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Thank you!

I just moved to Nanjing, China and I'm looking for a place to train martial arts. I really want to learn Baguazhang, but if I can't find a teacher I'll probably make do with whatever I can find. Wing Chun would also be cool.

joeblast: Thanks for your reply! Damn, this site is a gold mine of information

I use it myself in the Bu Zhong Yi Qi prescription. Very good for raising spleen and stomach qi. Took about 3 weeks for it to start working in my case. I've been putting on weight and my appetite has stabilized. Some info: http://www.sacredlotus.com/herbs/get.cfm/chinese_herb/huang_qi_astragalus/ Note the contraindications. And please see a licenced practitioner...

Well, I don't believe Chunyi Lin directs his attention to his dantian all the time and if he does RAB all the time, I don't see why Dennis Lewis would claim it being "extremely important when undertaking reverse breathing to be clear about where one puts one's attention." Anyway, thanks for the replies!

I've read some conflicting statements about reverse abdominal breathing lately. Dennis Lewis says While in the interview with Chunyi Lin here on The tao bums he says that he breathes in the reverse all the time. I have yet to master this method, I've only tried it a few times while meditating, and my experience is that it really helps with qi flow and accumulation, but I find it hard to "switch" over from normal breathing to RAB and back again. It takes some time to get used to breathing like this. It would be cool to be able to do it all the time. Do you even think it's important to breath like this during qigong?

I know this topic is old, but I just gotta concur with Trunks comment on this unbalanced view of Chinese herbs. With more and more Chinese herbs being introduced to the West I think its important to keep in mind that all these herbs have certain qualities, and few if any "do everything". Thats why the Chinese make herbal prescriptions, so the herb you take will become balanced and be effective in reaching whatever goal you have by taking that herb. Schisandra IS classified as astringent. Yes, it's good for the kidney yin or jing, but it also has many other effects that you have to take into concideration. Don't take health tips from these irresponsible/ignorant businessmen. If you want to use herbs for health, get a materia medica and study their properties. Then get the stuff directly from the manufacturers in China via. alibaba.com for literally one hundredth of the price.

Well according to TCM principles everything is relative. So to cultivate good Qi you need to watch the Yin Yang properties of your food/herbs and compare it to the Yin Yang state of your body. For example, Ginseng won't help you if you are Yin deficient. Since it is a warm Yang herb, it will probably deplete your Yin even more, unless it is carefully balanced with other herbs. And Fo Ti will make Dampness or Mucus even worse unless it is carefully balanced by other herbs. So it's kinda useless in my opinion to recommend specific recipes for general good Qi, it all depends on your body's energetic state. But what I have learned in TCM school is that the Spleen, in transporting and transforming food and drink, has an important role in the accumulation of Qi. I'm Spleen deficient myself(after years of veganism and other bad habits) so I cook very Spleen friendy. I cook the crap out of everything and rarely eat raw food. Congee is great for breakfast and since it's cooked for so long it's already broken down before you eat it. Very easy on my digestion in the morning - gives me good good Qi. Before you go to bed just take rice or other grains and boiling water or stock in a 1 to 10 ratio, put it in a thermos or on the stove on lowest setting and leave it for the night. That's the basic recipe, then you can vary it according to taste and add spices, legumes, chicken, left overs from dinner or whatever. My tip is to first determine your body's energetic state - Yin or Yang dominance? Hot/Cold/Dampness/Phlegm/Dryness/Wind etc. And then eat accordingly. Get some books on food energetics or check out sites like http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/lifestyles/food_property_food_tcm.html That said there are some tonic herbs that are fairly Yin Yang balanced such as Lingzhi and Cordyceps that can be used by anyone. Stock(home made) provides shitloads of Qi. I think the proverb "a good stock will cure anything" exists in every culture on Earth. In Norwegian the word for stock is the same as for "power" Get some organic bones, sinew, chicken feet etc., dump them in a large pot with water and a splash of vinegar or wine and keep it just below boiling point for up to a couple of days. The last couple of hours add some veggies and herbs. Strain, cool and remove the fat(and marrow) which can be used for frying. Fermented food is full of Qi. It's living and reproducing! So make some sauerkraut, rakfisk or medicinal wines. Eating kidneys works wonders for weak kidneys. Fried lamb kidneys make me feel like superman. I ate lamb testicles once, grilled on a stick. Tastes superb and full of Qi and hormones.

Anybody tried the teas from Mountain Rose Herbs? http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/tea_bev/tea_greenwhite.html Id like to try the Ancient Forests and Dao Ren priced at $29 and $19/lb. Seems these would qualify as El Cheapo, no?

Hi! My name is Eivind and this is my first post on the forum. I live in Oslo, Norway and Im currently at the end of first year in acupuncture college(bachelor degree). It was through this first year in TCM studies that I was introduced to the ideas of Taoism and Qigong, very very interesting stuff that I want to learn more about. I have finally managed to start a daily routine of meditation and Zhan Zhuang standing meditation, been doing it for a couple of weeks and think Im doing good progress. The last few days the mind has gone more and more silent and Im feeling some warm activity in my low Tan Tian. In the long term Id like to start doing Taiji Chuan, but for now Im keeping it simple and looking for a good Qigong form/class for basic Qi gathering and circulation. Recommendations for a good Qigong form for a Qi deficient beginner would be highly appreciated! When I dont cram acupoints I like to play guitar, drink tea, do gardening (especially permaculture/Fukuoka related), hike, hunt and fish. Looking forward to reading and interacting here on Tao bums, seems like a place with lots of knowledge and good spirit!