I feel stupid and slow

[Xunzi]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm been practicing Taijiquan for a few months now. Fangsong, Dantian rotation, and Silk Reeling. I've also been celibate for over 100 days now.

 

Starting about two weeks ago I noticed i've become stupider. I have gained some difficulty in reading and understanding subtlety in meaning.

 

I've been under HUGE amounts of stress so that's what I thought it was. But on a hunch, I did dawei-laoshi's oil mediation with dantian breathing

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/32200-energy-stuck-in-head/?p=487536

 

and after only a couple reps, my mind returned to normal and I felt very relaxed and blissful. I felt like I was melting into the chair I was lying on.

 

Now my mind is starting is falter again.

 

Any ideas what's going on?

 

Thank you so much.

[Zhongyongdaoist]

This looks like you are making progress in your practice. That's the good news. However, your body has begun to expel wind-damp which is rising to your head creating 'fogginess', that is the bad news. The exercise you described was able to give temporary relief and if persevered in might succeed in a permanent solution, but also might take weeks to months to accomplish this. Acupressure on points that dispel wind-damp or herbal combination might deal with it much faster depending on the source of the wind-damp and its severity.

I don't have time to give you specific recommendations right now, but you might want to post here:

Knowledge of TCM in our practice

and see if exorcist_1699 takes an interest and has any recommendations. He might find it a useful case study for the point which he is trying to make.

[Xunzi]

Sorry, I forgot something (see). I find it hard to relax my chest during Taiji. Today during post standing the center of my chest hurt and felt cold. Maybe that is also part of the problem. This has happened before. My teacher said not to worry.

 

Also please explain what progress and how it causes wind-damp to rise to my head?

 

I'm reading that thread now.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Xunzi

[Ish]

Sorry, I forgot something (see). I find it hard to relax my chest during Taiji. Today during post standing the center of my chest hurt and felt cold. Maybe that is also part of the problem. This has happened before. My teacher said not to worry.

 

Also please explain what progress and how it causes wind-damp to rise to my head?

 

I'm reading that thread now.

 

MDT relates to your mind.

 

Either you are working through something, or you have caused an imbalance/blockage. It's hard to say.

 

Does your taiji instructor talk about the energy/ qigong side or is it mostly physical?

 

 

 

 

The standing "embrace the tree" posture can tend to focus the energy at the MDT and can be causing stagnation, good idea to change your hand posture.

Try Wuji stance instead?

 

Do more moving practices, get your shoulders and arms moving and flowing. Open up your chest. Smile.

Make the AAAAAHH sound repeatedly and feel the vibration opening up your chest.

 

Hope it sorts out!

Edited May 15, 2014 by Ish

[dawei]

Apply the oil meditation idea while doing Taiji !

 

Let the energy continuously sink...

 

I shared this else where but will repeat it here:

When I learned this oil meditation method in Qigong, I also found it useful in Taiji and asked the Taiji master about 'sinking'. I had in my mind that breathing in was a 'ascending' aspect and breathing out was a 'descending' aspect. I was fixated on the meridian clock cycle which I was in the habit of breathing and visualizing the entire cycle in such a manner.

 

The master told me to put a hand on his chest and his lower back at the same time... and then he breathed in [deeply] and breathed out [deeply]. He asked me what I felt?

 

I said, the entire time, energy was sinking. He smiled and walked away...

 

 

 

See if the foggy thinking is your issue, here:

http://www.sacredlotus.com/theory/illness/six_evils.cfm

[ChiDragon]

Sorry, I forgot something (see). I find it hard to relax my chest during Taiji. Today during post standing the center of my chest hurt and felt cold.

I'm reading that thread now.

 

It is because your breath has not sunken to the lower dan tian(LDT) yet. In other words, you have not corrected the breathing problem yet. You need more practice on your Tai Ji until your chi(breath) can reach deep down to the LDT. Then, your problem will go away. Please remember you do have some personal physical problems from the bad habit in the past .

 

In the mean time, practice your Tai Ji, diligently. Eventually, your problem will go away as soon you are breathing properly. Breathing properly means you have met the requirement of the UMB(Ultimate Method of Breathing).

 

[Xunzi]

Please remember you do have some personal physical problems from the bad habit in the past .

 

*sigh* Even if I live as long as heaven and earth, thousands of years from now that will be still be my greatest regret. PM with your progress if you like.

 

Does your taiji instructor talk about the energy/ qigong side or is it mostly physical?

 

Mostly physical. Although he will say things like 'make your lower body firm and relax your upper body, then the qi will gather in your LDT. etc.' Also, he talks about the meridians and vessels when talking about Silk Reeling.

 

Thank you for your advice everyone, I will be following it. Please keep it coming.

 

EDIT Also, I've noticed my love is very strong and easy to generate (compassion not so much). I think it's related to my being celibate. It may be connected to this matter I suppose.

Edited May 15, 2014 by Xunzi

[Harmonious Emptiness]

The second exercise (especially) in this video might help open the chest up:

 

[Andrei]

 

Any ideas what's going on?

.

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/34850-cause-effect-and-celibacy/?p=548055

[dogson]

Xunzi, huge compassion, all of us hit plateaus and flatlines in our personal growth. First strategy is to just try and enjoy the level you're at... stress will happen, but being stressed about stressing can get rough.

