Qigong fundamentals

[gendao]

Maybe I'm just impatient, or too tense for qigong... I like to do things. I don't like to imitate being a tree for half an hour... It seems like a total waste of time to me. If I would at least photosynthesize...

No, you're totally normal. With all the spiritual & health benefits of qigong, people wonder what the catch is? Well, the catch is that it can be boring as hell.

 

Look, if it were as fun as jacking off to p0rn, everyone would be a qigong master. But, only very, very few are - so why? Because 99+% of people will never develop the intense-enough desire and motivation to do it. Don't underestimate the discipline it takes to put in hundreds and thousands of hours of practice to develop yourself in this art. You have to desire it like a drowning man desires air... Mere curiosity or casual dabbling will never be enough to put you through such extreme paces. Talk is easy...doing is hard. And doing not-doing can be even harder!

[Athanor]

No, you're totally normal. With all the spiritual & health benefits of qigong, people wonder what the catch is? Well, the catch is that it can be boring as hell.

 

Look, if it were as fun as jacking off to p0rn, everyone would be a qigong master. But, only very, very few are - so why? Because 99+% of people will never develop the intense-enough desire and motivation to do it. Don't underestimate the discipline it takes to put in hundreds and thousands of hours of practice to develop yourself in this art. You have to desire it like a drowning man desires air... Mere curiosity or casual dabbling will never be enough to put you through such extreme paces. Talk is easy...doing is hard. And doing not-doing can be even harder!

Alright, I agree with what you say. But here's my question. If I practice something for hundreds and thousands of hours that will supposedly lengthen my life and give me health, will it lengthen my life more than just with hundreds or thousands of hours?

What I mean is, if I have to practice qigong for one day to reach the benefit of a one day longer life then it makes no sense at all. Just living to practice something that makes me live longer is not worth it. And it seems that although this can be really boring, those who really do benefit of it do it all day, every day.

[Sahaj Nath]

Alright, I agree with what you say. But here's my question. If I practice something for hundreds and thousands of hours that will supposedly lengthen my life and give me health, will it lengthen my life more than just with hundreds or thousands of hours?

What I mean is, if I have to practice qigong for one day to reach the benefit of a one day longer life then it makes no sense at all. Just living to practice something that makes me live longer is not worth it. And it seems that although this can be really boring, those who really do benefit of it do it all day, every day.

 

LOL!

 

once you are able to really understand it, you'll realize that qigong can be practiced in every moment, with every breath, so, by your own rationale, maintaining a qigong state could potentially DOUBLE your lifespan.

 

more simply, though, do you really think that so many people would practice daily if what you just described were the only benefit? seriously? LOL!

 

i work with cancer patients, and i see the seemingly miraculous happen all the time. i would still suggest that you are caught up in intellectual abstractions. get out of your head, and seek a practice that makes you feel. something you can believe in. then decide for yourself whether it's something you wish to make a part of your life.

 

read more books. i would recommend The Healing Promise of Qi. i use it as my standard textbook for all of my students. very simple to understand, beautifully written, and fairly thorough. if you were in the states, i would invite you to my place, free of charge. but arguments & questions like this one are so short-sighted that i begin to wonder if your questions are sincere, or if you're just looking for a debate. do you really think that 100's of millions of people practice for an hour every day, so that they can add 1 hour a day to their lives? to me that doesn't even make sense to ask.

[Athanor]

more simply, though, do you really think that so many people would practice daily if what you just described were the only benefit? seriously? LOL!

Well, I see lots of people do the same stupid thing... so why not?

 

Finding something I believe in is a good advice. However, there are two kinds of beliefs. One doesn't connect to intellectual understanding - this is called blind faith, which can usually be queried with some reasonable questions, but these always fall on deaf ears. The other kind of belief is the one that becomes necessary beyond intelligence - when one tries to know reality with an intellectual approach as much as possible, but after a certain degree intelligence cannot return valuable answers because of appearing paradoxes. So, when you say I am caught up in intellectual abstraction, you're probably right, but it's still better than accepting and dedicating my life to something what might be a total bullshit, or might just need to be done in a totally different way.

