Tai Chi/Qi Gong

[Guest guest]

Rich,

 

Do you know what happens when you practice tai chi/qi gong and are not really

in the mood? Does that have a bad effect on your qi, or can it help anyway?

Also, do you know how to tell if a teacher is good or not? The area I live

in is looking for a teacher. By hindsight, the teacher we had was a good

performer of tai chi, but unable to impart that knowledge to the class. What

should we look for in the future? Thanks.

Diane Bryson

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Diane,

 

I'll try to answer your questions based upon my present understanding

and experiences. I am sure there are others who may want to comment

and lend their own experiences to these questions.

 

> Do you know what happens when you practice tai chi/qi gong and are

not really in the mood? Does that have a bad effect on your qi, or

can it help anyway?

 

The idea behind Tai Chi/qigong (this is my own experiences) is to use

the practice to " relax " so that 1) the Mind (Yi/Shen) can become aware

of the qi 2) qi can freely move 3) Mind can move the qi. Different

practitioners of Tai Chi and qigong may approach their practice

differently. This is how I approach it at this stage in my practice.

 

However, if the Mind is not in the " mood " , then there is a good chance

that instead of allowing the qi to move freely, the Mind will

" obstruct " that movement and create " overheated " conditions. I have

noticed that many qigong and tai chi practitioners appear to have

" overheated " mind - probably due to a variety of situations concerning

the nature of their Mind during practice as well as before and after

practice. So I believe it is best to practice with a smile. :-) A

" well-modulated " qi flow has an advantage while " navigating " through

life, just like it is easier to navigaate through calm waters as

opposed to choppy rough waters - and there is nothing like a smile to

modulate qi. :-)

 

 

> Also, do you know how to tell if a teacher is good or not?

 

This is a very difficult question for me since I believe that each

person has to respond to a teacher in a positive way - that is the

teacher is bringing something that a person needs into that person's

life at that time and space. So I think that if a person " likes " a

teacher then the teacher is a good teacher for that person. The Tai

Chi teacher in a particular case can be teaching in a completely

different way than what I describe - e.g. heavy into martial arts,

combat, pushing, etc. But if that is what a student wants, then it is

appropriate for that situation. So I guess, I believe, it all depends

on what you are looking for in your own practice that will determine

if a teacher is " good " . If you would like to describe what you are

looking for, I might be able to help you find a teacher - though it is

said that " when the student is ready, the teacher will appear " . :-)

 

>The area I live in is looking for a teacher. By hindsight, the

>teacher we had was a good performer of tai chi, but unable to impart

>that knowledge to the class.

 

Yes, this is often the case, especially with practitioners/teachers

that are " naturals " , that is they are born with the skill. They cannot

relate to the " obstructions " that their students have to contend with

because they have never felt it themselves. This is an interesting

issue. Notice that the best NBA coaches are never the best players. :-

One can say one skill a teacher may have is an awareness of the

obstacles that their students face and can " relate " to their students

- while teaching them techniques that can help the students through

these " obstructions " .

 

In my own teaching experiences, I work with each individual student,

trying to understand (empathize) with their situation, and then try to

provide physical or mental exercises (imagery) that may help them

through. Often I use the imagery of " swimming through water " to try to

provide a feeling to the students. I also practice with them so they

can " soak in " the feeling. There are lots of possible techniques, but

each student is different.

 

 

What should we look for in the future? Thanks.

 

Look for someone you enjoy. :-) From enjoyment comes relaxation, and

from relaxation comes Awareness. The qi will then flow and you will

become slowly more aware of this qi flow - just like looking at an

interesting piece of artwork over a period of time. Your ideas about a

teacher may change over time, and that is fine because Tai Chi is

about change. For me, it is about trying something new and becoming

more aware of what I just experienced. There is no good or bad - just

Expansion of Awareness (Consciousness). So you learned something from

your former teacher (clearly), and now you are off to learn something

new. But I will be happy to provide you with more specific thoughts if

you can describe what you are looking for in your practice.

 

Hope this helps a bit. I'll be glad to help more if I can.

 

Regards,

Rich

[Guest guest]

Chinese Medicine , thechidoctor@a...

wrote:

> Rich,

>

> Do you know what happens when you practice tai chi/qi gong and are

not really

> in the mood? Does that have a bad effect on your qi, or can it help

anyway?

> Also, do you know how to tell if a teacher is good or not? The area

I live

> in is looking for a teacher. By hindsight, the teacher we had was a

good

> performer of tai chi, but unable to impart that knowledge to the

class. What

> should we look for in the future? Thanks.

> Diane Bryson

 

___________________________

 

Hi Dyane,

 

Rich made some really good observations, I would like to add that

Taiji quan IS a martial art and whilst many in the West do it with a

Qi Gong objective one needs to understand the martial art principles

of structure as well as the activation of various energetic

configurations for the practice to be useful in its true Qi Gong sense.

