qin00b

I continued with level 2 another week (possibly 2) after that post. I did continue level 1 for another ~month. I also followed the recommendations in re: water, not practicing during lightning, etc. Maybe there were a couple days where I only practiced once instead of twice…. I found level 1 to be very helpful, even after stopping level 2. Unless you fit the short list of contraindications (http://www.qigongchinesehealth.com/fragrant_qigong), there's probably no reason not to do it. (although, I believe one of Master Tian's requirements is the belief that it will work). To be fair, with every qigong system I've tried that has more than one "level" or form, I've gotten through a gong with the first one, then fizzled shortly into the 2nd one. I am unsure why this is. After the Fragrant experience, I took almost two months off and have recently restarted practicing Tien Shan. I am quite enjoying it - much different experience than the first time around.

FWIW, he also notes that memories are still made, just not as easily accessed due to an increased focus on present moment experience. (edit: I believe it was that it takes effort to access such non-habituated memories, which such Finders would not want to expend, so they don't). I recall somewhere in one of the zuowang books, a story of a master who would come out of meditation forgetting how to do basic tasks. It was a fun story and I'll have to look it up again, but that may give some insight.

Based on your advice, I picked this up. I'd tried Maxalding, muscle control and some other isometric routines before, but didn't have much to show for it. Not sure why, but this book really helped. I've been doing the isotonic exercises and can really feel it. Thanks for the recommendation. Figure I'll give it a couple weeks and if it's still working, I might grab his contraption.

Not quite 10 days into practicing level 2 (do level 1 and then immediately into level 2). First few days were trying to get the coordination to move the hips and arms in the proper manner. Then, the standard feeling of being "just on the verge of sickness" which I find comes about a week into any new qigong form. The weird part is the last 3-4 practices, I've had no issues with level 1, but an incredible amount of back pain (just under shoulder blades) during level 2. So much so that I've nearly had to stop. Been practicing variations of stance, etc. to try to see if I can figure out what's happening. Will try practicing at a different time and see if I can get through this. On the plus side, I noticed when holding "three sages sitting in meditation" at the end (basically ZZ with the hands at lower dan tien) a sense of feeling the qi in a way I haven't since getting deep into practicing Tien Shan. That said, while practicing, I had a playlist of unfamiliar songs and just after my back pain started, the chorus of the song playing was, "take a break," so I think I'll consider this a message from beyond and come back to this in a couple weeks. The back pain is notable even during level 1 now, so in the interest of giving myself some time to heal, I'll give it a rest (probably move back to Tien Shan in the interim, at least some subset of level 1).

I used the resources in this thread (specifically the level 1 video in this post: Edit: not the old lady in the field…the daughters in front of the bridge video. Not sure why the link went to the other one ( but I also got the instructional (not the follow-along) video from Dolic. Dolic was very nice and answered a bunch of questions I asked him via email. that. Somewhere, there was also a pdf of the level 1 method that not only shows the techniques, but has an FAQ about the practice of the method (for example, there are some who say that visualization is never allowed in Fragrant, but it is under one specific circumstance….). I found that helpful as well. When learning only from a video, I use the method @Starjumper recommended in his Tien Shan vids - watch the video a couple times to get the motions down, then pretend that the video is like going to see your teacher - do the techniques daily on your own and then come back every now and then to "take a class" with the teacher and see what you need to work on.

Changes in health: Main thing I noticed was a respiratory issue that's been bothering me for years cleared up towards the home stretch of this _gong_. Couple other minor but persistent things cleared up as well. I think my eyesight changed a little as well (got better). Hadn't been sick despite the wife getting very ill a couple times since I started. Things specific to Fragrant: Spontaneous Fasting: this only happened once. I had to break the fast for social reasons, but probably could have kept going. Spontaneous Fragrances: only noticed these a couple times. Other: Vivid dreams. Hadn't had vivid or memorable dreams in years, but shortly after starting to do Fragrant, I had a series of vivid dreams which were helped me work through some spiritualistic type work I'd been doing. These faded and came back recently, again helping me work through some more stuff. "strobing movements" during the wafting scents movement, if I've got my eyes open and am not watching tv, I'll notice that the hands are moving as if under a strobe light - the movement feels smooth, but rather than being visually perceived as a continuous movement, it was as if every other "frame" was being perceived. I take this as a good sign. All in all, I think it was 100 days well spent. I'm looking forward to the next gong. I'll try to keep better notes as I go through this to see what changes occurred.

All right. Just completed 100 days of Level 1. I was considering a move to Yi Jin Jing, but remembered there was a level 2 for this. Seems like I will continue with 100 days of Level 2 and see where it gets me.

I think I'd like to start with Yi Jin Jing in the new year. Any recommendations for an online video course/video that specifically avoids visualization?

Yes, that's why I'm waiting to finish this cycle before starting a new method.

Thanks. I'll put it on my list to start after my current gong of Fragrant qigong is completed.

That video is not so good. Use the video recommended here instead: That entire thread should be helpful for you and answer your questions, although I don't think too many people kept up with it for the recommended 3 months. I'm only about 6 weeks into it and like most of my qigong practices, it turns into a slog around then. Interestingly, I've had 0 motivation to practice any other form of qigong alongside this one, so mixing was a concern when I started, but no longer. What I mean by it being a slog is that at first, there's the definite feeling of progress (and possibly a minor form of qi sickness), then there's a sense of "getting it" and sometime after the first month, the progress seems to level off and going through the motions seems tedious, but it picks up again in the last month or so...

Very good. Thanks for sharing.

I can visualize something that sounds right - I used to do something similar with a heavy bag while learning kickboxing. If you could make a video, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Any resources to review to learn this?

I've just been following along to the vid of Tian's daughter (got the Dolic vid, but it doesn't have anything more to offer in terms of technique that isn't available to someone with close observation skills in the aforementioned vid, tho it has a couple extra exercises I haven't incorporated yet). There is one fragrant teacher near me that I've found, but clearly doesn't _get it_ as they end each session with a visualization drill….so, I'll keep looking, but practicing alone until then.