For me, understanding the concept of qigong, the concept that makes it so effective, is something that leads to a possibility to believe in it. If I don't understand it, then it feels like if I believe it then I do it with blind faith, and we all know how dangerous it can be. I'd like to avoid that.

 

read more books. i would recommend The Healing Promise of Qi. i use it as my standard textbook for all of my students. very simple to understand, beautifully written, and fairly thorough. if you were in the states, i would invite you to my place, free of charge. but arguments & questions like this one are so short-sighted that i begin to wonder if your questions are sincere, or if you're just looking for a debate. do you really think that 100's of millions of people practice for an hour every day, so that they can add 1 hour a day to their lives? to me that doesn't even make sense to ask.

Thanks for the book recommendation, can you maybe tell me something downloadable? Because, you see, these books aren't really available in my country...

 

You think about people as if they'd always do things right. If something is done by 100 million people, even that isn't a guarantee that the particular thing is right. Like smoking, just to name one.

We've seen many times how people can be lead astray by one man, or a few, how people believe something even if it's not really there or it's not true. This is what religions are based on. This is what politics is based on. This is what psychotherapy is based on. This is what marketing, or in fact, the whole global economy, is based on. So don't tell me why 100 million people are doing something. Most of them do everything they do without proper understanding of the thing, and without the awareness of the reason why they do it. I know. I used to work in advertisement.

 

Yes, my questions were serious, although I sometimes polarize more or less to render something. Thanks for the invitation, but I live on the other side of the planet, and I'm not going on a world trip soon

[Sahaj Nath]

Well, I see lots of people do the same stupid thing... so why not?

 

your skepticism can be a prison that prevents you from ever discovering for yourself. that's all i'm sayin'.

 

i mean seriously, what are you risking by practicing a well-known qigong form? i get what you're saying. i just don't think it applies very well here with regard to health maintenance. if your concern is being duped, then steer clear of expensive programs, choose to only explore those that are either low cost or free. but either way YOU have to experiment and explore for yourself. physically. not just intellectually.

[Athanor]

your skepticism can be a prison that prevents you from ever discovering for yourself. that's all i'm sayin'.

 

i mean seriously, what are you risking by practicing a well-known qigong form? i get what you're saying. i just don't think it applies very well here with regard to health maintenance. if your concern is being duped, then steer clear of expensive programs, choose to only explore those that are either low cost or free. but either way YOU have to experiment and explore for yourself. physically. not just intellectually.

Once upon a time I had a conversation with a man who heals with acupuncture and teaches yoga and pranayama. He told me how to breathe properly to gain internal strength and better health. He detailed it well, he answered all my questions, and I did what he said, I gave my best. Yet, after about one or two weeks, my stomach started to hurt, the pain was more and more intense. When I quit practicing, the pain disappeared in 2 days. I don't think the guy taught me wrong. I don't think there is too much mistake to do in something so simple as breathing. I think that there was something what I didn't understand about it, and this something made me do it wrong.

 

What I'm trying to say with this is that my question is not really about different forms of qigong, or schools, or masters... It's about the main principles which you have to understand to do it properly. Like in taiji practice, if you simply copy the movements, you still won't have any idea about how to start a movement from your waist. And without this, even if you seemingly do exactly what a master does, you still do it wrong. The source of the movement is a part of taiji's concept. That is the knowledge what you have to have for proper practice. And this is the kind of knowledge I'm seeking in qigong.

 

For example, guiding qi:

What makes qi come towards me? - like absorbing qi from the ground, or lifting up qi from feet to the chest.

What makes qi go apart? - like pushing qi into a specific region of the body, or into some other object.

Some movements result in having qi in my hand, while others result in releasing qi through my fingers into the environment. What makes up this difference? What makes qi stuck in my hand once, and flow out in the other case?

