Grounded = More Qi?

[Shadow_self]

 

5 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

Can I ask where abouts do you come from? Where did you grow up. I’m from the U.K. and I’m aware I can slip into a colloquial and slackened grammar style. Are you from the States?

 

Ireland/UK  

 

The issue for me isnt your grammar, its the long posts interspersed with opinions and a prompt for a reply. Im not quite sure whether you are seeking validation or explanation

 

In any case, for me, itd be best to just ask the question directly, and preferaly one at a time  

[kakapo]

On 9/27/2024 at 9:28 PM, -ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ- said:

I can show you the world 

 

 

[Lukks]

10 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

Cool thread, very cool. I’d love to hear about some of these things from a Taoist perspective.

 

These are just beliefs that I’ve accumulated over the years that seem to hold some sway when I practice. 
 

1/. A, Practicing or just standing on earth is great for grounding, physically we can share electrons with the earth and helps soothe emotions 

1/. B, the earth can help recycle negative emotions. The earth energy has a wisdom and doesn’t think in terms of good and bad, positive and negative all the same, helping bring balance in the human energy system where it is needed. 
 

2/. Rubber soled shoes makes interacting with Chi, Energy, Electrons of earth through feet difficult if not impossible. Except for when practicing in nature and being engulfed by nature , the effects of being in nature can still be felt with rubber soles as you’re surrounded but best to take off shoes.

 

3/. Wood transmits energy real well, next is stone , so being in buildings it’s still possible to ground energy through the building structure (easier closer to the ground though, a lot easier) 

 

4/. Doing good grounding practices (yes visualisations to begin) connecting deeply with earth energy (I go down to the core), a kind of self hypnosis/guided meditation to enable to stay calm in practices no matter what and keep the heart safe can be very important (for the health of the physical heart as well). Especially dealing with psychic energies with others on the earth plane… 

 

5/. In martial arts using the earth for grounding is like putting the energy outside of the body and even for a split second finding a zero point and coming from a true moment of none action can help line up the body and self to deal with/redirect on coming force from an opponent. 
it creates a great balance in body, mind and I would say spirit.

 

6/. Sometimes when energy is in a good place for it, the awareness can easily extend to the bottom of the feet and often below the body. You can put your attention there and sense below the body with simple concentration if you try, as you also can above the top of the head etc. 

 

7/. The earth is vital if you really want to understand the roles of fire and metal (at least) . A deep appreciation of Earth in this sequence is totally required to really get into knowing your vital organs, the functions and corresponding emotions.
All being in a state of interaction and changes.

 

8/. You can benefit from the earth’s grounding nature internally, simply easily and quickly by breaking your fast and eating food.

 

thanks for reading I’d love to hear you elaborate on any of my points through a Taoist Lens 

 

@Nungali @Taomeow @Shadow_self @ChiDragon @Lukks 

 

I will be honest, I'm still learning, I have more questions than answers so I'm not the best person to answer you hahaha

 

I'm sure there are others here who can help you  

[Thrice Daily]

13 hours ago, Shadow_self said:

 

 

Ireland/UK  

Sound

13 hours ago, Shadow_self said:

 

The issue for me isnt your grammar, its the long posts interspersed with opinions and a prompt for a reply. Im not quite sure whether you are seeking validation or explanation

I don’t think it’s so much validation, more just sharing in case people resonate or are at a similar place to get something from reading, well that’s intention any way,

 

and yeah learn a bit myself hopefully.

13 hours ago, Shadow_self said:

 

In any case, for me, itd be best to just ask the question directly, and preferaly one at a time

No worries , thanks for that, appreciated.

 

[Thrice Daily]

13 hours ago, ChiDragon said:

The Taoist defined that your abdomen is the dantian. Thus abdominal breathing is rhe same as dantian breathing.

Did you try the six healing sounds I think you would love them. You can get seriously deep into the abdominal cavity on the exhale.

 

You’d love it i think , there are specific stretches for each muscle tendon , that feeds the organs. 
 

Judging by the amount of Taiji you do, six sounds would be most interesting I should gather.

 

it changes my lower abs a lot and quite quickly if I practice every day. The muscles are supple but strong. 
 

you have to exhale completely though , squeeze out every bit of breath and hold before next inhalation . 

[ChiDragon]

1 hour ago, Thrice Daily said:

Judging by the amount of Taiji you do, six sounds would be most interesting I should gather.

Thank you for the suggestion. You know I do sing some Chinese folk songs. They have a lot more sounds for me to regulate my breathing.

 

https://youtu.be/K6VhJlESchM?si=kdiEHHfImnVFLTxd

 

 

Edited September 29 by ChiDragon

[Taomeow]

23 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

5/. In martial arts using the earth for grounding is like putting the energy outside of the body and even for a split second finding a zero point and coming from a true moment of none action can help line up the body and self to deal with/redirect on coming force from an opponent. 
it creates a great balance in body, mind and I would say spirit.

 

 

Don't know about "all" MA but in taijiquan the most prominent part of it (and of the whole enchilada too) is what we call rooting, and it is a skill of establishing connection with the ground that goes far beyond what can be verbalized or visualized.  It involves establishing  your whole body's structure and dynamics and your mind's focus in a way that facilitates this connection.  And then a lot of work with your qi (not "energy") and then testing what you've got in push-hands.  It's very easy for a skillful practitioner to tell when someone is imagining being grounded vs. someone who is, and if someone is, the extent and depth of it.  Beginners are indeed sometimes encouraged to use various visualizations to help develop the skill -- it's a minor device that can't replace the rest of what you're going to be doing, but it can be somewhat helpful at the early stages.  A rather common visualization toward that goal is to grow roots into the ground, like a tree, every time you settle (another all-important skill.)  And grow them deeper still.  To the center of the earth!  But like I said, it's just a minor device, the rest is...  well, the rest of it.    

 

23 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

8/. You can benefit from the earth’s grounding nature internally, simply easily and quickly by breaking your fast and eating food.

 

 

Strange but true, although you need particular foods for this -- some will unground you even more.   

[moment]

Conscious grounding is the seeking of your own personal balance.  Of all techniques and ways. grounding has the greatest benefits with the least downside.  Seek it out when you feel in distress.

[Thrice Daily]

3 hours ago, moment said:

Conscious grounding is the seeking of your own personal balance.  Of all techniques and ways. grounding has the greatest benefits with the least downside.  Seek it out when you feel in distress.

Can you give us some examples of your techniques or ways?

[RobB]

One of my teachers noted that 'The Yang is rooted in the Yin' - the Heavenly tree can only flourish as far as the Earthly roots can support it (or something like that). I suppose you could also say that our earthly manifestation (yin) is required in order to facilitate our spiritual evolution (yang).

 

Either way, the simple answer (as @Gerard will undoubtedly confirm) is more body-weight squats .

Edited October 10 by RobB
can't spell

[moment]

23 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

Can you give us some examples of your techniques or ways?

 

Walking in the woods on a rainy day, taking a cold shower, planting trees, walking through a field while a hawk screeches above, listening to the delighted laughter of small children, petting a dog who is leaning against you in an effort to comfort itself and you, (unstructured, gentle, slow, staggered breathing relaxing while you do creative stretching and instinctively feel the gentle spontaneous way of relieving your aches, pains and tightness, with almost no effort), walking knee deep in a cold stream while the sun beats down on you, letting rich thick fertile loam trickle through your fingers while lightly breathing its' musk, holding a dying person's hand in their last moments and reassuring them that they are not alone and you see the comfort you helped create. Letting yourself cry without guilt or shame.

Edited October 11 by moment

[Thrice Daily]

25 minutes ago, moment said:

 

Walking in the woods on a rainy day, taking a cold shower, planting trees, walking through a field while a hawk screeches above, listening to the delighted laughter of small children, petting a dog who is leaning against you in an effort to comfort itself and you, (unstructured, gentle, slow, staggered breathing relaxing while you do creative stretching and instinctively feel the gentle spontaneous way of relieving your aches, pains and tightness, with almost no effort), walking knee deep in a cold stream while the sun beats down on you, letting rich thick fertile loam trickle through your fingers while lightly breathing its' musk, holding a dying person's hand in their last moments and reassuring them that they are not alone and you see the comfort you helped create. Letting yourself cry without guilt or shame.

Lovely natural grounding, Thankyou