ancienthealth

yea.. Old Green - im a bit hazy on this whole concept- can you post a few examples of what a typical day of eating is? Something that's helped me is not eating after dark... so it seems if i was going to try this i'd have to get 3-5 small meals in earlier in the day, if I'm only eating one type of food at a time

I spent some time with Master Zhang and for me, sorry to say, I wasn't impressed. First off he offered a seminar but wouldn't say what was being taught. The one I did go to was Tiger Qigong seminar. I went to the Tiger Qigong seminar in Southern California and took a group healing seminar, same day. Felt nothing special from the exercises or the healing seminar. And, I was able to communicate with Master Zhang via Chinese. I also had nearly 20 years background in qigong and martial arts by that time.

 

In addition, he sold a video tape which supported the seminar. I bought this tape to support what I learned at the seminar. Unfortunately there was all of 2 or 3 minutes of anything valuable on the video. The rest was video of his students. A waste of money in my opinion.

 

Of course when I did see Master Zhang it was back in 2004 or so so maybe he hadn't developed fully by then.. I don't know.. As it stands not he is not someone I would seek out as an instructor. At least based on my previous exposure to him.

 

My 2 cents.

his tapes are def. low quality productions, but i'm surprised you didn't feel anything from his healing. it was extremely powerful both times, and he seems to have complete command of the energy of the situation as a whole. now, following the lesson I basically can't stop meditating whenever something isn't taking my focus.. attention is drawn back to the third eye, heart, or LDT almost automatically because the energy is pulsing on it's own in those places. This was not the case prior to this week. Increased intuition and spontaneous joy and calm are the result of this. the practices he gave are powerful and something about them feels very ancient. Also I have been wide wide awake all day, usually, i'd be asleep by now, but I guess I'll continue to meditate

I got a private lesson from Master Zhang today. I don't feel right posting what he taught yet, as I haven't processed it fully myself... but let me just say it was very intense, he didn't hold back just because I'm a beginner, it is the real deal, I almost feel undeserving.!. Already I feel my third eye, heart, and chest starting to open and I've felt his energy with me all day. If anyone's interested in hearing more you can definitely PM me.

I should add, that my practice is definitely impacted (although it's a bit early to really tell). Did some SFQ after to see... I feel his energy with me for sure. There is a new warmth in my dan tien, and a certain spaciousness around me that wasn't there before. Also I started doing some spontaneous movements (not during the healing, I mean once I got home), only for about 20 seconds, but they were very much like the things he was having me imitate, and some of the stuff i've seen him do on video. I thought that was quite strange/interesting.

Just went to get a healing from him - PM'd this to someone and was told I should post in forum - wouldn't normally be inclined to do so, but figured why not? --------

When he first walked in the room there was this gigantic mangetic warm electromagnetic aura around him.. incredible power. Very reserved, and humble vibration to him.

then i walked in the healing.. he was sitting in full lotus, and i was to sit across from him, so I went into full lotus, and imitated some breathing and gestures he did. He doesn't speak much english, so it's more of a "do what I do" kind of thing. For the first 20 minutes it was pretty low key and I was wondering if I wasted my money... but he was just warming me up. Did some cool acupressure stuff though, that really opened up the chi in my hands.

then he had me lie on my back.. here we go. He was doing acupressure, and I felt electric shocks going into my back/spine.. and my legs and arms started having involuntary movements.. similar to what I've seen on the John Chang videos, though perhaps not as extreme. This was very intense, and the chi fields were building around me. Then he stopped touching me directly and I guess he was just playing with the chi fields above me (dunno, had my eyes closed) and my whole body started to feel like a magnet. Many times I started laughing because the energy was so overwhelmingly strong/pleasant. Then he started working on my head, and I felt a tremendous energy in my third eye and crown -- he both touched them directly, and also worked on them without direct touch.

THe healing was 1 hr long. It wasn't for health purposes, but just to improve practice. I'm going to get a private lesson on friday to learn a form from him, then maybe to a group workshop on sunday. I am a very inexperienced practitioner with a bit of GOT and Spring Forest Under my belt - excited to have a real teacher in town. Apparently he will be here in NYC four times a year.. good enough for me :-)

www.qigongmaster.com

That sounds good. I have my reservations about tofu, and sadly about olive oil after reading Fuhrman's book (though I doubt I'll cut it out completely), but I think your diet looks pretty conducive to overall health for the mind/body/spirit.