I can tell why electricity flows in a certain way, but why does qi flow in a certain way?

 

I have no idea of these things. But if I would, then I'd probably be able to practice properly, and maybe I'd be able to experience the benefits of it, since it's almost sure that there's no other way than experiencing it...

The reason why I hesitate about this so much is simply that if something can be so powerful that it heals you, then if you do it wrong, it is also powerful enough to make you sick.

Edited March 4, 2010 by Athanor

[Andrei]

Once upon a time I had a conversation with a man who heals with acupuncture and teaches yoga and pranayama. He told me how to breathe properly to gain internal strength and better health. He detailed it well, he answered all my questions, and I did what he said, I gave my best. Yet, after about one or two weeks, my stomach started to hurt, the pain was more and more intense. When I quit practicing, the pain disappeared in 2 days. I don't think the guy taught me wrong. I don't think there is too much mistake to do in something so simple as breathing. I think that there was something what I didn't understand about it, and this something made me do it wrong.

 

Any qigong system done in excess can harm, because "the practitioner" does not know when to stop, or what are the effects. Usually the effects appear after several weeks, months or years. That is why "the practitioner" needs a supervisor. If you don't have a supervisor, you supervise yourself but you need to learn traditional chinese medicine, how to maintain the balance of the five energies, what are your particular imbalances inherited genetically or astrologically or educationally or culturally or whatever, and so on. It is a lot to learn, and there is allways something to repair, to heal, to maintain, to loose, to let go, to regain, and so on, it is a lifetime experience.

 

What I'm trying to say with this is that my question is not really about different forms of qigong, or schools, or masters... It's about the main principles which you have to understand to do it properly. Like in taiji practice, if you simply copy the movements, you still won't have any idea about how to start a movement from your waist. And without this, even if you seemingly do exactly what a master does, you still do it wrong. The source of the movement is a part of taiji's concept. That is the knowledge what you have to have for proper practice. And this is the kind of knowledge I'm seeking in qigong.

 

The main principles is to keep healthy and maintain the balance of the life. And don't worry about "the correct" taiji practice, there are so many styles and variations inside a style, that everyone claims he is doing "the right taichi" and everyone else is doing "the wrong taichi". It is just like "my God is better than yours", "my baby is cuter than yours", "my kung fu is better than yours" etc.

 

For example, guiding qi:

What makes qi come towards me? - like absorbing qi from the ground, or lifting up qi from feet to the chest.

What makes qi go apart? - like pushing qi into a specific region of the body, or into some other object.

Some movements result in having qi in my hand, while others result in releasing qi through my fingers into the environment. What makes up this difference? What makes qi stuck in my hand once, and flow out in the other case?

I can tell why electricity flows in a certain way, but why does qi flow in a certain way?

 

Qi is electricity. is electro-magnetism, is gravitation... learn physics, chemistry and biology if you want to know "why".

 

The reason why I hesitate about this so much is simply that if something can be so powerful that it heals you, then if you do it wrong, it is also powerful enough to make you sick.

 

You are right, but the domain is very vast and complex and no-one can guarantee you that this or that is right for you. The guru is in yourself

[Athanor]

Any qigong system done in excess can harm, because "the practitioner" does not know when to stop, or what are the effects. Usually the effects appear after several weeks, months or years. That is why "the practitioner" needs a supervisor. If you don't have a supervisor, you supervise yourself but you need to learn traditional chinese medicine, how to maintain the balance of the five energies, what are your particular imbalances inherited genetically or astrologically or educationally or culturally or whatever, and so on. It is a lot to learn, and there is allways something to repair, to heal, to maintain, to loose, to let go, to regain, and so on, it is a lifetime experience.

 

The main principles is to keep healthy and maintain the balance of the life. And don't worry about "the correct" taiji practice, there are so many styles and variations inside a style, that everyone claims he is doing "the right taichi" and everyone else is doing "the wrong taichi". It is just like "my God is better than yours", "my baby is cuter than yours", "my kung fu is better than yours" etc.

