ChiDragon

苍蝇不会在闭口中进入

May I ask what kind of past experience you have to make such a conclusion? What was your method have you practiced not knowing the outcome but you have good results? Most methods are good. However, some do not know how to practice it. It may not be doing any good at all. I have practiced Taiji for years since I was 25 years old. That's all I know it was good for my health. So, I practiced. After so many years, I still get a cold during the winter seasons. Every time I sneeze a couple of times followed by a cold. Especially Thanksgiving a few years in the roll. I was really sick with a cold. I had to skip the Thanksgiving dinner at my mother's house. Then, I realized I wasn't focusing on my breathing enough. It was because I wasn't told and found out the hard way by searching on the internet. Now-a-day I practice more focus on breathing and have good results. Even though I sneeze a few times, I don't get sick anymore in the last few years. The key is to know what "sink chi to the dan tien(氣沉丹田)" meant.

The meaning of building up chi is to make the function of the organs more functional. In TCM, Chi is simple means the functions and the functional activities of the organs. It was an esoteric term to say: Enhancing the function of the organs and increasing the ability for the organs to have better performance. Thus chi is not energy as people were misled for a long time. The organs interact with each other. Each organ carries out its function and is passed down the line to the next. Hence, the next organ can perform its function properly, and so on. That is what it means by chi flow in TCM. If one organ malfunctions, then, it will cause the next organ in line to malfunction also. For that said，chi flow has been stopped or clogged. If one thinks chi flow is "energy flow", then, it would be a big misconception all along. PS Based on the above definition, cannabis definitely won't help to build up chi.

I believe Ki is a Japanese pronunciation, and Chi is a Chinese pronunciation. PS For example: Aikido, 合气道, a Japanese martial arts.

This 氣 is 和氣 (harmony) If one intends to force someone to be harmonious, then, that is an act of bravado. Lines 1 and 2 go together to be within context. Lines 3 and 4 go together to be within context also. Concentrated chi to extreme softness is compared with the infant. The implication was that the breathing was calm and soft, then, the mood would be very peaceful like an infant.

Chapter 55 1.含德之厚, 2.比於赤子。 3.毒蟲不螫， 4.猛獸不據， 5.攫鳥不摶。 6.骨弱筋柔而握固。 7.未知牝牡之合而全作， 8.精之至也。 9.終日號而不嗄， 10.和之至也。 11.知和曰常。 12.知常曰明。 13.益生曰祥。 14.心使氣曰強。 15.物壯則老。 16.謂之不道， 17.不道早已。 1. To encompass the deep virtue of Tao, 2. Is comparable to a newborn infant. 3. Not stung by poisonous insects, 4. Not clawed by wild animals, 5. Not grabbed by big birds, 6. Weak bones and soft muscles but with tight fists, 7. Not knowing the copulation of male and female but self erected. 8. Because of the tremendous energy, 9. The infant cries all day and the voice doesn't become hoarse, 10. It was a sign of harmony. 11. Knowing it's in harmony was said to be in the normal development. 12. Knowing its normal development was said to be profound. 13. Craving to cling onto life was said to be inauspicious. 14. Wishing to force harmony upon someone was said to be an act of bravado. 15. The things that are too strong will become senescent; 16. It was said to be not in accord with Tao. 17. Those who are not in accord with Tao will perish prematurely.

Chapter 42 1.道生一。 2.一生二。 3.二生三。 4.三生萬物。 5.萬物負陰而抱陽， 6.沖氣以為和。 Translation 1. Tao engenders One; 2. One engenders Two; 3. Two engender Three; 4. Three engenders all things. 5. All things with Yin on the back and Yang in the front. 6. Blend the two primordial essences and become homogeneous.

Chapter 10 1. 載營魄抱一 2. 能無離乎﹖ 3. 專氣致柔， 4. 能如嬰兒乎﹖ 5. 滌除玄鑒， 6. 能無疵乎﹖ 7. 愛國治民， 8. 能無為乎﹖ 9. 天門開闔， 10.能為雌乎﹖ 11.明白四達， 12.能無知乎。 1. Soul and body embraced as one, 2. Is it possible to separate them? 3. Concentrated "chi" to extreme softness, 4. Isn't it like an infant? 5. Cleansing the deep reflector, 6. How could it have any flaw? 7. Patriotic and ruling the people, 8. Can it not rule with benevolence? 9. Opening and closing the heavenly gate, 10. Can it not reach a state of stillness? 11. Reaching out the four directions, 12. Can it be nothing known?

Would that be solar energy and oxygen?

Alright. I did not get it right the first time. I told you that you had opened a can of worms. Let's try it again. 炁(chi): According to ancient Chinese thought, it is a microscopic substance constituting the universe. This point of view greatly influenced the theory of TCM. Generally speaking, this character in TCM denotes both the essential substances of the human body which maintain its vital activities, and the functional activities. The essential substances have been in the body already even before birth. Thus it was considered as the prenanal chi. 氣 This character consists of two radicals of 气(air) and 米(rice). It is a combinational substance of the air we breathe and the rice we eat. It is the external source required by humans to sustain life. It was, also, considered postnatal chi. Does this sound OK to you?

