ChiDragon

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Posts posted by ChiDragon

  1. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    2 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    What style do you practice with Taiji.

    I practice the Yang style Taiji. I had learned the 108 form to begin with. Some of the moves are no longer existed. I am glad that I have inherited.

     

    Here is a demo of mIne doing part of the 108 form. The movements are the basic form of the Yang style.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrrxbfqtLIw&feature=youtu.be

  3. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    On 9/11/2024 at 12:13 PM, Thrice Daily said:

    Now say for a contrast. When I was taught a tendon changing set in Taiwan, the teacher strictly was against weightraining and mixing it with tendon changing . I can appreciate this for sure. 

    What I have to say is that weightlifting is an external practice, normally one doesn't mix practice with internal practice. It is because they are contradicting with each other. Internal art and external art are very different in terms of muscle construction. Internal is soft which is considered yin(陰), external is hard which yang(陽). In martial arts, it was recommended to start with the yin practice, then do the yang later. In reverse, like do the yang first then the yin later or do both at the same time, one will not get the best result from both. However, I don't think westerners do aware of this idea.

    One can practice Taiji to build the Jin in the body, then, one can do the weightlifting. However, after the weightlifting training, it is hard to reverse the muscle structure back to the initial condition. Besides, after the weightlifting training, there was no need to do any internal training. It serve no purpose to the body builders. That was why it was not recommend to both at the same time.

     

    PS

    IMHO I don't think we want to confuse our muscles.


     

    On 9/11/2024 at 12:13 PM, Thrice Daily said:

     

    So yeah what works for you in terms of weight training, weight lifting, power lifting, body weight training etc?


    To me, body weight training is when standing on leg as in Taiji practice. It requires to stand on one leg, alternately, for few seconds at a time works wonders. I might say it is equivalent to ZZ with the body weight shifted alternately to the legs. Shifting the body weight alternately is to prevent applying the stress on the legs for too long.

     

    On 9/11/2024 at 12:13 PM, Thrice Daily said:

    I think I really start to understand why the Shaolin concentrate on such a strong physical base for their students early on. I think carrying water up mountains every morning would do wonders for your 3 treasures !!

    Carrying water are the later stage of training. After the students went through the basic training and built up some internal strength, then they would go to this level.

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  5. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    氣 Chi or Qi is the most confusing term to be comprehended. What is Chi and Qigong? Unfortunately, the first thing come into people's mind is Energy. In my mind, chi is always deal with breathing. Therefore, Qigong is the practice of breathing. To others, Qigong is the cultivation of energy. However, I am finally realized that we are only got it half right. So to speak.

    I had looked more closely and investigated what chi is all about. According to the Taoist definition, Chi is one of the treasures in the internal alchemy to acquire neidan. It is clear to me now that there four kinds of Chi in the body. So, we are talking about Qigong is not just the cultivation of breathing nor energy.

    There are four kind of chi existed in the body. They are 元氣, 宗氣, 營氣, 衛氣. All the terms has a character 氣 on them. The first to do is to ignore the chi character. It is because they a compound character. In this case, the chi character is only a classifier for a substance.
    元氣    (Yuan chi) : is the prenatal micro-unit that makes up the structure of the human body

    宗氣(Zong chi) : is the air breathed from space

    營氣(Ying Chi) : is the nourishment from the food that is flowing in the blood

    衛氣(Wei Chi) : is the immune system to protect the body from pathogens that might attack the body internally.

    The cultivation of Chi Qong, it would be involved and included the four kinds of chi. Therefore, the cultivation of 宗氣    (Zong chi) is by improving the breathing habit to enhance the respiratory system. To cultivate 營氣(Ying Chi) is by eating the right food to nourish the human body.

    The 元氣    (Yuan chi) and 衛氣(Wei Chi) cannot be cultivated by external means. Hence, by the cultivation of 宗氣(Zong chi) and 營氣(Ying Chi) will take care the 元氣(Yuan chi) and 衛氣(Wei Chi) internally.