 

I'm a pitta, so eating uncooked vegetables is usually good for me. I do avoid ice water and freezing smoothies though, according to Ayurvedic philosophy.

Yeah - I understand about the oil, but for me the low fat vegan thing just made me feel like I was fasting all the time - which amkes it hard for me to focus on work on stuff. I seem to really need the fat. I also sometimes (when i remember, haha they're stiting in my fridge) eat some seeds, both in the smoothies or with the saute.

Tofu for me is a convenience thing (over cooking beans) - also I like the taste of it cooked with the vegetables a lot better. I don't feel bad at all from eating it, so I'm just going with the flow

I'm a vatta, so I guess my discoveries about cooked vegetables are accurate.. for me. haha

But i wouldn't obsess about diet too much (coming from someone who has a lot, and I end up back where I started whenever I go to those extremes). Take the middle path. Just figure out what works for your situation, financially, where you live, and how the food makes you feel personally. Some people probably can't do tofu, but since I seem to stomach it just fine I let it be. I also found for myself that eating the larger meals earlier in the day had a great impact on my health... Better sleep, wake up earlier naturally with lots of energy... less of a blood sugar spike (I used to wait a long time to eat my first meal). I try to have green smomothie/juice type stuff for dinner now.

The most damaging things I have found in my experience are eating huge meals, or eating a bunch of sugar. Those two actions seem to effect me more than any particular food in the diet.

and edit: i wasn't trying to discourage your fast - by all means. It's probably the best way to increase your body's intelligence, which will make it easier to find the diet that works for you. I think the diet you end up with shouldn't feel like a lot of effort, should feel like a natural extension of you (whether it's physically a lot of work or not)

Yea man, I've been thinking about this a long time. Here's what I eat (it definitely varies, but this is the main regime and I feel pretty good. You definitely might need some other things - I don't stick to this exclusively, but it's deifnitely my daily norm)

the end is nearing

i think i've said all i can

so I'll shut up now

damn, one post too late

i thought i could change this world

words will carry me

 

"thoughtless now is enlightenment temporarily"

is it? This is an assumption as well. Is having a blank mind enlightenment? There's no way we can prove this one way or the other, as it's all intellect and it's not intellectual.. but it seems to me there must be more to it than that

Edit: The ego can still be in a blank state of mind --- this is not Knowledge of the Self as one is still identifying as the ego even in the midst of no thoughts. To me enlightenment (in the world, not the concept of liberation) is complete disidentification with the body/mind (which then naturally leads to very blank peaceful states of mind at times, as a result). This is true infinite peace as one is not attached to a good vs. bad result in the ego complex/circumstances

^opinion

Oh yeh forgot about yuen method/smiling but still.

 

If one is feeling good all day it seems a little depressing to completely remove the "I" and I am not the body and all, is this just rationalising it from a perspective of feeling good.

 

Self denial hmm

But who is feeling good? it is the ego -- this creates attachments to feeling good which then conversely creates the experience of feeling bad when circumstances change (i.e. next time you don't win the argument, which will break down your pride/ego). "I" is separate from the ego's fluctuations, happiness/unhappiness

Hey Spotless, why do you say not to even bother without the enema? Last time I water fasted, it was without, and.. frankly it was rough. I'm wondering what kind of difference this can make.

I may do a 5-6 day fast as I have spring break, and this may be my last chance to do one for a while (this summer I'll be doing heavy mental work every day). I don't know whether to do water or juice. Did water once, it was extremely intense.. but that was before I was into spiritual practice, my diet was worse, i was very angry and in a bad relationship etc... All those factors are changed now.. So I'm wondering if I can handle a water fast. It's a bit scary because I shrivel up into a skeleton.. People ask me what's wrong with me etc. Luckily I don't think I'll really have to go anywhere during this fast if I do it.. but I'm scared I won't be able to gain the weight back in time to reintegrate into the normal world.. haha. If you guys have any advice let me know. I do have a juicer, but I kind of see that as "cheating" a bit as well.. ha

to know is to die

daggars digging in my skin

will help me awake

on public transport

vacant eyes staring blankly

take me home please

but she talks to much

better than talking to walls

they know all secrets...

they know all secrets

sinking into submersion

waiting for you to slip

man... Everyone has been quite feisty the last couple days! Get off the computer and get practicing! ;-)

slobbers when it rains

pains and gains, startled thunders

source of all wonders

I'm curious.. is your experience that

a. you are reading the current - present time energy of the person or

b. you are reading the energy of that particular post, almost like a time capsule, containing the energy they were emitting as they wrote it

c. both? depends?

