Hello!   This is a post I submited to the introduction forum and am reposting here to hopefully get some more feedback.   "I am posting here to introduce myself to this forum, and ultimately to seek advice for a problem I am currently having.   I have an extensive background in Buddhist meditation, including experience of attainment, but I am just starting out with qigong. I am currently experiencing some worrying qi gong realted health issues which is why I am posting here.   I wil explain what is happening to me in detail, so bear with me as I mention materbation.. ha   I have been practicing qi gong for about 3 weeks following the excesices in Robert Peng's book 'The Master Key'. On Thursday, 2 days ago, I was practicing 'Lotus Meditation', one part of which involves visualising a lotus flower opening and closing in your lower dantien while you breathe in and out. While I had done this before, this time I distinctly felt myself breathing into an area below my navel.   I was quite excited by this, and decided that in order to further develop my lower dantien, I would breathe into the area, ala reverse breathing. I have no real instruction in this, and it is not mentioned in 'The Master Key', I was just going of vauge instructions from the internet. At any rate I did 3 sets of LDT breathing on Thursday, each for ten minutes.   In this same time period, Thursday afternoon, I masterbated but did not ejaculate, as I did not wish to deplete my energy stores. (This will be relevant later.)   Friday I woke up and masterbated to ejaculation. I felt somewhat that I had given myself blueball the day before, which is, as anyone who has had them can attest, a painful situation. After this I sat down to practice qi gong. However, I had read previously that one is not supposed to practice qi gong for 72 hours after ejaculation, and so I was hesitant to practice. As well, my lower dantien area didn't quite feel right, so I did not practice.   Later in the day, my LDT area was still bothering me, feeling tight, hot, and sore. I rode a stationary bike for 30 mins, and went for a walk, during which time I felt better and practiced some light qigong consisting of moving evergy between the 3 dantiens to empower the central meridian. I felt like I was radiating much more energy than normal, as though I had a strong energy field right around my body (I 'imagined' it as long wavy lines radiating out from by body about a foot and a half). My LDT still felt a bit off so I ended the qi gong practice at that.   After dinner Friday my LDT area was quite sore, such that I was moving and bending over carefully. It was especially sore at the base; up in a v from the genitals, where your thighs connect to your trunk. Here my stomach was noticibly tight (from swelling?..) I was also feeling sick mentally/ physically.   I went to bed and woke up at 3:30 am. My LDT felt much the same, swollen, hot, painfull, and I was worried enough I thought I should seek some kind of treatment if this continued in the morning. At that time (3:30), I was breathing normally, and trying to relax, it felt as though a blockage in the LDT area broke up. Peace seeped into my mind, and there was the feeling of gas moving around my stomach area in the LDT. This was a relief, and I went back to sleep.   Upon waking in the morning, I felt better, probably 75%, still felt like my LDT needed to recover. It is now quarter past noon as I write this and while my LDT area feels better than it did yesterday, is has slowly felt worse wince I woke this morning.   I feel pain, and tightness in that area, as well as heat. Sometimes while breathing this heat has moved up my body in the middle DT area. If I knew of a legitimate qi gong healer around my area (Colorado) I would go to them for advice, but I do not, and I am worried to just try someone without knowing for certain they are genuine. At any rate that is why I have posted here for advice.   Cheers, advice much appreciated!"   It has now been about 56 hours since this first began. I am feeling better, not 100%, but much improved. My LDT is still somewhat sensitive though much less painfull, and the experience of heat have pretty much stopped.   I have been resting, and hydrating a lot, especially ginger tea. According to the packet, ginger has been traditionally used as a tonic for yang chi!   So I am feeling better, but perspectives on what happened and how it would be best to proceed would be appreciated!