 

Qi is electricity. is electro-magnetism, is gravitation... learn physics, chemistry and biology if you want to know "why".

 

You are right, but the domain is very vast and complex and no-one can guarantee you that this or that is right for you. The guru is in yourself

OK, I mostly disagree with you.

 

If I would need so much to learn before being able to properly supervise myself and do the qigong practice in the right way, without causing harm, then everyone should learn this much, because a master's occasional supervising will not substitute this vast knowledge. I don't think it's really necessary.

 

What you call "main principle" is actually the goal, and not the principle. It's like saying that the main principle of eating is to satisfy hunger. That is the result of it, while the principle lies in the acquiring of adequate food; how to eat; and the consequences of eating.

 

You don't seem to understand, or take serious, my point here. "My god is better than yours" has nothing to do with what I was talking about. Although on the surface these systems may be different, they all have a common basis, and that is called physical reality, which is independent of the practitioner's beliefs and thoughts about his qigong. I'm looking for that foundation.

 

You see, if qi equals all the other energies we know about, then the whole concept of qi is a big joke, probably the biggest and oldest hoax in history. If we can explain something with those physical energies, then why would we need qi? To make the equation more complex? To put one more variable into it for no reason at all? Although qi might happen to be wherever these other forms of energy are, qi does not equal these energies. It's like saying that a human equals atoms. Because wherever a human is, atoms are there. But there are plenty of other ways atoms can coagulate, and human is just one of them. And qi can manifest in many forms of energy, like electricity, chemical energy, heat, or such - but none of these equal the pure qi that (according to scriptures and old teachings) is flowing in our body, in the meridians.

[Andrei]

It's like saying that a human equals atoms.

 

Exactly, read Diamond Sutra, there you find this idea.

[TzuJanLi]

Greetings..

 

It's like saying that a human equals atoms.

I hope you will find the analogy appropriate, so.. it is the atoms that equal humans, the atoms are organized and arranged by the Cosmic Life-force we refer to as Qi.. the atoms are arranged into a structure of form, shape, and mass that creates a portal and vessel for this Life-force to experience its 'Life'.. in this arrangement of atoms, the Whole (human) is greater than the sum of its Parts (atoms).. Similarly, the Whole of humanity is greater than the sum of its parts.. QiGong is developing a conscious relationship with this 'Life-force'.. Literally, QiGong means 'Energy Work', and while some systems are more effective than others, i understand that the 'intention' of the practitioner is the primary variable..

 

Be well..

[Athanor]

Greetings..

 

 

I hope you will find the analogy appropriate, so.. it is the atoms that equal humans, the atoms are organized and arranged by the Cosmic Life-force we refer to as Qi.. the atoms are arranged into a structure of form, shape, and mass that creates a portal and vessel for this Life-force to experience its 'Life'.. in this arrangement of atoms, the Whole (human) is greater than the sum of its Parts (atoms).. Similarly, the Whole of humanity is greater than the sum of its parts.. QiGong is developing a conscious relationship with this 'Life-force'.. Literally, QiGong means 'Energy Work', and while some systems are more effective than others, i understand that the 'intention' of the practitioner is the primary variable..

 

Be well..

This gave me some idea, but it will take some time to ponder upon... It reminds me of the books of Wallace D. Wattles, who says that life is a principle instead of a mechanism or a structure; and the definition of the ego, which says that the ego is not a thing or a part of the mind, but a specific mechanism of it. Maybe the thing why I can't understand this whole qi-thing is that qi is not what I thought it is...

Thanks.

[TzuJanLi]

Greetings..

 

life is a principle instead of a mechanism or a structure

Thank you, Athanor: I hadn't made that connection with 'words', but.. it has a comfortable resonance.. , too, will do some pondering..

 

Be well..

