| | Have you asked the people who have advised you that alot of people get hurt with qigong what their experience with these practices are?
8 brocades is a very old system of qigong and still very popular today. There are standing and sitting forms within this system which I know of but unfortunately I have no practical experience with this particular system.
If someone has a history of mental health issues or any health issues they should always consult a doctor and supervision before starting out but with proper foundation there is very little chance of of qi deviations.
If you are a Tai Chi practitioner your body will have a good foundation for these practices. I studied Tai Chi and a number of other southern arts for a long time but never experienced the movement of qi (apart from the imagination) until my practices went in the direction of qigong, neigong and meditation. Qigong is specifically designed to work on the meridians, fascia, lengthening joints and tendons creating space. You will get the same result with Tai Chi it usually just takes longer with dedicated practice.
Within Tai Chi you can find all the elements for neigong.
zhan zhuang training cultivates awareness or being in stillness, excellent for cultivating qi which will fill the dantain and slowly open up all the meridians Some stances Wuji Standing meditation from the preparing form Tai Chi Stance is similar to Embracing the balloon Mabu or Horse Stance Golden rooster standing on one Leg Bow Stance with hands in push position
Other elements are Push Hands Training for training sensitivity and connection, Silk Reeling Exercises and neigong breath practices to activate the bodily qi (usually withheld or taught after a few years if they were passed on originally).
In daily activities our focus is on the outside, fundamental to qigong is inward focus (inner perception) and through meditative movements we become sensitive to the open - close changes of qi, the internal organs and their activities, routes of the meridans and their functions.
During and after practice you may notice different physical sensations which can cause you concern especially if you fear qi deviations (this freaked me out at first as I thought I might be loosing my mind) Feelings of expansion like the whole body is filling with air this is due to yang chi rising or the flow of zhen qi in the yangqiao channel Feelings of contraction from flow of qi in the yinqiao channel Feelings of heaviness from qi accumulating in the Conception channel Feelings of lightness from qi accumulating in the Governer channel Feelings of Itching when qi reaches the skin layer Feelings of tingling when qi is obstructed in the Collateral channels Feelings of warmth when qi gathers in the dantain
Keep a journal write down your experiences and insights, over the years it will become a gold mine. Progress comes through dedicated practice, once you start don't miss a day.
cheers Jeff |