question about my chi kung progress (long)

[Guest]

Hi I have some questions regarding my chi kung practice for any of the students who think they know.

It all started last summer when I attended the Intensive Chi kung course in Malaysia. (By the way I highly recommend this course as it is beyond anything you can fathom in coolness if you have never experienced chi flowing through you like a river). I had some health problems like: anxiety (bad at times), tiredness, sore knees and blockages on my back so I couldn't really do sports and it was a bummer. Anyway, I practiced everyday what I learned for about a month and a half. At this point I recall that when I did self-manifested chi flow it was soo powerful that I needed to practice in a VERY large space at night so I could let go and allow the chi to literally whip me all over the place I started feeling VERY good and peaceful inside my heart.

Somewhere right around this point (mid-Septemeber) I started to get pains in my forehead and top of my nose area. I felt anxiety about this because I had thought that the pain was from when I was doing Standing Zen. In standing Zen I was breathing through my nose and my memory failed me as to whether I was supposed to be breathing that way. (I had had similar pain from mediation in the past) So I looked in one of Sifu's books and it didn't specify so I figured I would breath through my mouth to prevent the pain (this was a bad move). I emailed Sifu about it but he didn't get back to me until February; he told me it was good pain and was related to my third-eye opening.

But, it was too late. Slowly and almost imperceptively my chi-power diminished to a trickle, and I became very frustrated to say the least. So eventually I called Sifu on his cellphone int February (after I got the email about the third-eye opening; kind of depressing actually). He said to just practice outside and to correct my way of breathing.

He said that within a few months I would have 'the chi power' back, but if I didn't that didn't matter.

I corrected my practice and immediately felt more energy in my life. I would wake up earlier and felt like I could do all of my school work in no time flat. I also felt very creative; so I wrote some poems. Sometimes I would feel like time had slowed down, probably because I was going so fast

But this went away after a week or so of corrected practice. I figured that was because the extra energy was directed inward to heal all the damage of my organs.

Now it has been about 4 1/2 months of corrected practice, and the power has not returned. I feel nice while practicing and I usually feel clearer in the mind after and refreshed, but all of my health problems are still with me. I feel the energy, it's just not intense, and AMAZING like it had been.

So, I would like to ask if any of you all have a good idea of what I should do to get the full intensity back? I am attending the Toronto abdominal breathing course, but not the generating energy flow because I didn't have enough money at the time. Part of me just wants to save up my money and go to another course in Malaysia. Or do you think that just attending the Abdominal Breathing course will set me straight?

Thanks so much for the help for anyone who got this far in this quite long post.

-Alex

[Guest]

Practice


Hi Alex!

Interesting post. I look forward to meeting you in Toronto. I'll be taking the Abdominal Breathing course, as well as the Kungfu course.

While I think it is great for fellow students to share experiences and ideas, I really don't feel qualified to answer your questions. It is always best to ask Sifu. Granted, our beloved master is incredibly busy and often difficult to reach, but I feel that he should be our main target for such questions. Perhaps I am lucky to have two of Sifu's senior students (young masters in their own right) to turn to when I need simple advice. Nonetheless, a few months ago when I woke up with a nail in my lower spine (or so it felt), I called Sifu immediately.

Actually, it sounds to me like you already have an answer. Did Sifu not say that you may or may not regain this "chi power," but that it doesn't matter either way? The key is to move forward in your practice, which it sounds like you are doing (though you may not realize it). Why do you seek to go back to where you were?

Sure, it was different for most of us in the beginning. I remember practicing "Carrying the Moon" and literally being knocked onto the floor by the chi flow. Of course, I was laughing the whole time and feeling quite good. That doesn't happen to me any more. Lately I wobble gently. A few months ago I was shaking violently. A few months before that I was hardly moving at all. A few months before that my hands felt like they were going to explode. A few months before that I was dancing like a madman. You get the point.

As I understand it, the reason I was knocked to the floor in the beginning is because I had so many blockages. I imagine that most of those blockages are cleared now, so I do not expect the same kind of reaction. As my practice progresses and I clear layer after layer of blockages, my "reactions" during chi flow also change. I don't worry about it. I just let it flow.

Well, there's my 2 cents, for what it's worth. See you in Toronto!

A<

[Guest]

Re: Practice


Anthony,

Yes, I agree that I should ask Sifu himself, but I figured I could get a general feel for what I am experiencing from "the masses".
I guess what the main crux of the issue is that I still need to sleep a lot, and I still have my health problems Does it ever happen that one day you realise: "Oh! My blankety-blank problem is gone. Huh, it suddenly just dissolved"?

So I guess what I'd like to know is different peoples' experiences with taking additional courses. Do you feel differences in your in your practice? Has anyone else had a similar problem of practicing wrongly for a while and having to backtrack? And I would like to know how long it took others to heal different health issues similar to mine (knees, low-energy, etc).

Thanks for your reply it was helpful to hear someone's opinion

Alex

P.S. I guess I do already have an answer I just would like MORE NOW Awfully selfish of me isn't it

Thanks for any experiences or words of encouragement.