 

My criteria for finding a teacher apart from Rich's observations would

be that she /he was thoroughly trained in Internal martial arts and

Qi Gong internal practices 'non agessive and compassionate in

personality' otherwise this might hint that the persons own practice

developed too much Liver Heat and that the teacher did not not how to

disperse it. That the teacher was healthier that me. Over the years I

have seen some pretty unhealthy looking teachers out there.

 

If one is not in the mood to do a practice then why do it? take a

break and come back when you do. Human beings have Rythms and we need

to be sensetive to them. Although, if the mood persists for too many

days one would have to question what is going on.

 

Salvador

[Guest guest]

> Do you know what happens when you practice tai chi/qi gong and are

not really

> in the mood? Does that have a bad effect on your qi, or can it

help anyway?

 

diane,

 

I suppose this depends on why you're not in the mood to practice. Are

you too wired, or too tired or feel like you got enough for one week

or something else. If I'm just too exhausted then I usually opt for

sleep, or I might lay down and do some breathing or visualize that

I'm practicing. But if my mind is not settled and I have the energy

to do it I find that the type of form I do can address this better

than others. For instance, there's somewhat of a continuum of qigong

forms out there, from being nearly totally based on visualization and

hardly any movement, to others that are based mostly on movement and

little if any visualization. Doing a warm up before hand for 5-10

minutes certainly helps in settling the mind. When I practice the

more physical forms in repetition they start off relaxing my body and

my mind eventually has no choice but to follow. I find the

visualization routines harder to do in these circumstances because

they require the mind to be pretty clear from the onset.

 

> Also, do you know how to tell if a teacher is good or not? The

area I live

> in is looking for a teacher. By hindsight, the teacher we had was

a good

> performer of tai chi, but unable to impart that knowledge to the

class. What

> should we look for in the future? Thanks.

> Diane Bryson

>

 

There's a couple of things I look for although they don't guarantee

that the person can actually teach effectively. One is lack of

arrogance. I don't know why but the taiji/qigong field seems to breed

this, and I'm really tired of encountering it. I also look for

someone who doesn't wear their style on their sleeve. The other is

watch how they walk. Are they grounded, are their legs solid? If not,

they either don't practice any more or they never progressed to a

teacher level.

 

I lived in northern virginia for a while. I used to study at wu shen

tao in silver spring maryland. They've since moved to college park md

and I don't have a number for them, but paul ramos was the instructor

there, very competent, and could probably give you a recommendation

for someone. He usually has an ad in pathways. There was another

place in fairfax that taught various taiji, pushhands, sword, and

others a friend of mine used to go to in fairfax and was happy with.

I can probably find out the place if you're interested. I think jenny

lu was one of the instructors.

 

 

--brian

[Guest guest]

Hi Diane,

 

Here are my suggestions.

 

Do you know what happens when you practice tai chi/qi gong and are

not really in the mood?

 

If you practice Qigong when you are not in the mood, or are easily

distracted (or whilst watching TV!), then you are risking developing a Qi

deviation a Shen disturbance or Emotional Dysfunction. Improper practice

can also cause qi deviations. Qi deviations come from three route causes:

 

1) Improper posture - which usually manifests in physical disturbances and

physical pain (back pain, neck pain, hip pain, stomach cramps, etc)

 

2) Improper respiration - which often manifests with shortness of breath,

chest pains, fatigue and general weakness.

 

3) Improper mental focus - which can manifest in " distotions of

consciousness " or hallucinations, loss of self control, shaking, emotional

upset,

 

My advice would be NOT to practice until you are in the mood for Qigong.

Sit, relax and try to think of pleasant thoughts and begin your practice

only when you feel ready to begin. Qigong practice should never be forced.

 

 

Also, do you know how to tell if a teacher is good or not?

 

 

There are a few things to look for in a teacher. I agree with Rich that you

should look for someone you enjoy, but I don't think that is enough. A few

things that spring to mind -

 

Knowledge - I'm sure you have good TCM knowledge so get into some TCM

discussion with your teacher. You would be amazed at how many Qigong

teachers don't have strong fundamental knowledge of - many

of these could even be practicing qigong for many years. Remember it's not

practice makes perfect. Practice makes habit only perfect practice makes

perfect. In my early stages of training I found it difficult to find a

teacher who could explain Mind Regulation as part of Qigong training. This

was frustrating, so not a bad idea to ask your teacher lots of questions

about this aspect at an early stage.

 

Integrity - Don't be afraid to really check your prospective teacher out.

Speak to other students that he or she has had. Don't underestimate how

important this trait is.

