Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong Oldbie/Newbie- Intro and questions

Hi All

I have been involved with many alternative things over the years and finally came to the conclusion they were all bunk despite some experiences that many would find strange and/or wonderful. However, nothing I did made a difference to my low energy, chronic anxieties or depression and hence my disappointment. A few years back I bought SFQG level 1 course and diligently practised an hour per day with no results over a 9 month period. I had a couple of healing sessions via phone call with master Lin but again no feelings of anything happening and more importantly no changes. I have recently returned to Qi Gong after reading posts here and am now trying not to do everything at once- ie visualising while trying to feel emptiness while doing exercises while trying to reverse breathe!! I am just doing a little bit at a time and also not doing an hour as before but just fifteen minutes. On my first new go I felt tingling in my hands and on moving yin and yang I felt an almost magentic force moving one arm. I am not feeling anything in my body- no warmth opposite hands on the second exercise, nothing moving in torso on subsequent exercises. The first time my hands did get warm but subsequent sessions they stay cold (its chilly here at the mo plus I get cold hands and feet anyway) and the air between my hands and body felt very cold too.

I want to be well and follow my dreams very badly but am very despondent- these ups a nd downs of hope are hard going...

Can anyone give me any help or comment on what I have said please?

Many thanks and kind regards to you all

Rich

Sometimes it is good to alter one's practice. As you begin a practice like SFQ, you make intellectual decisions about practice times, schedule, etc.. You can, without being aware of it, perhaps get locked in a level of experience, maybe good, maybe a bit too tense with it all. You sound like your second pass was more relaxed. Relaxation has alot to do with success in qigong work and experience. The hour session is preferred, but if it is rigid in 'any' way, physical or mental, the long session time may not be as productive as a shorter one in a higher level of letting go, or a more relaxed state. Perhaps, you were holding something in your first cycle of exercise experiences.
Another aspect to consider is patience. Sometimes, one has to work for a long time, to create a shift. This also brings trust into play. Trusting the process, and not watching the clock or calendar. Sometimes, big changes can take awhile.
It is, very valuable to get perspective on one's practice. Follow your daily feelings and needs, regarding your practice. Try not to force a schedule, but rather engage with it as naturally as possible, in terms of your cycles. It is a very different experience to do the exercise when one feels one has time to relax and do it, as opposed to the get up, grab some juice or coffee, hit the treadmill, read the paper, etc. A more forced time slot. Or, underlying thoughts stemming from your low energy, anxiety, depression.... A weight around your neck, you bring into exercise. It is a perfect, natural state of being to experience. Relaxing and yielding , opening up,....letting go of emotional stress with those slow three breaths, focusing on the lower or middle dan tien,,,relaxing those centers. Thoughts come from the heart. Relaxing the lower dan tien as you focus there, calms the heart, hence slowing the thoughts. You really want to remove yourself from your normal mode of experience, pretaining to negative emotions or mental states. It is a haven to retreat to and heal, with no issues. Try to really relax, and allow yourself this wonderful space to sit in, or stand in. Let the exercise and the master's energy do it's work. Trust the process and be patient.
love,
gallen

Also,,,
don't look for physical sensations, as readings of progress. Focus more on no thoughts, emptiness, relaxation. Focusing too much on side effects, or looking for them, takes you out of the center of experience. -g

Rich,
Set smaller goals if that suit your energy level better for now. Add in a small item that you believe that might improve how you feel.

For example:
week 1 , in addition to practice Qigong each day, take time to listen to a music selection that you enjoy.
week 2, call up an old friend to chat and continue to practice Qigong each day.
week 3, go pick up a good story book to read and continue to practice Qigong.

Little steps will add up ; you will see how much more you have accomplished as time goes on.

Rich23, not having same experience each time you practice or with each exercise is normal. So they tell me, and I tell myself. I certainly know that every session I do is unique. Some sessions (exercises) are more rewarding in what gallen call side effects than others.

This can be a little disheartening, I just affirm to myself: that I am still getting the benefit; that I am just experiencing a the progression of my ability with SFQ.

I have walked away form SFQ sessions, in the past. I'll attribute it to time constraints and caffiene. All of the experiences good and bad and helping my growth. The nice side effects encourage and enhearten me. The bad experiences challenge me to change my life for the better.

