What does standing meditation do to/for you?

[Vitalii]

 

Tuna(吐吶) is the genuine and authentic Taoist breathing method.

 

 

My article about Tuna - http://zhendaopai.com/daoist-breathing-techniques-tuna/

[xor]

Somehow this inspired me to wake up at 5 and do standing meditation. Didn't even plan for it, just woke up and started. Nothing close to 2 hours for me yet.

 

When I started practicing Zhan Zhuang, my Shifu told me to do it from 5.00 untill 7.00 a.m. every day.

I stood for 2 hours every day, and sometimes 3-4 hours pauseless.

[Vitalii]

Somehow this inspired me to wake up at 5 and do standing meditation. Didn't even plan for it, just woke up and started. Nothing close to 2 hours for me yet.

 

I am glad that my post inspired you.

To reach two hours in the Zhan Zhuang practice is not an easy thing. But it's very important to continue own practice with the correct internal work, and one day you will do it.

[ChiDragon]

My article about Tuna - http://zhendaopai.com/daoist-breathing-techniques-tuna/

 

I would like to point out couple things. This article mistranslated the term Tuna((吐納), The way I have it is correct in post #181.

 

Few thousand years ago, the ancient Taoists did not know any about oxygen. However, they knew something was in the air which is good for our health. Actually, the character 氣(chi) means "air"; but the later Taoists thought air was something else. They were assuming that they were breathing something else in the air which was "chi". In the article, it was mentioned as "external chi". If we give it a subtle thought, actually, it is the "oxygen" in the air. We cannot deny the fact that modern science is telling us that it was the oxygen in the air has been given us all the health benefits; rather than not some other unknown imaginary factor.

[Vitalii]

 

I would like to point out couple things. This article mistranslated the term Tuna((吐納), The way I have it is correct in post #181.

 

Few thousand years ago, the ancient Taoists did not know any about oxygen. However, they knew something was in the air which is good for our health. Actually, the character 氣(chi) means "air"; but the later Taoists thought air was something else. They were assuming that they were breathing something else in the air which was "chi". In the article, it was mentioned as "external chi". If we give it a subtle thought, actually, it is the "oxygen" in the air. We cannot deny the fact that modern science is telling us that it was the oxygen in the air has been given us all the health benefits; rather than not some other unknown imaginary factor.

 

Thank you for comment.

 

Literal translation of the word "Tuna"

 

吐 - to spit

納 - to receive, to accept, to bring into

 

If we open ancient daoist texts, we can see the character Qi (氣), which was not used in the meaning of air or oxygen.

 

Nowadays daoists also consider that Qi is neither air nor oxygen.

 

I want to ask you whether you consider Qi is air/oxygen or other substance.

[ChiDragon]

Nowadays daoists also consider that Qi is neither air nor oxygen.

 

I want to ask you whether you consider Qi is air/oxygen or other substance.

 

The former is always the case, not just nowadays.

 

Nowadays, I do consider Qi is air from a linguistic point of view; and Qi is oxygen from a Qigong breathing point of view. However, as far as Qiogong goes, I consider that Qi is "breathing". For what has been said, I considered that Qigong is the ultimate method of breathing.

 

Edited June 14, 2013 by ChiDragon

[ChiDragon]

Thank you for comment.

 

Literal translation of the word "Tuna"

 

吐 - to spit

納 - to receive, to accept, to bring into

 

Yes, from a direct translation, that is one of the possible meanings of the characters; but they have other meanings too besides what you had indicated here.

 

If we open ancient daoist texts, we can see the character Qi (氣), which was not used in the meaning of air or oxygen.

 

As I had indicated, the ancients did not know about oxygen yet in their time. How could they have it in their text...??? Even nowadays, Taoists insisted to practice breathing and emphasis how important breathing is but still don't want to admit what they are breathing in the air is oxygen.

Edited June 14, 2013 by ChiDragon

[Vitalii]

 

The former is always the case, not just nowadays.

 

Nowadays, I do consider Qi is air from a linguistic point of view; and Qi is oxygen from a Qigong breathing point of view. However, as far as Qiogong goes, I consider that Qi is "breathing". For what has been said, I considered that Qigong is the ultimate method of breathing.

 

 

Thank you for expression your point of view.

 

If we could meet with you, I would be able to show you that Qi is neither air nor oxygen.

[Chang]

My own view on standing practice is that it allows for the correct alignment of the skeleton and the relaxation of the surrounding tissue thereby allowing the whole body to come into a state of energised relaxation.

 

I look upon the practice as one of using the physical body (that which is manifest) to effect the energetic body (that which is un-manifest); the various postures effecting the movement of energy to bring about the desired result.

[ChiDragon]

Thank you for expression your point of view.

 

If we could meet with you, I would be able to show you that Qi is neither air nor oxygen.

 

I guess you are not following my different points of views. There are many meanings for the character "氣". It is not advisable just to be stagnated in half of what you had learned.

[Friend]

Edited August 17, 2013 by Friend

[Vitalii]

 

There are many meanings for the character "氣"

 

Of course, I agree.

 

I don't agree that Qi is only air or oxygen in Qigong prictise.

[ChiDragon]

Of course, I agree.

 

I don't agree that Qi is only air or oxygen in Qigong prictise.

