Tuesday, December 07, 2004

The Study Of I Chi Gung

" The Path To Immortaility - Harnessing Internal Energy. "

" Chi Goo. "

A combination of Dragon - Tiger Classical theory and common Chi Gung I or Qi Guong. I have tried to substitute the complexity of the cycles with a basic energy pattern, and briefly examined possible extensions to what I would call, a more raw form of chi. The system is purely Nei Dan (mind) based, but can be extended into Wei Dan (body) forms . In the following text, also a range of page references, is an ordered examination of (1) the basic potential behind the Dragon Tiger classic 'Harmonizing the Yin and Yang', and (2) some of the historical background behind the gradual human recognition of chi. The focus of this text concerns the cultivation of interval energy, and the process of directing this energy to enhance the functions of the body. Possibly the modern age has overlooked this part of our history, so i hope the following is an accurate account of the information i have on the subject.

( 1. ) Harmonizing the Yin and Yang :

(A Pg 1)
" To age with the sun and moon and be renewed by spring and summer, to conserve the seeds of growth in autumn and winter, and to be nourished by the eternal breath of the Tao. These are the goals of the Taoism internal alchemist's, the masters in health, longevity, and immortality. "

(A Pg5)
" People became skeptical of external alchemy when they saw many patrons and proponents die of lead and mercury poisoning. Today we would not consider eating substances like mercuric sulphide, lead, quicksilver or cinnibar, but the belief of ingesting minerals to attain health and longevity is still around , one need only look at the list of minerals on the bottles of vitamin and diet supplements. "

(A Pg8)
" In internal alchemy, the ingredients and equipment of the alchemical process are entirely contained in the practitioners body. It is futile to make a pill or elixir of immortality from minerals or metals. So gradually they turned to techniques that changed the body from within the crucible of life itself. " ,... generally this process revolves around the belly button area, where your life force began.

(A Pg9)
" The Dragon - Tiger classic contains instructions for transforming and harmonising the yin and yang energies within the body. "

Internal alchemist's recognise three cauldrons :
" The Upper, Middle, and Lower. "

Internal energy has three main paths :
* The right to left foot energy circuit.
* The right to left hand circuit.
* The right to left eye circuit.

The larger percentage of right handed people is an easy example.

(A P13)
" The principle piece of alchemical equipment described in the Dragon - Tiger Classic is the cauldron. The cauldron consists of an upper and lower crucible. " ,... Its elements are extremely dangerous, since they linked to emotions. The orange and yellow charkras are most easily effected. The red 'always on' chakra is also influenced, but less effectively since it is a direct path to the macro orbit of i chi gung.

(A Pg20)
" The firing process, or chi focus is the key to making the Elixir of Immortality and sending it to the crucible. " ,... This is highly dependant on the biorhytem of the Earth and its inhabitants, and also under the assumption that there are seasonal changes to the flow of chi. The adhering to this complex ritual seems to invoke a preferences to a certain flow. This flow could be refered to as the zone, but the necessity of a strict practice could possible permit a purely individual zone.

" Due to at least two processes firing simultaneously, their effect occurs simultaneously as parallel processes. " ,... Simply put an atom has a structure of shells that differ in components, at regular intervals outward, yet they are abbrievated as random figure eight like shells. If a chi gung cycle is summarized and ended near the belly button, or the entrance to the lower crucible, the possibility for superposition effects increases, and as does the danger.

(A Pg58)
" Set up positions in the chamber of the spirit and the transformations will occur within. The chamber of the spirit consists of an upper and lower crucible. Establishing the positions means intertwining the female and male. In the transformation, cinnabar and mercury emerge, in the creation of cinibar and mercury, metal and earth are applied. The applications is not tied to the positions of the yin and yang components in the I Ching trigrams. " ,.. When in actual fact just recognition of this knowledge, and beliving in it, is all that is requied. The many components of the I Ching, and directional Ki Feng Shui, imply the existence of a 'bad' direction. The intended transformatiom in the crucible is of symbolic form, as obviously one would not actually eat mercury.

(A Pg125)
" The best metal is initially white, refine it and it will turn yellow, tame it and it will be transformed in the central place." ,... Once understood, taming is the battle. The mind does change, but only with experience. The view can change, but the mind does not have to.

(A Pg143)
" The emphasis on the firing process is not empty talk. " ,... it refers to the succession of internal alchemy .... perhaps the dangers involved not following a correct path outweigh the belief of an even better solution. Life is more important than complicating the soul with repeatitive routines, and no one has ever perfected the art of immortaility through cultivating internal energy.

