Thrice Daily

Ip Man, via Sifu Kwok, I was lucky to spend time with him before he was more famous back in 2000’s when I did a lot more Qigong, I lived quite close by. His quality lesson to lesson changed a lot, I think because of his travelling and continuous training, it was very vibrant and terrific then. id have loved to train with him when he was even younger though. My kungfu brother knew him 10 - 15 years before me. And got to spend a lot more time with him. I found the system a bit too mechanical and ridged then if I’m honest, but you plant the seeds and they grow if you water them, Sifu energy was very interesting. It was a privilege and honour to train with him back then. I

I can’t speak for others , I can share my own take on how it works though. These are just my beliefs. I imagine myself freed of darkness, filled with light, travelling through the earth, the mud, stones, rocks, granite, dark caverns, minerals, crystals, rubies emeralds sapphires diamonds. Until I get to the earths core. I imagine myself in the centre and then make my way back through the layers. I ask the earth to keep me safe, especially my heart. And whatever happens in my practice the earth energies will keep me safe and I can quickly return deeply at any time. once this is done I imagine a bow pulling an arrow down to the earth centre and firing it into the heart of love, infinite love infinite grace. I ask that place the source of all creation, God. If it can fill me up and if there is more that I can use it for the greater good and I ask for guidance. But I also ask specifically, please down let me reach higher that how deeply my roots go down. Then I am ready to begin… Personally I will use the symbols but not so much to protect the room as to charge it up. I do ask for protection and personally speaking Arch Angel Micheal is who I call on. It was advice given to me and has not let me down. So yeah for me it’s about connecting with God. I hear that Dr Usui was staying with a Christian Family and there was a picture of Jesus on the staircase , when he would walk downstairs he would see the picture of Jesus with his hands together in healing prayer, with energy emanating from them. I always liked this story , that he may have been inspired by Jesus. Either way that’s how I perceive Reiki Oh another thing. I recently started to pray. I still use grounding practices first. I find prayer to be very powerful and don’t know how people do it deeply without earthing energy first. For me it doesn’t feel good for the heart. my grand parents prayed a lot, both died of heart problems. Not for me, I stay very grounded and no matter what happens, I am safe. One more thing, I don’t intend to help others unless I’m filled up first, even then I’m a bit tentative, still if that is what’s happening I’m good with that. There are many lost souls in this world committing such terrible acts and hardening their hearts. Hopefully more of us can reach out to them and show them a better way. For me this is what Reiki is for… Just my opinions. I’d love to hear to the contrary. Please share your opinions.

What’s your take on Kua numbers Taoist Text? Do you think they are useful as a calculation (for 4 auspicious 4 inauspicious directions generally). I used them for years, and carried a compass to always be aware of which direction I was facing. It was pretty easy and I wasn’t obsessive about it. It just became a habit. I felt like there may be a placebo aspect to it, didn’t mind though. It seems empowering and helpful as a practice to this day, to face 4 for specific purposes or insights. Also do you know of good nine flying star resource? I think it’s called that. I had access to it on a computer and lost it. Each year had an element with it. Do you know about it?

It’s hard to specialise though Shadow_Self when you’re a Jack of all trades. (I enjoy reading your comments by the way, Thankyou for sharing for us all) I get where ChiDragon is coming from though, a bit at least. Personally I prefer to be an all rounder . I don’t get too deep in any area and maybe not that proficient either, but prefer the balance. Health/Structural, Martial, Sexual, Religeous, Maybe ChiDragon just wants Martial. For me you can listen with mind to Head, Heart or Gut. In my experience, in the real world, gut is always better. Heart and Head causes more trouble. ChiDragon, what’s your take on the three treasures? in this case I mean chi jing and shen

Vectors of power or Faijin? Same? different? or inbetween?

That doesn’t sound like WC Sil lim Tao , the seeds of wing chun. It really is simple to memorise, learn and a great companion for life. it is nice relaxed, or if you practicing often can make it really dynamic and powerful strength building exercise, especially the three prayers to Buddha, this is like dynamic static strength if you want it. Great stuff You can break first form up and create many drills from it. (Can I ask if any of you have some short Buddhist literature on first form I’d love to see it again, I had it and lost it. It was apparently written by a monk, and starts with the visualisation of a ball of blue light forming and growing at the elbow, that’s before the three prayers to Buddha section …, the instructions were interesting) Chi Sau though is great too?, did you try it, and it’s precursor Dan Chi?

Likewise it's a pleasure reading your responses, can I ask about your taiji, What are you working on at the moment?

Thankyou, but for me martial arts start with intent, and much of that is cultivated with the heart. Can you dig it? physically speaking though I totally get what you're saying and appreciate the comment. I should keep the reverse breathing in mind more than I currently do. ChiDragon do you focus at all on middle and upper, What do they mean to you? If anything? in I'm still feeling out how the three treasures articulate in the centres. and day to day sensation is so different, it's hard to pin point what's happening... More intensity and strength is my best measure stick to good progress really. what do you consider progress?

I've been enjoying reading this topic. It would be nice to see it continue. Specifically I'd like to ask you who written Wang Mu and where is it best to read an English translation of it? All from the stars and all back to the stars. Every fibre of our being balancing to death like threads made the old way... Back to the light where it came from. Connect to it on this cool clump of earth, and like water collecting on a metal mirror, just be...

I see now Taoist Texts, I've started reading the texts, I see the amorphous nature of the translations. Down the rabbit hole I go...

What is Neidan? How do people practice it? How do you practice it? How would you describe it? There was a recent post about Neidan, the topic was closed though and after reading a few pages nobody had defined it . I'd love to read your views/teachers views...