Cold showers are magnificent -- Energizing.. Scary... Powerful... Cleansing

I find them great after i've eaten a bit too much to perk back up. I still like hot showers in the winter though..

I would also like a journal, please. :-)

This started happening after doing GOT and Stillness Movement (from book) for a couple weeks now... Im just curious, is this normal? And what does it mean? It seems like my tongue is going to get tired haha

 

I was never as involved with spiritual practices when I was making a lot of art. I focus mostly on music now and I can say that I write different music after yoga. SFQ could probably help me develop more patience in my craft, and I definitely need to cultivate space in my timing and become more methodical. Keep us posted when you find something that clicks.

I noticed this too -- and it's one reason I have to keep consciously cutting back on practices (see below)

So yesterday I tried some of those SRF energization exercises, I felt a little energy, but they didn't resonate too much. Then I did the Rites --- Those really clicked, felt great, Followed by some pranayama (whoooooa now). I did some kapalbhati, alternate nostril breathing, and the one that really did it, sodarshan kriya.

Granted, my heart chakra was kind of open yesterday before doing any practices at all, just for reference. Anyway, I finished my pranayama, chilled around the house, then walked to my friends house (30 min walk). Did Walking/Breath meditation for the first 10 minutes, happened very naturally after the pranayama. Very pleasant! Then I started to see that I wasn't my thoughts, my body, etc. and everything got more and more present, until my walk just exploded into bliss. Total Samadhi, but a bit overexcited (ecstastic) feeling due to the pranayama. Got to my friends house and that kind of grounded me a bit, we ate, etc. But then after all that we ended up sitting around, and the presence came back really strong, and all of a sudden my ego lost it's ability to function normally. I've heard about this before - pranayama making the intellect very dull. My friend and I have kind of a funny vibe as it is, we're always laughing about virtually nothing, but this was ridiculous. I felt almost high (and stupid) as if i had smoked some weed, and we were laughing for 10 minutes as I acted like a total idiot, bumblig around, with no real control over my actions. So then I left, and kind of recentered, and this high feeling continued a bit. Then on my walk back I felt paranoia as I saw things out of my peripheral vision that weren't there, and noises of the city frightened me, etc. Went to bed with a lot of energy still in the body, and woke up with the same energy (which was positive, I woke up not tired at all). Samadhi is very gone because the kundalini/whatever it is feels very imbalanced now. Also my breathing feels very strained, as if i had forced something in the pranayama.

This kind of power is what i was missing from SFQ (although Im sure it may exist at the higher levels), but to be honest, it was way too much. This was only about 20 minutes of pranayama too. I can tell that what I did could be VERY dangerous if continued.. plus I need my mind to function normally in order to go to school, etc. More and more these days, practices seem to effect me very readily -- it's interesting, the opposite was the case in high school, it seemed as if nothing worked at all, due to so many blockages. i guess once the system opens a bit anything starts to work much more effectively.

All I can say is all of the warnings are true about pranayama, the stuff is powerful; too powerful for me right now. I think I'm going to refrain unless I can find a real teacher who will go very gradually, whether through the internet or in person. If anyone knows anyone that might be willing to guide me, even through email, do let me know, but they need to really know there stuff and be aware of the dangers --- some people seem to prescribe any pranayam to anyone and I think it's terribly naive and irresponsible.

I got into a meditative state beyond the blissful about a week ago - as CT says - it was terrifying. I was All There Is. There was no one or no thing out there - only my consciousness; I could feel any remnants of my personality melt away, like a sheet being pulled at all four corners with no wrinkles of personality left. My thoughts were simultaneous in the past, present, and future. I was all there is. The future was all up to me - there was nothing to look forward to because nothing else existed.

 

It was a lonely place to be. I knew I had the decision as to whether to come back or not. I think fear brought me back, although I was tempted to let go and let the Nothingness take me. I wanted to live, that's all.

 

It was actually a pretty horrible feeling.

