lifeforce Posted December 22, 2009 Something I've been pondering lately. Weather permitting of course, is it more beneficial to train outdoors. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve Posted December 22, 2009 (edited) I voted outdoors but I'll qualify that. Much of our Qi cultivation is derived from the air we breath. The more pure the air, the better. Most modern houses are constructed with enough insulation to impair air exchange so air inside is often stale or contaminated with pet dander, molds, etc... So I think outside is better in general, particularly if you train early in the morning when the air is freshest or in an area with good air quality. Psychologically, I also get alot of benefit from being closer to nature when in train. If you live in an area like LA, you may be better off inside where the air is better filtered on days of poor air quality. Meditation is a bit different. If you are in deep meditation, it's hazardous to be startled or interrupted and that's a lot easier to control indoors. That's why caves were so important in advanced cultivation. Edited December 22, 2009 by steve f Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 22, 2009 I voted outdoors because that is where I feel more at one with Tao. Â Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted December 22, 2009 Definitely outdoors. Bundle up! Â Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShaktiMama Posted December 22, 2009 (edited) Something I've been pondering lately. Weather permitting of course, is it more beneficial to train outdoors. Â Outdoors is preferable. Ideally away from power lines, sick trees and plants, toxic environments if you can. Also near clean running water like a river or brook. Pine trees I find the best for me near a stream. Night versus day depends more on whether you want to cultivate yin or yang or one of the specific elements or organs. Â I don't like daytime practice myself. The sun is too much (heat and radiation) up here at one mile up but there are plenty who prefer it. It depends on the practitioner. Â One of my teachers said it best. Just practice. Worry about time and place later. This was instruction for beginners. When your sensing skills get better you will able to "feel" out a good place depending on what your body wants. Â I wanted to add that when I was in Beijing, people especially the elderly practiced in any place available early in the morning. If that meant practicing on the concrete plaza in front of the horrendous smoggy traffic and concrete buildings in downtown, they did it. Edited December 22, 2009 by ShaktiMama Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kameel Posted December 22, 2009 Well...the problem with outdoors is...it's hard to practice naked. So I vote indoors, or outdoors in seclusion, or late at night. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 23, 2009 Well...the problem with outdoors is...it's hard to practice naked. So I vote indoors, or outdoors in seclusion, or late at night. Â I find no words for a proper response. Â Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
soaring crane Posted December 23, 2009 (edited) I have a somewhat different take on this. Practicing Qigong or, better, Qi Cultivation, in or around manmade structures means attracting some of that manmade Qi. It's in there, in the walls, in the foors, in all the busybody manufacturing processes that went into creating (and marketing and selling) the structures whose ultimate purpose is to create a border between the occupants and the natural world out there. Or up there. Or down there. Â That isn't inherently disadvantageous, but I can feel the difference. I'm affected differently by mandmade things than I am by the natural world.... Â And... Um... Â And now it's really late and I can't keep my eyes focussed well enough to complete the thought here, so... Â Goodnight from GMT+1 Edited December 23, 2009 by soaring crane Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 24, 2009 Well, I enjoyed your thoughts as far as they went. (And I agree.) Â Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kameel Posted December 24, 2009 Ah, I see Soaring Crane supports my theory in full. Clothes='s manufactured by man ='s bad for chi cultivation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheSongsofDistantEarth Posted December 24, 2009 You need to ask? Outdoors, for sure, and if it is a natural power spot, then there is no comparison. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 24, 2009 You need to ask? Outdoors, for sure, and if it is a natural power spot, then there is no comparison. Â Yes, I have heard from many that they have found their 'special area' where chi flows best for them. Â Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
