sillybearhappyhoneyeater Posted December 19, 2014 a bit of a complex topic, but here are some ideas to help you on your way: Qi is not a nailed down term, and in fact, in ancient Chinese literature, Qi takes on many different meanings. Having said that, usually Daoist people treat Qi as being two separate phenomenon. The first is any energy that is taken in during the breathing process and conversion of breath to oxygen. The second is the energy that is cultivated through the alchemy of turning essence (jing) into Qi (energy). The actual conversion process is more complex than can be communicated well in an online thread. My suggestion is this, you can find either a meditation or qi gong teacher, make sure they are normal, well adjusted, and actually have something to show for their practice (a healthy body and kind, relaxed manner is a good indication that the teacher is not a fraud). Spend a few months studying with them and keep a note book on the feelings that you experience when you practice. in the meantime, read some books, the dao de jing is a good start, although a bit arcane for total beginners. There are other books on the market, and I would recommend Yang Jwing' Ming's books as being very good for beginners. research and cross analyze the effects you are experiencing with what your teacher tells you and what you read in the books. try to get as much feedback on the process as you can and gradually learn what it is exactly that cultivating qi does. you might have to travel around to find a really good teacher, heck, I went all the way to China. Regardless, I think you can get the basic idea of energy cultivation within a year, and then gradually make improvements over the course of time you study. keep in mind that the feeling of energy isn't meant to be like a drug, it can be very subtle, and a lot of the practice is actually raising your level of recognition of the subtle activity of the nervous system and brain function. get going, if you do it honestly and have good luck, you can really improve your life! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChiDragon Posted December 19, 2014 (edited) IME, the best way to learn about Qi is to experience Qi firsthand. You can experience chi first hand by practicing QiGong on a daily basis. Overtime, as you practice, your body will develop more and more sensitivity to the Qi within you and without your body. Working with trees is a really cool practice, I highly RECCOMEND. Also here is a basic Qigong exercises for you which you can practice anywhere. There are many systems, I simply give this video because it is easily accessible and also a powerful exercise. Practice daily and have fun! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gr5MkMLyoeI QiGong is the Ultimate Method of Breathing(UMB). The idea of the UMB is to breathe as much as oxygen into the body. It is a good idea to practice QiGong around a tree where there has abundance of oxygen. Edited December 19, 2014 by ChiDragon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
