Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong How Long Does It Take?

I have done Qi Gong every day for about a week now and still can't tell any physical or mental difference. I may not even be doing it right. I don't have good concentration (one of the things I want Qi Gong to help me with) and I can't visualize well. Also, my feet hurt and go numb from standing in place so long. Can anyone tell me if I'm just wasting my time or will I feel something soon?

Heh, just relax. I was in the same situation you were when I started out.

It's good to know I'm not the only one who has had trouble feeling a difference, and now you are about to learn level 3 if I read the other messege board right, so how long did you have to do it before you could get into the right meditative state and feel the energy?

Well, if there's one important thing I learned while doing Qigong it's that you have to *relax*. I remember when I first started I used to freak out when I would accidentally open my eyes, and the slightest outside noises would set me off because I kept thinking I wouldn't achieve the maximum results of Qigong if I didn't have complete silence and what not. Though, as it turned it out, it was my intolerance for these things that was holding me back. It wasn't until I finally learned how to put my mind into a more carefree state and stopped worrying about the results of my actions did any changes finally occur. I swear, if there's one main Spring Forest Qigong tries to teach it's users it's to relax. If you don't learn that then I doubt you'll be able to learn anything beyond it.

As to your last question, because I was able to go Master Lin's sessions I've been able to feel my energy for a while. It's really all about knowing what to look for; knowing what your energy feels like and such. If you haven't felt your energy yet a good way to do so would be to follow these tips while doing the bouncing exercise.

- Be sure to keep your bounces short and fast.
- While bouncing take very slow and relaxed breaths (they must be relaxed)
- Try to feel around for any vibrating or tingling sensations in your body (your hands would be a good spot)
- Once you've found the sensation try to remember it so it'll be easier to find during future Qigong sessions.

[This message has been edited by Nacho (edited September 01, 2003).]

Also remember while doing SFQ exercises to search around for any type of feeling or sensation in your hands.

[This message has been edited by Nacho (edited September 01, 2003).]

Hi Bryan

It seems to me that Nacho's comments are very helpful here. A week of SFQ is not that long and I think you would really benefit from sticking with it. I was fortunate to feel tingly and 'buzzy' sensations from the beginning but I had done work with other energy generating systems. I recall doing some qi moving stuff briefly before all that and I felt nothing at that time. Paradoxically I think that doing the exercises increases your ability to feel the very benefits that they induce!! I suggest that you begin by seeeing if you notice small things in any of the sense systems - I think different people have different preferences here. Some people feel things, others see lights and (curious to me at least) some people smell things. But I think you need to stay relaxed about this and don't 'strain' to notice. The worse that could happen is that you don't notice a thing but end up much healthier than you were a few months down the line. Perhaps you are somebody who suddenly notices after a while that something significant has happened.

My own challenges in the noticing area are with regard to the healing with sword fingers etc when I work with my children (see another post for this)and I'm trying to take my own advice here and stay relaxed and trust that something is happening. This is such subtle but powerful stuff that actually I don't have any real doubt about it but it is challenging when I want to see/feel something more tangible.

Also, as an after thought, it may be that those around you notice differences in you. They may not say of course!

Another thought - you may say to youself that Nacho has had the advantage of working with Master Lin but there are plenty of us out here who are making progress without direct contact with him. Which reminds me the other noticing challenge for me was that I didn't pick up any tingling in my fingers when I called on Master Lin's energy. And then I did notice something - it was just different to what I was 'looking for'.

So relax and keep on keeping on. You won't regret it.

Love, Kev

Thanks kev5 and Nacho, I guess anything worth while takes time.

Hi there-
I think you and I got our SFQ's in the mail about the same time - I've been practicing for about 1 week also. And I feel the exact same way - Things hurt, can't visualize well, can't visualize at the same time as thinking of breathing in through my whole body, and on and on...
Here's the mindset I'm planning on using with this experience.

Just Learn HOW to do the movements first.
One Day at a Time.
Trust that it works no matter what the experience feels like or how good you are at it at first.

Granted, I want to feel some amazing powerful thing, too, it's just human nature I think. But a part of me is telling me to "Just DO IT" and eventually, whatever needs to come along will.

Hope this helps!
I'm in the same boat with you!
Smiles...

Hi Valentine

I think you've hit it on the head. This is very good stuff but it takes a while to take on board. In his book Chunyi Lin talks quite a lot about good, better, best. Good is your one day at a time and just do it approach. The others will come as you do more, notice more and take in some of the very valuable info on this forum. There are things that people write about specific aspects of visualisation and approaches to the exercises that I found invaluable and have now become part of my practice. There is great wisdom on this forum.

How about giving us all an update of your experiences and thoughts in ,say, 3 months time when you have integrated your practice more fully. it would be of help to you as a review and to others who will be in the same place at the time that you write.

Enjoy getting to know it!!

Love, Kev

3 months is about the time it took me before I began to really master the techniques.