[Stigweard]

Hi Athanor,

 

I was about to write a detailed response to your questions, but as I read through the excellent responses here I realized that everything has already been said.

 

Fortunately or unfortunately, the only real way for you to find satisfaction with an answer is for you to experience the truth of it directly. Which means a lifelong devotion to practice.

 

But let me add this...

 

Most people, and I mean 99.9% of people, when they are in their first 3-5 years of practicing qigong, taiji etc are doing it wrong. Now I don't mean wrong from a technical point of view, they may be performing the movements to precise accuracy, but they are still doing it wrong.

 

Let me explain...

 

Imagine climbing a mountain, what are you focusing on mainly? The top of the mountain right? You are focusing on the next handhold, where to place your feet ... but always, always your mind is on reaching the summit.

 

But what about when you reach the summit? What are you focusing on then? You are looking outwards right? Absorbing the scenery, taking it all in.

 

But what would happen if you looked down and saw someone else trying to make it to the summit? Would you try and lend a hand? Would you throw down a rope to help them up?

 

You see, most, if not all, qigong forms are the rope thrown down to us by masters who have already reached the summit. Their perspective is different from ours.

 

So why people are doing it wrong is a matter of perspective and intent. It is the difference between the integral awareness and beingness of an achieved one and the partial, narrow view of the one still struggling on the cliff face.

 

Taijiquan is very much like this.

 

I tell my students that the Taijiquan form is not Taiji. In Zen terms, it is the proverbial finger pointing at the moon. It is merely the 'guidebook' that is pointing our way to to the essence that is Taiji but the form is not Taiji. I see people practicing perfectly in terms of postural alignment, but they are still not embodying Taiji.

 

The form was created by someone who WAS Taiji, and they gave us these practices so that we may also arrive there. But we will never be there until our intent and our perspective IS Taiji, just as we will never truly know Qigong until we ARE Qigong.

 

How to get there?

 

Practice ...

 

Trust the personal power of your own life that you are drawing to you the most perfect practice for you. If it turns out to be not the best, then trust that you needed to learn that lesson and rejoice that you now know better.

 

Never let your questions and doubts get in the way of what will ultimately answer those questions, which is practice. Keep your practice going until your questions disappear and you BECOME the answer.

 

[Mal]

[Gerard]

...However, I think sooner or later taijiquan will also result in a higher ability to perceive qi-flow, yet, without the extraordinary healing benefit.

 

I wouldn't recommend you to start with the complexity of Tai Chi play if you don't have a strong foundation in other Chinese arts such as Xingyi, Xinyi, Bagua, Tongbei, Baji, etc. as these will help you loosen up your tendons and bones.

 

The following two articles will give you a good insight of what I mean:

 

http://www.guensystem.com/vertical_article1b.html

 

http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=544

 

 

Qigong work is not easy, and please leave the western mind behind. It will only interfere with your internal development.

 

Good luck.

[Kunlun Enthusiast]

 

 

Question for Dukhrod and others.

 

I have been reading Nan and William Bodri's book today and they say, watch your breath and everything will happen.

 

I guess the mind can be purified or real nature realized etc. through this insight practice. But does simply watching breath help in healing physical issues as well? I am checking if anapana meditation can completely substitute qigong and tai chi altogether. Bodri seems to think so.

 

I also saw a video Spiritual Reality which someone recommended on another thread. The video says the same, that once mind is thoughtless, energy is scuked in and all channels open. Enlightenment etc is not my current goal but stress relief, healing, health etc are. Any suggestions?

[Athanor]

I wouldn't recommend you to start with the complexity of Tai Chi play if you don't have a strong foundation in other Chinese arts such as Xingyi, Xinyi, Bagua, Tongbei, Baji, etc. as these will help you loosen up your tendons and bones.

 

The following two articles will give you a good insight of what I mean:

 

http://www.guensyste..._article1b.html

 

http://www.kungfumag...php?article=544

 

 

Qigong work is not easy, and please leave the western mind behind. It will only interfere with your internal development.

