mindspring

I'm aware SFQ Level 3 deals with opening the Third Eye. Besides working on a good qigong foundation, what can a practitioner do to prepare for opening the Third Eye? Personally I'm afraid that if my Third Eye opens I'll start seeing things I'd rather not (like spirits, etc). If Chunyi Lin is comfortable doing so, I'd be interested to hear his views on sexuality and qigong/SFQ. For instance, does he think celibacy or limited sexual activity is needed to achieve a high level of energy cultivation? Also, does being homosexual affect one's qigong/SFQ practice?

Inner Beauty is a beautiful piece of music indeed. phelim, I don't know if the score is available, perhaps the best way to find out is to email the SFQ Center. The other alternative would be to reconstruct the score yourself by ear and experimentation. However, I think the Dizi makes up only a small part of the composition. The wind instrument used in the melody is of a much lower key than a Key C/D Dizi, perhaps it's the Xiao (蕭)? If you want to replicate the low wind tones on the Dizi, you could try using the Xin-Di (新笛）or use a piece of paper/tape in place of the Di-Mo (笛膜) on your Dizi. Better yet, ask your teacher to listen to Inner Beauty and see if he/she has any suggestions. Good luck!

Thanks for the insight SingaporeGuy (and everyone else too)! Having done more research now, I agree that martial & spiritual qigong is better learnt from a live teacher especially if you're a beginner. When I started this thread I was very confused with all the different practices out there. Thanks to everyone's input, I've realised that it's better to start with a basic form of qigong, instead of going after esoteric practices straightaway where the risk for injury is much greater. So I've got myself a copy of Spring Forest Qigong (which I've noticed is also advertised on this site), a healing-oriented qigong. There's some visualisation involved, but nothing too complicated. The exercises are simple, but I think it'll take me five years to fully master the first level alone. I might request a practice journal here on TaoBums to record my progress. Perhaps I'll explore other forms as I get more experieced- Ken Cohen's qigong book/DVD set might be my next purchase. Right now my biggest challenge will be practicing consistently. I've attempted to meditate in the past but I'd stop after a few days or weeks. My next goal isto make qigong a daily routine.

I borrowed the first book 'Feng Shui' a while back from the library and found it a good resource, although a bit dense in some parts. Then I forgot about it until I came across the 'Master Course' book in a bookstore recently. I flicked through it and it's quite similar in content to the first title. On Amazon it seems to be published more recently so perhaps it's an expanded/revised version? I'm not a Feng Shui expert and I've only read Feng Shui books by 3-4 different authors, but I think Eva Wong's Feng Shui books are one of the best available in English. The books go into concepts others don't mention, such as the different dragon/tiger landform shapes. If you read the reader reviews on Amazon they're pretty spot on, even the negative ones which highlight the shortcomings in the books.

Traditionally Chinese herbs are prepared by double boiling (as CowTow mentioned) or in a claypot designed for this purpose. If you get a formula prescribed by a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) physician, he/she will provide the right proportions to use and directions for preparation. This will vary according to the prescription. For example a certain prescription might call for cooking with three rice-bowls of water and boiling over a slow flame until the liquid is reduced to one rice-bowl's worth. I think a stainless steel pot is OK, I use that sometimes. But a stainless steel pot will boil dry a lot quicker compared to a claypot. Always watch the stove when cooking herbs. Do not use aluminum as it is reactive. (Aluminum has been linked to certain health issues and is best avoided in cookware anyway). Be careful with combining herbs, some are quite potent and can have contraindications with other herbs or prescription drugs. Some herbs also require abstaining from certain foods. It's always best to check with a qualified TCM practitioner if you're not sure.

There is a Guinness record for that???

Hi zen-bear, Thanks for your interesting and candid posts about your qigong, they've been very informative. I have a few questions which I hope you can answer. I understand a quiet environment is important for any qigong practice. What if a practitioner happens to live in a busy urban area or street where there can be sudden unexpected noises? The herbal formulas you refer to sound quite powerful. I was wondering if you include them in your DVDs? Also did your master have an opinion on seminal retention techniques which seem to be so central in some other qigong styles? Thanks!

Do you mean that you've seen the same food listed as alkaline in some sources and acid in others? Can you elaborate?

I think you've listed most of the translations available today, except maybe James Legge. There is another translation by Stephen Karcher but I am not familiar with it. Personally I like the Wilhelm translation. I got it because one of my favourite authors, Adeline Yen-Mah, recommends the Wilhelm translation when she discusses the I-Ching in her book Watching the Tree. My grasp of the Chinese language is average, but I've found Wilhelm to be quite close to the original text.

Thanks for the advice, Ya Mu it has been very helpful. After a few days of research, thinking and quiet reflection, I found myself drawn towards Spring Forest Qigong as it looks simple to follow and geared towards healing which I need at the moment. So I've ordered the home study course and will get started on that. I will explore tai chi separately later on when I'm ready. As the saying goes, "when the student is ready the teacher will appear" so I will take things as they come.

Wow... I seem to have started a rather intense debate. Oops. That said, reading everyone's replies has been very enlightening. Now I see why qigong takes a lifetime of dedicated study. I guess the important thing for me is to pick one system and practice diligently. My main concern is that the system I pick is the right one for me.

Thanks for the warm welcome guys!

I learnt the dizi (Chinese bamboo flute) in my teens so diaphragm breathing is now my default breathing method. My teacher would prod my abdomen with the end of a flute and I had to expand my diaphragm to push it away. After a while it becomes second nature. Unfortunately I never advanced far enough to learn circular breathing. I wonder if circular breathing would be useful in qigong practice?

Thanks for the insightful replies, everyone! I'm taking up qigong for the health benefits as I'd like to maintain (and increase) my vitality as I get older. Also I have some minor injuries which never fully healed which I'd like to resolve. So I guess a healing-oriented qigong might be better for me. Currently my exercise regimen consists of gym workouts, however in the future I'd like to complement my gym work with a soft-style martial art like tai-chi. So it's good to know that mastering the microcosmic orbit can help with learning martial arts. I do own a few books on qigong: The Art of Chi Kung by Wong Kiew Kit (good book but the exercises don't really resonate with me), Daniel Reid's Tao of Health, Sex & Longevity (excellent general health resource but not much info on achieving microcosmic orbit) & Mantak Chia's Healing Light of the Tao (way too complicated to be useful for me). Right now I'm thinking of getting the Spring Forest Qigong study course as it seems to fit my needs. I tried the free exercise on their website and could feel the energy it generated. So would SFQ be a good direction to take?