 

Cold showers! Great way to ground yourself and do a hard energy reset, even 15 or 30 seconds can be really powerful.

 

Also, congrats on 100 days celibate. I've found retaining jing and celibacy can be a trap eventually, you begin to put too much emphasis on it as validation for strength or (when slipping) as an excuse... sometimes I fap just to focus myself and clear my energy. A little bit of "left hand path" / dark side can be useful, but of course this is a personal / intuitive call I make when I feel stagnant.

 

Hope some of this helps! Mars has been retrograde for a long time, it just went direct tonight as of 3 hours ago. I bet you'll start to see positive momentum in your life very soon.

[Mystique Enigma]

There is this wise story.......

 

In keeping with his doctrine that nothing be taken too seriously, not even his own teachings, the Master loved to tell this story on himself:"My very first disciple was so weak that the exercises killed him. My second disciple drove himself crazy from his earnest practice of the exercises I gave him. 

My third disciple dulled his intellect through too much contemplation. But the fourth managed to keep his sanity.""Why was that?" someone would invariably ask. "Possibly because he was the only one who refused to do the exercises." The Master's words would be drowned in howls of laughter.

[CloudHands]

Apply the oil meditation idea while doing Taiji !

 

Let the energy continuously sink...

 

I shared this else where but will repeat it here:

When I learned this oil meditation method in Qigong, I also found it useful in Taiji and asked the Taiji master about 'sinking'. I had in my mind that breathing in was a 'ascending' aspect and breathing out was a 'descending' aspect. I was fixated on the meridian clock cycle which I was in the habit of breathing and visualizing the entire cycle in such a manner.

 

The master told me to put a hand on his chest and his lower back at the same time... and then he breathed in [deeply] and breathed out [deeply]. He asked me what I felt?

 

I said, the entire time, energy was sinking. He smiled and walked away...

 

 

 

See if the foggy thinking is your issue, here:

http://www.sacredlotus.com/theory/illness/six_evils.cfm

 

Interesting. I tend to put more emphasis on the bai hui when I inhale and compressing the ldt on exhale.

 

I have 2 questions, were you still a beginner when he told you so ? Why didn't he say it sooner if this is important ? I ask that because more I practice and more my practice incorporate elements but I never have been told so. I tried it briefly this is quiet an exercise

 

Once my teacher said to me "If you work on everything at the same time it's gonna be hard".

Edited June 12, 2014 by CloudHands

[CloudHands]

I just did 2 forms in that spirit. I think it helps a lot sinking, maybe that's even a big step for me to realize I can practice this way.

-You know this move at the end of the form "bend the bow and shoot the tiger" I used to have a rush in the shoulders because I made the flow run up from ldt to the shoulders, arms and hands.

 

But like I said before (at my level -3y) I can't be aware of everything so I have to focus on things (and focus is exclusive). And for now I work on issuing qi (applying the push hand spirit to my form).

 

Conclusion -to end this selfish incursion in your OP Xunzi-. I have been told to listen, breath, my upper body part tensions but not to exclude the bai hui and the feet and legs out of my attention (which are priorities). Honestly I can lead and choose only for myself so I don't allow myself to advice.

 

Still I have a question how do you keep the bah wui, your feet, your pelvis, your shoulders in mind while you have to sink through breath ? I think for a beginner keeping in mind to keep every part of your body relaxed (just listening to) is already a pretty hard job when you are learning the right way to perform the next movement...

I was sometimes confuse by what I red here, know I why...

 

You already have to teacher maybe you should trust him. (maybe, that's not sure )

 

 

Seriously... that's a lot of fun.

[dawei]

I have 2 questions, were you still a beginner when he told you so ? Why didn't he say it sooner if this is important ?

 

Not really... I was doing a lot of Medical Qigong training too and their overlay was good but sometimes I didn't flip the switch at the right time.

 

He didn't really talk that much... even his response was but a smile. If he looked at you with hallow eyes, that meant you were lost in your direction; and his smile was like a glow of sun.

 

I ask that because more I practice and more my practice incorporate elements but I never have been told so. I tried it briefly this is quiet an exercise

 

Once my teacher said to me "If you work on everything at the same time it's gonna be hard".

 

It depends on each person. But of course in general it is hard to have your mind occupying too many thoughts. There is a need to really let go of all of it as even the energy is compromised.

 

But as I had some Medical Qigong, my mental visualization and intention and energy are easily focused... and was able to let the energy be one with the movement.

[CloudHands]

I kept working this "sinking breath" this afternoon that's really interesting even I'm not sure this is the way my teacher expect me to practice. Until now I thought relaxing the shoulders and waist, feeling the weight of the elbows was the primordial stuff to practice to sink.

Anyway thanks for that tip, I learnt a new way to practice my solo form

[dawei]

I kept working this "sinking breath" this afternoon that's really interesting even I'm not sure this is the way my teacher expect me to practice. Until now I thought relaxing the shoulders and waist, feeling the weight of the elbows was the primordial stuff to practice to sink.

Anyway thanks for that tip, I learnt a new way to practice my solo form

 

The shoulders are the hindrance to energy sinking from the head;

 

the elbows the hindrance to energy sinking into the hands;

 

the waist the hindrance to energy sinking out of the feet (body)