BPD

After reading the entire thread I thought I'd post on here... I personally attempted Iron Shirt I a few years ago.... Without a teacher, without any supporting practices(didn't even know what the 6 sounds sounded like)... BIG MISTAKE!!! My chest started to tighten up at odd moments, started getting headaches, hot flashes(I was a 24 yr old male, healthy martial artist at the time), that's when I stopped. Trying to move from one practice to the next without a fundamental base is, as has been mentioned before, egocentric at best, disrespectful at it's worst. That being said, I look forward to joining up with a teacher here in Portland, OR in another year or so, but right now, I'm listening to myself and evaluating where my focus and needs are. And right now, the YiJinJing set in "Beginning QiGong - by Kuei/Comee" set is exactly what I need. Focusing on simple physical exercises that do develop INTENSE awareness of inner energy and structure, keep my now 30 yr old body healthy while I have fun becoming and MMA professional... But down the road, more like around the corner, I'll be getting myself a teacher to help build my foundation in the practices brought to us by M. Chia, and then I'll buy the books to help remind me how to do the practices... NOT the other way around! I guess what I'm trying to impart to those who need to hear it a different way is this... You can't control where the path leads you, or what it leads you to/away from. The only way to control how you walk the path is to let go and listen. I had thought I was ready to delve into a deep spiritual practice with no serious instruction, it burned me, and set me on a path that exposed me to a related, but wholly different approach to the physical cultivation. For me, I needed to walk that simpler path a while to allow some stabilization and maturity to develop within me. Now, my path is leading back toward finding a teacher for the HT system(which ever variant), and when I take that step, it will be with an open mind, respect, and commitment.... Just like I'm trying to live right now. Cheers! TI

Hullooo! I'm a big fan of the reason behind a thing or thought so I'll give you why I joined first- Needed to begin cultivating a positive network of people who at a minimum could relate to some of the experiences I've had. Also, having a group to creatively interact with will help provide me with the extra focus I've been lacking to maintain a basic level of practice... Now for the who- Names Brian, dad with 50% custody of an extremely bright 3yr old daughter, and live with my girlfriend and her 17yr old son and 13yr old daughter... and a runt pure-bread mini-pintcher that looks like a chiuahua(sp?). In the process of slowly converting 2/3's of our back yard into garden/food production to encourage a healthier/cleaner diet... Taking the first long-term break from work(unemployment rocks, 1st time on it, like a paid vacation!) in my life right now... Actually have joined an MMA gym and am doing pretty intense conditioning 3-4 days/wk and want to work in training my energy systems regularly before moving onto Iron Palm training(not as much for fighting as for the increased energy sensitivity it provides). Have to wait till finances loosen up a bit before moving on to full fight training. So some basic info on what I've trained/experienced- Always been sensitive to energy since I was a kid, grew up from Cub Scout all the way to Eagle Scout and earned a healthy appreciation for nature along the way- Back in mid-2004 had my first MAJOR chi experience: My friends Shaolin Master(old school, not watered down) pushed a swirling bar of chi thru my hand (lao gung point) and connected it to his other finger, then pulled and twisted it laughing that he had blown a hole in my metaphysical body to help open me up... Shortly after, my friend and I started using "Beginning Qigong" by Stephen Comee and Steven Kuei... We used it off and on till around June 2005, and then did a 6 week run where we did the entire 38-40 exercises 5 days a week over a 2 hour period. By the end of that I was feeling my major channels and meridians during practice and was soaking in a chi high almost constantly. Well, that died off, then found mister Chia's books, accidently spiked my anxiety by doing Iron Shirt level III WRONG and without any true energy circulation skills... quit that very fast... Found Quantum Touch at the book store and have been using that on at least a weekly basis since 2006. The most amazing thing happened July 4 2008 though. I was the Minister for a very good friends wedding(if I had a brother he would be it). This was a very positive wedding with a whole lot of love and old friends, nothing formal or stuffy. During the reception we were giving each other a massive bear hug when I felt the strangest sensation, I FELT our hearts beaming golden light between us and had the most incredible spontanious heart opening I could imagine... It was mind blowing.... It also opened me up and increased my energetic awareness by 1000-fold... I was FEELING trees while walking down the street and could feel the difference between young growing ones an old established ones, the grass around every building had a presence... I even had moments of what I call "transpearancy" where I could feel how permiable our reality is and could almost experience the field we all exist in. It also helped me send energy into my girlfriend... as it turns out I was able to start stimulating her nerves/chakras/etc... very intensely and have become pretty skilled at giving her orgasms without doing more than putting my hand near her, most times don't even need to touch and I can stimulate her sexual center till we're both convulsing.... Needless to say I wasn't able to maintain that level of awareness/openess, I hadn't even opened my Micro Orbit yet. I do still have VERY powerful hands and can use them to "see" inside who ever I'm healing for some serious pain relief(works wonders on growing pains)! Wow, bit longer than I planned but thought it would help when I asked questions later if you had a good picture of what I been thru since it's been such a hodgepodge... Thanks for your time! Looking forward to talking with you!! B