Not needing to eat

[Wayfarer]

Hi folks,

 

I normally try to practise Qigong and/or Tai Chi on a daily basis. Last year I began a Qigong course and after increasing the amount of time I practised I suddenly noticed I wasn't as hungry and could get through the day by not eating much.

 

I believed that this was due to the following reasons:

 

1) Part of the reason we eat is to satisfy the body's need for energy and much of this was being provided for by Qigong and Tai Chi

 

2) Through meditation and generally slowing down, my metabolism was slower and therefore my need for energy was lessened.

 

Over the Xmas break I had less time to practise and soon noticed my getting hungry again and eating more, which has subsided since resuming normal practice.

 

This same question was asked by a fellow practitioner at a recent Taoist retreat and our teacher confirmed what I had been thinking - that this is a natural consequence of our practice yet one should still eat small amounts of nutritious food so the body gains what it needs.

 

The need not to eat seems to be mentioned in a number of ancient Taoist scriptures and how the body of a sage can appear as one of light and energy. As many of you have far more experience than I at such practices I wondered, out of interest, if you had any thoughts or experiences on this subject - for instance, what does this say about the body and our energy requirements?

 

Thanks,

 

Heath

Edited January 14, 2012 by Wayfarer

[Chang]

What you say makes perfect sense. We also have to consider the fact that overeating dulls the energy and creates lethargy. We immediately notice the difference in our practice if we do it too soon after eating.

 

In our modern world food has become a source of pleasure with multitudes addicted to carbohydrates and sugars. With diet it becomes a case of the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

 

My own opinion is that moderation is the key.I have seen too many people in the world of Taoist Arts become obsessed with diet and make themselves weak and ill.I even new one man who decided he could exist on one apple per day. I have seen healthier looking corpses.

Edited January 14, 2012 by Chang

[Wayfarer]

Thanks Chang, I appreciate that and you are right about feeling dull after eating too much - good points thanks!

 

 

What you say makes perfect sense. We also have to consider the fact that overeating dulls the energy and creates lethargy. We immediately notice the difference in our practice if we do it too soon after eating.

 

In our modern world food has become a source of pleasure with multitudes addicted to carbohydrates and sugars. With diet it becomes a case of the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

 

My own opinion is that moderation is the key.I have seen too many people in the world of Taoist Arts become obsessed with diet and make themselves weak and ill.I even new one man who decided he could exist on one apple per day. I have seen healthier looking corpses.

[Birch]

I don't think that the bog-standard 3 meals a day is necessary. I think it conditions a person into certain ways. I've found if I eat too much at one moment, I'll naturally not want to eat, or eat very little another time. And other times I'll be eating like a horse. I don't think my practice has changed this. I've 'always' eaten this way. Same goes for meat/no meat and 'runs' of wanting to eat very specific things. I've been looking into the 5E stuff to see if I'm 'naturally' eating that way. No firm conclusions yet.

[Gerard]

Duplicate post, sorry.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Gerard

[Gerard]

Just eat when you are hungry.

 

Fasting is great if you are on retreat and putting 110% effort in your spiritual practice.

 

Becoming a bigu is not feasible if you are living in the ordinary world, please leave that to hermits and cave dwelling yogis.

 

Realisation is not dependant upon by becoming one of the latter but it might help depending on the individual.

[Ish]

I love making and eating good food.

I find I can go without food and function fine due to my practice, but i feel more balanced eating.

[chi 2012]

I'm starting to become aware of how eating big meals kicks my ass. Today I started the day with a 2 hour and 45 minute Spring Forest Qigong session. Afterwards I felt great and had some big plans for the day. After Qigong I was cleaning up my apartment and the day was going good. I needed to eat so I went to a restraunt and ate a double cheeseburger with fries and a big cobb salad. I also had a large Dr. Pepper. I figured since this would be my only meal for the day I should eat a lot. After I had the big meal - It just wacked me out. I couldn't get anything done and spent hours wasting time on the internet. From now on I'm only doing small meals throughout the day. I can't figure out how over weight people can eat like that all day and still be over achievers. When I do this it makes me tired, lazy, and undisciplined.

[Jeramiah Zeitigeist]

I'm starting to become aware of how eating big meals kicks my ass. Today I started the day with a 2 hour and 45 minute Spring Forest Qigong session. Afterwards I felt great and had some big plans for the day. After Qigong I was cleaning up my apartment and the day was going good. I needed to eat so I went to a restraunt and ate a double cheeseburger with fries and a big cobb salad. I also had a large Dr. Pepper. I figured since this would be my only meal for the day I should eat a lot. After I had the big meal - It just wacked me out. I couldn't get anything done and spent hours wasting time on the internet. From now on I'm only doing small meals throughout the day. I can't figure out how over weight people can eat like that all day and still be over achievers. When I do this it makes me tired, lazy, and undisciplined.

 

 

But I think there is a big difference between eating heathy, nutritious and good food, and eating absolute shit !

 

I think maybe if you had eaten something other than junk food, you might have got a different reaction. But eating that stuff is bound to cause a negative reaction.

 

I have seen over many years that the quality of the food I eat directly affects the quality of my energy, and my psychological and emotional states. Its usually subtle, but very definate. If I ever ate what you ate, I think it would be a major shock to my system.

 

And in reply to the OP;

 

I have noticed the more Chi Gong I practice, the less I eat. If I factor in Ba Gua and meditation too, and if I do any more than two hours a day, I find I only need one meal a day.

[Protector]

Eat when you're hungry, one day you wont be

 

GAHAHAHAHAHA

[Jeramiah Zeitigeist]

Another interesting observation, I have just thought about;

 

When I was still a 'proper' cyclist, my training often involved a five hour training ride in the hills. This would be a killer ride. Often on a fixed gear, so no chance to freewheel or change to an easier gear. I would be battering myself, riding at 20mph average, for five hours, on rough roads, in the winter, in the cold and the rain, and often wind. And I was strong enough to sprint the final 30 minutes.

 

Anyway;

 

Conventional sports science would suggest I would use around 800 calories an hour, at my weight. So we are looking at 400 calories for the ride, given the terrain, the cold etc. That would involve eating and drinking every twenty minutes, during the ride.

 

I would do it on one, 350 calorie bar. And not be hungry afterwards. I'd eat once, at two hours. And only drink water.

 

My coach called me 'unnatural' and a freak ! Said he couldn't understand what was happening. If I ate more on the ride, I would start to gain weight.

 

On reflection, I am sure it was the energy work I was doing.

[Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan]

I tend to eat more on days i practice less. And it's a destructive cycle, because the more i eat, the less i want to or try to practice, but it is also easy to break, just simply by practicing before i eat.

 

 

When i practice all day, i work up a great appetite, but only need to eat maybe once throughout the day, unless i go for another extensive round of stretches, exercises, stances, katas, and forms.

 

Sometimes all it takes is 20 situps and im starving, other times, i go for 60 at once and need no more than something to drink.

 

 

 

The fluccuating frequencies of life... ebbs and flows, waxing and waning, highs and lows, it all just depends on where you are.

 

 

Sometimes the weather controls your mood, sometimes your mood controls the weather.