Why so difficult to experiencing qi

[exorcist_1699]

Capable of initiating qi from the bottom of your body is the first step towards eternity, however, to most of the people, even minor feeling of the existence of it seems unlikely . There are many reasons for it , part of the factors we have to consider are as follows:

 

1) Gender : male will be easier; after all, we are talking about a crusade which definitely needs independent mind and fearless spirit. Technically speaking , "slashing the red dragon " is not difficult , but who gets such a resolve?

 

2) Your age: age around 30-40 is the best period; if you are too young to meet it , then you may not have a serious attitude towards it ; if you are too old, then it is always difficult...

 

3)Single or married : If you are single , it will be much easier.

 

4) The social and cultural context in which you were born .Needless to say it is very important; all methods , experiences , secret keys are linked with it

Edited February 13, 2008 by exorcist_1699

[Fire Dragon]

[Chanwu]

Capable of initiating qi from the bottom of your body is the first step towards eternity, however, to most of the people, even minor feeling of the existence of it seems unlikely . There are many reasons for it , part of the factors we have to consider are as follows:

 

1) Gender : male will be easier; after all, we are talking about a crusade which definitely needs independent mind and fearless spirit. Technically speaking , "cutting the red dragon " is not difficult , but who gets such a resolve?

 

2) Your age: age around 30-40 is the best period; if you are too young to meet it , then you may not have a serious attitude towards it ; if you are too old, then it is always difficult...

 

3)Single or married : If you are single , it will be much easier.

 

4) The social and cultural context in which you were born .Needless to say it is very important; all methods , experiences , secret keys are linked with it

 

 

I don't like "rules" that make some feel disencouraged, they only do harm. I would rather say that this is purely about dedication and attitude. Nothing else matters. If you happily schedule time for meditation and you're dedicated to it, then you have all you need.

 

Gender doesn't matter, age doesn't matter - but too young and you probably don't have patience or will to meditate. Single or married - depends on dedication and what your marriage is based upon. The bigger factor is if you have kids, but even then your dedication can push you towards making deals with your mate to take care of the kids alone for the 40-60 minutes a day you meditate, perhaps in return you do the same thing. All you need is dedication. There's always a way to find time, if you have dedication.

 

The social and cultural context.... well yes but if you are dedicated and you have a positive attitude towards your meditation, then of course all is in your favor.

 

When people make rules that say "this and that is too hard" then it reinforces some people's sceptisim about their ability.

[mwight]

Qi is not hard to feel.

 

You must first be in a deep trance, and then do qi circulation exercises.

 

I highly recommend Robert Bruce's ebook

 

http://www.astraldynamics.com/download/NEW-V2.pdf

Edited February 12, 2008 by mwight

[steve]

My first clue was through reading Waysun Liao's book about the Taiji Classics.

In the beginning he advises using the imagination. It gradually becomes more and more accessible with practice. Chanwu's advice is very good.

[SFJane]

Capable of initiating qi from the bottom of your body is the first step towards eternity, however, to most of the people, even minor feeling of the existence of it seems unlikely . There are many reasons for it , part of the factors we have to consider are as follows:

 

There is some truth to that though. I don't believe it has anything to do with anything. In my opinion sensitivity to chi is almost entirely biological. People who can sense their chi at an early age pay more attention to it tend to be drawn towards disciplines and behaviors that naturally or deliberately increase their own abilities. Even when they have no name for it.

 

One of my girlfriends who has no training at all in any energy disciplines like yoga or chi gung can easily feel me when I manipulate her chi. She has no vocabulary to describe it but I can even sense her sensing my chi and hers. She is an artist and physical therapist.

 

My brother on the other hand, intellectually understands it and believes in chi. He uses energy visualizations and the like. He can not sense my chi or his own at all. No matter how I much juice I pour in he feels nothing. He is totally disconnected from his body energetically. He is a mechanical engineer

 

 

1) Gender : male will be easier; after all, we are talking about a crusade which definitely needs independent mind and fearless spirit. Technically speaking , "cutting the red dragon " is not difficult , but who gets such a resolve?

 

Fearless spirit? resolve eh? care to get pregnant, carry for 9 months and give birth? As for cutting the red dragon. We know a whole lot more about biochemistry and women's bodies are not quite the mystery they have been for most of history. Suffice it to say, the way out of that nonsense is to deliberately map out and control your energy on your own.

 

I have never quite understood how the guys think they are supremely advantaged because of being able to cycle the jing from sperm and use it to raise energy. That is a male energy and it is yang upon yang,

 

Shucks darn girls we got screwed over. We can never achieve the vaunted levels of the cultivating male.

 

Yea right.

 

You really think the universe did not supply us with a means? In Taoism especially you must be aware of the power of opposites. We have yin within yin. It should bother you guys that it is not glaringly obvious the advantages women have over men in terms of cultivation. The universe saw fit to give us unlucky enough to running on estrogen another avenue to the same goal.

