Where to begin?

[sketchbo0k]

Hello,

 

For sometime I have always wanted to practice Qi Gong and other internal arts but I've procrastinated to the point where I started hating myself for it. I have just recently started implementing small changes in my life and I believe it is time to implement the internal arts.

 

I know of arts like Xing Yi, Qi Gong, Baguazhang and Tai Chi. My knowledge of them are slim to none. Unfortunately, these arts are not taken seriously in the country I live in so there are no teachers. I cannot yet move to another country because I am still in University.

 

What I am hoping to achieve are a few things: Discipline, Healthier mind and body (I have eczema and from what I have read it means a weak liver) and Self-Defence.

 

I do not know if I need to add more information but this feels like it is the correct amount.

 

Would you please recommend something that will help me begin my path? (Articles, books, DVDs, etc.)

 

Peace be with you.

[Nikolai1]

Starting qi gong in order to improve health requires a lot of belief in the process which you don't have yet. Keep reading and learning about the subject, and especially it's Daoist roots. The excitement to actually start will slowly build and one day you will start without feeling like you need to force yourself.

 

At present you intellectually accept qi gong but at a deep level you still think its strange and weird. This makes you procrastinate.

 

Good luck!

[RiverSnake]

Here's a qigong exercise that will help with a healthier mind and body: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v_1sPDntOTs

 

In terms of martial arts, not sure if you can learn from a DVD. Others perhaps can suggest a source of learning in that area. What country do you live in?

 

Also I dissagree with Nikolai that you have to read many books before you can pratice these arts or need some kind of belief. These practices work because they work and experience is the best teacher.

Edited July 15, 2015 by OldChi

[Nikolai1]

I said that because he clearly doesn't believe in qi gong. But if you do believe then, of course, practice is better than any book.

[Spotless]

What country are you from - or rather what country do you reside in that does not have a teacher?

Edited July 15, 2015 by Spotless

[Seeker of Wisdom]

I'd recommend 'Daoist Nei Gong' by Damo Mitchell. The sung breathing practice is great stuff, and I can't really see how anyone could do it wrong.

[sketchbo0k]

I said that because he clearly doesn't believe in qi gong. But if you do believe then, of course, practice is better than any book.

I actually do believe in Qi Gong. I've known Qi Gong for more than 5 years and I don't find it strange. I simply did not practice because I am lazy, I delay what shouldn't be delayed. I've delayed uni projects till the day before the deadline, not because I don't believe in them, but simply because I am lazy.

What country are you from - or rather what country do you reside in that does not have a teacher?

Kuwait.

Edited July 15, 2015 by sketchbo0k

[Brian]

Stillness-Movement is not a fighting art but it may be worth investigating.

[RiverSnake]

I actually do believe in Qi Gong. I've known Qi Gong for more than 5 years and I don't find it strange. I simply did not practice because I am lazy, I delay what shouldn't be delayed. I've delayed uni projects till the day before the deadline, not because I don't believe in them, but simply because I am lazy.

 

Kuwait.

Sketchbo0k, if "drive" is what you find lacking in your practice then it may be beneficial to look at your usage of sexual energy. If you manage it properly, IME there will be no lacking in your will or desire to push forward in your spiritual practices.

 

Also, you said you are from Kuwait, I am therefore assuming that you are Islamic. In addition to Qigong you may find it of interest to look into Sufism. My understanding is that Sufis have a very strong background in Devotional work and extensive systems of magick. Hope some of these suggestions may be useful to you. Many blessings on your path.

Edited July 15, 2015 by OldChi

[LAOLONG]

Swimming in the air qigong.

You stand strait . knees a Little bent. Relax the shoulders, stand natural without tension in upper part of the body. Do the 4styles of swimming with the hands very slowly and relaxed.

[sketchbo0k]

Also, you said you are from Kuwait, I am therefore assuming that you are Islamic. In addition to Qigong you may find it of interest to look into Sufism. My understanding is that Sufis have a very strong background in Devotional work and extensive systems of magick. Hope some of these suggestions may be useful to you. Many blessings on your path.

