Aetherous

Maybe zong qi.

An idea: If you do a no-method or no-mind meditation afterward for like 5-10 minutes, basically just resting without attention on anything in particular...letting go...then the 3 dan tend to line up and activate (versus the shen and attention going here and there, it is centered). To me that would be a better way of getting the qi back to the dantian...just relaxing! Also, the "resting" is a good way to close down the energy which has just been manipulated in some way...first unnatural (during practice) and then natural (during a time of rest): that's more balancing. Best would be if you just went to sleep. The whole point of a close-down is to have qi normalized when going out into the world, so you're not feeling weird things and potentially causing qi deviation. If a way doesn't work for that, then I too don't see the point of doing it (unless the teacher really knows what they're doing). If this "resting" works better than something like focusing on the lower dantian to achieve the normalization, then maybe this is a better way. Nothing wrong with being more natural and relaxed. Also...walking in a calm way is really beneficial. The lower dantian, if focused upon, tends to emit qi. If intentionally taking qi to that area for storage, then it has to be done gently and not for long. You kind of feel something there, then just forget about it. But yeah, I too don't find it effective for normalizing. Just some ideas from an amateur.

I use it pretty much every day and am happy. If I didn't use it, I'd have a bit more free time, but then again I'd feel less connected to some good people. It can also sometimes be a good source for links to cool or educational sites.

Why do you think it means she loses jing?

"Applied Channel Theory" can be somewhat good, and is one of the more pleasing books to read...although it is kind of biased toward one practitioner's opinions. "Ling Shu" chapter 10, although there isn't really a decent translation out there yet...it's the oldest source of what the meridians are and what they're about. "Manual of Acupuncture" by Deadman is decent.

Yes, it's very good to break free from the victim mindset, and start thinking of what you can do for the fulfillment that you (we all) desire. Victims view the world as something that happens to them, and are typically paralyzed by the immensity of it, but successful people view themselves as something that is about to happen to the world...they have desires and goals and get to work on meeting those goals to fulfill those desires. The desire to be of service is really good.

From what I understand, the problematic type of inflammation here actually decreases circulation, rather than increasing it, which is what causes the secondary hypoxic injury. Also, as you mentioned, the body has a self-healing or further-injury-preventing mechanism, of guarding the area. Is the body guarding the area good? In the sense that it's giving us a sign that we shouldn't bang that body part against any hard surfaces, or tear the muscles further or something, yes...that prevents further injury caused by us. So, the body is smart. But it also prolongs the healing process and increases the amount of tissue that's being damaged, due to stagnation or even blood stasis...so we can help prevent further injury and also decrease healing time, by icing. Yes I think you're right. There can be a time for every treatment...and a time not for it. There are a few different ways of thinking about "root" versus "branch" in Chinese medicine, which sometimes is the cause versus the signs and symptoms. In my view, there is the injury that happens which is one cause, and then the body's response which can be a cause of further injury. From a Sports Medicine perspective, icing is all about managing the body's response. It's not treating the symptom of warmth or swelling...from how I was trained, the sole purpose of icing is to prevent secondary hypoxic injury. A side effect is that it can be analgesic/relieve pain. Only professionally by smart people. Sometimes professionals are lazy with their education and work, so you might see people applying ice on all injuries. Regular non-professional people should also understand the right time and wrong time of icing. From a Sports Medicine perspective, I'd say that within 72 hours, apply for 20 minutes at a time, a few times per day. From a common sense perspective, I'd only apply it when the area appears really inflamed and feels hot...if we categorize that kind of presentation as "extreme yang" (to make up a term) then we could use "extreme yin" (ice) to balance it. But even within 72 hours, if the area isn't really hot, red, etc...then I don't think it'd be so good. And perhaps herbs are much better to use...for instance you can add blood movers in addition to cooling. Well it's true in a sense...pain is a sign that there's an injury or illness. So when the pain's gone, it seems like things are good...however, doing what you said they do, that's not good. People should work on what's causing the pain in effective ways, and then it will truly heal quickly. You definitely want blood flow in the area. The whole point of doing anything or doing nothing during the acute phase, is to prevent further tissue injury by decreased circulation. Inflammation doesn't mean increased circulation though...the word actually implies a pathological process. The tissues are 'inflamed'...not functioning well.