 

Let me try to put it like this. There is a power in us that is the basest form of yin. A small black hole in the center of our being drawing in and sensing energy at every level. It is ultimate yin. In martial arts terms, it is the power of drawing to oneself, of closing and draining and most especially, absorbing. as in breathing absorbing techniques.

 

If you give yourself over to falling inwards during the absorption phase of inhaling you can fall inward eternally effortlessly. There is a power in us of ultimate surrender that is the opposite of ultimate effort. Go with your graces. Follow that sense of surrender until you utterly apprehend yourself on every level. It requires less effort and is the truest sense of letting go.

 

 

 

2) Your age: age around 30-40 is the best period; if you are too young to meet it , then you may not have a serious attitude towards it ; if you are too old, then it is always difficult...

 

I am now enjoying in my 30s, the fruits of my labor during my 20s. Desperation has a way of making you take ontology quite seriously.

 

3)Single or married : If you are single , it will be much easier.

 

Agreed. I stayed single for my entire 20s so I could devote myself to alchemy

 

 

4) The social and cultural context in which you were born .Needless to say it is very important; all methods , experiences , secret keys are linked with it

 

There is not much secret about something sitting in plain sight waiting for you to take notice of it.

 

 

 

Qi is not hard to feel.

 

You must first be in a deep trance,

 

 

no you don't. not to sound peckish but that is total nonsense.

 

do standing chi gung, post standing, embracing the tree, whatever, as awake and aware as possible, no trancing out. Stay absolutely present and you will easily sense your chi

Edited February 12, 2008 by SFJane

[mwight]

Sorry should have clarified trance is not necessary to feel qi, but it amplifies your ability to feel it. I recommend people who can't feel it do trance work first.

 

 

 

 

 

I think women are more inclined to energy work, and can feel qi flows more easily than men. However men in general have stronger will to stick with things, more passion, and sheer determination. It's more of a tortoise and hair type thing.

 

If a woman put her mind to it she could easily surpass a man in cultivation. Women are more in tune with yin, and have access to an unlimited supply of yang energy. If I could be reborn and keep my knowledge of this life I would choose to be a woman. Not because I am gay but because of the advantages they have in cultivation.

Edited February 12, 2008 by mwight

[SFJane]

Edited February 12, 2008 by SFJane

[gendao]

I think women are more inclined to energy work, and can feel qi flows more easily than men. However men in general have stronger will to stick with things, more passion, and sheer determination. It's more of a tortoise and hair type thing.

 

If a woman put her mind to it she could easily surpass a man in cultivation. Women are more in tune with yin, and have access to an unlimited supply of yang energy. If I could be reborn and keep my knowledge of this life I would choose to be a woman. Not because I am gay but because of the advantages they have in cultivation.

Yea, women are generally far more accustomed at feeling - which is a huge key to the energetic arts.

 

OTOH, they also tend to be more ADD (multi-tasking) and have more trouble emptying their minds. Whereas men are better at focusing and thoughtlessness.

 

So, each has its own advantages & challenges. And both have to combine the best of both worlds to make it.

[mwight]

 

Whereas men are better at focusing and thoughtlessness.

 

 

 

 

men better at being thoughtless? hahah so true

[Chanwu]

Chi is very easy to feel for me in a fully awakened state without meditation or anything... sometimes it takes a bit of relaxing and deep breathing but it's not a big deal.

 

Usually putting the tips of my thumb and index finger together and the other fingers together too I can much more easily get the flow going somehow.

 

I believe that all that stands in people's way of feeling it is confidence that they don't need special powers to feel it.

Edited February 12, 2008 by Chanwu

[exorcist_1699]

1) Please do not mix up ordinary/"posterior" qi arising from your abdomen / flowing in your channels with meta/a priori qi. I think some of the people here do mess it up.

 

2) I do not want to discourage anyone who pratice taoist exercises ,but please distinguish the following:

 

-People who practice qigong/taoist exercise as some kind of sports or healing for an illness .For this group of people , polishing ordinary qi is enough provided that they do it in a correct way. Of course, severe disease like Cancer is another story .

 

-There is a small group of people whose life are always full of sufferings or who anyhow always sense the ontological crisis underlying their life and want to solve it fundamentally .Of course, I mainly face and talk with this group of people as I mentioned " eternity" right from the beginning .

Edited February 13, 2008 by exorcist_1699

[mwight]

1) Please do not mix up ordinary/"posterior" qi arising from your abdomen / flowing in your channels with meta/a priori qi. I think some of the people here do mess it up.

 

2) I do not want to discourage anyone who pratice taoist exercises ,but please distinguish the following:

 

-People who practice qigong/taoist exercise as some kind of sports or healing for an illness .For this group of people , polishing ordinary qi is enough provided that they do it in a correct way. Of course, severe disease like Cancer is another story .

 

-There is a small group of people whose life are always full of sufferings or who anyhow always sense the ontological crisis underlying their life and want to solve it fundamentally .Of course, I mainly face and talk with this group of people as I mentioned " eternity" right from the beginning .

