sensation of 'openness' from Chia's books, where the energy center are tiny dots. But maybe that is because I read the books translated. Until recently, when I got some digital copies of the original. Still, who knows, deep imprinting... I notice that if I keep a relaxed focus, energy starts to go by itself, but in the wrong direction (up to the throat). And my energy sensation is not a dot, either.

What do you suggest? Lam Kam Chuen advises "When you finish the second position, lower your arms and stand quietly for two or three minutes. Then gently shake your arms and legs."