 

Communication skills - There are some fantastic Chinese practitioners of

Qigong, but unless they have the ability to communicate their knowledge it

is going to be difficult to learn from them.

 

Openness - Some teachers have great knowledge but will only teach you what

the want you to know. This is a harder trait to determine early on, but if

your teacher fobs you off when you ask questions this means that either they

do not know the answers or they are not willing to teach you the " secrets " .

 

Patience - students learn at different speeds and in different ways -

(verbal, visual etc.) Therefore it is important that your teacher is

flexible and willing to teach you at your pace.

 

Choosing a teacher is probably the most important step in learning Qigong.

You could spend 3 weeks with an excellent teacher and learn more than you

will learn in a lifetime with an average teacher.

 

Hope this helps Diane.

 

Kind regards

 

 

Dermot

 

-

" Rich " <rfinkelstein

<Chinese Medicine >

Friday, August 13, 2004 4:25 AM

Re: Tai Chi/Qi Gong

 

 

> Hi Diane,

>

> I'll try to answer your questions based upon my present understanding

> and experiences. I am sure there are others who may want to comment

> and lend their own experiences to these questions.

>

> > Do you know what happens when you practice tai chi/qi gong and are

> not really in the mood? Does that have a bad effect on your qi, or

> can it help anyway?

>

> The idea behind Tai Chi/qigong (this is my own experiences) is to use

> the practice to " relax " so that 1) the Mind (Yi/Shen) can become aware

> of the qi 2) qi can freely move 3) Mind can move the qi. Different

> practitioners of Tai Chi and qigong may approach their practice

> differently. This is how I approach it at this stage in my practice.

>

> However, if the Mind is not in the " mood " , then there is a good chance

> that instead of allowing the qi to move freely, the Mind will

> " obstruct " that movement and create " overheated " conditions. I have

> noticed that many qigong and tai chi practitioners appear to have

> " overheated " mind - probably due to a variety of situations concerning

> the nature of their Mind during practice as well as before and after

> practice. So I believe it is best to practice with a smile. :-) A

> " well-modulated " qi flow has an advantage while " navigating " through

> life, just like it is easier to navigaate through calm waters as

> opposed to choppy rough waters - and there is nothing like a smile to

> modulate qi. :-)

[Guest guest]

In the ideal, the practice of qikung is no different than everyday life. If you

are not in the mood to do a form, do something pleasant that gives a sense of

wonder or joy. Look around, breath, see the things as offshoots and temporary

housings. Just breath and feel and let your spirit touch/fill all you want it

to. If there is some trouble in your life, handle it as best you can, you can

only do what you can. Lucky to be alive now. Fortunate to be able to appreciate

things so profound. Hold your head up. You are good and one with everything.

Don't worry if you skip a session, the mind focus should be natural and deep.

Don't force. One minute of real connection is infinitely better than months or

years of struggle. It will all come.

 

Dermot O'Connor <dermot wrote:Hi Diane,

 

Here are my suggestions.

 

Do you know what happens when you practice tai chi/qi gong and are

not really in the mood?

 

If you practice Qigong when you are not in the mood, or are easily

distracted (or whilst watching TV!), then you are risking developing a Qi

deviation a Shen disturbance or Emotional Dysfunction. Improper practice

can also cause qi deviations. Qi deviations come from three route causes:

 

1) Improper posture - which usually manifests in physical disturbances and

physical pain (back pain, neck pain, hip pain, stomach cramps, etc)

 

2) Improper respiration - which often manifests with shortness of breath,

chest pains, fatigue and general weakness.

 

3) Improper mental focus - which can manifest in " distotions of

consciousness " or hallucinations, loss of self control, shaking, emotional

upset,

 

My advice would be NOT to practice until you are in the mood for Qigong.

Sit, relax and try to think of pleasant thoughts and begin your practice

only when you feel ready to begin. Qigong practice should never be forced.

 

 

Also, do you know how to tell if a teacher is good or not?

 

 

There are a few things to look for in a teacher. I agree with Rich that you

should look for someone you enjoy, but I don't think that is enough. A few

things that spring to mind -

 

Knowledge - I'm sure you have good TCM knowledge so get into some TCM

discussion with your teacher. You would be amazed at how many Qigong

teachers don't have strong fundamental knowledge of - many

of these could even be practicing qigong for many years. Remember it's not

practice makes perfect. Practice makes habit only perfect practice makes

perfect. In my early stages of training I found it difficult to find a

teacher who could explain Mind Regulation as part of Qigong training. This

was frustrating, so not a bad idea to ask your teacher lots of questions

about this aspect at an early stage.

 

Integrity - Don't be afraid to really check your prospective teacher out.

Speak to other students that he or she has had. Don't underestimate how

important this trait is.

