Still haven't found a physical/energy practice that really fits - Help/Advice needed

[ancienthealth]

...

Edited March 3, 2013 by ancienthealth

[Tibetan_Ice]

Hey bums,

...

My primary practice is self-inquiry/meditation/devotion (Dada Bhagwan), and this association is a mainstay, as it's the only practice i've had real obvious progress with.

Hi Ancient Health

I'm curious.. I did not see any recommended practices on Dada Bhagwan's site.. What self-inquiry/meditaiton/devotion practices does he recommend after receiving Gnan Vidhi?

 

http://realselfmysel...gnan-vidhi.html

 

*You are very lucky to be in a country where you can get this transmission..

 

 

So I'm really looking for something more energetic/physical in nature, for improving the flow of prana through the body to heal health/energy imbalances, and lightly exercise the body ( though I do understand meditations can improve health and energy sometimes more than the physical practices...)

 

 

Now, I know that this is mainly a Taoist forum and as such, many would recommend Tai Chi, Qi Gong etc.. I have not spent much time on those for some reason.. I did a few months of Tai Chi and did Qi Gong for a while and the Micro Cosmic Orbit.. They are powerful practices in their own right and it would be wonderful if a person had realized chi first and actually incorporated moving the chi while performing the practices..

 

In my experience, the best exercises for opening up the etheric pathways, experiencing better health and less need for sleep, developing body mindfulness and charging/healing yourself are the Self Realization Fellowship's Energization Exercises By Yogananda Paramhansa Yogi. If you subscribe to their monthly lessons, they will be included.. Or, yup, they are on the web..

 

http://www.ananda.or...s/energization/

 

 

http://www.ananda.or...troduction-new/

 

 

http://www.crystalcl...ct.php?code=BEB

 

 

TI

Edited November 25, 2012 by Tibetan_Ice

[ancienthealth]

 

Hi Ancient Health

I'm curious.. I did not see any recommended practices on Dada Bhagwan's site.. What self-inquiry/meditaiton/devotion practices does he recommend after receiving Gnan Vidhi?

 

http://realselfmysel...gnan-vidhi.html

 

*You are very lucky to be in a country where you can get this transmission..

 

 

 

Now, I know that this is mainly a Taoist forum and as such, many would recommend Tai Chi, Qi Gong etc.. I have not spent much time on those for some reason.. I did a few months of Tai Chi and did Qi Gong for a while and the Micro Cosmic Orbit.. They are powerful practices in their own right and it would be wonderful if a person had realized chi first and actually incorporated moving the chi while performing the practices..

 

In my experience, the best exercises for opening up the etheric pathways, experiencing better health and less need for sleep, developing body mindfulness and charging/healing yourself are the Self Realization Fellowship's Energization Exercises By Yogananda Paramhansa Yogi. If you subscribe to their monthly lessons, they will be included.. Or, yup, they are on the web..

 

http://www.ananda.or...s/energization/

 

 

http://www.ananda.or...troduction-new/

 

 

http://www.crystalcl...ct.php?code=BEB

 

 

TI

[Shagrath]

Try looking into Scott Sonnon's TacFit Warrior. Or any other his product as a matter a fact

[ancienthealth]

Hey sorry about that last post, I am mobile-stupid and now I don't know how to delete on phone.

 

There are prayers of devotion, and prayers designed to strengthen the awareness of separation between pure soul and mind/body complex-

 

There is the practice of pratikraman to clear karma of hurt very quickly

 

There is introspection to find where the awareness was dim and bring awareness to it

 

An most importantly there are the five principles (pm me because just like kriya it is under wraps) which are very simple (but the best practices seem to be simple) to maintain the awareness of separation.

 

 

 

There are other aspects as well but these are most important. It has

[chenplayer]

Hello ancienthealth. I to am from the NYC area. I practice chen with a master that is not that expensive but only has a limited amount of classes. Don't know if you are interested, if you are you can pm me. I was curious about the SFQ, how was your overall experience with it? Did you find any of it beneficial? I know you are looking for something else because it doesn't resonate with you but I just wanted to quell my curiosity.