 

There are very few authentic Sufi scriptures/books. And most of them don't really speak of techniques but rather inklings of enlightenment and trying to remove any misunderstandings about Allah so that you'd come closer to knowing Him. People like Al-Ghazali and Ibn-Arabi have books on thinking-meditation but nothing like Qi Gong. 

[GreytoWhite]

Try contacting this guy.

https://www.youtube.com/user/KuwaitKungFu/about

[Gerard]

1. I know of arts like Xing Yi, Qi Gong, Baguazhang and Tai Chi. My knowledge of them are slim to none. Unfortunately, these arts are not taken seriously in the country I live in so there are no teachers. I cannot yet move to another country because I am still in University.

 

2. What I am hoping to achieve are a few things: Discipline, Healthier mind and body (I have eczema and from what I have read it means a weak liver) and Self-Defence.

 

3. Would you please recommend something that will help me begin my path? (Articles, books, DVDs, etc.)

 

 

1. Possibly somewhere in southern Europe? Maybe there is a teacher in your country. you can ask here.

 

2. Eczema (effect), cause: University student, which means excess mental work, irregular sleep pattern and diet, stress, etc. all cause a firing up of the liver (healthy liver generates positive fire (heart), unhealthy liver generates negative fire (poor health) which starts invading the spleen and a weaking of the 'mother' will produce a sick 'child' (LUNG, which is first line of defence against pathogenic invasion; as well as being in charge of keeping your skin moist), hence your eczema.

 

3. Sorry but you can't learn an Internal Art from books, but what you can do at least and temporarily is learn Bagua from this group: Gao Bagua.

 

The person in charge occasionally posts in this forum. You can contact him by PM in order to find more details about this group.

 

Additional training resource (extremely useful, I would add the word: mandatory) is He Jinghan's YT channel and support website. One of the few true traditionally trained Bagua masters left in our modern world.

 

Best of luck!

[Gerard]

Stillness-Movement is not a fighting art but it may be worth investigating.

 

Neither is Bagua or TJ if you learn and practice these arts deeply, in fact you need to learn a fighting art to understand your MIND. Heavy body conditioning will resolve MIND blockages which in our current age are enormous.

 

Doing all this Cultural Revolution Qigong leads nowhere, I'm afraid. Butterfly-like training produce 'fairies', dragon-like training yield 'Buddhas.'

Edited July 17, 2015 by Gerard

[Jadespear]

Hello,

 

For sometime I have always wanted to practice Qi Gong and other internal arts but I've procrastinated to the point where I started hating myself for it. I have just recently started implementing small changes in my life and I believe it is time to implement the internal arts.

 

I know of arts like Xing Yi, Qi Gong, Baguazhang and Tai Chi. My knowledge of them are slim to none. Unfortunately, these arts are not taken seriously in the country I live in so there are no teachers. I cannot yet move to another country because I am still in University.

 

What I am hoping to achieve are a few things: Discipline, Healthier mind and body (I have eczema and from what I have read it means a weak liver) and Self-Defence.

 

I do not know if I need to add more information but this feels like it is the correct amount.

 

Would you please recommend something that will help me begin my path? (Articles, books, DVDs, etc.)

 

Peace be with you.

 

I'd recommend first understanding yourself, before ever even beginning to understand some other " system " or " practice".  This is achieved by simply sitting and observing yourself and how your internal world behaves.  The first step I recommend would be to observe all things, without identification, without any type of word to describe anything that occurs within you... no yin or yang nonsense, or light and dark energies nonsense; or anything resembling a symbolic meaning to label what occurs.

 

This practice is good for me because it attunes me into the real energies at work, underlying and supporting my existence...which is the same existence as yours.

 

Be still, observe, and remember.

[Perceiver]

Lysine can help with eczema. So can a more alkaline diet, sometimes.

[LAOLONG]

_

Edited July 18, 2015 by cobi

[RiverSnake]

 

Doing all this Cultural Revolution Qigong leads nowhere, I'm afraid. Butterfly-like training produce 'fairies', dragon-like training yield 'Buddhas.'