This thread is dedicated to any discussions of the group. ... In another thread, FraterUFA said: I asked (to be clear, I haven't been a member of BOTA prior to this):

Athletic Trainer now Chinese Medicine student here... I can definitely make a case for ice...the main reason it's used by professionals is that it prevents "secondary hypoxic injury", which is another way of saying that the inflammation from being injured will prevent optimal blood flow and cellular nutrition in the area, and will cause further tissue damage if left to heal on its own. You get injured, do nothing, and you get a greater injury which takes longer to heal than if you had iced. That's the idea. Does the research support it? From what I recall from years ago, yes mostly. That being said, I think it's possible for herbs to do what ice is supposed to do (here is one version although I think a more intelligently designed formula could be made), without the harmful aspect of it causing cold to enter the channels. Here's something to think about...in Chinese Medicine they use moxibustion, which when done in a dispersing fashion, is an intense heat. It is fire entering the channels. Why do they not consider that to be the external pathogenic factor of "heat"? They should. Why the bias against "cold" when used as a therapy? In some texts, such as the Zang Zhong Jing, it gives an indication for using ice to treat a patient (at least the translation I read seems to) when indicated. Perhaps throughout the years, Chinese Medicine was biased against cold therapy because of the Shang Han Lun (Cold Injury Treatise) being the primary classic text used...all about how cold is the pathogen that enters in a certain way and causes all diseases...at least the book seems to be about this when viewed superficially. My view: appropriate treatment is all about right patient at the right time getting what they need. Icing seems inappropriate when it causes the area to go all white and blue and freezing to the touch. But think about an acute injury that's red and heat is radiating off of it. You apply ice for 20 minutes (the typical time period suggested) and the area is still basically hot and red in a short period of time. This is within the first 72 hours of the injury, which is the appropriate time to use it for preventing secondary hypoxic injury...not necessary, and actually counter-productive, after this initial phase of healing. Or just go the topical herbs route, and do massage and light movements of the area. I think even topical herbs would be damaging, though, if they're not entirely needed...you don't want to "cool" an area of your skin unless it really needs it, whether through cold water/ice or "cold" herbs. Just because it comes from nature, or an "ancient" healing tradition, doesn't mean it's healing for every person. Anyway...all this being said, it's not the opinion of Chinese Medicine that ice is ever okay. Just mine. It was cool to read the originator of RICE saying what he did, but it's also a bit of an extreme view.

Here's something to think about...why don't people do spontaneous qigong when they sleep? Or when they meditate and let go of themselves? Such people are generally still, and if they move, it's not seen as a self-healing mechanism, but rather is seen as random firings of the mind and nervous system. Sometimes movements happen in those cases, such as a sudden jarring. Or if you're being natural, then you tend to go into a more natural position for you individually, which happens prior to sleep...but these things don't resemble what spontaneous qigong commonly looks like. To me, this shows that we have an intention that the body will move "spontaneously" or more accurately "in a way that seems to be out of our control"...then it happens. The intention that we want it to happen is causing it to happen...we hope that it will be a beneficial exercise for us, and that hope causes the delusion of apparently strange qigong movements to appear. In truth, we're causing it to happen subconsciously, and a barely aware part of us is controlling how the movements manifest the entire time. What are the results that this practice provides? If spontaneous movements were truly guided by a wise intelligence, such as our higher self, a spirit guide, or even the intelligence of the body...then the results from spontaneous qigong would be beneficial and quantifiable. Signs and symptoms of ill health would go from present to absent, and no new signs and symptoms would present themselves. But isn't the truth of spontaneous qigong the opposite in many cases? The best lesson to take from the word "spontaneous" seems to me to be "to be uncontrived/natural", rather than "to flail about as if being controlled by something else". To be natural is best...this doesn't mean weird movements happen because of the body's intelligence working itself out. The body already self-heals, as best that it can, without weird movements, naturally. It's natural for us to be in control of our body's actions, rather than to pretend that we aren't, while in truth, we're actually the ones causing weird movements with our intention.