 

Also Robert Peng is in the NYC are, I have never trained with him but i do hear he is kinda expensive

[oildrops]

I just typed a response and then lost it, but the main point was that sometimes basic physical exercise is all I need to get back into the spiritual stuff. I am able to complete the SFQ exercises without getting bored if I go for a run, or do an upper body workout first. Sometimes I just need to take a day off from spiritual practice and go hiking or go for a run. (although I will usually end up meditating at some point on a hike)

 

I know some will disagree, but being a creative person myself, I have a difficult time with routine. I now attend a yoga studio that does power yoga type classes, which I consider to be a good workout and physical opener. I then supplement that with Kundalini Pranayama, or various safe Taoist practices like the Small Universe, and Inner Smile or a simple standing meditation. I try not to do Intense Yoga and SFQ on the same day.

[liminal_luke]

If you're looking for a physically demanding, breathing-improving, spiritually-developing practice...how about SunDo?

[de_paradise]

Yoga is great. Its easy to find a "set" whether in Hatha or Vinyasa/Ashtanga that you can practise every day. Most people like to go to courses and do the group thing. I just have a memorized routine that I do in the park by myself. I have also a learned set of Tibetan yoga, similar to yantra, that is called "yoga of joy" by Yuen Miao who has a powerful lineage. The tibetan stuff is more subtle, less satisfying physical streching than hatha or ashtanga type sets. I also agree with Scott Sonnon routines, cannot go wrong.

[ancienthealth]

Thanks for responding everyone. Multiquote is a great feature!

 

 

Try looking into Scott Sonnon's TacFit Warrior. Or any other his product as a matter a fact

 

What I think i'm looking for (I could be wrong however, sometimes physical exercise has been the ticket) Is more of an energetically driven exercises with a physical component, as opposed to a physical exercise with an energetic component, which is what this seems to be. I've tried something like this before, and I liked it for a bit, but eventually it ended up being too much tension in my muscles and it cut off the energy flow (perhaps I did it incorrectly). Also it may just not be the best thing to serve my goals... I'd rather just take a walk or something If I'm going to get pure physical exercise, then I can kind of explore and unwind, as opposed to be locked into yet another system. Maybe you can comment on your experience with it? I find his advertising page was impossible to decipher (and that kind of put me off).

 

 

Hello ancienthealth. I to am from the NYC area. I practice chen with a master that is not that expensive but only has a limited amount of classes. Don't know if you are interested, if you are you can pm me. I was curious about the SFQ, how was your overall experience with it? Did you find any of it beneficial? I know you are looking for something else because it doesn't resonate with you but I just wanted to quell my curiosity.

 

Also Robert Peng is in the NYC are, I have never trained with him but i do hear he is kinda expensive

 

Yea I checked out Robert Peng, he's the only master I could find through my own research. Way too expensive for me.. :-\

 

I just typed a response and then lost it, but the main point was that sometimes basic physical exercise is all I need to get back into the spiritual stuff. I am able to complete the SFQ exercises without getting bored if I go for a run, or do an upper body workout first. Sometimes I just need to take a day off from spiritual practice and go hiking or go for a run. (although I will usually end up meditating at some point on a hike)

 

I know some will disagree, but being a creative person myself, I have a difficult time with routine. I now attend a yoga studio that does power yoga type classes, which I consider to be a good workout and physical opener. I then supplement that with Kundalini Pranayama, or various safe Taoist practices like the Small Universe, and Inner Smile or a simple standing meditation. I try not to do Intense Yoga and SFQ on the same day.

 

I've found this in myself, as well. I have difficulty with routine. Thanks for making me aware with that. It does help my mind find peace to have one thing I can rely on.. One little routine. But that does help --- I don't have to give up SFQ just because I can't do it every day. My mind can be very rigid -- "if you can't commit, stop altogether." It may just not be my natural flow. I seem to alternate between a yoga mindset and a qigong mindset. Physical exercise definitely can help, but i've found as a mainstay practice, it's not needed for me. As long as I get a couple of good walks a weak, and work my muscles a bit, I'm cool. Have a sinus infection in the moment, so won't be doing any of that quite yet ;-)

 

If you're looking for a physically demanding, breathing-improving, spiritually-developing practice...how about SunDo?

Yoga is great. Its easy to find a "set" whether in Hatha or Vinyasa/Ashtanga that you can practise every day. Most people like to go to courses and do the group thing. I just have a memorized routine that I do in the park by myself. I have also a learned set of Tibetan yoga, similar to yantra, that is called "yoga of joy" by Yuen Miao who has a powerful lineage. The tibetan stuff is more subtle, less satisfying physical streching than hatha or ashtanga type sets. I also agree with Scott Sonnon routines, cannot go wrong.

