ChiDragon

There is an explanation in modern science to back this up. I had done that many times but nobody cares about it. If someone wants to know why it works should read about muscle contraction and cell respiration.

Waidan is a process to manufacture an elixir by external means such as using elements and minerals baked in a cauldron with fire. It may not be related the DDJ directly at all. Waidan was existed during the Warring States. BTW How did you come to this conclusion......???

If one stays on the small hills, then one will not see what is on top of the mountains......... There is a thing called "cultivation of the mind" at different levels. It is called 道行. The revelation of the level is based on the behavior or how one presents oneself besides verbal expression.

一山還有一山高 There is always a mountain higher than another Therefore, who is to say who is the best....!!!

Chi, however one wants to define it, it has the purpose of serving the vital function of the body. It gives one the inner energy to perform all the functions for the internal organs. As long chi was generated inside the body, it will give the body to grow, develop and heal. If "Read that both offer the same exercises", then, why should it be different.....??? The only difference was the opinions from one another but physically and biologically make no difference. IMO I don't see how can the energy in the body can be outdated. The human body repairs itself whenever there was a need. The rate of the healing process depends on how much inner energy was available, at the time, or how much the body can be spared. The people who practice Chi Kung will increase the rate of healing because a greater amount of energy was produced inside the body. The amount of energy will become an excess, it can be used for any function inside the body or diminished in few seconds if not used. Then, it has to be waited for the next cycle of energy generation.

Those hours are reversed. It should read as follows: Zi(子) (11pm–1am) Wu(午) (11am–1pm).

If you want to play with semantics, I will play along with you because it's my game...... From the Yijing(易經): 先天八卦: early version Buaga 後天八卦: later version Buga.

There was no difference of the definition 灰心 from the past to present. You need to give me a better reason than that.

Please, 枯坐, "dully sitting" is not even a technique term of any kind. It was only merely suggesting when one meditates(打坐) do not just sit there like one is bored. That is what one try to avoid which was mentioned by Vitalii. 枯坐 was used in the phrase 不可枯坐, "do not sit dully". It must be interpreted within context. The whole phrase was: 不 可 枯 坐 灰 心 Do not(不 可) just sit dully(枯 坐) like you were bored and get discouraged(灰 心) or gave up.

I'll rephrase: Prenatal breathing is the umbilical breathing of a fetus in the mother womb. Postnatal breathing is using the lungs after birth. It was given, self understood, self explanatory and universal. The Yijing defines: 先天(Pre-Heaven): Prenatal 後天(Post-Heaven): Postnatal

The way that the ancient Chinese Taoist(ACT) in describing the definition of Neidan is very esoteric and fictional. For the relevancy of the thread, I will try to be simple, brief and nonfictional. 內丹氣功(Nei Dan Chi Kung) (1) What is the Neidan method? Using the alchemical theory to describe the Neidan method, it is a form of Chi Kung The Naidan method is Chi Kung with the description of alchemical theory. Neidan is categorized as Chi Kung but it is a different concept of Chi Kung. Chi Kung was way before the Neidan method. There were many talks about Chi Kung during the Warring States. Until the East Han Dynasty, people were begin to talk the Neidan Chi Kung. Neiddan was came very late after the Waidan Method. The ACT try to find immortals and hunted for elixir but failed. Thus they tried to make the own elixir and alchemical pills but they have no effect. Thus they came up with a alchemy theory for internal elixir(Neidan) -- Chi Kung. The Neidan Chi Kung is only an offshoot of Chi Kung. It even includes more features, such as still sitting, indexing, hard Chi Kung and 辟穀(unknown) etc. The Neidan method belongs to the Chi Kung System of the Taoist religion. The Neidan method is practiced by Taoists; and Chi Kung is universal. However, the most scholars practice Chi Kung. unfortunately, the brief description of Neidan was kind of ridiculous and farfetched. Hence, nowadays, there are not many people are willing to accept it. Ref:Neidan Chin Kung(內丹氣功)

不 可 枯 坐 灰 心 Do not just dully sit and get discouraged or gave up.