In my opinion, spontaneous qigong follows the forms of energy flow that your body already knows. It's not truly "spontaneous" in the sense of the body doing exactly what is required and perfectly self-healing from the movements that come. Some will disagree but I think this is the truth. Some of the movements can at times be too much for the body, and cause negative reactions in the qi. Sometimes the movements can get stuck in a certain pattern, and you will keep doing the same thing over and over. The movements if extreme can cause microtears in the muscles, destroying your posture and throwing your skeleton out of alignment. People have said over the years that there is a danger in spontaneous qigong practice. I think it's because of this fact...that it's not truly spontaneous. You can test it out...do a certain simple form such as raising your arms in front and then lowering them for 5 minutes, and then go "spontaneous". Then after seeing what happens, do a simple form of twisting your torso side to side, and then go spontaneous. The movements change after each "form"...why? If the spontaneous qigong were exactly what you required, then the movements wouldn't change...but the truth is, those simple forms alter the way the energy is flowing, and the "spontaneous" movements are altered as a result. It's as if spontaneous qigong is just like a dam being opened. The water will flow wherever it most easily goes...perhaps there will be flooding and damaging crops and places where people live. Good forms are like digging pathways which allow the water to flow through them, and by doing so the crops and dwelling areas are kept safe. If you have done a lot of forms to ensure that the results of qi flow will be good, then perhaps doing some spontaneous qigong will follow the energy flows already created, and have a good result. For people who haven't cultivated in this way, perhaps their qi flows are starting off in a haphazard way, which when spontaneous qigong is added, will have a haphazard result. About Kunlun, in my opinion it's not a spontaneous qigong practice. It's a posture...and when done seated, the legs can shake which is part of the posture. If movements happen that are totally out of your control (although you could stop them), then it's spontaneous movements...but it's not the same as a "spontaneous qigong" where you allow the body to move how "it wants". There's a very distinct difference between the two things, but it's hard to understand. Basically: don't encourage movements but favor stillness. Just my view.

They're at most grocery stores in my town, thankfully.

Asian pears, to help moisten the Lung during this time of autumn dryness.

I don't know if someone has suggested this already... If you have ethical concerns about taking lives of animals, then you can simply set up a bucket with a ramp leading up to it...above the bucket hang a soda can with food on it, but positioned in such a way that the rats will fall into the bucket when trying to reach it. Then just take the bucket outside away from the house when you catch one.

That is bizzare...because research shows a correlation between youth marijuana use and mental illness, not the opposite.

There was this book which I'm too lazy/busy to look up at the moment, which summed up all of the studies up to that point...actually, having a little is healthier than having none.

Philosopher = lover of wisdom. What is wisdom?

Omniscience (literally knowing everything there is to know), which is the other kind of wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism (apart from discerning the true nature of phenomenon). At least this is a teaching according to Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche.

An easy way is to use a TENS unit. You can quickly see that it's pretty useless in terms of increasing your energy. You get more qi out of taking a single breath, or just standing upright for 5 minutes.

The Earth was previously round, but has now been made flat. Thanks Obama.

This poll is just to see who would be interested among this community of Taobums. If there is enough genuine interest, perhaps representatives of the school would be willing to travel to the United States. They have not said that they would yet...this is all just hypothetical. Thanks for giving your honest opinion! Here is a site that has a little bit of unofficial information about the school: http://www.all-dao.com/ And my apologies for not including people of countries other than the USA in this idea. If you think there are more people in another country (such as Canada for instance) who would attend, feel free to talk about that idea.

So far all it's been for me is qigong that is practical. They haven't displayed anything aside from teaching it well.

So, they might make an official announcement elsewhere on the site, and I didn't ask permission to say this or anything, but... They're doing an intensive seminar on Skype on the 24th and 25th...this upcoming weekend. It covers the complete Daogong, Shengong from Yu Xian Pai, and some other practices. To get caught up on Daogong for those who haven't taken any lessons (mandatory), it's $100 for a session on the 24th. Then the intensive is on the 25th, for $200 and approximately 6 hours. You can contact them here. Just thought I'd throw this out there, since it was mentioned that it's open to people who haven't trained before. My personal experience of Daogong is positive...good qigong exercises. It's unique compared to pretty much everything else I've seen, and is taught well in my opinion.

This could make for a really interesting story.