 

Asanas are great, and I continue to practice them in some form, whether the five tibetans, the SRF stuff, a standard sivananda type routine, etc. However, I haven't found it to be enough. I'm looking for something a bit more along the lines of what Tibetan_Ice was describing -- Lessening the need for sleep, etc. Something with more psychic potential. That's what Asana + Pranayam is probably the answer. But I know it's wise to start very slow with pranayama and I don't really have anyone to guide me.. that's one reason I posted here. Perhaps the Energization Exercises that Tibetan_Ice recommended will be the ticket.. I will try them first for sure, it resonates the most --- Found this ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYslYfZlxio

[Shagrath]

What I think i'm looking for (I could be wrong however, sometimes physical exercise has been the ticket) Is more of an energetically driven exercises with a physical component, as opposed to a physical exercise with an energetic component, which is what this seems to be. I've tried something like this before, and I liked it for a bit, but eventually it ended up being too much tension in my muscles and it cut off the energy flow (perhaps I did it incorrectly). Also it may just not be the best thing to serve my goals... I'd rather just take a walk or something If I'm going to get pure physical exercise, then I can kind of explore and unwind, as opposed to be locked into yet another system. Maybe you can comment on your experience with it? I find his advertising page was impossible to decipher (and that kind of put me off).

 

I understand you completely. In my experience TacFit Warrior is really great. It builds stamina, strength, flexibility and it refines movement so you can perform in flow. Lot of aches that I had disappeared, I felt more alive, etc. Joint mobility exercises from this package is pure gold. They literally take away any stiffness from joints. I give them to my patients (I am manual therapist) and they really make miracles.

 

I really think that if you combine that with three stances from Stand Still Be Fit (standing like a tree, dragon, tiger) that you have a winner. Just my 2 cents.

 

 

PS: or you can do 5 Tibetan Rites, they are energetic exercises with physical component and they take a little time to finish.

[ancienthealth]

I understand you completely. In my experience TacFit Warrior is really great. It builds stamina, strength, flexibility and it refines movement so you can perform in flow. Lot of aches that I had disappeared, I felt more alive, etc. Joint mobility exercises from this package is pure gold. They literally take away any stiffness from joints. I give them to my patients (I am manual therapist) and they really make miracles.

 

I really think that if you combine that with three stances from Stand Still Be Fit (standing like a tree, dragon, tiger) that you have a winner. Just my 2 cents.

 

 

PS: or you can do 5 Tibetan Rites, they are energetic exercises with physical component and they take a little time to finish.

 

Cool, I will check it out. I understand that the intent of the creator need not be a factor in the practice - but something about the intent of TacFit and my intent seem very different, and that puts me off. But I will look into it.

 

 

What is Stand Still Be Fit? I am quite hesitant with standing meditation only because I fear learning it incorrectly, and therefore wasting my time or worse hurting myself. I have done a bit of Zhan Zhaung though, and I do find it verrrry powerful! :-)

 

 

Five tibetans are great... If none of this other stuff that Im investigating really clicks, I'm going to fall back on them, and really commit. I've always liked them as long as they are done slowly and thoughtfully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also forgot to comment on my expeirnece with Spring Forest Qigong. Granted, i've only practiced it maybe 20 times, so my opinion doesn't have much weight, but I did have experiences -- here they are. Granted, I also have done other practices, etc. so it's hard to say what's what -- this is just my intution-

 

 

---Increased psychic abilities - Sensed many entities in my house very clearly, even saw a ghost with my eyes - this was also after smoking marijuana (which I do NOT condone, it was a slip in behavior -- each time I do it -- about twice a year, I learn much more how damaging it really can be to the energy system) -- it seems that opened up the chakras in kind of a vulnerable way

---Ability to heal others - energetically - This was my favorite thing about it.. but I had this ability a bit before doing too much of any practice. SFQ just refined it. One night I healed my grandfather's energy pathway's from a distance of about 10 feet. I watched him transfrom over about 20 minutes from slouched over, low energy, blockages, to the most energetic I saw him all thanksgiving! I know this is not anything groundbreaking around here ;-), but it made an impression on me, because after doing some SFQ it feels so natural to heal the energy systems of others. Once we learn about our own energy system, we understand other's very easily! While this ability is valuable to me and perhaps my biggest attachment SFQ, I imagine that yoga would nourish this ability also, as long as that intent is maintained. This healing ability is probably the main reason to do SFQ, as Chunyi even says it's the focus of it. I have not gained such a healing awareness from traditional meditation methods - SFQ is special tuned for healing.

