"energy"

[Non]

Ok. I was meditating recently and I came to this conclusion.

 

I came to the conclusion that it seems most people don't even know what the hell "energy" means when they practice energetic practices.

 

Just what do you imagine when you "cultivate energy", or the "masses of light", the "qi"?

 

Obviously these are mind-made concepts that can stagnate the true energy body. These mind-made 'thought clouds' can stay stuck in the areas that you project them to be. They create tension in those areas, they store energetic memory of what? Colors? Colors which are made of what?

 

What if real qi is NOTHING like that crap. Of course it's not. What if qi is not even "electricity" or "EM waves" or even "electrogravitic energy" etc.

 

Maybe "qi" is just a metaphor, just as jing and shen are, etc. Maybe all these concepts are metaphors.

 

Doesn't make it so easy to understand and practice now because it's all subjective.

 

All religions, all practical philosophies, all spiritual practices are highly subjective.

 

Of course this is not new to any of you.

 

So what gives? How do you know any of this won't be causing harm to your bodies or you are misconstruing things?

 

E.g. So what is the "golden light" people talk about that is cultivated? Is it simply Awareness as if a light is being shone on an object ie the body parts? How can it be illuminated so brightly if in the real world it is inside the body where it's as dark as a cave and no light can go through? If there is a light, then where does it come from? Better make sure it's a good source...

 

The energy, what is "energy"? Potential? So are you storing informational energy (same way waves can carry information) into your cells as cellular memory or command signals? Are you working with the templaic or logomorphic domain of the body, or just storing tension and creating neuropathways to hell?

Edited June 8, 2011 by Non

[Enishi]

I agree that Qi is definitely more than just electromagnetic waves. If that was all it was, it wouldn't be able to heal someone on the other side of the planet via long distance projection, as the earth would shield it.

 

Once I started working with Qi I noticed that terms like "light" "waves" "energy" don't fully capture what it is, but honestly, no words can. Those mental concepts and visualizations can hold you back if you fixate on them, but they are useful for grasping Qi early on, kind of like training wheels for a bike.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Enishi

[Non]

I agree that Qi is definitely more than just electromagnetic waves. If it was, it wouldn't be able to heal someone on the other side of the planet via long distance projection, the earth would shield it.

 

Once I started working with Qi I noticed that terms like "light" "waves" "energy" don't fully capture what it is, but honestly, no words can. Those mental concepts and visualizations can hold you back if you fixate on them, but they are useful for grasping Qi early on, kind of like training wheels for a bike.

 

I've jut been wondering how much of the affects of "qi" in my early practices was just placebo and positive health effects of deep conscious breathing.

 

Obviously the Chinese know better just what is the "qi" that they refer to, as it's a cultural concept. To them it's just a normal fact of life and nothing special.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Non

[Enishi]

I've jut been wondering how much of the affects of "qi" in my early practices was just placebo and positive health effects of deep conscious breathing.

 

Obviously the Chinese know better just what is the "qi" that they refer to, as it's a cultural concept. To them it's just a normal fact of life and nothing special.

 

Placebo affects and conscious breathing are 'manifestations' of Qi as well.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Enishi

[ChiDragon]

I've jut been wondering how much of the affects of "qi" in my early practices was just placebo and positive health effects of deep conscious breathing.

 

Obviously the Chinese know better just what is the "qi" that they refer to, as it's a cultural concept. To them it's just a normal fact of life and nothing special.

 

I like your opened mind about the last statement.

If we look at Chi microscopically, with the help of modern science, I would say Chi is the biochemical energy produced by the mitochondria in the body cell called adenosine triphosphate(ATP). For those who practice Chi Kung should know something about physiology based on this statement: "positive health effects of deep conscious breathing."

[Non]

I like your opened mind about the last statement.

If we look at Chi microscopically, with the help of modern science, I would say Chi is the biochemical energy produced by the mitochondria in the body cell called adenosine triphosphate(ATP). For those who practice Chi Kung should know something about physiology based on this statement: "positive health effects of deep conscious breathing."

 

 

but if you look at it this way then how do you think it would look like the effects of chi kung are supposed to be? Is it supposed to leave you high strung full of explosive energy like you're on cocaine, and for what purpose? What motivation? People think of energy and they think "energizing, alertness, hyperactivity, EXTRA energy", etc. But it could also mean ATP being distributed to where the body is missing it and needs it to perform balancing functions, digestive functions, etc. clearing out blockages where there may be stagnation.

 

That's why I sometimes don't like the idea well of "storing?" energy. Rather if I think of "storing" it's more like a place to collect qi where it will then be distributed to places it needs to go, and out if that's what it needs to do. If I breathe in energy, I usually have to breathe it out and think the energy just passes through me and "vitalizes" me wherever it needs to, and then goes out.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Non

[Otis]

What if real qi is NOTHING like that crap. Of course it's not. What if qi is not even "electricity" or "EM waves" or even "electrogravitic energy" etc.

 

Maybe "qi" is just a metaphor, just as jing and shen are, etc. Maybe all these concepts are metaphors.

 

Doesn't make it so easy to understand and practice now because it's all subjective.

 

All religions, all practical philosophies, all spiritual practices are highly subjective.

 

Of course this is not new to any of you.

These are excellent observations.

 

I don't try to learn too much about those metaphors, precisely because I don't want to be contaminated by concepts about that which I already experience.

 

Instead, I just enjoy and explore the experience/sensation itself, and allow it to lead me into practices that my body wants, rather than practices that I tell my body to do. IME, as long as I humble my concepts, and am faithful to my body's wishes, then there is no set-back, only new liberation.

[ChiDragon]

but if you look at it this way then how do you think it would look like the effects of chi kung are supposed to be? Is it supposed to leave you high strung full of explosive energy like you're on cocaine, and for what purpose? What motivation? People think of energy and they think "energizing, alertness, hyperactivity, EXTRA energy", etc. But it could also mean ATP being distributed to where the body is missing it and needs it to perform balancing functions, digestive functions, etc. clearing out blockages where there may be stagnation.

 

That's why I sometimes don't like the idea well of "storing?" energy. Rather if I think of "storing" it's more like a place to collect qi where it will then be distributed to places it needs to go, and out if that's what it needs to do. If I breathe in energy, I usually have to breathe it out and think the energy just passes through me and "vitalizes" me wherever it needs to, and then goes out.

 

If you really understand what ATP is and how it was generated, then you will know that is exactly what is happening inside your body. If you breathe in more oxygen, you will have more ATP energy. If your body does not dissipate the excessive energy, it will be gone in seconds until the next inhalation with more oxygen. Finally, the ATP will help the body to repair itself in a damaged area by mitosis.