Qigong Beginner questions

[jinatot]

6 minutes ago, Mudfoot said:

Do you mean when the breathing movement transfers up the back

I think this sums up what i have been trying to explain. 

So can I do that using ba duan jin?

[Mudfoot]

2 hours ago, jinatot said:

I think this sums up what i have been trying to explain. 

So can I do that using ba duan jin?

Honestly, I have no idea. 

Never tried the bdj. 

[Fa Xin]

15 hours ago, jinatot said:

I think this sums up what i have been trying to explain. 

So can I do that using ba duan jin?

 

Just relax, breathe deeply and do the movements. Don't overthink or try too hard, it will counteract the relaxation part of it

[jinatot]

I was doing some sitting meditation and I think I am doing well but then I feel this pulsing feeling in my lower left back and It won't stop even after I finished. It only stopped after maybe 10 minutes. Does it mean I have injury there somewhat or some kind of blockage?

[Apech]

30 minutes ago, jinatot said:

I was doing some sitting meditation and I think I am doing well but then I feel this pulsing feeling in my lower left back and It won't stop even after I finished. It only stopped after maybe 10 minutes. Does it mean I have injury there somewhat or some kind of blockage?

 

I don't think it is possible to tell what it was - maybe something or nothing much - you would be better finding a competent teacher if there is one in your area.

[jinatot]

Is it bad to meditate in a closed, air conditioned room?

[Mudfoot]

4 hours ago, jinatot said:

Is it bad to meditate in a closed, air conditioned room?

That would depend on the method. Some methods are supposedly dependent on you being an out-doorsy person. 

[Marblehead]

2 minutes ago, Mudfoot said:

That would depend on the method. Some methods are supposedly dependent on you being an out-doorsy person. 

Some even require you to hug a tree.

 

[Mudfoot]

4 minutes ago, Marblehead said:

Some even require you to hug a tree.

 

The method I was taught from my main teacher only requires touch with one hand and one foot on the tree. 

Makes me motion sick though if there is a wind, so I tend to use a no-touch method with trees. 

[jinatot]

What Is the difference meditating sitting in full lotus position and sitting in a chair? I am uncomfortable meditating sitting in lotus especially in my ankles. Do I need to actually practice sitting in lotus position?

 

[Marblehead]

If I am seeking deep meditation I will always sit in a very comfortable chair (recliner) so that I can quickly forget about my body.

 

[Mudfoot]

I practice standing. 

Full lotus is a no-no, popped a meniscus trying to kick a dudes head in my late teens... 😁 

 

In a proper standing position you can do most of what you can do in full lotus, and some things you (I, actually) cannot do in lotus. 

 

 

[Nintendao]

I like half lotus. You can get the same alignments as full lotus, without straining anything. Put some cushion or folded up blanket under the buttocks/sacrum so the knees can sit slightly lower than the hips. Air conditioning is okay as long as it's not blowing directly on you.

[jinatot]

Another thing, when I meditate and breath long enough, there is something that will stuck in my throat, when that happens, I feel like I am breathing through my ears and I also hear my breathing clearly. I try to swallow it but it will come back soon enough. It is not a comfortable feeling. Anyone encountered this before?

Edited September 30, 2018 by jinatot

[Nintendao]

On 9/29/2018 at 8:57 PM, jinatot said:

I feel like I am breathing through my ears and I also hear my breathing clearly

 

Possibly something to do with sinus pressure? If you do the thing where you pinch your nose closed and gently try to blow air out your nose, so your eardrums kind of squish out a bit and everything sounds muffled until after you swallow... if you do that, does it feel anywhere similar to that uncomfortable feeling?

[Nintendao]

On 9/29/2018 at 8:57 PM, jinatot said:

I try to swallow it but it will come back soon enough. It is not a comfortable feeling. Anyone encountered this before?

Hi Jinatot,

I wonder maybe your uvula was getting dried out and stuck to the back of your throat or some such. There's a valve back there that separates the nasopharynx and oropharynx, as well as the ear drains. On occasion i'll hear an audible clicking coming from that spot when it pulsates just right. Not unlike the sound of lips mildly pop-popping if you do the face like a fish blowing bubbles. Any case make sure to stay hydrated and I pray health and safety to you!

[jinatot]

Another concerns of mine but certainly not the last. 

During every seated and standing meditation [where I only focus in my breath](2 to 10 minutes usually) I do, I feel there some air getting stuck at my chest whenever I inhale. And after every meditation my chest is getting numb and heavy. Anyone experienced this before? My assumption is my bad posture before I am concerned about my health.