    Eating food is the easiest to cultivate for nourishment . However, Qigong is the most difficult to cultivate. Especially, people with breathing problems. It require lots of effort and practice to improve bad breathing habits.  Indeed, Qigong can change and improve any bad breathing habit. Finally, the breathing is still plays the major part in the cultivation of Qigong.


     

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  6. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    19 hours ago, Paradoxal said:

    As far as I'm concerned, cell mitochondria and simple muscular force do not give that level of precision, force, and control. They can let you hit something really hard and break it (ala karate), but they do not count for Fajin. Fajin *must* have an energetic component to it to be classified as such. In fact, each time I've been hit with it or have seen it used, the air itself took on a different quality (it was like the air around us was suddenly electrified, or in rare occasions, deafeningly silent), something I've only seen happening when dealing with strong energetics. Likewise, just before the blow hits, you can feel the energy coming, though it's very hard to describe this feeling. When I've been hit by karate strikes, on the other hand, I have never felt that energy nor that change in the air.  


    Thank you for your valuable comments.
    Anyway, the objective of the OP is not how one was trained. It is not how one takes the impact from Fajin. The question was: did the practitioner acquire Jin from the training? Whatever the training was, all practitioner use the same muscles, breathe the same way, use the hips the same way. The main question Is did the practitioner able to Fajin effectively like everyone else. However, everybody do make mistakes in the training, but I wouldn't discredit the ability of the practitioner in Fajin because a mistake was made during training.

    In Taiji, the movements are most difficult to follow. However, regardless of the mistakes, the exercise still exercise the body joints and muscles. As I think of it, based on my experience, Taiji is not really a dependent on the precision of the movements. Rather, did the muscle exercised daily. Regardless of precision, the body will have the same  effect by going though the movements even with mistakes. Mistakes may be corrected some place along the line. Before the correction of the mistakes was make, no health benefit was lost.

     

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  7. Posted

    42 minutes ago, Rheor said:


    First, thank you for your reply on this thread and your helping hand.
     

    I am not sure there is much to do about headaches / fog / confusion / disorientation when something as significant as heart chakra opening is on the way (I still make room to be proven otherwise though).

    Otherwise, I don't know. Since I watched this video from master Nan Huai-Chin, I am reluctant to focus on the dantian. I might be misunderstanding something, in which case it's my loss.


    You welcome! Your headaches, most of the time is caused by hypoxia(lack of oxygen). How is your breathing? I wouldn't worry about what has been said in the video. He seems very convincing and very serious about it. However, it seems to me it was baseless of what he is telling everybody. I am breathing all day long by focusing on my dantian. I am staying healthy everyday. Anyway, it's up to you. If your don't feel comfortable with it, just don't try it. Good luck to you.

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  8. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    3 hours ago, ChiDragon said:

    精氣神( chi jing and shen) are the esoteric terms used by the ancient Chinese Taoists specialized in alchemy. If people talking about neidan(內丹) without mentioning these three terms, then, they knew nothing about neidan.

    @Thrice Daily
    These three treasures are the major ingredients are used in internal alchemy. The final product become a neidan.
    The ancient Chinese Taoist alchemy, originally, started externally by baking the elements in a cauldron. However, it was done ridiculously included some poisonous ingredients such as mercury and lead. Thus the elixir instead of prolong life but shorten life. Therefore, the Taoist came up with another idea with the thought of internal alchemy. They had thought of using three intangible ingredients inside the body. They are 精氣神( chi jing and shen).

    In internal alchemy, it was assumed that the body is the caldron as in external alchemy. The three major ingredients inside the body are as follows:
    精(Jing)     is a unit substance that makes up the structure of the human body.
    氣(chi) is the vital life source that keep the human body alive
    神(shen) is the soul of the body like the vital sign of the body.

