Queries about qi, jing & the Tao etc

[A Greased Scotsman]

Hey all, thought I'd create a new thread since I've been formally accepted here.  I'm just trying to expand my frame of reference.  I keep seeing references to Qi & Jing.  From what I can gather, these are types of life-force energies; presumably vital to Taoist thought.

 

I was wondering: what are the differences between qi and jing?  How does qi relate to the Tao?  My initial impression is that qi is a localised phenomenon (localised in lifeforms) whereas the Tao is non-localised (since it pervades everything).  Would this be accurate?

 

How does jing relate to the Tao?

 

Thanks to everyone who answers and helps alleviate my ignorance; I'll try to come up with other questions based on any answers I get.

[Taoist Texts]

How does jing relate to the Tao?

 

 

It does not. Its a placeholder word with no meaning. Don't you worry about it.)

[Jeff]

Hey all, thought I'd create a new thread since I've been formally accepted here.  I'm just trying to expand my frame of reference.  I keep seeing references to Qi & Jing.  From what I can gather, these are types of life-force energies; presumably vital to Taoist thought.

 

I was wondering: what are the differences between qi and jing?  How does qi relate to the Tao?  My initial impression is that qi is a localised phenomenon (localised in lifeforms) whereas the Tao is non-localised (since it pervades everything).  Would this be accurate?

 

How does jing relate to the Tao?

 

Thanks to everyone who answers and helps alleviate my ignorance; I'll try to come up with other questions based on any answers I get.

All things emerge from the Tao. The part of the Tao that can be discussed is the basis for all that exists and even that which has the potential to exist. Qi and Jing are more like refinement levels of energy and not necessarily localized as it can be "transmitted" and "received" from others, but jing is more often described as more physical body energy.

[Kara_mia]

Hey all, thought I'd create a new thread since I've been formally accepted here.  I'm just trying to expand my frame of reference.  I keep seeing references to Qi & Jing.  From what I can gather, these are types of life-force energies; presumably vital to Taoist thought.

 

I was wondering: what are the differences between qi and jing?  How does qi relate to the Tao?  My initial impression is that qi is a localised phenomenon (localised in lifeforms) whereas the Tao is non-localised (since it pervades everything).  Would this be accurate?

 

How does jing relate to the Tao?

 

Thanks to everyone who answers and helps alleviate my ignorance; I'll try to come up with other questions based on any answers I get.

Hiya!

 

As Jeff has written already - Tao is a universal principle that gave birth to all things. I am going to illustrate it with the example from Tao Te Ching. The infamous verse from chapter 42 reads as follows:

"The Way gave birth to one.

One gave birth to two.

Two gave birth to three.

Three gave birth to all things."

 

So, here two are Shen and Qi, correspondingly. And they both gave birth to the three (or third) - Jing.

Hence, you yourself here can see the relationship between Tao and Jing.

 

Cheers,

Karina

[A Greased Scotsman]

All things emerge from the Tao. The part of the Tao that can be discussed is the basis for all that exists and even that which has the potential to exist. Qi and Jing are more like refinement levels of energy and not necessarily localized as it can be "transmitted" and "received" from others, but jing is more often described as more physical body energy.

 

Okay cool, thank you.  So if qi and jing are more like refinement levels of energy, what animates the animate?  The Tao?  Do lifeforms possess inherent levels of qi and/or jing to start with (i.e. when they are born)?  Are there natural, unconscious processes which allow them to accumulate more or refine what they already possess?

 

Also, if jing is physical body energy, what is qi?

 

 

 

Hiya!

 

As Jeff has written already - Tao is a universal principle that gave birth to all things. I am going to illustrate it with the example from Tao Te Ching. The infamous verse from chapter 42 reads as follows:

"The Way gave birth to one.

One gave birth to two.

Two gave birth to three.

Three gave birth to all things."

 

So, here two are Shen and Qi, correspondingly. And they both gave birth to the three (or third) - Jing.

Hence, you yourself here can see the relationship between Tao and Jing.

 

Cheers,

Karina

 

Wow, thanks.  I didn't think the verse was intended to be taken quite so literally.  Is shen a term for spirit in this context?