Its been a month now since I started, and there are certainly noticeable changes in my body and I don't know if this changes are either good or a bad signs of my health since I have been living an unhealthy lifestyle before my practice. One of the changes that is worrying me is that I seem to have been more sensitive to external and internal influences. I am feeling uncomfortable sensations that I have not been feeling before (but I know I have those injuries and conditions before) and my intolerance in extreme environment is increasing(I seem to have been more tolerant in heat and cold before). There are also occasional itchiness, numbness and goosebumps all over my body. Some minor good things it did to me is I am not pale in color anymore , my hair and nails didn't grow as fast like before (like many times slower actually)and I wake up before my alarm clock rings. Please tell me which of these are good or bad signs of my qigong practice.

Edited October 9, 2018 by jinatot

[Nintendao]

In general it sounds like there was some junk in your system that is really just working its way out. You must be doing something right! If you have the opportunity to get out in nature for a walk, take it. Be courageous and if things get hectic do not hesitate to ask for extra support from the Healing Circle here.

[kyoji]

On 10/9/2018 at 6:31 AM, jinatot said:

Another concerns of mine but certainly not the last. 

During every seated and standing meditation [where I only focus in my breath](2 to 10 minutes usually) I do, I feel there some air getting stuck at my chest whenever I inhale. And after every meditation my chest is getting numb and heavy. Anyone experienced this before? My assumption is my bad posture before I am concerned about my health.

Its been a month now since I started, and there are certainly noticeable changes in my body and I don't know if this changes are either good or a bad signs of my health since I have been living an unhealthy lifestyle before my practice. One of the changes that is worrying me is that I seem to have been more sensitive to external and internal influences. I am feeling uncomfortable sensations that I have not been feeling before (but I know I have those injuries and conditions before) and my intolerance in extreme environment is increasing(I seem to have been more tolerant in heat and cold before). There are also occasional itchiness, numbness and goosebumps all over my body. Some minor good things it did to me is I am not pale in color anymore , my hair and nails didn't grow as fast like before (like many times slower actually)and I wake up before my alarm clock rings. Please tell me which of these are good or bad signs of my qigong practice.

I don't know the extent of your unhealthy lifestyle, but as someone who ate a lot of junk foods, sugars, smoked.. it can take a good while for your body to clean itself out. I have had rash outbreaks and cyst like lumps from lymph stagnation, I have had bowel problems etc...  What helped me was eating mainly plant based whole foods, making sure i'm fasting at least 14 hours a day,  and a lot of patience. the fasting period is actually rather important for your body to start healing itself, which it can't do efficiently if it is always working on digesting food.  I usually try and keep my eating within a 6-8 hour window, but i know people that do much less. I did once a day for quite some time, and although there were benefits to it, it is hard to pull off when you're back in the hustle and bustle of Babylon. Other than that, make sure you're drinking plenty of fresh water in a day and let your body do the rest. Your gut is very important, and almost functions as a second brain to put it simply. Keeping it clean and functioning well is key to overall health. If most people knew what was sitting in the pits of their stomachs they would be disgusted....

 

Just stay persistent with your practice, eat  healthy foods and get a good sweat on daily.. you'll be amazed at how efficiently your body heals and organizes itself. It definitely isn't the easiest task at times, and not always the most convenient in modern societies, but we owe our bodies a bit of kindness after abusing them for years : - )  If you have any specific questions about side effects/ detox symptoms etc.. please feel free to message me. I'm an open book.

 

 

Your Brother in Dao,

 

Kyoji

 

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2018 by kyoji

[jinatot]

Guys, I need your thoughts again about my condition. Please read until the end because this is gonna be long and excuse me for those eating their meal while reading this as it will contain detailed description of some stuffs inappropriate for you.

Yesterday, I got a serious fever, this is the first time in many months and I thought I won't be having a fever or cold anymore because I started practicing qigong and some acupressure that I have read in the internet and I really am trying to be more aware about my body. Of course the night before this I feel realaxed after doing breathing meditation. During this fever I coughed and vomited a lot of green stuff, maybe the me in the past would probably ignore this stuff but not anymore so I consulted my trusted doctor, Dr. Google and I found out it might be bile but I am also coughing while vomiting so it might be phlegm or maybe a combination of both. But I found out again that I would only vomit bile if I got an empty stomach but I eat my dinner as usual before I sleep and this is the first time(yes, in my whole lifetime) that I vomited some green stuff. So I consulted again my doctor, this time in his TCM perspective and found out this fever (but I don't know about coughig and vomiting)usually happens in those unhealthy people practicing qigong for the first time and I thought maybe this is a good thing and maybe I am expelling those toxic substance I have accumulated all these years but at the same time I am confused since the bile I am vomiting has a function in my body(to digest and absorb fat-soluble substance). The day passed and I still feel horrible.

