Which Qi Gong system is best?

[sshubh]

Namaste to All!

 

I'd ask my question that primarily prompted me to join you experts in this forum: i've been practising yoga and breathing for quite some time but recently i started qi gong - the shibashi form as on taichi18.com. I have already felt amazingly fast benefits in terms of energy level and depth in meditation.

 

This makes me try to find the best qi gong exercises which will give even more benefits.

If you have any ideas on the qi gong exercises that you have tried or known otherwise, i'd love to hear from you! If a comparison can be provided with shibashi, that would be great.

 

Also, if anyone has tried http://www.chifusion.com/ (from Al Simon, cost $297) or 'chipowersecrets bllueprint' from Al Perhacs called (i am not pasting actual link to avoid being sounded as advert; a simple google will get the right page), please share your feedback.

 

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

-sshubh

[RiverSnake]

1, Stillness Movement 

2. Spring Forest Qigong 

3. Flying Phoenix Qigong 

4. Yigong by Jenny Lamb 

 

and many many more, here's a sample exercise from Spring Forest:  

 

Edited July 10, 2016 by OldChi

[Aeran]

The above list is a good one, I've heard nothing but good about all of those systems, and can vouch myself for how great the Flying Phoenix system is.

[silent thunder]

I'd say it's the one you love and play everyday.

[thelerner]

I'd say it's the one you love and play everyday.

I agree.  It also nice to get beyond videos and take a live class in the subtleties, physical and spiritual of a form. 

A good form is like an old friend. 

[silent thunder]

Yea, I have grown to really appreciate the dynamic of group energy work.  It's another dimension entirely.  Though my teacher is semi-retired and seldom visits the States these days, so my options for group work in my chosen form has temporarily dried up... but I find that working with trees provides a similar energetic loop response in a similar way to group work and is a nice offset to constant solo work.

 

And yea, sshubh, if you've only done the video/solo thing, you're in for a really awesome experience when you go and practice live with a teacher and some other like minded folks. 

[Rakiel]

1, Stillness Movement 

2. Spring Forest Qigong 

3. Flying Phoenix Qigong 

4. Yigong by Jenny Lamb

Can any of these be done together, or do you recommend sticking to just one of these? I am asking because I was interested in adding another system in to my daily mix (I currently do SFQ) so that I would have a little more variety

[RiverSnake]

 

 

 but I find that working with trees provides a similar energetic loop response in a similar way to group work and is a nice offset to constant solo work.

I love trees. 

[Brian]

Can any of these be done together, or do you recommend sticking to just one of these? I am asking because I was interested in adding another system in to my daily mix (I currently do SFQ) so that I would have a little more variety

How long have you been practicing SFQ on a daily basis?

 

EDIT: FWIW, I practice Stillness-Movement and highly recommend it but have heard nothing but good things about SFQ.

Edited July 11, 2016 by Brian

[Aetherous]

Whatever works best for you.

Many styles of qigong are designed to make people feel qi. However, feeling qi is not necessarily skillful use of qi.

What is better...going for a hike through the woods, or practicing something which causes weird sensations but you get no exercise? In truth, the one that includes physical exercise is much better for us.

[JohnC]

I THINK stillness movement and spring forest qigong have similar roots.

Stillness movement eventually opens up the MCO, and the MCO is the main focus of SFQ.

 

Back when Yi gong was my main practice, I would practice SFQ in the morning and the at night before yi gong. They felt completely compatible and I developed some realization doing it.

 

Likewise I think Zhan Zhuang is an awesome complimentary practice, and compatible with EVERY system.

 

John

[sshubh]

Thanks oldchi, silentthunder and others for replying!

I looked online at stillness movement and sfq.

I also came across this page of warning: http://www.dangerofchi.org/mystory.htm

In this page, the practitioner relates his experience of negative entities taking control of him while he was seemingly doing some energy practices. Here is an excerpt:

===

But certainly my case was unlike most of the others the Sheikh was dealing with because I had directly invoked these creatures and inadvertently sought their assistance via (i)My instructor channelling the energy into me (ii)Capturing chi from outside my body (iii) Going into deep meditative trances allowing the chi to take control of my body like I was in an intoxicated state taking on the characteristics of animals see Wu Qin Xi five animal frolics (iv) Through various chants and (v) Performance of certain forms/kata with acts of magic embedded with in without even knowing it. What is also most disturbing is that the practise of my art involved the accumulation of these jinns inside me or as my instructor would say the cultivation of chi which could take many years to achieve, which is why they often say that to practise the external arts could take a few years but to practise the internal art a decade i.e. the more chi I had the more adept at the internal arts I became. Most instances of possession only involve a hand full of jinns, however internal arts by definition require the individual to store up or hoard their chi. That is why practising such systems can be so fatal to the practionar and act of exorcism can be considerably longer than otherwise.

===

 

To me, few things in stillness movement look similar to the points in the above text.

 

Please share if you also have come across any such instances. And while taking up any practice, what things do i need to consider so that it doesn't end up harming me?

 

Thanks,

sshubh

[RiverSnake]

IME, the calling of spirits into your body has nothing at all to do with Qigong, its a completely different kind of practice. Qigong is supposed to support your health, if it makes you sick or causes death then either you were doing it wrong or it is a terribly imbalanced/stupid system of Qigong. 

[Brian]

There's a fourth "camp" a reader of that "story" could fall into...

[steve]

Best is a flawed concept

The question is which is best for you?

Tough for strangers to answer that.

[sshubh]

Agreed that the question is 'which is best for me' but i believe others' experiences can help me find the answer (though an expert master sitting beside me would have been even better ). 

 

For example, if someone says they had a serious illness which was not improving by other qi gong systems but when they started a particular system, they got huge results, then i too would like to try that system after ascertaining as per my limited knowledge that there are not significant chances of harming myself in other aspect of life

 

Conversely, if someone says they became a better martial artist using one particular qi gong system, i might not want to choose that system just for this reason alone.

 

So though its true that nobody can give a 'this one is best' answer but i believe we can share our experiences of what we have found working best along different aspects of our lives and others can learn something from those experiences and decide whether it would make sense to adopt that system for themselves. 

 

thanks everyone...

[lifeforce]

Best is a flawed concept

The question is which is best for you?

Tough for strangers to answer that.

Totally agree with this. Try a few, pick one, and practice it diligently, every single day for a number of years. Make it your own.

This will be the 'best'.

[lifeforce]

May I also add that Xing Yi Nei Gong is my system of choice. I resonated with it immediately and made it 'my own'