Immortal4life

Absolutely, either extreme is bad. What I don't like, is when people try to claim that people who disagree with them, do so because of some kind of short coming. "You only disagree with me because you are stupid, You only disagree with me because you are not educated, If you disagree with me, you must be inadequate etc. " , when that is not the reason. Plus, the mental plane, and reasoning, is only one tool, and one method of discerning truth.

Well, this thread has drawn more than twice as many views in less than a day than my thread on Parapsychology has in many days. I told you when I first came here I would eventually become more aggressive and controversial

Spontaneous, involuntary, or spasm movements are considered undersirable and dangerous side effects at best, fakery and a sham at worst.

To me, the issue is completely being missed by everyone in this thread. In my view, the problem is not really in people making "claims without proof", in "marketing", or anything like that. The real problem is people not knowing, and being ignorant, about what qigong is, how it is supposed to be taught, and what it is really all about. So if you don't know a lot about it, but you are interested in it, what do you do? Some people will read ancient or esoteric texts, and have a hard time understanding them. From there, well, most people seek out a teacher. Many people put their teacher on a pedestal, always say "I'm so lucky I found this old chinese man to teach me", etc. The problem is how do you know he is good? He could just be taking your money, or maybe he really thinks he knows something about qigong when he doesn't really. In this case, people will get a wrong idea about what qigong is all about. If you ask me, the best way is to do broad research. I recommend respected, recognized systems and schools, over independent, isolated ones that are about marketing. Study many schools of qigong, study TCM, study martial arts, study chinese history. Then you will gradually be able to seperate the good from the bad. A good starting point to get a grasp of incorrect vs. correct qigong methods IMO would be this article I posted a while back- http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/16722-info-on-side-effects-from-incorrect-qigong-practice/

I don't know much about the system being talked about here, and it doesn't interest me. I know most people who have heard of this system know it as "Lama Thunderbolt", and I have never talked to anyone in real life that thought it was worth looking into. Most people who practice respected systems I know of, put this system in the same category as Yellow Bamboo. Here is a list of things that I am always suspicious of, and don't generally believe in- 1. Empty Force, for reasons explained earlier in this thread. No one who ever claimed empty force ever was able to do it when challenged or against people who were not their students. 2. Methods that claim to induce "spontaneous movements". I know there are quite a few respected qigong masters who have said they have never experienced this, that it isn't in line with Tao or natural progress, and they think people who claim this are acting. 3. Anyone who emphasizes, "feelings", "energy sensations", "bliss", etc. The purpose of energy practice is good health, relaxation, and develoment of the mind. If you focus on sensations you are definitely going to run into trouble and have problems. This is a good way to get qi deviations. 4. Anyone emphasizing quick results, "intense results", and who doesn't put a strong emphasis on gradual gentle practice, patience, and building progress bit by bit, day by day. 5. Claims of abilities, yet not being willing to prove it. If you don't want to prove something, don't publically claim it. I'm not interested in this system, because although I haven't looked into it much at all, and don't plan to.... everything I have heard about it raises red flags, doesn't fit with what I know, and makes me feel apprehensive.

I was planning on making quite few threads in the next while about the mind and mental abilities, I may have to alter that and go in a different direction.....

Got any resources or links about it?

69 views, that may be the lowest rated thread I ever did on here. Wasn't expecting this thread to perform that poorly.....hmmm

That's....certainly an interesting perspective....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM4O3NeT6vA

Energy, Vitality, Drive, Creativity, Wit, Judgement, Strength, Charisma! Men crippled? Come on, hulking gorillas? Tell me this isn't one of the greatest shows of energy and charisma you have even seen- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC0YWr--CPQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRzikZAtgfk

I really liked Zecharia Sitchen's stuff, it's too bad he died and can't publish more material.

Negativity, feeling sorry for oneself, drivng yourself crazy, being pessimistic, doubting yourself, fear, procrastination, nervousness, and tenseness are never helpful. Don't think about things you don't like. If something is particularly distasteful to you, don't think about it, and don't worry about people that think differently than you. People come and go, but don't let it phase you. Don't even think about it. Optimism, confidence, taking how people react to you lightly, not caring what people say, inspiration, energy, having the heart to persevere.... These are the things that will improve your life and get you somewhere. You may have suffered for a long time in your life, but I know there is always time to improve. If you have the right mindset and attitude, and can be consistent with it, it is almost inevitable that things will turn around and improve. As well, there is always a way to redeem yourself, to stick it to the world or negative people, and put it in their face....while you live your life laughing. That's how I see it. You can hate life, or you can laugh your way through it all. It's up to your attitude and how much heart you have in the end. Don't beat yourself up and make a bad situation worse. Fight, scratch, and claw your way out. It's like Rocky said, "If I can change, and you can change, everybody can change"

I apologize if any of my comments came acroos as "woman hating". In my mind I was just posting some psychological issues and ideas that are explained on many websites out there. I also just kind of, tried to defend men lol. In my understanding this might be one of the biggest strengths of Taoist Chi Kung and the Chinese ways. Kidneys are your source and base of Life, so important. Chi Kung also preserves and develops the original energy inherited from your parents, and harmonizes it with the energy of the universe, and the energy from external sources like air, food, water, etc. By preserving and developing the original energy from the parents, is one way Taoists increase their lifespans. Methods would be Chi Kung exercises that rid heat from the body, gentle exercises that exercise the Kidney meridian, Breathing methods, Developing the Mingmen point in the lower back. Perhaps if you became sensitive you might feel the kidneys as a Tai Chi symbol rocking back and forth slightly while shifting weight for example

Your Kidneys are everything, they are your Life.

Lol. I have no idea what the answer to that is..... On the one hand it may not be the best idea, the clearest state of mind....on the other hand, is it better than not doing it at all? I don't know Yeah, I don't think you are supposed to strain too much, you want to be generally relaxed, I like to have a slight intention to relax my hands a bit, just tense enough to stay in a good posture I guess.... I do use the silent affirmation, but truly, it's not technically an affirmation, depending on how you use the word. The out loud version can be helpful at realizing the truth of the statement. I'm not really a fan of combining methods. But on the other hand, I do like several version of this exersice. The breathing method versions can really help an dpump up the vitalization all day, and make the breathing fresh and fullfilling through the day. I usually do it inside. I actually would say, I get stronger energy and feeling in my body when I do energy pracitce indoors than outdoors. Even though, I prefer outdoors myself for overall benefits and fresh air and health over indoor anyday.

I can't really tell you or instruct you, but I can tell you what I do. What I tell you is only my experience and isn't necessarily "correct". At one point I had it at 10 minutes. But right now what I am doing is 7 minute with hands at shoulder level, then I lower my hands to in front of my abdomen keeping one hand up and one hand down, or at my sides with fingers facing forwards keeping left hand up and left hand down. I keep in a relaxed mental state like this for one minute. Then I raise for another 2 minutes. My thinking is that the point of the Star Exercise is continual contact with Life Energy, and continual flowing of Life energy. So I would think go as long as you can without stopping or resetting the exercise.

Yeah in Taoist Qigong and some Chinese methods they connect energy to specific contellations like the Big Dipper and North Star. In a sense that is a powerful mental state, to be connecting to such vast things as stars so far away. In another sense though it is limiting. In the Star Exercise I don't think you are supposed to have any limitations in your mind. You are connecting to the primal, primordial original energy. It exists everywhere. It has no limitations. Therefore, what direction you are facing, and things like that, don't matter at all.

Heh, this thread is a little mysterious. Some Zeitgeist elements to it almost.