Reading the first half of your post, it's funny, I thought... wow i've experienced the same exact thing, and it was so wonderful, and to see you say it was horrible is very interesting. One thing I've noticed, is I haven't gone back into this state really, and though, not a conscious choice, I definitely stopped the practices that were giving "me" the "success" -- I think my ego got scared of dying. However, I think it's time to get back on that path. When I tasted this "void," upon coming back I knew that nothing else mattered, but not in a bleak way, but with the most joy -- it confirmed that all of this spiritual searching and obsessiveness really did lead to something real and true, something dependable.

I understand you completely. In my experience TacFit Warrior is really great. It builds stamina, strength, flexibility and it refines movement so you can perform in flow. Lot of aches that I had disappeared, I felt more alive, etc. Joint mobility exercises from this package is pure gold. They literally take away any stiffness from joints. I give them to my patients (I am manual therapist) and they really make miracles.

 

I really think that if you combine that with three stances from Stand Still Be Fit (standing like a tree, dragon, tiger) that you have a winner. Just my 2 cents.

 

 

PS: or you can do 5 Tibetan Rites, they are energetic exercises with physical component and they take a little time to finish.

Cool, I will check it out. I understand that the intent of the creator need not be a factor in the practice - but something about the intent of TacFit and my intent seem very different, and that puts me off. But I will look into it.

What is Stand Still Be Fit? I am quite hesitant with standing meditation only because I fear learning it incorrectly, and therefore wasting my time or worse hurting myself. I have done a bit of Zhan Zhaung though, and I do find it verrrry powerful! :-)

Five tibetans are great... If none of this other stuff that Im investigating really clicks, I'm going to fall back on them, and really commit. I've always liked them as long as they are done slowly and thoughtfully.

I also forgot to comment on my expeirnece with Spring Forest Qigong. Granted, i've only practiced it maybe 20 times, so my opinion doesn't have much weight, but I did have experiences -- here they are. Granted, I also have done other practices, etc. so it's hard to say what's what -- this is just my intution-

---Increased psychic abilities - Sensed many entities in my house very clearly, even saw a ghost with my eyes - this was also after smoking marijuana (which I do NOT condone, it was a slip in behavior -- each time I do it -- about twice a year, I learn much more how damaging it really can be to the energy system) -- it seems that opened up the chakras in kind of a vulnerable way

---Ability to heal others - energetically - This was my favorite thing about it.. but I had this ability a bit before doing too much of any practice. SFQ just refined it. One night I healed my grandfather's energy pathway's from a distance of about 10 feet. I watched him transfrom over about 20 minutes from slouched over, low energy, blockages, to the most energetic I saw him all thanksgiving! I know this is not anything groundbreaking around here ;-), but it made an impression on me, because after doing some SFQ it feels so natural to heal the energy systems of others. Once we learn about our own energy system, we understand other's very easily! While this ability is valuable to me and perhaps my biggest attachment SFQ, I imagine that yoga would nourish this ability also, as long as that intent is maintained. This healing ability is probably the main reason to do SFQ, as Chunyi even says it's the focus of it. I have not gained such a healing awareness from traditional meditation methods - SFQ is special tuned for healing.

I seem to have noticed a distinction between heart healing, and energy healing. Chunyi says that the energy we use to heal is love, but that isn't what my intuition has told me (although you could argue "all is love").. It seems SFQ exercises healing using chi, which is simply life energy running through the system -- but yoga and religious practices (prayer, forgiveness, pratikraman) seem to facilitate what I would experience more as love healing. This is ultimately more interesting to me. Healing the bound karmas of hurt that prevent free flowing love. Obviously this is all related in the end, but I see chi and love energy is two distinct different things (though related). I could be very wrong, I do not really have an idea. It just seems one kind of healing happens in relationship between two people due to an open heart chakra and shedding of karma, and the other (SFQ) is a more quasi - physical working with energy. The SFQ kind is more health oriented while love healing is more about emotions/relationships.

-very balanced flow of energy. With yoga I feel an ecstatic energy going straight up my spine into upper chakras. almost an orgasmic kind of feeling sometimes -- with qigong, it is much more balanced, grounding (and frankly a bit more boring to me -- that ecstasy is very useful for making art). It feels like SFQ may be a more balanced approach to health and releasing blockages but perhaps not the one that really suits me best.