First off, you shouldn't knock a practice before you've tried it, so take your head out of your bung hole. Second off, I am not Chinese, but even I found that your usage of the phrase Culutral Revolution Qigong very offensive. One of the founders and lineage holders of S-M was in a concentration camp for something like 20 years (not sure about the exact number) and was tortured every day, the only thing he could do to remain sane was to stay steeped in his Neigong.

 

3rd off, in my understanding many Qigong Lineages held within families were threatened with death to there entire family by the government if they didn't reveal the practices and make them open to the public. Did this water down a lot of the Chinese Qigong methods? Perhaps, I've certainly seen plenty of Qigong DVDs that talk about it as a simple stretch. But that doesn't change the fact that they should be judged on a case by case basis, not with blatant generalizations.

 

Ironically, you also talk about the these Chinese Martial arts as if they exist in a vacuum and we're not effected by the said historical events. My understanding is that martial arts masters were put under a similar pressure as qigong masters of the time.

Edited July 17, 2015 by OldChi

[sketchbo0k]

2. Eczema (effect), cause: University student, which means excess mental work, irregular sleep pattern and diet, stress, etc. all cause a firing up of the liver (healthy liver generates positive fire (heart), unhealthy liver generates negative fire (poor health) which starts invading the spleen and a weaking of the 'mother' will produce a sick 'child' (LUNG, which is first line of defence against pathogenic invasion; as well as being in charge of keeping your skin moist), hence your eczema.

 

3. Sorry but you can't learn an Internal Art from books, but what you can do at least and temporarily is learn Bagua from this group: Gao Bagua.

 

I've had eczema before university. I've had it since the age of 10 maybe? I'm 19 now. And I also had it at the age of 5 but it went away from the back of my knees. Few years later it appeared in my scalp and now it is working it's way around my head (beard, scalp, forehead.) 

 

I'm not sure if I completely believe if I can't learn Qigong on my own. I will give it ago for a few months, if no results are shown , which I doubt because I can feel waves of energy in/on my palms when I start thinking about it or "imagining" (not sure if this is the correct word for it) it, I'll probably have to find a scholarship outside of my country to study so that I'd be able to practice these arts because I honestly have them way up my priority list.

 

I probably cannot learn Xingyi on my own, but as far as I know, Qigong can be learned by yourself. I have a hard time believing that this energy, which is in everything, must be accessed through a teacher. It may be easier to access it through a teacher but it is definitely not impossible to do it on your own.

Edited July 21, 2015 by sketchbo0k

[RiverSnake]

Having a teacher is very beneficial. They can give useful advice, energetic transmission, and also point out the subtler aspects of the art, that you will likely miss when first starting out. Also there is a matter of the complexity of the teachings. Some methods are simple and can be applied by most people, while other techniques can be complicated and may require detailed in person instruction.

 

However, the fact is 90% of the work you will have to do yourself, even if you have a teacher on hand. If it was impossible to train by oneself then no teacher would create DVDs or write books on the practice. That being said I practiced for about 1 year by myself and recieved a lot of benefit. When I went to my first seminar of the teachings I was learning it was extremely beneficial and I learned a great deal.....much more than I think i would have if I hadn't been practicing alone.

 

There is no down side to practicing by oneself, as long as the methods are simple enough to understand and there is no risk of sustaining internal injuries. Better to practice some qigong and recieve some benefit than practice no qigong and recieve no benefit.

Edited July 22, 2015 by OldChi

[3bob]

we start where we are at, and a very big chunk of that is in our daily life and dealing with people and the world around us in the best way possible, thus if we do all the so called small things that may not seem so important then all the big things will begin to fall into place or follow suit so to speak... help along the way is important and certain changes are not easy but if one keeps their concentration on their own business or practice whatever it may be then that will also create motive and willpower to keep at it and or strike out in a new way.

[Spotless]

I've had eczema before university. I've had it since the age of 10 maybe? I'm 19 now. And I also had it at the age of 5 but it went away from the back of my knees. Few years later it appeared in my scalp and now it is working it's way around my head (beard, scalp, forehead.)

