TCM and Taoist qigong

[exorcist_1699]

Knowing some TCM's knowledge is important for our Taoist cultivation as it gives us the knowledge related to

qi's status in our body that the western medicine can't provide ; here just mention the several important ones :

 

1) It tells us how season affects our qi : Qi expands in Summer , and contracts and hides in Winter, So, we

should feel qi easier and stronger in Summer.

 

2) It tells us when we should practice our cultivation in a day so as to achieve biggest result ; generally

speaking ,it is said to be the time: 3am ~5am.The same reason tells why drinking too much water before sleep is

inappropriate

 

3) Qi is affected by our emotions. In fact, every organ of our body is affected by different emotion. We are told that getting angry is more disastrous than having too much sex.

 

4) What we eat does affect our qi ; Drinking wine and eating hot , pungent food is not good for our practice as they expand qi and affect its normal status .

 

5) TCM , same as acupuncture, tells us where our meridians are , so we can predict the movement of our qi easier.

Edited January 9, 2009 by exorcist_1699

[dragonfire]

I curiuos to know some of your thoughts. When I first started energy work, I was searching

for enlightenment and better health. I realized very quickly, the energy was

healing energy. I can heal myself and give my aching muscles energy and they

feel refreshed.

 

I'm studying TCM now to use my energy. I just started my first term. However, I'm having some

trouble. You see, I think my problem is I developed severe anxiety and

depression from trying to hold my energy in my tantien. I want enlightement

but I also want to heal people. I thought, ok, if I keep my energy I will

work towards enlightenment and it will come soon. I've made great

progress. However, the problem now comes to when I'm in class and its

very difficult to keep the energy stable for 4 hour classes each night.

 

I keep trying to keep it in and through trying I develop anxiety because the

energy is not as cooperative, especially when there is other students in the

class. A lot of students are women also, so my energy is probably going

to them or attracting them. This actually has caused my much grief,

because it builds energy blockages and causes me more anxiety. The

blockages then lead to anger. Then when the energy leaks out, I

think it is bad energy, not love.

 

I think what I should be doing now is, just let the energy out and send love

to all the classmates uninhibited. This will stop the anxiety or trying to

control the energy. I was afraid of losing energy towards enlightenment,

but I can not continue to hold it in. Its causing me much frustration.

 

What do you guys think?

[exorcist_1699]

I always find modern type of qi gong class a little strange to me. Let us see some of its characteristics:

 

1) collective : It seems funny to have a large group of people doing qi gong together . However, it is mixed

with different sex and people of different levels . People affect each other, always in negative ways .I wonder whether it is a good way of learning qi gong. Besides, the crucial thing definitely can't be expressed in public. Even being given millions of dollars, no real master is brave enough to try ...Maybe we can only learn something general and basic .

 

2) Time : Of course, the class can't be arranged in the midnight, ie , the best time ; Nor can the duration of class meet individual physical ability .

 

3) Outdoor : It is clear that Meditation must be done in indoors ( when you see FA LUN GONG guys doing it in the public area , what can you say ?!) .Doing it outdoors is absolutely dangerous .

 

4) Having movement of body (Dong Gong 動功) : It is the only qi gong that can be done in outdoors . But as

the level of your practice goes higher, you rely more on still, sitting meditation .

Edited January 9, 2009 by exorcist_1699

[Ya Mu]

Knowing some TCM's knowledge is important for our Taoist cultivation as it gives us the knowledge related to

qi's status in our body that the western medicine can't provide ; here just mention the several important ones :

 

1) It tells us how season affects our qi : Qi expands in Summer , and contracts and hides in Winter, So, we

should feel qi easier and stronger in Summer.

 

2) It tells us when we should practice our cultivation in a day so as to achieve biggest result ; generally

speaking ,it is said to be the time: 3am ~5am.The same reason tells why drinking too much water before sleep is

inappropriate

 

3) Qi is affected by our emotions. In fact, every organ of our body is affected by different emotion. We are told that getting angry is more disastrous than having too much sex.

 

4) What we eat does affect our qi ; Drinking wine and eating hot , pungent food is not good for our practice as they expand qi and affect its normal status .

 

5) TCM , same as acupuncture, tells us where our meridians are , so we can predict the movement of our qi easier.

 

Although I am a believer in many aspects of TCM I have found that it is really easy to get caught in the "can't see the forest because the trees are in the way" syndrome when studying TCM. I speak from the status of studying TCM very diligently for about 10 years including studying acupuncture in China. I have discarded quite a bit of it.

This isn't any kind of attack on you, but my observations from many years of practice. In other words, get what you can from acupuncture school but use your Taoist internal practice to weed out what is fact and what is thought.

 

1) It tells us how season affects our qi : Qi expands in Summer , and contracts and hides in Winter, So, we should feel qi easier and stronger in Summer.

 

While what you say can be generally true, I have not found the above statement to be true for the system of qigong I practice.

 

2) It tells us when we should practice our cultivation in a day so as to achieve biggest result ; generally speaking ,it is said to be the time: 3am ~5am.The same reason tells why drinking too much water before sleep is inappropriate

 

That is a good time to practice. So is 9 am; so is 11 am; so is 3 pm; so is 5pm; so is 9 pm, etc. Result does NOT depend upon time in the system I practice. INTENT supersedes time every time. Drinking too much water before sleep is not real good if you don't want to wake up and pee a lot.

 

3) Qi is affected by our emotions. In fact, every organ of our body is affected by different emotion. We are told that getting angry is more disastrous than having too much sex.

 

Finally TCM hits the nail on the head! Oh so true!

 

4) What we eat does affect our qi ; Drinking wine and eating hot , pungent food is not good for our practice as they expand qi and affect its normal status .

