Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong dizziness

Hi - I'm a newcomer. I've been working with SFQ for about 2 months and have found it to be a very exciting experience. It has helped with back pain and I'm hoping that it will help me emotionally. I look forward to my sessions each day. However I am experiencing one problem - dizziness and jitteriness that comes in waves throughout the day. It has been particularly bad these past 2 weeks. This is a chronic problem that I experience every fall/winter (as soon as the cold arrives and the furnace goes on) so it is not entirely new to me but I do feel that it is intensified with my qigong practice. Yesterday I enjoyed new heightened experiences in my practice so I continued longer than usual (usually I do 2 40 min. sessions). When finished I felt the dizziness returning and today it is worse than ever along with a feeling of being high on caffeine (which I don't consume because I can't tolerate it). I've read elsewhere that you can do yourself harm by doing too much qigong when your system is not ready for it - that you must go very slowly. Is this possibly my problem? I hate to cut back. I enjoy my experiences so much, but I'm almost non-functional with this dizziness. I'm unsure what to do. Help?

Etoile

Etoile, I have never heard of anyone harming themselves with SFQ. However, we each must be our own gardians.

It may be that qigong associated with a martial system would have a higher chance of physical ill effects. However, even then I would suspect it's not the qigong practice itself, but some physical effort performed in concert with the qigong.

Etoile, my advice for you would be to stay with the dizziness as long as you feel is appropriate. While with the dizziness try not to label it try just to experience it. Try and feel the energy within it, without labels of judgement, because our minds can not fully comprehend what is happening. Have faith that the purity of the universal energy that your SFQ practices brings into you will open any blockages and restore a healthy flow. Along the way you may experience the energy in ways you don't understand, but remain confident that you are just in transition.

You are perfection.
Iam2

Since the dizziness has always been seasonal. At a time one tends to close down the house for warmth. Do you use an open fire? Or is there a possibility that the heating is creating fumes? that may be the reason for your dizziness?

The problem may be a lack of fresh air since doors and windows are often firmly shut and since qigong is an exercise that focuses on the breathing the lack of ventilation may become even more apparent. I suggest trying to do your qigong exercise further back from the heat source or perhaps the room with more ventilation.

Alex

Iam2 and Alex - Thank you so much for your replies. I gain so much energy and insight just from reading the postings in this site. I am working with your suggestions. We are not heating with wood, but I do have several environmental sensitivities so possibly this is a factor. I will work at not "judging" the feeling of dizziness and try to just experience it. I find the breathing difficult to I'm sure this is a factor. My breath seems to either be shallow or if I try to breathe deeply, it comes too quickly. If i lengthen the expiration then I feel like I can't slow down the inspiration. Obviously I need to work on this. My worst episode of pronlonged dizzines (I'm not sure that's the right word - more like "off balance") was when I did the Small Universe and I felt so good that I let the tape run and did Self -Concentration right after. That was the first time that I was able to really step aside and go into the emptiness. While this was happening I did notice that my chest felt heavy as if I had a weight on my chest. I felt a little fearful but trusted in my master's energy to watch over me. It was an amazing experience but when I got up I felt so off balance and it has persisted. Is there a problem with doing the 2 sitting mediatations together? Just wondering if that was part of my problem.
Thanks for your help.
Etoile

Etoile, there is not problem to doing multiple meditations. It's done in the level III material. I've edited the recording to skip over closings and openings so that I flow from one meditation to the other.

After you're last description, I have to emphasis the closing exercises of the meditation.

Three deep breaths, maybe nine would be better for you.
Rubbing your palms for 30 seconds before the face massage. Then scalp and ear massages.

Use the closing not just as a harvesting of qi, but also as a transition period from meditative mind to the fully alert state.

You are perfection.
Iam2