    The external uses fire to bake the ingredients in a caldron. In internal alchemy, Taoist perform meditation by breathing the chi(oxygen) into the dantian to bake the three major ingredients. The idea was to have 練精化氣,

    Here is the Taoist terminology for 練精化氣, refine jing to chi:
    炼精化气，道教术语。其为内丹术筑基气功的第一阶段，即炼精化气、炼气化神，炼神还虚，炼虚合道。内丹术以精、气、神为基础，
    元精须与元气合炼，化为轻清无质的精炁相合之物，始能随河车运转，炼成丹胎     
    English translation:
    Refining the jing to transform in to chi, is the Taoist terminology. It is first stage of qigong in the fundamental internal alchemy process. Then, the whole process is refining the jing to transform in to chi, refining the chi to transform in to shen, refining shen in to the void. Refine the void integrated with Tao. In internal alchemy, using jing, chi, shen as the basic fundamental, the prenatal jing and the prenatal chi should be refined together, transform them to a light and pure no-form compound substance. Refine it to a "dan body" which means after  the body was returned back to the prenatal form.

    BTW Qigong means the practice of breathing here. Void is return back to the innocent stage of oneself.

    The esoteric explanation was hard to interpret and comprehend. That's why I say it sounds fictional to me.

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  9. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    3 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    Health/Structural, Martial, Sexual, Religeous, 

     

    Maybe ChiDragon just wants Martial. 

    With the practice of any kind, all the of above come with the package.
    I am not just want all martial. I am in the 性命雙修, dual cultivation of mind and body.
     

    3 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    ChiDragon, what’s your take on the three treasures? in this case I mean

     

    chi jing and shen


    精氣神( chi jing and shen) are the esoteric terms used by the ancient Chinese Taoists specialized in alchemy. If people talking about neidan(內丹) without mentioning these three terms, then, they knew nothing about neidan.

    These three treasures are the major ingredients are used in the alchemy. The final product become a neidan.

    I had posted the explanation of the three treasures. I need to look for it again. I wish Cobie is here to help me. She is good at that.
     

  10. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    4 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    If I fight I already failed and betrayed my intention not to fight. Luckily I learned some wing chun first so it fits well with this ethic, I don't like to fight

    If fighting was the first thing comes to the mind is to learn martial arts, then, it was the wrong step to begin with. An intent to learn the art is for health and good character other than fighting. It was considered to be the virtue of martial arts(武德).  However, whether you like it or not, the fighting skill comes with the package. You have the virtue of martial arts, my friend.
     

    4 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    Do you ever use this for visualization / working with universal energies?

    I believe visualization is a western idea which I am not familiar with. I don't know what is the true meaning of universal energies or how to work with it.
     

    4 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    Do you do any meditation for generating living kindness / metta?

    I do meditation in a zazen manner by sitting in my garden with the ultimate breathing method(UBM).

     

    4 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    You sound laser focused do you have any tips on staying mindful about breathing throughout the day while not doing formal training?

    Ever since I have accomplished the ability to sink chi to my dantian, it had become my normal daily breathing habit with no hesitation. My tip is not to kick the breathing habit. The ample of oxygen supply, the universal source of energy, with keep me alert and focus at all times.

  12. Posted

    Just now, Thrice Daily said:

    Thankyou, but for me martial arts start with intent, and much of that is cultivated with the heart. Can you dig it?

    physically speaking though I totally get what you're saying and appreciate the comment. I should keep the reverse breathing in mind more than I currently do. 


    You welcome and thank you! I am not sure what it means by intent and cultivated with the heart. Perhaps, I need to have more clarification from you in to near future.

    I am glad that you have considered to pay more attention to the significance of reverse breathing.
     

    8 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    ChiDragon do you focus at all on middle and upper, What do they mean to you? If anything? in

    Yes, both mean a lot to me.