 

I seem to have noticed a distinction between heart healing, and energy healing. Chunyi says that the energy we use to heal is love, but that isn't what my intuition has told me (although you could argue "all is love").. It seems SFQ exercises healing using chi, which is simply life energy running through the system -- but yoga and religious practices (prayer, forgiveness, pratikraman) seem to facilitate what I would experience more as love healing. This is ultimately more interesting to me. Healing the bound karmas of hurt that prevent free flowing love. Obviously this is all related in the end, but I see chi and love energy is two distinct different things (though related). I could be very wrong, I do not really have an idea. It just seems one kind of healing happens in relationship between two people due to an open heart chakra and shedding of karma, and the other (SFQ) is a more quasi - physical working with energy. The SFQ kind is more health oriented while love healing is more about emotions/relationships.

 

-very balanced flow of energy. With yoga I feel an ecstatic energy going straight up my spine into upper chakras. almost an orgasmic kind of feeling sometimes -- with qigong, it is much more balanced, grounding (and frankly a bit more boring to me -- that ecstasy is very useful for making art). It feels like SFQ may be a more balanced approach to health and releasing blockages but perhaps not the one that really suits me best.

 

-physical weakening - since the only physical art i was practicing at this stretch was SFQ, i definitely got a bit weaker (although I also had a sickness). I have felt this with SFQ in the past. It is simply not very good exercise. If you have a normal build, or a large build, SFQ loosens the joints etc and does the job of "exercise." but I am extremely small and the lack of muscular exercise (asanas are enough) has made the upper boddy feel a bit weak. The legs gained strength though, from standing 20-30 minutes at a stretch while doing the SFQ

 

-emotional detox - some difficult emotions running through, just like any other meditation practices. There is a slightly different quality about SFQ I can't really put my finger on. It feels more like the emotions are in my whole body as opposed to focused in one location maybe

 

-increased energy and health

[Shagrath]

If I understood you well you wish all these elements in one workout?

 

-very balanced flow of energy. With yoga I feel an ecstatic energy going straight up my spine into upper chakras. almost an orgasmic kind of feeling sometimes -- with qigong, it is much more balanced, grounding (and frankly a bit more boring to me -- that ecstasy is very useful for making art). It feels like SFQ may be a more balanced approach to health and releasing blockages but perhaps not the one that really suits me best.

 

-physical weakening - since the only physical art i was practicing at this stretch was SFQ, i definitely got a bit weaker (although I also had a sickness). I have felt this with SFQ in the past. It is simply not very good exercise. If you have a normal build, or a large build, SFQ loosens the joints etc and does the job of "exercise." but I am extremely small and the lack of muscular exercise (asanas are enough) has made the upper boddy feel a bit weak. The legs gained strength though, from standing 20-30 minutes at a stretch while doing the SFQ

 

-emotional detox - some difficult emotions running through, just like any other meditation practices. There is a slightly different quality about SFQ I can't really put my finger on. It feels more like the emotions are in my whole body as opposed to focused in one location maybe

 

-increased energy and health

 

I don't know if something like that exists. From my experience the more something is physical the more it lacks energetic component and vice versa. But you can do pushups and strengthen your for example lower dan tien. Like when you are going down and inhale you visualize ldt expandng in a ball and when you push up while you exhale you visualize energy from ldt to flow through your arms. So you strengthen your ldt and plus you are programming your mind to use energy with physical movements and not just muscles.

 

My advice is that you find 2-3 practices and combine them together. e.g. find some good stretching routine, strength building program plus some qigong or something else like tai chi/yiquan/etc.

[oildrops]

^ Yeah that sounds about right. If you feel you need something more, go for it. A lot of athletes I know build a lot of energy just being active and clean, but they often lack a relaxation practice and store a lot of tension during their workouts.

 

Thanks for your report on SFQ. I have yet to experience anything more than being able to feel like I melt into the fabric of the universe more readily. I also am not very disciplined. Chunyi seems like a really cool and genuine teacher. I don't pretend I can sense peoples vibrations who I've never met, but I like everything he says and I like to avoid egoistic teachers.

 

I was never as involved with spiritual practices when I was making a lot of art. I focus mostly on music now and I can say that I write different music after yoga. SFQ could probably help me develop more patience in my craft, and I definitely need to cultivate space in my timing and become more methodical. Keep us posted when you find something that clicks.