Yes, Michael. Thanks for pointing that out. You are correct. I think the term 物質(substance) was used very loosely in the Chinese literature. I think 物質 should be translated as a kind of microscopic material. I have to rephrase the term to make it within context: 炁(chi): According to the ancient, it is a kind of microscopic material inside the human body. It is a basic unit that makes up the structure of the human body. It would be in the fetus, inside the womb, to begin with. Thus it would be considered as prenatal. The ancients did not know that the body cell as ever existed. However, in modern science, it is analogous to the body cell. PS I will update the OP after we get this ironed out with our brainstorm. Thanks!

I was thinking about komodo dragons.

@Michael Sternbach Thank you for your interest in the concept of Chi. Based on reading more on the native literature, it seems that I am more knowledgeable about Chi now than before. I am happy to start a new thread to review my understanding with you.

Thank you for your input for analysis. Weightlifting is a strenuous exercise, I have to conclude that your fatigue was from that. During your weightlifting exercise, your increase in blood circulation consumes lots of body energy. However, your heart will come to a rest point when you stop lifting and start to rejuvenate. At the rest point, the body will become fatigued until the body returns to its normal state. Focusing on the LDT has no effect on fatigue. As @Pak_Satrio had stated above, it should make it better not worse. If you do not know how to regulate your breathing, then, do not go into meditation immediately after weightlifting. FYI There are lots of nerves behind the navel. So, when you place your finger on it, you will feel a pleasant feeling inside your abdomen. I think you are getting some fallacies from reading your books without proper guidance. That is what it sounds like to me from your input.

Besides focusing on your LDT, you have not described what were you practicing. May I ask what were you trying to accomplish?

Here is the summary to conclude that Tao was invisible at the time before the sky and earth were born. Chapters 14,21, and 25 support Line 3 of Chapter 1. Line 3, Chapter 1 3. 無，名天地之始。 3. Invisible, was a name given to Tao at the origin of sky and earth. Chapter 14 The Invisible Tao 1. View it couldn't see, name, and call it Colorless. 2. Listen to it couldn't hear, name and call it Soundless. 3. Touch it couldn't feel, name it, and call it Formless. 13. Greet it cannot see its head. 14. Follow it cannot see its back. Chapter 21 The description of the invisible Tao 1. The appearance of great virtue; 2. Only trails Tao. 3. This thing, Tao, 4. It's hazy and indistinctive. Chapter 25 The Invisible Tao. 1. There was a thing formed by chaos; 2. Before heaven and earth were born; 3. Soundless and formless;

Where did you get that idea? You can get that idea from Chinese fiction stories from the Kung Fu movies. All cultivation should be done without any external influence. Especially not with toxic substances. FYI All the gathering or storing chi to the dan tien is only a myth. Using substances is harmful to your body. Period. It will not help you in your meditation practice at all. Please don't even think about it or do it anymore. Peace!

Yes. It is 無, but before it was formed by chaos and before the sky and earth were born. After it was form, then it becomes 有. Laotze was reluctantly to call it "Tao". Line 3, Chapter 1 3. 無，名天地之始。 3. Invisible, was a name given to Tao at the origin of sky and earth.

Chapter 25 The invisible Tao. 1. 有物混成 2. 先天地生 3. 寂兮寥兮 4. 獨立而不改 5. 周行而不殆 6. 可以為天地母 7. 吾不知其名 8. 強字之曰"道" 9. 強為之名曰"大" 10. 大曰逝 11. 逝曰遠 12. 遠曰反 13. 故道大 14. 天大 15. 地大 16. 人亦大 17. 域中有四大 18. 而人居其一焉 19. 人法地 20. 地法天 21. 天法道 22. 道法自然 1. There was a thing formed by chaos; 2. Before heaven and earth were born; 3. Soundless and formless; 4. Independent and stable; 5. Continuously cycling but never exhausted; 6. It may be the mother of heaven and earth. 7. I don't know its name. 8. I'm reluctant to call it "Tao". 9. I'm reluctant to name it "Big". 10. Big says dynamic; 11. Dynamic says far; 12. Far says reciprocating. 13. Therefore, Tao is great. 14. Sky is great. 15. Earth is great. 16. Human is great. 17. In space, there are four great's; 18. Thus human is one of them here. 19. Human follows Earth. 20. Earth follows Sky. 21. Sky follows Tao. 22. Tao follows its own nature. The first 3 lines in this chapter support the OP.

4. 獨立而不改 5. 周行而不殆 4. Independent and stable; 5. Continuously cycling but never exhausted; I see where you were coming from. The compound character, 獨立, was mistranslated. The separated character each by itself means standing(立) alone(獨). However, it really means independent(獨立) when they compounded.

Where does say Tao is standing still? Tao is always continuously cycling goes far and returning. It was stated in Chapter 25. I believe.

Yes，people in a long line shaped like the long body of a dragon. Thus they called this long line as 人龍(people dragon). It is only a descriptive noun，it has noting to do with dragons.

I knew this was coming when the word spiritual was mentioned. Well，there is a difference between spirit and spiritual. Spiritual is something to inspire or encourage oneself is all in the mind. It has nothing to do with spirits.

Welcome, Robert. I am a static and dynamic Qigong practitioner too.

Yes, everything is in a formless-form before Tao comes into existence to create them. Chapter 25 will substantiate that.