Here is a simply Chinese description about Neidan. 內丹術是道家一種重要的修鍊方法，現在一般視為道家氣功（道家多稱「煉氣術」）的一種。內丹術指以「人身是一小天地」的「天人合一」、「天人相應」思想為理論，進行性命的修鍊，以人身為鼎爐，修鍊「精、氣、神」等而達成強身健體、提高人體的生命功能、延長壽命、乃至成仙、長生不老之目的。 Neidan method is an important kind of cultivation procedure for Taoists. Presently, most people are considering it is a kind of Taoist Chi Kung(Taoists referred it as a method of Chi cultivation). The Neidan method is pointing out that the body is a small universe which is the integral of heaven and human. The thought of heaven and human are corresponding with each other as their philosophy. During the course of cultivation, using the body as the cauldron, refining Jing, Chi and Shen to accomplish the invigoration of the body; to enhance the vital functions of the body, to prolong life, even to become an immortal and the goal to reach longevity. Ref: 內丹術, Neidan Shu

From a Chinese point of view, what I trying to say is that Chi Kung cultivates three things, breathing(調息), mind(調心) and body(調身). However, regulating the breath(調息) is the main ingredient among the three. The other two and the energy part are only the result from the cultivation. If people can realize that the main emphasis is on regulating the breath, then they would understand what Chi Kung is all about. You see regulating the breath, 調息, is different from just breathing. Regulating the breath involves with the movements of the abdomen. That is what Chi Kung is all about. Without the movements of the abdomen, it would be just normal breathing which is not Chi Kung.

The idea about Neidan(內丹) was coming from the idea of external elixir(外丹, Waidan). The ancient Chinese Taoists(ACT) were considered that Neidan is a higher form of Chi Kung because it is requires heavily in breathing. At this point, we must consider that the definition of Chi Kung is the ultimate method of breathing(UMB). Otherwise, the concept of Neidan in this thread would be invalid.

I had learned something from Zhuang Tze. If things are getting too complicated, then let's demystify it. Now, I will do that for Chi Kung. Let's eliminate all the generalizations that we had learned about the effects and accomplishments from Chi Kung. To make it simple, the ultimate goal of Chi Kung is to learn to breathe and send the breath deep down to abdomen. As soon one has accomplished that, it was considered that one has been reached the realm of Chi Kung. I will start a thread to demystify about Neidan to respond to effilang's comments in another thread.

For easy explanation and clarity, let's literally separate Chi Kung and Neidan for a simple and better understanding. This is a review of the universal definition of Chi Kung. Chi Kung is to learn to breathe properly. Chi Kung is to enhance the respiratory system. It is safe to say that it is a prerequisite for all martial arts. Neidan is using Chi Kung for the development and enhancement of the function of the internal organs. In other words, breathing is the first stage of Neidan. If one cannot breathe properly, one may not practice Neidan effectively.

These are the universal definitions: Pre-Heaven breathing is the umbilical breathing of a fetus in the mother womb. Post-Heaven breathing is using the lungs after birth.

谷神不死 The Spirit of the Valley never dies

Aren't we started on the wrong foot.......!!!

The attribute of the moon was compared to the Sun. It is Yin is because the Moon is passive and the Sun is active. The phase of the Moon is depending on the light source from the Sun.

This is the basic concept of Chi Kung The instruction is given in Tuna(吐吶) . The instruction of Tuna(吐吶) should be followed by the ancient Chinese Taoist concept rather than some mistranslation. So, we will get the words from the horse's mouth. PS...... This always sounds like discrimination; but, hey! to learn to truth, we must do away with the bias notion in our minds and be Wu Wei about it. PPS....... Tuna(吐吶) is an universal definition of Chi Kung(氣功). Btw Chi Kung is a modern term for Tuna(吐吶). Chi Kung is the ultimate method of breathing to aid the body to generate the internal energy.

I don't because there is not too enough oxygen for breathing.

Neidan is not an one man definition. It is universal.

The Moon is Yin and the Sun is Yang.