How has subtle energy (kundalini, chi, etc.) affected your practice?

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Wet Paint, modified 15 Years ago at 10/28/08 10:11 AM
Created 15 Years ago at 10/28/08 10:11 AM

How has subtle energy (kundalini, chi, etc.) affected your practice?

Posts: 22924 Join Date: 8/6/09 Recent Posts
Author: Dan_K
Forum: Practical Dharma

So, I am aware that in Daniel’s model the A+P can correspond with kundalini awakening, and that the energy channels are often erratic and blocked during the Dark Night, and that it is difficult if not impossible to correlate the development of the energy body with enlightenment, however, they seem to have some sort of relationship. I am wondering what else people have observed about subtle energies related to vipassana and shamatha and:

a) For those with stream entry or higher, if that attainment led to a change in subtle energy

b) For those who practice qi gong, pranayama, aikido, TCM, ayurveda, etc. how has this helped (or not) especially during the Dark Night?

c) It seems to me that body sweeping, anapanasati, and metta (possibly other) practices might affect subtle energy. I would love to hear input.

My working hypothesis is that cultivating and clearing subtle energy channels is conducive to attaining jhana, as it encourages rapture and pleasant sensations. Doing Qi Gong as a preliminary to Shamatha seems to be quite effective. With vipassana it is less clear. My energy body has suffered a fair bit I believe due to vipassana jhana, both spiking at A+P and stagnating at other times, but doing tai chi, qi gong, and yoga helps. How bout you?

Dan
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Wet Paint, modified 15 Years ago at 10/28/08 12:51 PM
Created 15 Years ago at 10/28/08 12:51 PM

RE: How has subtle energy (kundalini, chi, etc.) affected your pr

Posts: 22924 Join Date: 8/6/09 Recent Posts
Author: marinr

There was an opening of some circular energy in low equanimity that goes from the center of the chest to the root of the body and back. In high equanimity the energy was very tightly concentrated in the top of the head. This energy and mind-body started to develop after A&P and they have some very tight connection to jhana, but my meditation ability is not yet that developed to know exactly how this functions.

I did qigong everyday for about a year before doing shamatha/vipassana so this may be just the 'leftovers' from the theory I learned back then.
Chuck Kasmire, modified 15 Years ago at 11/10/08 2:15 PM
Created 15 Years ago at 11/10/08 2:15 PM

RE: How has subtle energy (kundalini, chi, etc.) affected your pr

Posts: 560 Join Date: 8/22/09 Recent Posts
I practiced a meditative chi gong for a couple of years before getting into a Buddhist practice. There is definitely a relationship between subtle energies and vipassana and shamatha. I think you would like this talk by Thanissaro Bhikkhu:
http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/060721%20The%20Energy%20in%20the%20Body.mp3

“a) For those with stream entry or higher, if that attainment led to a change in subtle energy”
Generally speaking – no.

“b) For those who practice qi gong, ...etc. how has this helped (or not) especially during the Dark Night?”
My sense is that sometimes it may have made things more difficult (qi gong). Strong practice of micro-cosmic orbit for example tended to dig-up much more junk than I really wanted to handle. It was quite noticeable. On the other hand, one technique similar to body-scanning was very helpful and I would compare with jhana practice.

“c) It seems to me that body sweeping, anapanasati, and metta (possibly other) practices might affect subtle energy. I would love to hear input.”
Most definitely – they do.

-Chuck

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