I think it is important to several elements to your life progress. SFQ is just one element in mine. Physical activity is another important one in mine. As well as eating and sleeping properly. I've found that when I've experienced a slump emotionally, physically, and energetically, I only need one of those elements to experience a turn-around and the others follow. Something as simple as an extra-long guilt free sleep can work wonders, or a relaxed hour long walk, or a jog, or to really enjoy my family free of other stresses.

You are perfection.
Iam2

Physical sensations are good, and very pleasant. Side effects isn't the best word for physical states of bliss, or wonderfully felt energy. Sometimes though, one's focus shifts to those, or looks for them, and takes one out of the focus in the specific exercise. That's certainly cool, one can refocus on the intent of the exercise, and move between feeling and emptiness, or what emptiness feels like, etc..

Thanks all for your replies. At the moment I practice taijutsu (a martial art) which always leaves me feeling much better for a few hours afterwards- a combination of physical activity and energy stuff.

I'll carry on doing a little bit here and there.

Can anyone suggest why the sessions with Master Lin didnt seem fruitful please?

Bestwishes to you all

Rich

Wow Gallen you stated just about everything I thought of and well said as usual. I do enjoy reading what you write. It seems every on has a part of the puzzel that can help you on your path. A couple of things jumped out at me that I feel I would like to share. First off Rich, you should commend yourself for being guided back to SFQ it is worth it and some wisdom inside you recognizes this.

As mentioned the keys to success are found in relaxation and patients with yourself. Sometimes if we try to hard for something we want we end up chocking it or adding resistance to its potential or ability to manifest itself. Letting go and trusting will go along way.

I think you may have been trying to hard and in contrast to little can be over done. For example if you are doing 15 min but rushing to get it done you are defeating it’s purpose. I’m not saying you are doing this but a possible variation of it. Is it possible to follow the video and possibly do the meditation with out having expectations for any out come or over doing it?

Trust in your wisdom to try this again and let go of all expectations as you rest and relax into this. Enjoy the moments of sensations but don’t dwell on it. Focus on the specifics of the exercise as instructed and guided by Master Lin and see where the magic can take you. Sometimes slowing down, elongating the breath and connecting breath with movement can help to amplify the awareness you are tapping into.

With regards to your remote healing it sounds like you may have had expectations for this as well. Sometimes these things happen at subtle and even energetic levels. You may not even get an instant awareness of change but later on down the road you might find subtle changes occurring everywhere. Remember this is something that has been apart of you for sometime so it may take time for the transformation to fully reveal itself. Set your intentions, be consistent with persistence and dedication and have confidence that your hearts desire will become a reality.
Much love an light to you on your quest.

[This message has been edited by Ascending1 (edited October 28, 2003).]

Here's my take on healing. Energy is directed by intentions... and thought. If I were to heal myself (or Master Lin were to heal me), then I spent all my time expecting and looking for the pain (or ailment). Then I'd be in a situation where I've had the channels opened and the healing performed... it may take a little time for a 3 pound tumor (or less dramatic ailment) to physically clear up. In fact the clearing up of the physical manifestation of the ailment may bring more energy and pain into the area. However, my thoughts dwelling on the ailment and it's symptons would re-establish the blockages. Thus recreating the ailment before it could physically manifest itself.

This added to Master Lin's comment that healing ailments that have been around for a long time requires more effort and time. I suspect that it's because it takes longer for the mind to stop recreating the blockages, since the mental patterns associated with the blockages are so well established.

Sorry if the above is jumbled.

You are perfection.
Iam2

Hi Rick,
Maybe your expectations were different, or your understanding of what is involved in a session, is not the case. Energy work can be obvious, or very subtle, too. 'Subtle energy work' is sometimes a more general phrase used to categorize qigong healing work. Also, we can only, truly, heal ourselves, and it is an ongoing process. There always seems to be lessons to learn about the choices we make! Keep up the martial arts practice. sounds like it is helping you. Let your qigong temper your martial arts. Sometimes, it can work both ways, if it is a high level system, and a form of qigong in itself. They can have there own times, but relate. A meditation practice, can greatly improve and heighten, movement. It is not immediate, but with time, it can greatly affect how you move in a martial arts context.
love,
gallen