(A Pg146)
" Absorbing the vapour of nature refers to absorbing the energy of the sun, moon stars, and anything else. The Shang-ch'ing school of Taoism, which flourished between the fourth and tenth century CE, believed that one can attain longevity and immortality by 'swalling' the essence of the celestial bodies and inhaling the vapours of the earth and its mist. " ,... a great inspirational analogy of an ideal belief system, but unfortunely the vibrations can play havoc with your inner self. The vibatrions exhibit the characterics of the chi from where it came.

(B Preface)
" The Taoists have a saying that to die at 120 years old is to die young. When you master the art of I Chi Gung, not only will you add quality years to your life, but your life will become magical. " ,.. a clearer and enlightened viewpoint ,... " Ultimately you can manipulate chi without focusing on your breath or moving your muscles. Eventually you will learn how to move and transmit chi instantly, anywhere, anytime, using only your mind. Your secret store of unlimited power is waiting to be opened. "

(B Pg3)
" It is an art that emphasises learning how to deliberately develop, and utilise the energy that is within your own body. " ,.. The artist is only as good as his eqipment, although age and chi are not directly proportional.

(B Pg4)
" Most people who practice I Chi Gung use chi to balance the internal energy of their bodies so that they can achieve physical, mental, and spiritual health. " ,... others search for information within the chi, in the hope that there is a better solution to extending ones life.

( 2. ) The Gradual Recognition of Chi :

(B Pg5)
" The study of Chi Gung goes back 4,000 years, today there are more than 60 million people in China alone that practice it." ,.. although they practice in a manner similiar to Tai Chi, i still believe a more focussed meditation is more beneficial.

(B Pg6)
" The first book that contained information about I Chi Gung was written sometime during early 700 B.C. The book was called the Yellow Emporer's Classic of Internal Medicine. The Jade Pendant Inscriptions were recorded on an artifact around 380 B.C, and about 150 years after that Hua Tuo, 'The Father of Chinese Medicine,' created the 'Five Play Animal'. More than 600 years later, sometime during A.D 500, a Buddhist monk from India named Da Mo, travelled to China and developed a series of exercises to make monks stronger and healthier. He then wrote the famouse Bone Marrow Washing Classic. Chi Gung was further developed during the Tang Dynasty in the fifth century A.D, when Sun Si Miao created the six healing sounds after noticing their therapeutic effects on the body." ,... like the beginnings of chi, the body is an evolving pattern of vibrational energy, and can be stimulated and healed through the use of sound.

(B Pg7)
" The basic premise of the training is that it offers people a way to strengthen their bodies, minds, and spirits, with energy so that they have a greater chance of living long lives free of disease and premature aging. " ,... the advanced practioner reflects on the smallness of an action, with a life time to understand.

(B Pg11)
" Small circulation or the micro orbit is a method of moving chi in a cyclical pattern throughout a person's body and head excluding the legs and hands. An intermediate level practitioner can consciously circulate chi in the micro orbit, and can move chi in the grand circulation ( or macro orbit ) only while focusing on their breath. An advanced practitioner can instantly send chi to specific areas of the body, as well as absorb chi from the environment. When a person can emit chi into others and move someone else's chi, they are generally considered a master. " ,... I prefer to work with I Chi Gung as a total package, rather than a series of specialised lessons in particular categories. You can go as far in this art as you desire, as long as you have willpower, determination and consistency. Your dreams are you limits.

(B Pg13)
" Some use crystals, scents, or colours. Others use massage, movement or posturing. A few concentrate on sound. Many require a variety of pieces of apparatus. Few of them have a complete system by themselves. "

(B Pg20)
" At the master level , it is possible to learn how to take energy from an opponent, so that they drop on the spot, or how to give your opponents chi which alters their internal body functions, thereby rendering them helpless. At the Most advanced level you can learn how to alter your opponents emotions, and in that way , learn to fight without fighting. "

(B Pg22)
" Regardless of age, the most important point to remember is to practice consistently
Taoists believe that by practising I Chi Gung every day they simply improve their chances of experiencing eternity. Any age from three to four is good, while 17 considered the perfect age to begin learning I Chi Gung patience. "

(B Pg103)
" Static Nei Dan is a mental exercise in which u use your mind to direct your chi through your vessels and meridians. The first thing you have to do is relax your mind, body, and breath while controlling your emotions. "

Small circulation - body head - micro orbit

Grand circulation - all of body - macro orbit or heavenly cycle.