Incredible thankyou. I've just read through the Cantong Qi. As I've fumbled around over the years with practices in movement and stillness it made me smile. I had heard of Wei Boyang and read quotes from him , not full texts though. In fact this is the first one I read so thanks again Apech. I will take a look at Wang Mu, again I recognise the authors name. I have been looking into Taoist masters recently buyer only just starting to read translations of their work Nice one 👍

Great, that makes sense thankyou. I started with Hatha yoga by Sivananda before finding Taoism. The energy would shoot up and our the head as you say. I didn't know what to do with it and had no idea of conception channel to bring it down... The Dan tiens are still a mystery to me although I have experiences. It's incredible to me how consciousness operates... What are your experiences with middle Dan tien and upper Dan tien. Do you have any insights that you would share?

What would be typical mental processes occuring, would you experience colors, sounds, people, places, would your practice involve guidance, visions, etc. I'm interested? That makes sense, naturalness and none action. Perhaps also virtue too, does that help you in practice? That I relate to. And this, do you feel like your attention has portions of its awareness in other spaces too? None physical aspects of chi, how are they experienced, outside of time and space? Can you describe? Is there a quote from them that they wouldn't mind you sharing? No problem, I am just tiptoeing in And do not really want to share too much or ask too much. Still though I'm very interested in others experiences and generally seek to learn more to develop my perspective more than my practice, although for me the two go hand in hand..

What would be an example of a specific process for you? What would be an example of a universal process?

Now I'm intrigued. Are you 100% certain imagination never gets involved. Sometimes the horse runs away with the cart no? I'm intrigued, i'd like to hear about your mental processes in practice with Dan Tien? It would be interesting to read , perhaps too subjective to gather from, perhaps not though. Generally speaking there is always something to learn. Do you do much rooting grounding practices to keep yourself stable in these experiences? I ask this as for me it's not always clear cut with sensation of energy inside the body. Quite often there is more to contend with. Teachers help to stabilise experiences for sure, it is not always clear cut though. I've been lucky to have been practicing a lot of daily qigong when I was in the presence of my martial arts teachers so was receptive. Their Chi was strong and I could feel a sense of the nature of it. I have had a great respect for my teachers in the past just as I have today. Do you have specific Neidan teacher? I do not. It's on point your comment about teachers , that I should write about it today. Yesterday I had some experiences relating to lineage connections, the quality of which took me by suprise. There is much power in respect for your teacher. And standing up for them when the time is right.

Alchemy is not fictional, is it? Following instructions of sorts without contention can be way hard. And harder still not to interupt when you witness qualities or processes of Dan tien in any given moment. You look with suprise, shock or awe and it's probably changed the sight of the Dan tien.. maybe the experience vanished in the next moment, maybe not. But how hard is it to completely step out of the way of ego?, for any period of time. So hard not to grasp at experiences, and truly go with The flow (if that is even really happening?) The Dan Tien to me is like powerful horses and carraige, with rider companions, bodyguards. And a whole collection of secret contents inside the carraige, like special guests I welcome them. The Dan Tiens are all these things and more.

I'm surprised to read that from ChiDragon. Are you allowing an element of doubt to remain to possibly account for the power of imagination in your practices?

Nice one Lukks. It's a pretty good video. He made some excellent points for beginners and die hard purists. I've been in that place of relying on internal arts only getting stronger at first and then weaker. Looking at resistance work as inferior and not complimentary. It's a dangerous attitude ing term for strength and overall health. It is for my type anyway. What I really interested in is people's experiences and routines in compliment to other internal training. Or even external martial arts and weight training as adjunct. Hope other people answer. I think because I posted on in the health section less people see it Maybe I'll ask again in general duscussion. Thanks though Lukks, I like this chap in the video. He seems like a well grounded chap.

Interesting, and makes a great deal of sense thankyou.

I’d love to know more about the dental situation. I had two back teeth taken out on the top by a lazy dentist some 10 years ago. She was more interested in the holiday the next day than my teeth. My teeth look ok at the front. I’ve had a few out at sides and back though so my smile tends to be wry I enjoyed the tail end of the race scene in the 90’s and early 2000’s but my teeth did not. Anyway getting off topic. Do you know anything specific about missing back teeth at the top and this interfering with neck? If you know more I’d love to know.Thankyou

Yes when you feel the time is right you will know, and booking into vippasana will be an unforgettable experience. I still remember the huge pot in the cold wintery morning there, filling it with jugs of boiling water then pouring the oats in as the hot water swirled round and round. Stirring pouring stirring pouring. And adding the other ingredients to the porridge very precisely . Never cooked such a big pot of oats. 100 or so people !!!! The cooking is so precise there, the measuring of rice and the spices for the dishes, it really is unforgettable sitting and serving there...

Remember reading somewhere that the mingmen is perfect point to focus on when moving. Like walking... It is better to focus on mingmen that LDT when moving. I think I also remember seeing that it can act as a collection point for all energies and is safe to receive then easily recycle if seemingly unhelpful etc.. I'm not sure where I read this , still I did it for years when our walking. I typically always chose to focus on this area, and it did feel like a collection point. Almost like a catcher sometimes. And always felt safe whatever was going on. I've always felt more grounded doing this... I'm certainly interested to try opening this area, does anyone have any more tips beside this 11 minute meditation (and taping coins to it to increase sensation sensitivity )

Very interesting. Here is some more food for thought. I remember once being told. We are setup in our visual system to focus on the horizon as level. Therefore if there are inconsistencies left or right anywhere from neck that tilts the head down on one side, The body will auto correct so we are still viewing the horizon as level. I'm otherwords, problems in the neck will have a knock on effect through the rest of the chain too. I know most people will know that, still I just wanted to share the reason behind it. As I was told... I love turtle and crane neck plus good spinal breathing . I must start doing again actually. I will do in tomorrow's practice time... Thanks Guys.