Edited March 13, 2017 by A Greased Scotsman

[Jeff]

Okay cool, thank you.  So if qi and jing are more like refinement levels of energy, what animates the animate?  The Tao?  Do lifeforms possess inherent levels of qi and/or jing to start with (i.e. when they are born)?  Are there natural, unconscious processes which allow them to accumulate more or refine what they already possess?

 

Also, if jing is physical body energy, what is qi?

...

 

The Tao that can be described is sort of like a primordial sea. The "one" emerges from that primordial sea and is probably what you might want to call that which gives basis (or the multiverse). The "two" related to your energy question is polarity or separation that is the perception of what you might want to call energy movement (like transmission and reception). The "three" is that movement of energy that gives form to the "10,000 things", and a body would be one of those 10,000 things. Hence the energy potential of a body is limited as a thing, just like a battery has a limited potential of flow related to its positive and negative polarity capacity (aspect of the two). And that would be jing.

 

With Qi, one has started to open to higher levels and sort of begins to connect to others. Sort of like beginning to tap into multiple 10,000 things. As one openness "grows", the connectivity grows and hence broader energy potential. But, you could also describe it as Qi as energy is jing refined from the individual to higher connectivity with others. The same analogy holds for Shen, but now at a more universal level or you could say that one is now touching the "three" that gives birth to all 10,000 things.

 

Hope that helps.

[awaken]

People practice moving gong to train Jin.

 

Practicing meditation to train Qi.

 

Practicing stillness to train Shen.

 

Different stages of practicing can train different objects.

 

Training Jin is for creat more Qi.

 

Training Qi is for clearer Shen.

 

Training Shen is for opening the emptiness.

 

Opening the emptiness is for creating immortal.

 

Creating immortal is for becoming the unlimited.

[Phosphorose]

People practice moving gong to train Jin.

 

Practicing meditation to train Qi.

 

Practicing stillness to train Shen.

 

Different stages of practicing can train different objects.

 

Training Jin is for creat more Qi.

 

Training Qi is for clearer Shen.

 

Training Shen is for opening the emptiness.

 

Opening the emptiness is for creating immortal.

 

Creating immortal is for becoming the unlimited.

 

I suggest taking some time to digest what she said! It's really good stuff. If I could add, some traditions are also able to bring shen down and convert to chi then jing. Damo Mitchell has some great books if you'd like to really get a deeper understanding of these three energies; how they work together in the body; and how you can cultivate and purify them.

 

___________

 

spiritmapper.com

Find, share and learn about Earth's most sacred destinations.

Edited March 16, 2017 by Phosphorose

[Kara_mia]

Okay cool, thank you.  So if qi and jing are more like refinement levels of energy, what animates the animate?  The Tao?  Do lifeforms possess inherent levels of qi and/or jing to start with (i.e. when they are born)?  Are there natural, unconscious processes which allow them to accumulate more or refine what they already possess?

 

Also, if jing is physical body energy, what is qi?

 

 

 

 

Wow, thanks.  I didn't think the verse was intended to be taken quite so literally.  Is shen a term for spirit in this context?

 

Yes, indeed, shen here to be interpreted as spirit. Particularly primordial spirit or yuan shen.

[Aletheia]

The way I see it is -- Physical>Jing>Qi>Shen>Dao -- with each being an overlapping sphere. If you have semen, saliva, menstrual blood etc that is because you are already in direct contact with jing, but only on the physical plane. To access qi we need to begin to consciously start directing our attention away from the purely physical realm and start to shift our focus more toward jing. When we focus on the jing, which we already have direct access to on account of our bodily fluids being active, then qi ought to start popping into the periphery waking awareness. When that happens you have expanded consciousness in to a higher plane which has actually always been there in the first place on account of your having jing...

 

So, maybe there are many paths up to the top of the mountain. But what you ought to find is the sign posts have already been put in to the ground by earlier explorers who have found the true path. The signed messages will only make sense once you actually make the journey yourself and see what they say with your own eyes. Don't take anyone else's word for it!

Edited March 22, 2017 by Aletheia