A Common Experience, but is it a Good Thing?

[Neophyte]

What I'm about to describe, might indicate positive effects of my training; however, I'm not sure: it might be quite the contrary.

 

Where I live it's been very cold. Nevertheless, I still feel toasty warm, even when everyone else is terribly cold. Sometimes, the effect is very extreme: I'm overheating, almost breaking a sweat. But it's a different kind of heat, not like one experiences on a hot summer day. It's a type of heat that I started experiencing when I started practicing Yang systems, such as Nine Palaces.

 

A few nights ago, I stayed up late to practice the saliva-swallowing exercise (as described in Taoist Yoga and by Yang, Jwing Ming). In between swallows, I would spend a few minutes Embryonic Breathing, pushing chi down central energy line to dan tian with each breath. The following day I was extremely warm, even though my house's furnace was turned off all day. This shouldn't happen because saliva-swallowing is a Yin practice. And it's happened other times I stayed up late to meditate.

 

However, this heat is something that's always with me, and seems to increase the more I practice.

 

So what should I make of this?

If it's a negative effect, how do I correct it?

[Flolfolil]

idk, maybe google "tummo"

 

that's as much as i know to say

[taijistudent]

I always tell my students to listen carefully to the signals of their own body (spirit, mind, emotional, physical). If it feels healthy then it is healthy. If it feels unhealthy, then it is unhealthy. Unhealthy use of will power will lead to unhealthy conditions.

[Seeker of Wisdom]

This is good, it's chi working through blockages and flowing more.

[joeblast]

What I'm about to describe, might indicate positive effects of my training; however, I'm not sure: it might be quite the contrary.

 

Where I live it's been very cold. Nevertheless, I still feel toasty warm, even when everyone else is terribly cold. Sometimes, the effect is very extreme: I'm overheating, almost breaking a sweat. But it's a different kind of heat, not like one experiences on a hot summer day. It's a type of heat that I started experiencing when I started practicing Yang systems, such as Nine Palaces.

 

A few nights ago, I stayed up late to practice the saliva-swallowing exercise (as described in Taoist Yoga and by Yang, Jwing Ming). In between swallows, I would spend a few minutes Embryonic Breathing, pushing chi down central energy line to dan tian with each breath. The following day I was extremely warm, even though my house's furnace was turned off all day. This shouldn't happen because saliva-swallowing is a Yin practice. And it's happened other times I stayed up late to meditate.

 

However, this heat is something that's always with me, and seems to increase the more I practice.

 

So what should I make of this?

If it's a negative effect, how do I correct it?

Yin provides space for yang - for example, my metabolism goes wild every time I get my session breath average up to 50-60 seconds. Been in and out of that level of practice enough times that I can confidently say its part of the path, at least for me. Yang arising from yin

[三江源]

My energy ran hot for quite a few years. I did get fed up of being the one in the sleeveless top all the time.

 

It stabilised.

 

I dont know if this helps.. its just a bit of experience shared.

 

I recall Glenn Morris writing that he had 'hot' years too, I took comfort from that.

[Neophyte]

This is good, it's chi working through blockages and flowing more.

 

First, thanks to all who replied, the responses were valuable.

 

As for the above quote, I'm glad to hear that it's chi working through blockages and flowing more. I neglected to mention it, but I actually feel this effect the strongest when I perform Chapter 3 of Taoist Yoga--the clearing of the Eight Psychic Channels. I used to do this when I got out of bed in the morning. I'd be burning up all day.

The sensation was so strong that it scared me. I feared that I was doing it wrong; I didn't want to do irreversible damage to myself, so I desisted and haven't done it for a few weeks. I will recommence doing it tomorrow.

 

I was also worried that this sensation might accelerate my physical aging (I had heard that being Yang too much ages the body).

 

What I do know from practice, is that when chi, or generative and vital forces, move through channels and vessels, the effect is very physical; there's nothing imaginary about it. One or two circuits in the microcosmic orbit is such a profound feeling that it's scary. When I hear of people claiming to perform the mco for hours at a time, I infer that they aren't really moving anything through the orbit, other than their imaginations: they're wasting their time. I don't mean offense, it's just that the effect I feel is so strong; definitely not my imagination. I just hope I'm doing it all correctly.

[Seeker of Wisdom]

Sounds like you're doing fine, just bear in mind that ultimately it's the mind that realises true nature. When dense chi is no longer there having a knock-on effect on your mind, chi cultivation is left behind. Some never work with chi directly at all, but as their mind purifies the chi follows.

[joeblast]

First, thanks to all who replied, the responses were valuable.

 

As for the above quote, I'm glad to hear that it's chi working through blockages and flowing more. I neglected to mention it, but I actually feel this effect the strongest when I perform Chapter 3 of Taoist Yoga--the clearing of the Eight Psychic Channels. I used to do this when I got out of bed in the morning. I'd be burning up all day.

The sensation was so strong that it scared me. I feared that I was doing it wrong; I didn't want to do irreversible damage to myself, so I desisted and haven't done it for a few weeks. I will recommence doing it tomorrow.

 

I was also worried that this sensation might accelerate my physical aging (I had heard that being Yang too much ages the body).

 

What I do know from practice, is that when chi, or generative and vital forces, move through channels and vessels, the effect is very physical; there's nothing imaginary about it. One or two circuits in the microcosmic orbit is such a profound feeling that it's scary. When I hear of people claiming to perform the mco for hours at a time, I infer that they aren't really moving anything through the orbit, other than their imaginations: they're wasting their time. I don't mean offense, it's just that the effect I feel is so strong; definitely not my imagination. I just hope I'm doing it all correctly.

I get the same thing with the 3dt MCO - I dont think I've done more than 3 turns in a sitting, but then again, applying a hexagram progression to breathing makes the wheel turn slowly, like walking next to pop's tractor when I was a kid. Big wheels, slowly turning, slow enough it wasnt a big deal to run your hand along the tire as it turned.