Edited November 27, 2012 by oildrops

[ancienthealth]

 

I was never as involved with spiritual practices when I was making a lot of art. I focus mostly on music now and I can say that I write different music after yoga. SFQ could probably help me develop more patience in my craft, and I definitely need to cultivate space in my timing and become more methodical. Keep us posted when you find something that clicks.

 

I noticed this too -- and it's one reason I have to keep consciously cutting back on practices (see below)

 

 

 

So yesterday I tried some of those SRF energization exercises, I felt a little energy, but they didn't resonate too much. Then I did the Rites --- Those really clicked, felt great, Followed by some pranayama (whoooooa now). I did some kapalbhati, alternate nostril breathing, and the one that really did it, sodarshan kriya.

 

Granted, my heart chakra was kind of open yesterday before doing any practices at all, just for reference. Anyway, I finished my pranayama, chilled around the house, then walked to my friends house (30 min walk). Did Walking/Breath meditation for the first 10 minutes, happened very naturally after the pranayama. Very pleasant! Then I started to see that I wasn't my thoughts, my body, etc. and everything got more and more present, until my walk just exploded into bliss. Total Samadhi, but a bit overexcited (ecstastic) feeling due to the pranayama. Got to my friends house and that kind of grounded me a bit, we ate, etc. But then after all that we ended up sitting around, and the presence came back really strong, and all of a sudden my ego lost it's ability to function normally. I've heard about this before - pranayama making the intellect very dull. My friend and I have kind of a funny vibe as it is, we're always laughing about virtually nothing, but this was ridiculous. I felt almost high (and stupid) as if i had smoked some weed, and we were laughing for 10 minutes as I acted like a total idiot, bumblig around, with no real control over my actions. So then I left, and kind of recentered, and this high feeling continued a bit. Then on my walk back I felt paranoia as I saw things out of my peripheral vision that weren't there, and noises of the city frightened me, etc. Went to bed with a lot of energy still in the body, and woke up with the same energy (which was positive, I woke up not tired at all). Samadhi is very gone because the kundalini/whatever it is feels very imbalanced now. Also my breathing feels very strained, as if i had forced something in the pranayama.

 

This kind of power is what i was missing from SFQ (although Im sure it may exist at the higher levels), but to be honest, it was way too much. This was only about 20 minutes of pranayama too. I can tell that what I did could be VERY dangerous if continued.. plus I need my mind to function normally in order to go to school, etc. More and more these days, practices seem to effect me very readily -- it's interesting, the opposite was the case in high school, it seemed as if nothing worked at all, due to so many blockages. i guess once the system opens a bit anything starts to work much more effectively.

 

All I can say is all of the warnings are true about pranayama, the stuff is powerful; too powerful for me right now. I think I'm going to refrain unless I can find a real teacher who will go very gradually, whether through the internet or in person. If anyone knows anyone that might be willing to guide me, even through email, do let me know, but they need to really know there stuff and be aware of the dangers --- some people seem to prescribe any pranayam to anyone and I think it's terribly naive and irresponsible.

[Eric23]

I would recommend The Yoga of Breath by Richard Rosen as an introduction to Pranayama. He is a student of Iyngar and his method is very approachable. You may want to check out Yin Yoga, more focused on opening pathways.

 

Regardless of what method you find, I would not neglect aerobic activities. IMO a balance is essential between yoga and aerobics.

[RiverSnake]

Having a physical component in ones practice is very important. I have found that doing some basic Yoga every single morning is very complimentary to my Neigong practice and i also work out at the gym a couple times a week simply because i love feeling the "burn" and pushing and challenging myself...which is not something you usually get from the internal arts.

 

Also in regards to your post on pranayama.....in my understanding Chi Kung is designed to be a safe and stable way of building up ones energies......so you don't bite off more than you can chew and damage your system.

 

-My 2 cents, Peace

[growant]

Ancienthealth I recommend you learn neikung from chutaichi.com in NYC.

[Celestial]

Sounds like you need some GARY J. CLYMAN™ and his TIDAL WAVE™, BIG WAVE™, CHI KUNG/NEI KUNG BIBLE™!!

 

You may have to sell your kidneys on the black market to afford it though! Good luck. MAY THE JING BE COOKING WITH YOU!

[chenplayer]

LMFAO