    First of all let's relate the TCM terminology with the physiological terms.
    The upper dantian(UDT) is the mind that control all the body activities. The middle dantian(MDT) is the chest where the lung is located. The lower datian(LDT) is the abdomen. The MDT is where it begins to sustain life. It provides oxygen or chi as fuel to generate energy to keep the body function. As we breathe oxygen(chi) into the lung, the lung is the first organ that uses oxygen to produce the ATP energy to carry out its function. Then, the blood brings in oxygen into the heart from the lung. The cells in the heart will use oxygen to produce the energy for contraction. The contraction of the heart will squeeze the oxygenated blood out to arteries throughout the body. The rest of the body cells will fight for the oxygen.

    The cells of the heart and brain do not reproduce if they die. Hence, the constant supply of oxygen is required for these two organs in order to keep their cells alive. 

    Under the condition of "sink chi to the dantian(氣沉丹田)" is very important to a martial artist and a Taoist.  To a martial artist, 氣沉丹田,  is at the condition which the body can generate the maximum internal power. To a Taoist, it is the ultimate alchemy condition for Neidan.

    However, the ancient people did not understand the physiologically functions of the body. So, they assumed that at "sink chi to the dantian(氣沉丹田)" is the ultimate condition to accomplish the goal of whatever the practice was. Therefore, they only focus on the LDT rather than the other two.


     

    10 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    ..... More intensity and strength is my best measure stick to good progress really.

     

    what do you consider progress? 


    Progress to me is same as what you have stated. I want keep my ability to breathe deep to sink chi to the dantian(氣沉丹田)" at will and to increase my internal strength by increasing the mitochondria density in my body. As I understand, it could be done by slow body movements and slow deep breathing. I believe that I have accomplished by the diligent practice of Taiji.

    Thank you very much for your response and interested in the thread!

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  13. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    13 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

    I'm surprised to read that from ChiDragon. 

     

    Are you allowing an element of doubt to remain to possibly account for the power of imagination in your practices?

    Not at all in my imagination. It is only the traditional explanation is fictional to me. However, I consulted with a more reliable source such as modern science to satisfy my thoughts.

     

    The master said that chi is flowing in the body. My understanding that is to replace chi with oxygen. It is because oxygen was carried by the red blood cells and delivering to all the cells throughout the body.

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  15. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    1 hour ago, Thrice Daily said:

    What are your experiences with middle Dan tien and upper Dan tien. 

    FYI

    By definition: the upper dantian is the head and middle dantian is the chest. There is not much one can do with martial arts. However, lower dantian are most adaptable for martial applications. All material arts practitioners perform reverse abdominal breathing. That is what they meant by "sink chi into the LDT."

    Abdominal breathing is most vulnerable in martial arts. It is because if the LDT was opened to the opponent，one strike to the LDT will release all the chi. Thus that would make one most vulnerable to be the weakest at that point in time.

  16. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    1 hour ago, Taoist Texts said:

    here the old master is good at jumping but still hits the student muscularly, putting his foot behind the student's who of course is not resisting. nice trick but not FJ

    You are very amusing, I'm glad that you are here. You are very observant. Let me tell you something about Fajin. Fajin is not just using muscles but brain power too. The idea of FJ is to place yourself in the most defensive position. When you strike, you want to have the opponent in an indefendable  position. That is to keep the opponent in an off balance position. It is by putting the foot behind the student who, of course,  cannot resist.

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  23. Posted · Edited by ChiDragon

    27 minutes ago, Paradoxal said:

    Why is western science valid, but eastern science invalid?

    Western science is explained to the microscopic level,  that's why it is valid. Chinese so-call science is only macroscopic and fictional. 

     

    I can use cellular respiration to explain how the body energy is generated. It is by muscle contraction. From the Chinese point of view, energy only known as chi. I cannot find any justification, but only by the word of mouth.

     

    PS I am only borrowing western science  to fill in the Chinese missing part. That's all, folks!

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