Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong knees

Hello,

When doing the very last exercise (Harvesting) are we no longer to keep the knees bent? #17 in the book, page 21, wouldn't work very well with slack knees, as it feels like a 'grounding' end to the whole process. But also are the ones before done just 'standing' normally?

Thank you

I believe I stand regularly during the whole set of finishing exercises. It's hard to remember. I strongly suspect that I'm standing with locked knees most of the times. Not during cupping of kidneys, or whole body forward circles.

I'll pay more attention next time.

You are perfection,
Iam2

Aloha Manjusri,

When Master Lin cues you to slightly bend your knees at the beginning of the active exercises, you'll continue that throughout.

There maybe some in-between movements where there may be a straightening of the knee area, but it's not something to get into your head about. Just relax, have the slight bend from the beginning and then focus on the experience at hand.

If a locking of the knees shows up for your during the work, thank it, release it, and continue the work.

Much Love and enjoy the work and weekend,

Shawn

Good Morning Manjusri:

I spoke to Jim and Master Lee about this last week at the Level III class. They said that most people after standing for 30 minutes doing the active exercises have trouble maintaining their balance while lifting the alternating legs and it is best to just stand to perform this exercise.

I find that if I do a few rounds just standing and then lift my legs slightly and then increase the lifting with each successive round then I am much better able to keep my balance. Master Lee also said you can open your eyes slightly for a few rounds and then close them and this helps to maintain balance. By lifting the legs you get more pumping action and can really move the Qi better and Master Lin said that you give your inner ear and balance an excellent workout so over time do try to lift the legs but standing is very effective and perfectly acceptable.

Cheers,
Agent B

Hi Manjusri
I basically keep my knees slightly bent for the active exercises and the harvesting of qi. As Shawn says, though, sometimes my knees are not quite as bent such as with the raising up on the toes at the very end of level I exercises. But I don't think my knees are ever locked.
Hope this helps.

Aloha All,

AgentB: I believe Manjusri was talking about bent knees throughout all the exercises, but primarily during the harvesting of chi.

Thank you for reminding us about the option to leave the feet on the ground during the seven steps. Sometimes he teaches the exercise without the lifting of the legs for those reasons in level one classes.

Another benefit from lifting the legs on that exercise is that the extension and flexion happening in the feet open and close specific channels.

FYI: It's Lin, -that's ok though, I was referred to as a she on the forum for a while

Much Love, Shawn

[This message has been edited by Shawn_Grim (edited October 16, 2003).]

Thanks to all for the useable feedback.

I have noticed that a kind of intution takes over as the forms are repeated, each day subtle adjustments are made almost without effort. Anybody else feel this?

After Knees, I must ask about Feet ...

I do SFQ barefoot, on carpet (soft and warm), is that good, better or best?

Also, I read/heard that we should practice with the Sun behind us, I've not seen this anywhere else mentioned so maybe I'm wrong.
At night I put my back to where the Sun is going to rise the next day, is this part of the Art of Qi Gong or am I going to uncessary lengths?

Many Thanks

sorry I meant ... "uneccessary lengths"

Let your intuition be your guide. Like you noticed with each practice your intuition guides you into form. It does the same for which direction to face and where is the best place for you to practice qigong.

One of the reasons you don't want the sun directly in front of you when you do something like qigong is simply because even with your eyes closed the light can be a bother and opening your eyes afterwards or even during the exercises cause discomfort.

Alex

Locked Knees?
I would be very cautious about locking your knees for two major reasons. Locking your knees will in effect restrict the free energy flow and blood circulation. To test this you can simply stand with lock knees and see how long you can endure before discomfort or you pass out. The other reason is you can not balance properly with one knee locked. If your supporting leg is bent slightly then you can compensate as you lift the rising leg to adjust your center and maintain your balance. I suspect that everyone here is doing this properly as it would take some effort to lock the knees and most seem to be gravitating to the proper relaxed state of mind/being.

Master Lin in the beginning of the video states, “to bend knees slightly and more if you want to loose weight”. As Shawn stated there may be some in between movements where the depth of the bend may change. I don’t think you would ever want to straighten the knees out to a locked state but you might naturally straighten the knees (without locking them) in certain transitions such as in Harmony of the Universe.

Manjusri,
There are many different forms of Qigong some will utilize variation of facing the sun/moon and gathering in and circulating energy from them. There are other forms that work with nature and plants with the same concepts of circulating energy. I think AlexK hit the nail on the head where the intuition should be your guide. The consideration of the sun being a distraction to your goal of reaching emptiness would be weighed out by your intuition on the fly.

I should add that in the pass I had experienced a real heart opening kind of la la state when doing my morning routines to a beautiful sun rise. In that particular case the sun was rising in the distance over a mountain. When the sun was visible it was not at direct eye level but a little above third eye so for me it was a comfortable transition and experience as the glow of the sun blended with my movement.