 

 

Would you elaborate on the differences between ordinary and meta qi, how they feel different?

[exorcist_1699]

Some people can initiate "ordinary" qi by concentrating their mind slightly on certain part of their abdomens ( in case of female : the middle part of their chest )for a while .It arises and runs inside our body .Many not so serious diseases can be cured by just applying this kind of qi.

 

"Meta" / a priori qi comes from the state of mindlessness/ emptiness in which the border between our body and outside world breaks down. Emptiness is a delicate process having many layers and levels. "A priori" qi comes from outside. Our body is just a medium.

 

Besides disease like mental disorder , " A priori" qi is nearly an omnipotent dose of medicine against any disease , including aging.

Edited February 13, 2008 by exorcist_1699

[Hern Heng]

Women and non-aggressive men have the easiest time feeling qi first. Do standing meditation daily for a few months and you should start to feel it. Continue this regularly and you should have no problem.

[dao zhen]

I have heard from one of my teachers that artists and quiet and shy people will generally be able to feel Qi very clearly and quickly, while those who have spent many years doing hard physcial work such as manual labor may take a longer time to feel Qi.

 

It also is important to have a proper method of practice, as this helps to gain development.

 

But everyone is different and all will have unique individual experiences.

 

He continued to say that also out of 100 people taught, perhaps 5 or so may never feel any sensation of Qi at all - but they will gain the health benifit from the practice.

 

I think the feeling of Qi should not be any concern or the focus of the practice.

 

Generally be concerned with gaining a quiet and still mind, and a broad and peaceful heart.

 

We may think of it in this way.......

 

Heart-Mind = Innate Nature

 

Corporeal Body = Life Force

 

The entire course of practice and development can be simply thought of as embodying the one aim to unify our Innate Nature with our Life Force.　

 

Qi is the active agent through which this combination and unification occurs.

[hagar]

Let's use this analogy:

 

When you stand by a river and look for fish in the water, its often very difficult to spot the fish. But after you have located where the fish swims, its easy.

 

When the true Qi arises, you feel like you have returned home. No need for doing anything more.

Like when you drink a good wine, you want to keep tasting before you swallow.

 

Before you have experienced true qi, you think it is a myth. Then again, it is not about "feeling qi". It's more like taking a sauna.

 

h

[Hern Heng]

Dao Zhen, yes, this has been what i've seen too. Most of the aggressive, "physical" types (of any variety, "jocks" or even avid external martial artists), often take the longest to feel their qi. A good artist is using full body movements and expressions of qi when they paint, draw or whatever. There is no technique to master, techniques are used to express the qi. These sorts merely need to be told how to look for the qi (or that it is there to look for), and then how to retain and build qi.

 

The Laozi says to be a like a newborn, like a woman, like water, like unhewn wood. All of these things are yin, to be acted upon and to "re"act in a passive manner that over comes the aggressor (e.g. newborns survive plane crashes while all others die, women defeat men in bed, water carves out canyons, wood is carved into masterpieces by yang tools that are blunt, ugly and express nothing but utility).

 

Jesus said the man must be like the woman and the woman must be like the man.

 

Just some food for thought.

[Starjumper]

Capable of initiating qi from the bottom of your body is the first step towards eternity, however, to most of the people, even minor feeling of the existence of it seems unlikely . There are many reasons for it , part of the factors we have to consider are as follows:

 

1) Gender : male will be easier; after all, we are talking about a crusade which definitely needs independent mind and fearless spirit. Technically speaking , "slashing the red dragon " is not difficult , but who gets such a resolve?

 

2) Your age: age around 30-40 is the best period; if you are too young to meet it , then you may not have a serious attitude towards it ; if you are too old, then it is always difficult...

 

3)Single or married : If you are single , it will be much easier.

 

4) The social and cultural context in which you were born .Needless to say it is very important; all methods , experiences , secret keys are linked with it

 

 

Every single thing about this is wrong wrong wrong, amazing!

 

Women and non-aggressive men have the easiest time feeling qi first. Do standing meditation daily for a few months and you should start to feel it. Continue this regularly and you should have no problem.

 

Women feel chi more easily because they have softer muscles, also men who do not do hard physical work or exercises have an easier time of it for the same reason. Hard muscles have more tension and tension blocks energy and sensation of it.

 

I have heard from one of my teachers that artists and quiet and shy people will generally be able to feel Qi very clearly and quickly, while those who have spent many years doing hard physcial work such as manual labor may take a longer time to feel Qi.

Edited February 14, 2008 by Starjumper7

[Gerard]

Do ZZ and you'll see how quick you feel the life force

 

Clean and balanced diet, good air and a healthy and balanced lifestyle are also to be taken into account.

[Guest allan]

[exorcist_1699]

Of course , without having the "Magic Gateway " opened to you , " a priori " qi is always difficult to understand . And, without having the " a priori " qi fully grasped in hands, life and death issue will anyway remain undecided .

Edited February 18, 2008 by exorcist_1699