Today(second day of my fever), I woke up coughing some dark green phlegm I know this is phlegm because I didn't vomit during this but minutes after I ate my breakfast I started coughing and vomiting green stuff again together with what I ate(it is oatmeal btw). Still I did my exercise and drink a lot of water recommended by my doctor and my friends here even if I feel horrible, this alleviate some uncomfortable sensations( like headache) because I began to sweat and expelled those stuff coming from the large intestines which this time is very waterry and smells 10x more horrible than usual that I had to flush twice so the smell goes away(yes, this is very rare occurence for me). After that I decided to rest but I can't seem to do it because I am still coughing uncontrollably and it causes pain in my abdomen due to stress of continuous coughing and again I vomited a lot of water which I drinked earlier no more green stuff this time but there is some stomach acids there because it stings in my throat and nasal cavities. So I researched again and maybe I can find the root cause of all of these as I listed all the  conditions and symptoms I am feeling everyday.

First of all I have heartburns every now and then and I burp a lot every meals and maybe It is related to hernia which my father told me about that I was born with it but didn't tell me what kind of hernia it is (he probably doesn't know too) so I researched again and I found it could be I both have hernia in esophagus and groin (hiatal hernia and inguinal hernia) as I feel most symptoms of these two and I also have bulge in my right groin, indicative of inguinal hernia and now that I am aware of it, it somewhat hurts when I cough. I reasearched again using TCM perspective and it says I may have problems wih my stomach and lungs which proves it because of coughing and vomiting. I also have lingering mucus o phlegm in my lower throat next to my clavicles I can't seem to expel for a long time now.

Another one thing I fear the most is about this groin/inguinal hernia. It says a part of intestines is protruding in the weakest part of abdominal wall will cause a bulge in groin which 90% sure I definitely have, combined with what my father said.

In my qigong practice and every time I inhale, It somehow pushes down all my organs downward and I fear that it will also push further the already protruded intestine outside my abdomenal wall. (This is only based on my understanding of inguinal hernia.)

Any advice is deeply appreciated.

At this time, I still have my coughing fits together with stomach pains and I think It will still be present tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

[Megantara]

On 9/18/2018 at 3:18 PM, Nintendao said:

Is that like when they say: when doing the movements, 70% of attention should remain in the lower dantian?

From my personal experience, focus on nowhere, i mean just observe/feel whats going on around and inside your body. Have your mind's eye and senses sensitive enough to feel deeper, or in simpler term: learning awareness. I think now i've been cultivating for 5 months, and only just recently i felt my lower dantian swirling inside. Just begin with being aware of all those sensation, observe them, don't put too much focus in any point (i had my chi stagnate around my solar plexus because of this - or at least that's my own conclusion, and its really annoying). But do put awareness around or on spots where you feel dull or distant pain, this is usually blockage.

About lifting the sky, if you already do abdominal breathing unconciously, you should breate as normal (which should be abdominally, because your automatic mind already reprogrammed that way), breath in on going up, pause, breath out when going down. But the most important part is relaxed mind that follows the movement. In my case, dynamic qigong is somewhat better in avoiding stagnant chi.

 

Again, i'm also a beginner, so don't take my words seriously before consulting more  experienced guys. And don't be shy to point or correct me if my understanding is wrong, i have no teacher as well.

thank you

[Megantara]

On 10/9/2018 at 8:31 PM, jinatot said:

And after every meditation my chest is getting numb and heavy. Anyone experienced this before? My assumption is my bad posture before I am concerned about my health.

Yeah, been there, in my case its diapraghm getting tired or adjusting to new breathing. Try maintain straight posture (dont sit slouching or do any postures that press the stomach area), also massaging gently around the area below your rib helps me a lot. Now i can (to some degree) control my diaphragm movement at will, and can breathe more deeply. Just be patient and enjoy every positive changes you feel. (Like now i can smoke 2 packs of cigarettes without coughing, but that's not why i'm cultivating... i will let go of that habit when the time is right, for now i'll just enjoy it every moment, so when the time comes, i can say farewell without looking back)

[Nintendao]

@jinatot, i hope you are getting over those fevers alright... Remember to not be too forceful with the breath or over-exert, especially with hernias being a concern.