[Guest]

Re: Practice


Hi Anthony,

I have had several experiences regarding sleeping times and energy levels, and while I have never really bothered with them as such, instead just adapting to them and carrying on as much as normal, I have found that I tended to appraise a situation by specific chi flows. As Anthony also said, chi flows change all the time and while I have have fantastically active chi flow more often than not, the next's days practice may be competely solitary and internal. Now I just let them happen, stroll around grinning for a while and then toddle about as usual. I now enjoy my sleep, my practice and my times in between. But I agree that if it keeps popping up as a question, ask Sifu.

Regarding recovery times, I have never had a serious injury or specific physical blockage I have really been aware of apart from my eyes (glasses) but I found that my hay fever and cat allergy had both vanished without me noticing, cold and flu sniffles last until the next chi flow and physical aches are always lessened if not eliminated in each 'full on' chi flow.

I dont know if this helps at all, but either way I wish you all the best in your future practice and hope that your energy levels balance out where you need them most.

Warmest regards Darryl

[Guest]

Progress


Hey Alex

I have had to “backtrack” several times in the past in order to correct deviations. I’ll probably do it many more times in the future. This doesn't worry me. Even if I take two steps forward and one step backwards, I know that I am still making progress.

The important thing is to patiently correct the deviations, either on our own or with some help. This is how we learn, how we deepen our skills. Taking additional courses with Sifu will help in countless ways. Every time I see him, I feel as if I progress to a different level.

What is a lot of sleep for you? Are you sleeping more or less than you did prior to your learning chi kung? When you wake up in the morning, do you feel well-rested? Do you feel ready to jump out of bed?

For most of my life (I just turned 30) I have slept, on average, about 8 hours per night. Gradually, as I practiced chi kung, the quality of my sleep got better and better, but it was not until quite recently that I began to sleep less (about 6-7 hours). While this result is a nice bonus (giving me more time to enjoy living), it was never really sought after. Nor can I be sure that it will last. If my body suddenly wants to sleep 8 hours again, I will let it.

It sounds to me like you have an “agenda.” This is not uncommon. Most people practice chi kung with specific goals in mind. Nevertheless, it is good to remember that your agenda and your body’s agenda may not be the same. While your knee pains may seem like an urgent problem to you, your body may consider this a low priority compared to other problems. This is the beauty of chi kung. The chi flows where it is needed most. Though it would be nice if chi kung would hurry up and make me taller ;^), I know I must be patient. I don’t force the chi to meet my agenda. I just let it work.

What do you mean by “low energy?” Is your overall energy level higher or lower than a year ago? In general, how do you feel compared to a year ago? What are these other “health problems” you speak of?

Anthony<

P.S How old are you? I'm just curious.

[Guest]

Hello, Alex. I have enjoyed reading your story, as well as the responses from the others.

Glad to know that you're coming to Toronto. I am taking the Dan Tian Breathing course too, so I'll look forward to seeing you there.

Definitely taking a course --any course-- with Sifu will help to give you a boost in your practice, but, like Anthony has said, the changes in your practice may also be due to the fact that other parts of your body are receiving the benefits of your qigong.

If you're doing the qigong just as Sifu instructed you, then you're progressing. You may not 'feel' like you are, but you are.

Thanks for sharing your question.

Cheers,
Emiko

[Guest]

Thanks Emiko, Darryl, and Anthony:

I guess I just wanted to hear some other peoples' perspectives because I never get to talk with others who practice chi kung

I think I am just being negative. I really appreciate all your comments.

Anthony,
I am definately practicing like I was taught now, which is good (or as far as I remember, I may be missing some of the tiny details, but that doesn't worry me). I am 22 and just graduated from Boston University in mid-May so I am probably sleeping more because of the inactivity (don't have a job yet)...

Except for that week in February when I corrected my deviation(mentioned in the first post), I don't usually feel like jumping out of bed.

On second look I have developed from chi-kung: I feel calmer and breath a bit slower and down in my abdomen... I never get sick and I don't get Spring allergies...

So, I'll just keep on practicing, and learning.

It will be nice to see you in Toronto.

Thanks again for the help.
-Alex

[Guest]

small step for man


Alex, the step you take from no chi flow to chi flow is very great, and no step is gonna be quite as big as that
initial one, so as you got used to it it may seem less.

worry less about breathing through your nose or mouth and just breath *gently* - that much is important, and if you've been generating quite a chi-flow with blackages (casued by for example breathing harshly or keeping tensed muscles)- then it will manifest as problematic symptoms. if you ever find this, take step back and try to figure whats goign wrong because it'll almost always be relaxation if you're doing the other stuff correctly.
for meditation and things its common to breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. but to be honest any of them will work. Reason being air is filtered more through your nose and gets heated up more by your blood as it passes through your nose ducts than through your mouth - thus is more easily assimilated by the lungs. I think its natural to breath this way anyway - you often hear the 'clicking' of someones tongue as they alternate between breathing through their nose and mouth when they're asleep...

Also, if you worry about not feeling chi then you'll inhibit it - a vicious circle perhaps. as long as your are careful to relax your body, your breathing and your mind, paying most attention to your body at first then you should be okay. personally, my chi-flow seems much stronger than when I first started, but it seems much more normal now and less extraordinary. which is a little bit of a shame.

anyway.
goodluck