qigong?

[Blue Mage]

Anyone know any good qigong websites? One with free instructions for different exercises is what I am looking for.

[hasalameth]

nope, but I seriosuly recommend training with a master teacher. I have never experienced stronger self and energy body awareness than when practicing qi gong. I could actually see the other students' energies when closing my eyes, much like blind Neo does in Matrix: Revolution.

Qi Gong will help you a lot, trust me, it's great. Also if you combine it with RB's NEW and MAP, it's gold!


[EDIT: Stupid me, I know a handfull of sites, if you are located in or near Sweden, PM me for more info]

[Flash_hound]

I know a bit of Qi Gong and I know a lot of very serious practitioners of that form of energy work.

I will explain one of the exercises I have done with these guys. It is very very simple and you can do it very quickly.

There are 6 basic directions pushing forward, pulling back, up, down, outside inside.

Each of these directions has a sound

Forward (Away from body) - O (pronounced Oh)
Back (Towards body) - Eu (pronounced ew)
Up (Towards the ceiling) - Ah (pronounced Ah)
Down (Towards the floor) - Yu (pronounced You)
Outside (If your stomach
was the center
pull out like you
are hugging somone) - A (pronounced Aye, like Aye?)
Inside (Pulling back towards
the center of your body) - E (Pronounced EE)

Now in the parenthesis is the direction you should move with your hands while saying the sounds. I usually go very slowly and vibration oriented before I go to bed and very fast and strong when I wake up. It really makes your day's and nights a more pleasurable experience.

The sounds relate to the vibrations of existence. I don't know if this is traditional Qi Gong or just something that I learned for energy balancing from people who primarily Qi Gong guys, but still it's worth a try.

[Blue Mage]

Thanks for the info. Not sure I understand the instructions though... like what's the difference between forward and outside? How many repetitions? How long does one do each part? Does it ever involve bending at the waist or anything?

I'm looking for some simple, safe, exercises. I don't think I can make the commitment of training with someone.

[Korpo]

If you look for a simple exercise that will get you a feel of Qigong then maybe the "8 pieces/strands of brocade" may help. It is a movement exercise. For example in Lam Kam Chuen's "The Way of Energy". It's mostly about standing Qigong called "Standing like a Tree".

Other movement exercises, breathing and standing meditation are described by Michael Mayer in "Secrets of Living Younger Longer".

What was described above reminds me of the Six Healing Sound as described by Mantak Chia. You may get some pointers in http://www.healingtaousa.com/ and in books by Mantak Chia like "Taoist Ways to transform Stress into Vitality".

A pointer in Qigong I followed and still follow is the practise of standing Qigong described within "Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body" by Bruce Frantzis. The Outer Dissolving Process described therein is my main practise to remove blockage from my etheric body. It is expanded into a full standing meditation in "Relaxing into Your Being", an excellent meditation manual by the same author.

Oliver

[Flash_hound]

I went on my upstairs computer and guess what my dad just happened to be looking at...

http://www.healingdao.com/

I don't know how much is free on this but it may help you.

[Athelstone]

Regarding The Healing Dao, it may be worth reading this information:

Scroll half-way down the page to seandenty's post: http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?sho ... 864&st=100 (http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?showtopic=1864&st=100)

This is a response to Sean's post by a practioner of the Healing Dao, Michael Winn, with followups:
http://forum.healingdao.com/general/message/10475/

[Korpo]

I am myself a former Chia fan. I think the order of practises Chia and Winn suggest is not necessarily the best or safest. This does not mean Winn or Chia do not mean well, and I guess it all works really well for themselves and well enougb for the students they attract. They have a lot of genuine material to teach for sure, beyond doubt.

It depends on each person's disposition which particular Qigong and Taoist meditation path to follow. Chia's way is more esoteric than others, which can feel rather "technical".

The Inner Smile is beneficial to all kinds of practitioners IMO beyond a doubt. It's really hard to do wrong and has a positive, recharging effect. It can also become very, very deep, if you keep going.

Oliver