That is true, but let's not ignore them totally.

[Vitalii]

That is true, but let's not ignore them totally.

 

 

Of course

[Vitalii]

I hope you open up a own tread for the Zhendaopai, it seem interesting and solid and beside one the page some may have question,

since it seem you are the only one representing it.

 

I represent Daoist School Zhen Dao Pai on this forum, as far as I lead the dissemination of the knowledge outside China by approbation and blessing of Grandmaster Lu Shiyang.

 

Meantime, there are other followers, in China, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

[Vitalii]

Somehow this inspired me to wake up at 5 and do standing meditation. Didn't even plan for it, just woke up and started. Nothing close to 2 hours for me yet.

 

 

By the way, two hour practice of Zhan Zhuang is a must of traditional Daoist retreats in our School among other things.

 

You can check out our typical program here http://zhendaopai.com/daoist-retreat-in-the-carpathian-mountains-2013/

[ShouYi]

Is it proper to practice zhan zhuang at Zi hour (part: 11 pm to midnight) or Hai hour (9 pm to 11 pm)?

 

It's the best time for me (before midnight), but Hua-Ching Ni wrote that "All important spiritual energy cultivation occurs during the yang part of the cycle" (between midnight and noon) and "The best time for self-cultivation is in the early morning when yang energy is not yet too strong". Is it a waste of time to pracice zhan zhuang before midnight, before bedtime?

[Vitalii]

Hello Shou YI,

 

 

Is it a waste of time to pracice zhan zhuang before midnight, before bedtime?

 

it will also be good, but the best time for Zhan zhuang from 5.00 till 7.00 a.m.

[ShouYi]

Thank you Vitalii

[ChiDragon]

Is it proper to practice zhan zhuang at Zi hour (part: 11 pm to midnight) or Hai hour (9 pm to 11 pm)?

 

It's the best time for me (before midnight), but Hua-Ching Ni wrote that "All important spiritual energy cultivation occurs during the yang part of the cycle" (between midnight and noon) and "The best time for self-cultivation is in the early morning when yang energy is not yet too strong". Is it a waste of time to pracice zhan zhuang before midnight, before bedtime?

 

Any time is a good time, unless one really wants to restrict oneself to the traditional way.

[Starjumper]

The middle dantian is more associated with psychoemotional sphere, so when you hold your hands in front of the middle dantian it can activate your emotions. it's Ok.

 

I feel that for a person to get emotional can be a negative expereince in a highly stressful society. For a hermit on a mountaintop to get emotional is an entirely different thing.

 

However, dealing with their negative emotions could cause a person to grow more quickly if they can tolerate it and decide to continue their meditations in spite of it (bravery and determination).

[Starjumper]

 

The former is always the case, not just nowadays.

 

Nowadays, I do consider Qi is air from a linguistic point of view; and Qi is oxygen from a Qigong breathing point of view. However, as far as Qiogong goes, I consider that Qi is "breathing". For what has been said, I considered that Qigong is the ultimate method of breathing.

 

 

Chi in the body is neither air nor oxygen! The idea that chi is air originated because the ancient ones did not know the details of the breathing system, and what they felt in their bodies does feel a bit like wind sometimes.

[ChiDragon]

Chi in the body is neither air nor oxygen! The idea that chi is air originated because the ancient ones did not know the details of the breathing system, and what they felt in their bodies does feel a bit like wind sometimes.

 

Okay....

May I ask when you do Chi Kung, do you do lots of breathing exercise, perhaps the abdominal breathing ......???

[Starjumper]

 

May I ask when you do Chi Kung, do you do lots of breathing exercise, perhaps the abdominal breathing ......???

 

No, the moving standing part of my chi kung has absolutely no breathing exercises, except once in a while, as part of a certain movement, we will breath out with the heart healing sound. I always breath with abdominal breathing, it's part of life, not chi kung, but somehow my chi kung trained me to do it. Everyone should breath like Darth Vader except without all the noise.

 

During one of our sitting meditations, of which we went through hundreds, we hummed at certain tones, however we did that meditation for the longest of any, and towards the end of the eight year apprenticeship, abecause it was an advanced* practice. This humming sound, with each one being as long as possible, makes a person naturally breath with full deep breaths without focusing on the breathing. In other words, it's the softest style of breathing exercise because you don't need to focus on it.

 

---------------

 

*advanced: does not mean the beginners are having it withheld from them and that therefore they should focus on it (then it becomes fundamentalism, doesn't it). Advanced means you get the most benefit out of it after you have progressed along the Way. Beginners won't get nearly the benefit from it that a more advanced person would because it has a synergistic effect with the other exercises that were done just before.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Starjumper

[ChiDragon]

No, the moving standing part of my chi kung has absolutely no breathing exercises, except once in a while, as part of a certain movement, we will breath out with the heart healing sound. I always breath with abdominal breathing, it's part of life, not chi kung, but somehow my chi kung trained me to do it. Everyone should breath like Darth Vader except without all the noise.

 

I think you have answered my question. Without realizing the purpose of Chi Kung, but you have accomplished what Chi Kung does for you.

 

 

PS.....

You have made my day. You are the first person who have given me a satisfactory answer about Chi Kung, even though it was indirectly......... :)

Edited August 20, 2013 by ChiDragon