 

Good luck.

A Chinese taiji master, Han Kui-Yuan, who first taught me taiji in Budapest while I used to live there, told me quite the contrary. He said, it's much better to start with taijiquan because it is the smoothest, it deals with the inner energies more than outer parts of the body, while other martial arts deal more with muscles and joints. Since he also teaches xingyi, specifically told me that he doesn't recommend it to me because of my weak joints. It seems that complexity is a much less problem than the strain of the parts of the body.

[Gerard]

A Chinese taiji master, Han Kui-Yuan, who first taught me taiji in Budapest while I used to live there, told me quite the contrary. He said, it's much better to start with taijiquan because it is the smoothest, it deals with the inner energies more than outer parts of the body, while other martial arts deal more with muscles and joints. Since he also teaches xingyi, specifically told me that he doesn't recommend it to me because of my weak joints. It seems that complexity is a much less problem than the strain of the parts of the body.

 

Well, let me disagree. As He Jinghan clearly states in his article:

 

You must learn how to do a basic drawing or sketch before you can do abstract painting.

 

You cannot learn Tai Chi in a weak body. Sorry it doesn't work that way.

 

Tai Chi is first and foremost Kung Fu; that is, a martial art. The Tai Chi people absorb today is a huge watered down version of the real deal which unfortunately just a small bunch of teachers understand today.

 

I would recommend you to learn Bagua if you feel you cannot cope with Xingyi.

 

Note 1: please read those articles as they are written by very knowledgeable people.

 

Note 2: I have met He Jinghan in real life and he is trained according to the classical Chinese way. His skill is deep and of the highest standard. He won't teach you Bagua until you loosen up all joints, tendons, bones and qi blockages in your body, so there is a lot of conditioning to be done because to express jin takes a very long time of loosening and conditioning the mind-body structure. After that he will build your body using Bagua and after that you can learn Tai Chi with the proper teacher.

 

Good luck.

[Mal]

[quote name=durkhrod chogori' date='08 March 2010 - 08:26 PM'

timestamp='1268044006' post='180196]

You cannot learn Tai Chi in a weak body. Sorry it doesn't work that way.

 

tell that to all the people who have improved their health practicing Tai Chi

 

[quote name=durkhrod chogori' date='08 March 2010 - 08:26 PM'

timestamp='1268044006' post='180196]

Tai Chi is first and foremost Kung Fu; that is, a martial art. The Tai Chi people absorb today is a huge watered down version of the real deal which unfortunately just a small bunch of teachers understand today.

 

Hear that one often too. Correct or not, it doesn't really matter IMHO. I can also list the benefits of the Tai Chi I know over other forms, but that doesn't matter either. All these different best/correct methods with endless debate over them. Why? Because different ways suit different individuals at different times in their life

 

A teacher will choses the best for the student from the tools they have available. My Sifu tells me Tai Chi will benefit my health and that we should practice the form as a vital complement to our kung fu forms. He has proven correct in that recommendation for me.

 

Without a teacher you have to do the choosing yourself. Quite difficult without that set of skills and experience to help you chose wisely. Many have succeeded that way, but as you pointed out earlier.

If I would need so much to learn before being able to properly supervise myself and do the qigong practice in the right way, without causing harm, then everyone should learn this much, because a master's occasional supervising will not substitute this vast knowledge. I don't think it's really necessary.

 

Although for me, having teachers feels more like a long term relationship i.e.father/son than a babysitter style occasional supervision

[Sahaj Nath]

Thank you for that reply, Mal. i was gonna comment something similar, probably a little more flippant, but you said serves just fine.

 

durkhrod chogori, everyone who has been around the block understands what you're saying. but that's just not a fruitful discussion to have in this thread. i think it serves to generate more confusion than awareness for the newer practitioner.

 

 

Kunlun Enthusiast,

 

well first, my suggestion would be practice qigong and/or tai chi if you're looking for stress relief. they will serve as great moving meditations (assuming you have access to decent instruction), and you will get the benefits you're looking for.