-physical weakening - since the only physical art i was practicing at this stretch was SFQ, i definitely got a bit weaker (although I also had a sickness). I have felt this with SFQ in the past. It is simply not very good exercise. If you have a normal build, or a large build, SFQ loosens the joints etc and does the job of "exercise." but I am extremely small and the lack of muscular exercise (asanas are enough) has made the upper boddy feel a bit weak. The legs gained strength though, from standing 20-30 minutes at a stretch while doing the SFQ

-emotional detox - some difficult emotions running through, just like any other meditation practices. There is a slightly different quality about SFQ I can't really put my finger on. It feels more like the emotions are in my whole body as opposed to focused in one location maybe

-increased energy and health

Thanks for responding everyone. Multiquote is a great feature!

Try looking into Scott Sonnon's TacFit Warrior. Or any other his product as a matter a fact

What I think i'm looking for (I could be wrong however, sometimes physical exercise has been the ticket) Is more of an energetically driven exercises with a physical component, as opposed to a physical exercise with an energetic component, which is what this seems to be. I've tried something like this before, and I liked it for a bit, but eventually it ended up being too much tension in my muscles and it cut off the energy flow (perhaps I did it incorrectly). Also it may just not be the best thing to serve my goals... I'd rather just take a walk or something If I'm going to get pure physical exercise, then I can kind of explore and unwind, as opposed to be locked into yet another system. Maybe you can comment on your experience with it? I find his advertising page was impossible to decipher (and that kind of put me off).

Hello ancienthealth. I to am from the NYC area. I practice chen with a master that is not that expensive but only has a limited amount of classes. Don't know if you are interested, if you are you can pm me. I was curious about the SFQ, how was your overall experience with it? Did you find any of it beneficial? I know you are looking for something else because it doesn't resonate with you but I just wanted to quell my curiosity.

 

Also Robert Peng is in the NYC are, I have never trained with him but i do hear he is kinda expensive

Yea I checked out Robert Peng, he's the only master I could find through my own research. Way too expensive for me.. :-\

I just typed a response and then lost it, but the main point was that sometimes basic physical exercise is all I need to get back into the spiritual stuff. I am able to complete the SFQ exercises without getting bored if I go for a run, or do an upper body workout first. Sometimes I just need to take a day off from spiritual practice and go hiking or go for a run. (although I will usually end up meditating at some point on a hike)

 

I know some will disagree, but being a creative person myself, I have a difficult time with routine. I now attend a yoga studio that does power yoga type classes, which I consider to be a good workout and physical opener. I then supplement that with Kundalini Pranayama, or various safe Taoist practices like the Small Universe, and Inner Smile or a simple standing meditation. I try not to do Intense Yoga and SFQ on the same day.

I've found this in myself, as well. I have difficulty with routine. Thanks for making me aware with that. It does help my mind find peace to have one thing I can rely on.. One little routine. But that does help --- I don't have to give up SFQ just because I can't do it every day. My mind can be very rigid -- "if you can't commit, stop altogether." It may just not be my natural flow. I seem to alternate between a yoga mindset and a qigong mindset. Physical exercise definitely can help, but i've found as a mainstay practice, it's not needed for me. As long as I get a couple of good walks a weak, and work my muscles a bit, I'm cool. Have a sinus infection in the moment, so won't be doing any of that quite yet ;-)

If you're looking for a physically demanding, breathing-improving, spiritually-developing practice...how about SunDo?

Yoga is great. Its easy to find a "set" whether in Hatha or Vinyasa/Ashtanga that you can practise every day. Most people like to go to courses and do the group thing. I just have a memorized routine that I do in the park by myself. I have also a learned set of Tibetan yoga, similar to yantra, that is called "yoga of joy" by Yuen Miao who has a powerful lineage. The tibetan stuff is more subtle, less satisfying physical streching than hatha or ashtanga type sets. I also agree with Scott Sonnon routines, cannot go wrong.

Asanas are great, and I continue to practice them in some form, whether the five tibetans, the SRF stuff, a standard sivananda type routine, etc. However, I haven't found it to be enough. I'm looking for something a bit more along the lines of what Tibetan_Ice was describing -- Lessening the need for sleep, etc. Something with more psychic potential. That's what Asana + Pranayam is probably the answer. But I know it's wise to start very slow with pranayama and I don't really have anyone to guide me.. that's one reason I posted here. Perhaps the Energization Exercises that Tibetan_Ice recommended will be the ticket.. I will try them first for sure, it resonates the most --- Found this ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYslYfZlxio