Chi rising up spine on exhale

[White Turtle]

Hi all,

 

I've always been a reader rather than a writer on Tao Bums so please bare with me.

 

I have been practicing standing and siting qi gong for a few years now and have been making some headway on many fronts. Recently something i can't understand has taken place. When i do my siting 'emptiness' practice chi rises up my spine as a warm prickle feeling.

 

From all i've read and been taught chi should sink on exhale not rise so i'm now in a state of confusion whether my practice is correct. Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

[三江源]

Hello

 

chi rises up the spine. yang.

 

falls down the front of the body. yin.

 

the circuit of these two channels is called the microcosmic orbit.

 

the lowest meeting point is the perineum.

 

the highest is the crown.

 

So circulating the chi in this circuit is a good thing.

 

the chi will rise up and through the channel in the back of your neck, up the back of your head, across your crown, and flow down your front, feeling cool.

 

your spine may feel hot.

 

all this is fine.

 

do a search on 'microcosmic orbit' to find out more!

 

good luck, enjoy!

[Aetherous]

Cat's right. Also a lot of people tend to be more yang, so qi will rise more in them. You can go to an acupuncturist/herbalist and get treatments to have the qi flow normally, if you develop any negative symptoms. If you only feel qi flow up the spine, then I don't think it's a big deal...that's not really a negative symptom.

 

Also, you can try different kinds of downward flow meditations. A couple that I like are:

 

1) Imagining that fresh fluffy snow is falling all around you slowly...kind of feel the snow as yourself at the same time.

 

2) Feel a big golden ball in your heart area, and feel it radiating its warm gold light down and out through your body. It helps to keep your hands down by your sides with this one, and the light will extend past them, kind of like you're wearing a robe. The texture of the light should feel syrupy. And this is imagined feeling...try to make it as real as possible.

[White Turtle]

Thanks Cat And Scotty!

 

With a little more understanding my mind is put to rest.

 

Does developement always come in spurts? feel like i've knocked down a few doors in the last week after months of not much.