 

Sometimes when learning from a video, the guy is doing all kinds of big movements, if I try to imitate that level from the start it can lead to strain. It is perfectly valid to practice a miniature version of the move, however far you feel comfortable stretching it, and work your way up gradually.

[Kar3n]

Go see a medical doctor!

[Fa Xin]

49 minutes ago, Kar3n said:

Go see a medical doctor!

 

I concur

 

 

On 10/22/2018 at 8:41 AM, jinatot said:

Guys, I need your thoughts again about my condition. Please read until the end because this is gonna be long and excuse me for those eating their meal while reading this as it will contain detailed description of some stuffs inappropriate for you.

Yesterday, I got a serious fever, this is the first time in many months and I thought I won't be having a fever or cold anymore because I started practicing qigong and some acupressure that I have read in the internet and I really am trying to be more aware about my body. Of course the night before this I feel realaxed after doing breathing meditation. During this fever I coughed and vomited a lot of green stuff, maybe the me in the past would probably ignore this stuff but not anymore so I consulted my trusted doctor, Dr. Google and I found out it might be bile but I am also coughing while vomiting so it might be phlegm or maybe a combination of both. But I found out again that I would only vomit bile if I got an empty stomach but I eat my dinner as usual before I sleep and this is the first time(yes, in my whole lifetime) that I vomited some green stuff. So I consulted again my doctor, this time in his TCM perspective and found out this fever (but I don't know about coughig and vomiting)usually happens in those unhealthy people practicing qigong for the first time and I thought maybe this is a good thing and maybe I am expelling those toxic substance I have accumulated all these years but at the same time I am confused since the bile I am vomiting has a function in my body(to digest and absorb fat-soluble substance). The day passed and I still feel horrible.

Today(second day of my fever), I woke up coughing some dark green phlegm I know this is phlegm because I didn't vomit during this but minutes after I ate my breakfast I started coughing and vomiting green stuff again together with what I ate(it is oatmeal btw). Still I did my exercise and drink a lot of water recommended by my doctor and my friends here even if I feel horrible, this alleviate some uncomfortable sensations( like headache) because I began to sweat and expelled those stuff coming from the large intestines which this time is very waterry and smells 10x more horrible than usual that I had to flush twice so the smell goes away(yes, this is very rare occurence for me). After that I decided to rest but I can't seem to do it because I am still coughing uncontrollably and it causes pain in my abdomen due to stress of continuous coughing and again I vomited a lot of water which I drinked earlier no more green stuff this time but there is some stomach acids there because it stings in my throat and nasal cavities. So I researched again and maybe I can find the root cause of all of these as I listed all the  conditions and symptoms I am feeling everyday.

First of all I have heartburns every now and then and I burp a lot every meals and maybe It is related to hernia which my father told me about that I was born with it but didn't tell me what kind of hernia it is (he probably doesn't know too) so I researched again and I found it could be I both have hernia in esophagus and groin (hiatal hernia and inguinal hernia) as I feel most symptoms of these two and I also have bulge in my right groin, indicative of inguinal hernia and now that I am aware of it, it somewhat hurts when I cough. I reasearched again using TCM perspective and it says I may have problems wih my stomach and lungs which proves it because of coughing and vomiting. I also have lingering mucus o phlegm in my lower throat next to my clavicles I can't seem to expel for a long time now.

Another one thing I fear the most is about this groin/inguinal hernia. It says a part of intestines is protruding in the weakest part of abdominal wall will cause a bulge in groin which 90% sure I definitely have, combined with what my father said.

In my qigong practice and every time I inhale, It somehow pushes down all my organs downward and I fear that it will also push further the already protruded intestine outside my abdomenal wall. (This is only based on my understanding of inguinal hernia.)

Any advice is deeply appreciated.

At this time, I still have my coughing fits together with stomach pains and I think It will still be present tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

Maybe time to take a break from doing whatever your doing... Meditation and qigong should be relaxing, and sometimes you'll sweat or get tingly stuff happening but your not supposed to vomit or cough or anything. It sounds like your forcing your breathing... Please just stop whatever it is thats causing this stuff to happen and reexamine your practice.