When Best to Practice Chikung?

[Zone Trooper]

Hello: I'm a little new to the internal arts, but am enjoying the health benefits a lot! Traditionally, one is supposed to practice Chikung/Tai Chi/Bagua in the early morning and evenings, from everything I've read about them. Minor problem is, that I work second shift, so the AM practice is in the middle of my sleep cycle, and the evening practice is about the middle of my shift. I definitely want to make the practice part of the daily routine. Any harm in doing it as your schedule permits versus not at all? Any advice is much appreciated! -ZT

[fiveelementtao]

Hello: I'm a little new to the internal arts, but am enjoying the health benefits a lot! Traditionally, one is supposed to practice Chikung/Tai Chi/Bagua in the early morning and evenings, from everything I've read about them. Minor problem is, that I work second shift, so the AM practice is in the middle of my sleep cycle, and the evening practice is about the middle of my shift. I definitely want to make the practice part of the daily routine. Any harm in doing it as your schedule permits versus not at all? Any advice is much appreciated! -ZT

 

The worst time to do energy work is in the early afternoon. That is when energy is coarse and hot. If you can avoid doing it at that time, it is best..

[Fire Dragon]

Hello: I'm a little new to the internal arts, but am enjoying the health benefits a lot! Traditionally, one is supposed to practice Chikung/Tai Chi/Bagua in the early morning and evenings, from everything I've read about them. Minor problem is, that I work second shift, so the AM practice is in the middle of my sleep cycle, and the evening practice is about the middle of my shift. I definitely want to make the practice part of the daily routine. Any harm in doing it as your schedule permits versus not at all? Any advice is much appreciated! -ZT

 

 

FInd the time that suit your schedule. There is alot of infromation of ideal time to practise. See it as such ideal time. To practise other times also work. If it is possible to you to practise on ideal time then do it ohterwise find the best time for yourself and do it that time. I should say that it probably is more important for you to work on a non shiftet time than it is to regulate you practise after ideal times. But I'm not an expert on this.

 

 

F D

[WhiteTiger]

There are many good times to do practice, for many different reasons. Especially depending on the circumstances.

 

I would suggest to definately start out doing your practice twice to three times a day for whatever your schedule allows... Until you get much much deeper into your practice then of course you could rearrange your life to fit your practice sessions.

[Aetherous]

6 - 7 am is best.

 

Edit: whoops, I actually just read your post. Sorry. Then, I agree with Fiveelementtao to just avoid the early afternoon.

Edited April 20, 2009 by Scotty

[Ya Mu]

Dr Pepper qigong: 10, 2, 4

 

24 hrs a day is the best time to practice qigong.

 

Choose and grab whatever time you can.

[doc benway]

Hello: I'm a little new to the internal arts, but am enjoying the health benefits a lot! Traditionally, one is supposed to practice Chikung/Tai Chi/Bagua in the early morning and evenings, from everything I've read about them. Minor problem is, that I work second shift, so the AM practice is in the middle of my sleep cycle, and the evening practice is about the middle of my shift. I definitely want to make the practice part of the daily routine. Any harm in doing it as your schedule permits versus not at all? Any advice is much appreciated! -ZT

The best time to practice is when you have time to practice.

I made the mistake of trying too hard to standardize my meditation routine to early morning. I got attached to the idea of having to do it early so when I couldn't do it early it caused stress and it really had a negative impact on my practice. When I let go of that expectation, I found I was practicing with more regularity and in a more relaxed fashion and now, magically, it's easier to find time and motivation to do it early in the mornings...

[Squatting Monkey]

The best time to practice is when you have time to practice.

I made the mistake of trying too hard to standardize my meditation routine to early morning. I got attached to the idea of having to do it early so when I couldn't do it early it caused stress and it really had a negative impact on my practice. When I let go of that expectation, I found I was practicing with more regularity and in a more relaxed fashion and now, magically, it's easier to find time and motivation to do it early in the mornings...

 

I also used to make this mistake. Now I do what I can, when I can. No pressure.

[Zone Trooper]

Thanks for everyone's input. As so many other things in life, there's the ideal situation, and then doing what you have to. It seems to work well in spite of not exactly being at the ideal time. Gives merit to the practice as a whole! -ZT

[VCraigP]

The worst time to do energy work is in the early afternoon. That is when energy is coarse and hot. If you can avoid doing it at that time, it is best..

 

So this is the same advice Max gave out, not to practice from 1-3 PM.

 

Is this a Maoshan piece of info? I never directly encountered this prohibition before.

 

Also, I would suggest that this 1-3 prohibition would be more applicable to certain practices than others.

 

Certainly doing Bagua or IMA training is entirely different than practicing seated meditation.

 

And it seems that this fine distinction about energy quality would apply less to beginners. Beginners should practice as much as possible and not let any excuse get in the way. there are only 24 hours in a day.

 

Also, this limitation has bugged me since Max laid it down. My kids come home from school around 3:30 and since I work at home I often had the inclination to do practice around 1-3 in order to get practice in while they are still in school.

 

yeah, and I don't like rules either...

 

Craig

[Sloppy Zhang]

In my experience do it whenever you can.

 

I think about it as like, those ancient greek ships. If the wind is to your back, put up the sails and glide. If the wind is not favorable you gotta pull up your sleeves and row. Both get you to where you want to go. One might be easier/harder, then again, rowing gives you a good workout

 

I happen to like meditating around 1 and 3, especially outside during the spring time (like how it is right now ) I'm a warm weather person, and after the winter is over I enjoy being out in the sun and in nature, and I use that chance to meditate and "be one with the universe". Didn't know there was any rule to it. Any "rules" for "when" to do things have always seemed more like guidelines to me..... then again, I do this stuff alone and from books

[Aetherous]

So this is the same advice Max gave out, not to practice from 1-3 PM.

 

Is this a Maoshan piece of info? I never directly encountered this prohibition before.

 

I think it's a Dayan qigong rule. I read it once on one of their websites, and I think perhaps Max borrowed it from that (although as we now know, there's no direct connection).

[Mak_Tin_Si]

For chi gung that improve "health" for human, which means to generate "yang" energy, we usually do the practice during daytime, earliest is from 4am and on... avoid 11-1pm because the yang energy is too extreme, can cause you to have a hot headed temper. Then you can still practise and not after 5pm.

 

After 5pm, yin energy increases, so not so good for health.

 

Of course, there are exceptionals for different schools.

[Stigweard]

For chi gung that improve "health" for human, which means to generate "yang" energy, we usually do the practice during daytime, earliest is from 4am and on... avoid 11-1pm because the yang energy is too extreme, can cause you to have a hot headed temper. Then you can still practise and not after 5pm.

 

After 5pm, yin energy increases, so not so good for health.

 

Of course, there are exceptionals for different schools.

That is also the guidance I have recieved.