 

to answer your first question: NO. anapana CANNOT COMPLETELY SUBSTITUTE qigong & tai chi. the trouble is that you asked an imprecise question. but if i understand correctly the spirit of your question, maybe this will help.

 

calming the mind frees up a tremendous amount of energy in the body, as does fasting. but trouble can quickly arise if your body's not ready to handle it. it is very possible to just blow open your channels through a tremendous induction of energy triggered by deep meditation. but that could prove to be a HORRIFIC experience. can place extreme stress on the body. can be very painful. qigong/taiji quan/yoga prepares the body for handling all of that energy. the exercises will steadily and gradually open the channels so that the pipes are clean and when you open the floodgates you won't do any damage.

 

also, most (regular) people who meditate without a physical component don't seem to get very far in terms of energetic development. this is probably due to improper mindset in practice and the lack of a school or community from which to receive guidance. i think qigong practices work better in terms of quickly increasing your awareness of the energy in your body.

 

cross training produces the best results, IMO. qigong IS a meditative practice. and proper meditation IS qigong.

 

you can take a basic commercial yoga class and get a feel for some of what i'm saying here. if you start the class in corpse/emptiness pose, you're just kind of laying there. not much happening except for in the mind. but after going through a few postures and exercises, THEN when you return to corpse/emptiness pose, the energy in your body is awake and flowing, and your stillness almost seems to facilitate it.

 

hope this helps.

[Kunlun Enthusiast]

hope this helps.

 

 

Awesome, certainly helped. Thank you

 

I will read this a couple more times.

[Birch]

"IMO. qigong IS a meditative practice. and proper meditation IS qigong."

 

THIS!

 

 

Think/don't think(not think) about it. That other thread also about the what/who what/who is inside your spine or your chakra or your big toe when you/what/who do qi-gong. THAT!

 

Thank you Hundun! Have you ever been away!

[Gerard]

Thank you for that reply, Mal. i was gonna comment something similar, probably a little more flippant, but you said serves just fine.

 

durkhrod chogori, everyone who has been around the block understands what you're saying. but that's just not a fruitful discussion to have in this thread. i think it serves to generate more confusion than awareness for the newer practitioner.

 

 

Kunlun Enthusiast,

 

well first, my suggestion would be practice qigong and/or tai chi if you're looking for stress relief. they will serve as great moving meditations (assuming you have access to decent instruction), and you will get the benefits you're looking for.

 

to answer your first question: NO. anapana CANNOT COMPLETELY SUBSTITUTE qigong & tai chi. the trouble is that you asked an imprecise question. but if i understand correctly the spirit of your question, maybe this will help.

 

calming the mind frees up a tremendous amount of energy in the body, as does fasting. but trouble can quickly arise if your body's not ready to handle it. it is very possible to just blow open your channels through a tremendous induction of energy triggered by deep meditation. but that could prove to be a HORRIFIC experience. can place extreme stress on the body. can be very painful. qigong/taiji quan/yoga prepares the body for handling all of that energy. the exercises will steadily and gradually open the channels so that the pipes are clean and when you open the floodgates you won't do any damage.

 

also, most (regular) people who meditate without a physical component don't seem to get very far in terms of energetic development. this is probably due to improper mindset in practice and the lack of a school or community from which to receive guidance. i think qigong practices work better in terms of quickly increasing your awareness of the energy in your body.

 

cross training produces the best results, IMO. qigong IS a meditative practice. and proper meditation IS qigong.

 

you can take a basic commercial yoga class and get a feel for some of what i'm saying here. if you start the class in corpse/emptiness pose, you're just kind of laying there. not much happening except for in the mind. but after going through a few postures and exercises, THEN when you return to corpse/emptiness pose, the energy in your body is awake and flowing, and your stillness almost seems to facilitate it.

 

hope this helps.

 

+1

 

Very well explained.