(B Pg139)
" Chi Gung can help you solve virtually any type of problem by teaching you how to think more quickly and with greater clarity. This type of thinking then enables you to discover multiple solutions to problems instead at merely one side of a situation. One of the ways to begin achieving this is by learning to look at problems from someone else's viewpoint. "

(B Pg143)
" Chi Gung develops patience, and patience develops Chi. "

(B Pg161)
" Life is about living, so why not use it to its fullest ? Some will argue that drinking, smoking and drug use indeed does not let them live their life to its fullest. These people often point out that if they couldn't do these things, they are depriving themselves of life's experiences. These vices can cause sensory over stimulation or limit your ability to experience chi and its flow. Even though you could practice bad habits, you may or may not be able to achieve the level of esoteric skill you otherwise could. "

(B Pg226)
" Cancer is obviously a tough disease to cure, but I Chi Gung can help cure it if u start practising as soon as possible after diagnosis. " ,.. the healing rate is said to be a factor of six greater than normal.

(B Pg228)
" You can spiral your chi in large arcs as you aim it at your target. This is a Static Nei Dan Technique and it requires you to have learnt Grand circulation. Don't try too hard, else you limit your own power. " ,.. to try with out trying, practioners often start training with a ballon and their hand, and gradually extending their field of electrostatic energy through chi alone.

(B Pg226)
" Chi Gung can also help to reduce pain. By sending chi into an area you can heal and stimukate. With practice healing six times faster is not uncommon. It is possible to heal almost instantly once you achieve extremely high levels of skills. " ,... spiritual healing is often limited by a factor of six.

(B Pg254)
" You will become more aware, which in turn, means you won't need as much to stimulate your sences. If you pursue sports, they will be more intense then ever. Instead of virtual reality, you will have super reality. This will only occur after many years at the advanced level. "

(B Pg255)
" I Chi Gung is the art of mastering universal energy. At a basic level, its main purpose is to prevent disease. "

(B Pg256)
" The future of the world requires a great need for more energy specialists, who concentrate on improving themselves and therefore the world. Practice diligently, Mastering the flow and send sensations into your partner he or she had only dreamt existed. "

Training Method :


" The Static Nei Dan Energy Path "

- Phase 1

Begin practice by holding your hands in front of you.
Focus your mind from Left to Right hand and back.
Repeat for as long as necessary

- Phase 2

Practice the following circuit at least once a day

1. Feet to belly button
2. Belly button to shoulders
3. Shoulders to hands
4. Hands to genitals
5. Genitals up spine and over head
6. Over head to pineal gland
7. Curved through head to teeth
8. Through teeth to tongue (The Body Battery connector)
9. From tongue to throat and down chest to belly button
10. Then back to feet
( its identical to a 3d question mark )

- Phase 3

Tame your inner self, try to decide if the above is true, is life more important than doing the above cycle forever. If You could live forever, what age would you choose your children to stop aging at, knowing full well they may or may not have leart lessons or, had important experiences they need for a fullfilling life.

To Summarize :

I guarantee this simplified version based on the wealth of information on this subject will at the very least slow down aging, and at best case scenario, cause your attacker to faint, jump 3 meters in the air over him, or protect your bone marrow deteriation.

You should aim to complete this circuit between 4-5 seconds per rep
Perhaps practice it in time with your favourite music.

I have practiced this for six years

It can feel like a taoist morphine effect
It can over stimulate your sences, so like everything use balance.
It can feel like 10,000 volts of electricity, so the books say.

Extensions / Warnings :

As your skill develops you may wish to take a secondary approach to the classical macro-micro orbit theory, that is, to realize it is equally important to consider them combined and by themselves. I am refering to passing chi through your pineal gland and through the mind. This can lead to over stimulation of the senses and possible ultered states of mind. This must be carefully considered, as it is both dependant on the strength of the conscious of the individual, and their ability to master the flow of life.

The end point for this "Chi Goo combination", is to add the dot to the bottom of the 3D question mark. An even later extension is to visualize sitting in a pyramid and passing the chi through the pyramid, during the meditation exercise. Of course all of this is meaningless unless cinibar and loadstone are produced in the crucible. This extension can imply dangers, mainly the ego of the conscious, and before one attempts such extensions to this philosophy, the outer self must be tamed.

Such distinct end points are themselves very restrictive, any number of similiar focus aiding images could be used, but i think what cannot be mis interpreted is the continuous cycle of legs, to shoulders, to hands, to back, to head, and to legs should not be feared itself.  With any self development many abilities are learnt fast, and many slow, if this process itself it not good for you, simple effortless thought techniques could form a replacement.  Chi gung has no bounds, and can have no end points, as in any book you read, but i think what limits us is the belief of the environment we surround ourselves with.

Bibliography :

(A)

Harmonising Yin and Yang
The Dragon-Tiger Classic

SHAMBHALA
Boston&London
1997

(B)

Chi
Gung
L.V Carnie
Chinese Healing Energy and Natural Magick

1997
Llewellyn Publications
St. Paul Minnesota 55164-0383 U.S.A