 

I'm not sure if I completely believe if I can't learn Qigong on my own. I will give it ago for a few months, if no results are shown , which I doubt because I can feel waves of energy in/on my palms when I start thinking about it or "imagining" (not sure if this is the correct word for it) it, I'll probably have to find a scholarship outside of my country to study so that I'd be able to practice these arts because I honestly have them way up my priority list.

 

I probably cannot learn Xingyi on my own, but as far as I know, Qigong can be learned by yourself. I have a hard time believing that this energy, which is in everything, must be accessed through a teacher. It may be easier to access it through a teacher but it is definitely not impossible to do it on your own.

Everything in this world is constantly changing and learning is no different - having a teacher is excellent in person but it is possible to have a tele-teacher these days and they can be very effective if not just as effective. Access and diligence will be big factors but overall the online experience can be far more effective than most would suppose in their assumptions.

 

Some pointers:

 

Do all of the exercises in a form or group - don't cherry pick - in a class you would never think to stop here and there when you reach a posture you dis-like. You will find in time that many of the forms you would have discarded become the ones you find most powerful and that are now your favorites - like a food you once found repugnant and that you now love. It may be the movement specifically acts upon some block in your system - one you resist and would rather not attend to - and once unblocked it is a most enjoyable "new flow" in your system and the posture accentuates this.

 

Take a movie of yourself with your phone and take a good look at what you are doing - look at the fingers, arms, spine - everything.

Many students - particularly new students - require adjustments from the teacher to their form - often the students are way off.

In many cases - (all cases) little things are completely missed without the help of the teacher and other students speaking and showing and sharing. However - if you do have good basics down all of the fine points will reveal themselves to you if you are truly practicing with diligence and relative frequency. You may occasionally be able to send your teacher a video or you may be asked to demonstrate your practice live on skype - this could be an excellent and effective method. And if the teacher is of the exceedingly high sort (though that does not mean they are any less friendly or common) you will still feel their presence and get a taste of that from where ever you are - regardless of skype or in person.

 

The basics are important - the engineering projects are of no importance but many love them - in the end the basics bring forward all the engineering projects simply by doing them. This is very simple stuff that is enormously beneficial - this is almost impossible to bear the hearing of for the engineering types - but in either case the job of progression takes place with actually doing the basics regularly.

 

By the basics I am referring to ALL postures whether considered advanced or beginner - the basics refer to a clear mind, breathing, balance, spine - in Qi Gong and Yoga extraordinary benefits will come with little knowledge of much else.

 

By engineering I am referring to the vast internal manipulations that are the "must do" and "must master" dogmas of delight that are profoundly true and not true at the same time. For those that believe in them they are truly necessary - (and doing them is not a problem in the least - they are not inherently "bad" or "wrong") - but the simple basics done in the doing of practice with no mind and no effort will achieve the same results faster and with less head - and generally with a broader reach and more wholistic encompassing.

 

One additional point :

Most practice is in spurts - this is fine.

However - some spurts last a lifetime and some last only a few weeks.

If you see this view then get the basics down and they will always be your foundation. Try to make the first spurt one of real due diligence and get to real results - at least then If you take a break from it as so many of us do, it will be with some very real understanding an feeling.

Just what constitutes due diligence is difficult to answer - my view of it is considered extreme by some but somewhat tepid by others.

In the heat of strong original practice it would typically be in my view 2-4+ hours a day or more with a diet change and life change but regular 1 hour sessions everyday is still pretty strong practice and you will certainly see results from this.

The less you do it the more important that you do it at the same time when you do and if you do additional practice that is also good - in other words - if you practice only twice a week - try to practice on particular days at particular times.

I bring this up because your whole being and the whole universe will come to bear on these moments if you keep them regularly.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Spotless

[blue eyed snake]

 

Do all of the exercises in a form or group - don't cherry pick - in a class you would never think to stop here and there when you reach a posture you dis-like. You will find in time that many of the forms you would have discarded become the ones you find most powerful and that are now your favorites - like a food you once found repugnant and that you now love. It may be the movement specifically acts upon some block in your system - one you resist and would rather not attend to - and once unblocked it is a most enjoyable "new flow" in your system and the posture accentuates this.

 

 

yes!