Celestial

I guess what I meant was, what are the actual practices you did in those short periods of time to experience these effects? Not necessarily Fa Jin, but the hot steel bones and healing? Thanks!

Care to share your methods for obtaining this?

I wouldn't expect anything less from a Dragon.

And my attempt to steer the thread back on topic has failed. ...

Thread title: What does standing meditation do to/for you? Go.

Very true. I was aiming to end the pointless bickering that has plagued this thread from people who really have no authority at all. I hope you didn't just focus on my "Edit" and neglect everything else I mentioned prior.

You cannot claim you've been meditating or standing for "years" unless you actually do it correctly everyday. You also don't have an authority on the practice itself if this isn't the case. I have read a lot of posters on this forum say that they've been doing it for years, but when I ask them how often; they reply with, "off and on." This is not practice. Please understand the difference. This post isn't pointed directly at anyone specific in this thread, just a general observation I have made in the short time of being a member here. Edit: I'd like to add that training under someone special doesn't give you the authority on practice, unless you've trained under them everyday for 10 years. And yes, there are some people who are this dedicated. Just because you may have not met anyone like this, doesn't mean they don't exist.

What's triangle breathing?

GARY J. CLYMAN™

Where are these two pictures taken exactly? Thanks!

At this point though, I would rather move onto a different style that widens the stance. Zhan Zhuang is great for working your lats, but a wider horse stance will work your gluts.

Lol! You don't have to get up at midnight, that's only if you want to cultivate the utmost Yin energy. Follow the diagrams below for the most effective times to gather Ch'i: Spring: The time of new growth / Increasing Yang Summer: The time of greatest heat / Highest Yang Autumn: As the year cools / Increasing Yin Winter: The coldest time / Highest Yin

If there's any truth to Malcolm Gladwell's theory that it takes 10,000 hours to become a MASTER at something, then that should put it in perspective for anyone wishing to pursue a path of perfection(enlightenment). This is is part of the reason why training begins at an early age. Kids not only have more time, they absorb and store information better than adults. For instance, learning a new language. Most people either don't have the time to commit to this kind of training or they simply lack discipline; which is why so many Masters are frustrated with Westerners.

Yeah that's what drew me to the book in the first place. I was hoping that a fellow bum had read it though and could give me a mini review on it.

You have to chunk. I learned the 24-step form easily this way.

And I bet that didn't cost him a dime. Save your money and get cultivating.

Los Angeles area. It didn't click with me because at the time I didn't know anything about taoist immortality or chi kung for that matter. The school was a McDojo that didn't explain the reasoning behind the forms. Memorizing forms can be nice, but without a solid foundation and understanding of chi and how to manipulate it throughout your body, I feel like it's just a huge waste of time. Now that I know more about it, I would like to learn again.

I started with Yang years ago, didn't click with me. Where are you studying?

I have so many sarcastic witty things to say about this thread, but I don't feel like creating anymore bad karma. Good luck in your pursuit.

Yeah I did a google search, a few places came up but I have no idea if they're reputable. I've already been down the road of McDojo's in the past; and refuse to go down it again. Are you practicing anything at the moment?

Southern California. All the more reason to investigate the power of Qi and not simply write it off as some 'phenomenon.'

I've heard mixed responses from people who practice both standing and sitting meditation techniques. Some say barefoot is the best, some say things like: "If you touch the bare ground while practicing, the qi can leak from the lower areas of the body, thereby draining the kidney qi." I am hoping to find some closure on this, which is why I am turning to you, my beloved bums. I meditate both sitting and standing (Zhan Zhuang) outside, near a large tree, on natural soil. Should I be completely barefoot, where my feet are connecting with the earth or should I be wearing socks and shoes? If barefoot, cool - I can do that. If shoes, which kind? As of now, I've been alternating between barefoot and wearing these: http://www.cheapvibr...-Black-Grey.jpg Hope someone can help. Thanks!

Very true. What would you suggest for martial/inner power?

It's not about being right or wrong though. That's just silly talk. I included the entire system and made an estimate of the cost to get the full experience. There's only so much you can learn from books and videos; this much is true. So in essence, it could easily go from $40 to $400 depending on how far you want to take it. And you may be right that SFQ is one of the cheapest systems around, but this system may not be for everyone. It really comes down to what works for you.

To be quite honest, that site you linked GMP is pretty chaotic. Granted there's a TON of information on it, but it's very convoluted. A beginner would be completely lost and wouldn't know where to really start. ~ chi 2012: The problem with SFQ isn't the $40 level one course; it's the endless stream of content you end up having to pay for if you wish to progress. I don't consider level 1 a complete training course. It's a good base no doubt, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. So the $40 turns into $400 real quick. It's like Mantak Chia; that guy will drive you right into the poor house.