 

Not good to drink more than a small glass of wine or a single beer before practice as you can lose control of the qi. I like hot pungent food, doesn't mess with my qi (when properly blessed), but again TCM hits the nail on the head in terms of static state.

 

5) TCM , same as acupuncture, tells us where our meridians are , so we can predict the movement of our qi easier.

 

Yes and no. Yes to the extent that the channels do exist and TCM explains this quite well.

No to the extent that, when I project qi to a client I see the sick qi skip channels and leave the body at random, unpredictable areas. So TCM doesn't explain this at all.

[Zhongyongdaoist]

I have found my study of TCM very useful in my self-cultivation. Reading Giovanni Maciocia's Foundations of Chinese Medicine was a landmark in my understanding. It is particularly important to understand that the development of jing, qi and shen are an natural part of human physiology, then one can see that the results of qi gong or the promises of internal alchemy are extraordinary applications of our own natural endowments, which is a very important insight.

 

I like this thread and consider this aspect of traditional thought very important. I will probably post more here in the future, but for right now my posts on Demons are consuming most of the time I can devote to this forum. Thank you exorcist_1699 for opening up this interesting and important topic!

[exorcist_1699]

 

That is a good time to practice. So is 9 am; so is 11 am; so is 3 pm; so is 5pm; so is 9 pm, etc. Result does NOT depend upon time in the system I practice. INTENT supersedes time every time. Drinking too much water before sleep is not real good if you don't want to wake up and pee a lot.

Finally TCM hits the nail on the head! Oh so true!

 

 

Mind is always the most important factor in our practice , this , I do agree .

 

 

The shortcoming of TCM is that it only describes the status of qi being embodied in , also implies being entangled in our physical body . That is , the rise and quality of our qi is affected by time , taste ,fragrance, season , direction...as long as we live in this physical body . TCM tells us why it is , but not tells us how to solve such a limitation .

 

For example , one of the most important ideas of TCM is to point out that there is a place called " Meng Mang" (命門) , which lies between our kidneys , and is said to be crucial to life. It says that it is a place where our basic life energy , like a fire , hides .However,even seeing the gradual extinction of this fire in the process of aging , which causes the gradual decay of our organs , TCM does not tell us how to solve it .

Edited January 10, 2009 by exorcist_1699

[exorcist_1699]

 

I'm studying TCM now to use my energy. I just started my first term. However, I'm having some

trouble. You see, I think my problem is I developed severe anxiety and

depression from trying to hold my energy in my tantien. I want enlightement

but I also want to heal people. I thought, ok, if I keep my energy I will

work towards enlightenment and it will come soon.

 

I keep trying to keep it in and through trying I develop anxiety because the

energy is not as cooperative, especially when there is other students in the

class.

 

It seems you are too eager to get result in a short-term ; In fact, Taoist cultivation is a life-long enterprise.

 

I am also astonished to find that you want qi to cooperate with you. With such an intention , you are using your will to take the place of qi's natural rise ; Once you mixed qi with your intention, which is very strong , I wonder what kind of qi you can get . I think you are fortunate not to getting serious disease, let alone curing others ;I think , relaxation, patience and let-qi-itself-appear-to-me are those principles and attitude you should follow. Just some ideas for consideration .

Edited January 10, 2009 by exorcist_1699

[dragonfire]

It seems you are too eager to get result in a short-term ; In fact, Taoist cultivation is a life-long enterprise.

 

I am also astonished to find that you want qi to cooperate with you. With such an intention , you are using your will to take the place of qi's natural rise ; Once you mixed qi with your intention, which is very strong , I wonder what kind of qi you can get . I think you are fortunate not to getting serious disease, let alone curing others ;I think , relaxation, patience and let-qi-itself-appear-to-me are those principles and attitude you should follow. Just some ideas for consideration .

 

I'm just curious how long you have been cultivating Chi, if you just let it appear?

[dwai]

I'm just curious how long you have been cultivating Chi, if you just let it appear?

 

Here's my limited understanding of this matter...

 

The first phase is about physical alignments and movement of the forms.

The second phase of practice is when the chi follows the yi (or the intention/mind).

The third phase of practice is when the chi moves on it's own and moves you around (the mind is dropped).

For application the mind is brought in again, but this time to direct the flow of energy.

[Fu_dog]

Interesting topic.

 

There are a few that are taught, for example about expansion and contraction of qi with the seasons, etc. and I accept their validity.

 

With all the systems of qigong and with TCM, there are the means to energize and heal.

 

That said, Ya Mu brings up an excellent point. That is, that energy has a way of transcending all of these rules, to do beneficial things on it's own according to it's own way. The person supplies the yi, or intent, and energy responds.

[exorcist_1699]

I'm just curious how long you have been cultivating Chi, if you just let it appear?

 

 

Sorry for a little harsh words that I expressed my ideas. I do regret my expressing it too plainly.

 

Please re-read LaoTze, it says:

 

" Reach the utmost of nothingness , and maintain the utmost of stillness , so that we can see everything rise and appear to us ...." ( chapter 16, my own translation)

 

The best /most diffucult method is to ask people to start from nowhere , no dantian, no visualization , yet they still get qi arise for them ; however, seldom can anyone do it . So, some sifu start to teach people paying attention to dantian/ breathing...or visualizing a taiji ball/ lotus / buddha... , these are "tactic " consideration ... but unfortunately they also always lead people onto a wrong way ... so, sooner or later , people still have to go back to that status of nothingness ..

 

Only Genuine Intention ( 真意) , not our subjective intention , can bring up high-quality /pre-heavenly qi .

Edited January 11, 2009 by exorcist_1699