Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong Breathing of the Universe

I am having trouble with the Breathing of the Universe. I often feel the energy strongly while doing the Moving of Yin and Yang (although when i move my hands up and down my body the energy often feels "wavy" - I'm just a beginner so not sure if that is a sign of something). My hands feel full of energy as i move into Breathing of the Universe but I seem to lose the energy. As my hands expand out I can't feel much of anything and as my hands move towards each other I often feel a strong pull towards each other towards the centre. I'm thinking that this should be the reverse - that they should repell each other to some extent as I visualize the sickness, etc being pushed from my body. I would really like to be able to work with this exercise as I suffer from depression and have read in other postings that this exercise is particulary important. I enjoy the Moving of Yin and Yang and sometimes have difficulty convincing myself to move onto Breathing of the Universe - I can't seem to get the movement or my breath to flow naturally.
Also - a question re the breathing. Sometimes when I'm practising the sitting meditations, especially when I'm able to go a bit deeper into the emptiness, I feel pressure on my chest as if my breathing is compressed. Am I doing something wrong?
I'd really appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks!
Etoile

Well, yippie, I have a few things I could say about this : )

First off, this is all IMO's, and there are a bunch of people on these forums who seem to have quite a bit of experience. My experiences may not be yours.

Anyway, back to your topic. First, the "wavy" feeling when Moving of Yin and Yang sounds like somethings I've experienced and there is a topic where people talked to me about it: http://www.learningstrategies.com/forum/ubb/Forum9/HTML/000942.html

The way you describe your experiences with Breathing of the Universe reminds me of something I used to do: earlier in my practice I seemed really concerned with 'holding onto the Energy'. This was a struggling point for me and something I worked through. As I mentioned in the post linked-above (I think I mentioned in that post, oh well), I now think that my struggles with this were the results of removing blockages. Sometimes it seemed like I could feel this mental pressure, and I just knew that I was about to break through a blockage. Sometimes, during these times of pressure, I would feel obsessive or anxious. I knew I was about to break through -- and one of these blockage removals resulted in one of the most 'profound' or intense spiritual experiences I've ever had.

To me, it seems that your capacity to hold more Energy is dependant on the removal of energy blockages. Mentally struggling and straining to hold onto the energy doesn't make too much sense. It's sort of like that phrase in Star Wars 'A New Hope' - Leia was talking to this empire person about the errors of tyrannical ways. Something along the lines of "the tighter your grip, the more star systems will slip through your fingers". It seems that way with Energy and Qi Gong, the tighter your grip the less able you are to have a larger Energy capacity.

Do use the tips in the Qi Gong manual - like the 30 minutes before and after tips.

I highly suggest you continue doing the practices. Do not stop practicing Breathing of the Universe just because your experience is currently something different than what you expected. RELAX relax relax. The fact that there can be good, better and best is very comforting. You can't do the exercises incorrectly, only good, better and best. You may find that when you Let Go, and trust the Universe you will recieve a huge amount of clarity. If you are feeling uncomfortable or mentally disturbed while doing the exercises - DON'T STOP DOING THEM. Keep going, from what I've read, it's during these times that the most progress can be made.

Trust the Universe.
The Love Energy.
Let Go.
Relax.

You may find your experiences changing as you continue.

Nice post Philip, it's nice to hear of you progress. I can't help but think that you post is important for Etoile.

Etoile, you post doesn't contain any wrong descriptions. If you are coming to your practices from a place of love, and maintaining a positive mental state I can't believe you are doing anything wrong.

If the experience is not what you expect, that is alright. It's even to be expected.

Somedays I am drawn to come exercise and I follow those pulls. This morning I spent 40 minutes doing active meditation, but I only did Forming, Moving, and 7 Steps. I think it is important to follow your gifts of intuition. So if you feel you are not finished an exercise and you should stay with it, then I would say do so. If you can not do all of the exercises in the time you have, so be it. You are being guided and the guidance is good.

However, I am suspicious of any guidance that would say stay away. From my own experience I believe this kind of guidance is interfere of your conscious mind wrongly interpreting guidance. I believe that a desire to avoid doing something is often a sign that you should be doing that thing.

As for what you are feeling. There is nothing wrong with what you are feeling, it is just what you are feeling. I would suggest that you review Master Lin's instructions again, and to do this periodically. I think that when you return to your practice you will have a slightly different focus and a different experience.

You are perfection.
Iam2

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement - I'll work with them and see where they take me.

Etoile