Mal

Mmmmm, that's what I'm worrying about. The Chi Gungs I do are all basically. Breath in, press the air down into the Dan Tien, Tai Gong (spelling probably wrong, basically contract the anus) and the "Air" flows to fingertips. This breathing is co-ordinated with various arm movements. You don't "visualise" energy as such, but you can feel it move after a few months of practice. Sifu tends to talk about "air" e.g. "even though we know you can only breath into the lungs, you breath into the dan tien. The Air will go wherever you mind directs it." Not trying to be cryptic, they are hard to explain in text. Better example (perhaps), Breath out arms in front of the body 45 deg upwards, palm down. Breath in as the arms go out and down the sides and the belly, then palm up and up to the chest (a circular scooping motion) Palms face down, Air is pressed into the dan tien as the hands move down. (tight belly) Tai Gong and the arms shoot forward and down at 45deg, energy out to the fingertips. Mal

Thanks Max, Apart for all of Cam's efforts it was your post about stilness meditation that got me really intrested in this. I have been having trouble getting past 30 min in siting meditation. How do you feel about the part in the book where it states something like - once you have tried the practice for 2 weeks if you enjoy it and want to go deeper you should stop all other energy work? I worry about my Chi Gungs that I do for Kung Fu, the 5 tibetans, and Tai Chi perhaps being incompatable.

Exactly, I know of the book never actually got my hands on it. I love old works but I find the language very complex and time consuming to "decode" Like you said then you actually have to get out there and actually follow the instructions. I'm not good at that part. Anyhow after 3 years I'm glad that it has been worthwile, hope you find someone else who "has had a go"

Thanks Taomeow & nightwatchdog. I have a much better understainding or why my Sifu talks about this the way he does. It's the southern style, Chow Gar (short pause to actually check the name!) Dong Gong Chow Gar Tong Long Shaolin Wushu Sifu Ben Sue, in Townsville in my teacher and my SiGung Henry Sue is in Brisbane. There are other Tong Long schools here (well not in Townsville) Various historical frictions exist between these Australian schools, but I have never had any problems with anyone personally, not into who do what when etc Do you do Tong Long as well?

Hope you have / had a good 1

Oh, my cheap occult background is showing through I thought body of light was a ghost that could interact physically with the world, like an actual body to walk around in after death. And yes its a wanting for the human condition, I enjoy being what I am now, my life is cool fun. But don't worry, I don't want it to be like this forever

I've actually got one of them coming in the post at the moment. I'll be blaming Smile if I don't have and fun, it was his link.

I might just keep that memory quote for another thread I'm thinking about starting next month Totally agree with "tired of being tired" I love combat conditioning, best FAST fitness I have ever seen. But it's just too hard to make yourself do those killer workouts day after day after day. The Flow fit sounds very interesting, right price too! Look forward to hearing how you enjoy that, especially as you like John Peterson. T5T is just growing on me nicely. I takes me a while to get a daily practice going (took 8mts before kung fu clicked) but I just keep coming back to give T5T another go. The spin is unique, makes me feel like a kid again and I like the way my body feels when I practice T5T. It seems to fix up my posture and helps with aches and pains. A few weeks ago I thought to myself "so this is why people do yoga" as I noticed after 2 mts of daily practice none of the exercises are strenuous anymore.

Does the time taken for your Tai Chi change when you practice at work? Mine is very steady at home, currently 21min (133 Yang long form) but is between 17 and 21 when practiced at lunchtime at work, Depends on how relaxed I am, stressfull day = fast Tai Chi When I started Tai Chi my form took 13 to 15 min btw, unusually long post someone steal you log in?

An experience..................... cool Was / are they worth the effort? Happy with the results? Looking for more advanced or continuing the same practice?

I was always a bit........ well ....... scared by this "body of light" idea. The idea attracts me a LOT. I would LOVE to be here for a long long long time (but not forever) and I would love to have a body that could still interact with this world after I "die" But it sort of seemed a bit like being a hungry ghost too....

Keep doing that and keep feeling lost and confused Seriously it's a good thing! The Tao is confusing and breathing is so important. Best advice on starting..............Pick a meditation that you like and PRACTICE it. A most useful resource http://www.alchemicaltaoism.com/ p.s. yes good to see another Downunder Daoist

Getting out of my depth, but I think it's a different approach. The Chi Gungs I know for Tong Long manipulate the heart via controling the breathing, all of them are quite strenuous. It feels like you have had a workout when you finish and my pulse is up where it is when I jog (65% ~70% Max heart rate) & lots of sweating. Cardio (i.e. running) moves the body so much that heart has to to "catch up" and then the lungs try to "catch up" The breathless feeling seems to be the "bad thing" about cardio from a Chi Gung perspective. Perhaps cardio like Walking and Jogging (no breathlessness) would be better? I once read of a Chi Gung way of running on "one breath" Running seem to be the cardio that my sifu does not like. Many of us are fat, I still am after losing 30kg. But he just tells us to "stop eating so much" Our weight is not the thing holding back our kung fu and he really doesn't put any emphasis on being "fit" but really encorages us do Tai Chi to "Build up what Tong Long breaks down"

Mmmmmmm. It's possible to be "fat" and still have better health than someone "skinny" But I'm nitpicking and had to cut out your disease bit for the quote to work That's a very good way to put it.

Well my Sifu is a Christian but the way he explains it. Chi gungs get the heart going, refresh the blood and build up your energy. \ Going for a run breaks down your energy and your heart races to catch up with your body. He is not a fan of cardio, but then he is skiny and does not need to lose weight Are people that do a lot of chi gungs healthy vs people who do a lot of cardio? Being fit is not the same as being healthy.

haha. hahahahahahahha ........... I feel Bliss You can do it if you really WANT to

Cool. IMO checking out the senior students is a great way to see the "results" of a system, thats the "trick" I use for martial arts schools. Also very impressed with the way Mantra responds to critical posts.

I am, 16 years. The "where are all girls gone" reference was more along the lines of "the boys are talking about retention again and the Female 'bums have left us to our own devices"

I had a long post that deleted itself when I though I had pressed send. I'll take that as a "sign" But I like to hear all the different views. Discussion is good and everyone is being polite.

Nothing wrong with that at all IMO I think age is important too. Personally I have been told retention is "the thing to do" since I was 18, it's only at 33 that is has become something I WANT to do, perhaps I'd say don't worry, I'm sure you will get benefits from meditation without retention. Just like I'm sure retention would be harmful to meditation if was frustrating / annoying / make you angry ect ect......... But people better than me say that retention is important............ I'm starting to believe them But Life is long, plenty of time to get things right, be happy p.s. where have all the girls gone

That's so beautiful, it made me cry. That's a good thing Nothing to add LDiR except my congratulations and best wishes for the future for the 2 of you.

Hi Japhy, Speaking of doing and not doing things. Were you doing t5t and combat conditioning at one stage? (can't quite remember) I gave away the combat conditioning, to strenious for me, I only do them now and again. T5T is becoming a daily thing for me, been trying them on and off this year, currently daily for about 2 months now.