 

Communication skills - There are some fantastic Chinese practitioners of

Qigong, but unless they have the ability to communicate their knowledge it

is going to be difficult to learn from them.

 

Openness - Some teachers have great knowledge but will only teach you what

the want you to know. This is a harder trait to determine early on, but if

your teacher fobs you off when you ask questions this means that either they

do not know the answers or they are not willing to teach you the " secrets " .

 

Patience - students learn at different speeds and in different ways -

(verbal, visual etc.) Therefore it is important that your teacher is

flexible and willing to teach you at your pace.

 

Choosing a teacher is probably the most important step in learning Qigong.

You could spend 3 weeks with an excellent teacher and learn more than you

will learn in a lifetime with an average teacher.

 

Hope this helps Diane.

 

Kind regards

 

 

Dermot

[Guest guest]

Hi Dermot,

 

I very much enjoyed reading your comments. For the purpose of

continuing the discussion, I thought I might present some of my own

observations and experiences, and would welcome your response or

anyone else's. :-)

 

Qi deviations come from three route causes:

>

> 1) Improper posture - which usually manifests in physical >

isturbances and

> physical pain (back pain, neck pain, hip pain, stomach cramps, etc)

 

Yes, I agree and the reverse is also true, i.e. Qi deviations

(disharmony) will cause all of the above - and much more! :-) I view

qigong/taiji as ways of promoting qi harmonization (e.g, smooth and

modulated flow), and in so doing actually address the above problems.

So, for some people, they may begin with " improper posture " and use

qigong as a way of gaining greater flexiblity and comfort by

harmonizing the flow of qi. So, if someone cannot have achieve proper

posture to begin with, then they can begin with qigong - using

" breath " and their beginning. There are of course many other approaches.

>

> 2) Improper respiration - which often manifests with shortness of

breath,

> chest pains, fatigue and general weakness.

 

Yes, improper respiration - as posture - can be cause qi deviations,

or be cause qi diviations. Two sides of the same coin.

>

> 3) Improper mental focus - which can manifest in " distotions of

> consciousness " or hallucinations, loss of self control, shaking,

emotional

> upset,

 

Here again, qi deviations such as improper mental focus can be

" modulated " using qigong/taiji. Possibly by bring the mind to breath

awareness.

>

> Qigong practice should never be forced.

 

Very much agree. Using " force " in almost any activity, whether it

physical, mental, or spiritual, will usually lead to some sort of

obstruction and hence stagnation, interrupted smooth qi flow. As a

result, the body becomes more unhealthy as opposed to healthy.

>

>

> Also, do you know how to tell if a teacher is good or not?

>

>

> There are a few things to look for in a teacher. I agree with Rich

that you

> should look for someone you enjoy, but I don't think that is enough.

A few

> things that spring to mind -

>

> Knowledge

>

> Communication skills

>

> Patience

 

The reason I didn't suggest any explicit criteria is because there is

no agreement on any criteria. What is " knowledge " of qigong and taiji.

Everyone seems to have different criteria and I cannot suggest that my

knowledge is sufficient to become an arbitrator. What is good

communication skills? My qigong teacher can barely speak English, but

he is able to present qigong in a manner that is very straightforward

and simple so that anyone can practice it readily. However, I know

many other practitioners who enjoy " complexity " and the idea that it

takes a " lifetime " to learn qigong (or any other thing). They are

clearly looking for something else. Certainly, I enjoy teachers who

have patience, but others I have met adore teachers who are " quick

with their anger " , never give instruction and teach " the traditional

way " . Different strokes for different folks. :-) Tough for me to say

that what I enjoy others must also enjoy. I believe, we all have

different lives and different things to learn in our lives.

 

 

> Choosing a teacher is probably the most important step in learning

Qigong.

 

Much of what I learned, I learned on my own by experimenting, reading,

observing, and " meditating " on the meaning of the taiji symbol. It has

been very helpful to have others share with me their experiences, but

I think people can learn to enjoy qigong and taiji if they just

approach it in a relaxed manner and not worrying at all about their

" teacher " . After all, their real teacher is themselves and their

" external teacher " , I believe, is just a reflection of themselves. If

someone wanted a place to " start " , I would recommend Dr. Yang Jwing-

Ming's videos and books. I enjoyed them a lot. Maybe others will also.

 

 

 

> You could spend 3 weeks with an excellent teacher and learn more

than you

> will learn in a lifetime with an average teacher.

 

The reverse may also be true. One can spend 3 weeks with themselves

and learn more than they can learn in a lifetime with other teachers.

I think it is all very symmetrical. If the qi is flowing and open,

then we are growing and it is all about the same. At least it is for

me. :-)

 

 

Comments are, as always, appreciated.

 

Regards,

Rich