Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong Superstitious Rituals - Real or BS

What jogged my thought of this is sometime after my grandma died, I went to a friend's place to hang out. My friend's mom, though, was mixly religious and superstitious (they're Asian) She didn't want me to tread the floor of their house for 100 days. I thought it was strange, but my friend eventually got upset and cursed at his mom for this stupid superstition, which I agreed was stupid.

Now, I wonder where the origins of this superstition is from, Chi Gong? What bothers me a lot about the concept of chi is getting the idea that I need to avoid things if something "dirty" has happened to it. Like, if I surfed porn on my PC, I'd feel like my PC is "dirty" from now on, and it's hard to stop feeling this way, I eventually live with it. Or, if I witnessed something tragic in a certain location, it suddenly becomes negatively "sacred" to me. Kinda like the Amityville horror Sometimes, I hate not being able to think rationally.

What would chi gong practitioners say about this?

I want to understand the superstition you mentioned, with your friend's mother. Is she afraid that since your grandmother had died, you might be bringing death to their house?

It's interesting to hear the beliefs of people from other cultures about death. In the novels that Tony Hillerman has written, he tells of the beliefs of the Navajo Indians, in the southwestern U.S. In their traditional belief, when somebody died in the house, the family moved out of the house and built another one! Of course, there was plenty of space to do that, out in the desert. I don't think that is followed today.

People's beliefs are very strong. If you believe something strongly enough, you can become sick when that belief is tested in a severe way. It is possible to change your beliefs too. But if somebody comes in and says that your belief is "stupid," that might not be welcome to you, or to your friend's mom either.

Usually, if I am in someone's home, I try to observe what they wish in their home. For instance, removing my shoes at the door when I'm in Japan. That's the custom there.

I haven't really answered your question, which was, 'What would chi gong practitioners say about this?' Master Lin says that there are many types of qi gong. He has streamlined some of the exercises. To me, that means there are different ways to approach something. So the 100 days you mentioned earlier really could be changed to a different number, if the person were willing to change. BUT you would want to be respectful in mentioning it. Master Lin is also very big on respect

Master Lin is also an expert in Feng Shui. When there is a problem in the environment, there are usually several ways to get around the problem. You don't necessarily have to move out of your house, but can do something with mirrors or other changes in the space. So, if you surfed porn on your PC, you don't have to get rid of the PC! It's a matter of changing your thinking, maybe cleaning up your act in the future. Things like that.

Best of luck in your life and your qi gong studies!

- - Anita

I once attended a Qi Gong seminar. Very skeptical, though, when we had to visualize stuff to improve our health, change our hair colour, smoothen our skin... But I'm not 100 percent against it. I believe in benefits from subtle energies.

I've been a pretty active student of Wu Shu Kung Fu, and I really liked inventing my own forms. Sometimes, in the midst of it, I could feel interesting energies in my body, and I would give it a "voice" or a movement, and I'd find myself just executing movements without a real structure, it was like improvisations. I really loved doing it, it was fun, to break down some boundaries.

Not sure about the Feng Shui stuff, either. What bothers me is that in the Western world, it's harder to give reverence to these strange Ancient Asian rituals, because almost nobody abides by it.

The thing at my friend's house was years ago. She actually seemed to give up her intention, because nearly before a month later, I went ahead with hanging around their house. And besides....my grandma wasn't even that close to me, I'm 2 generations away, and she didn't even die in my house!

I agree with the strong belief thing. Mine are extremely strong when it comes to sexual morality, and I will go quite literally insane if it's violated enough. I tried modifying it, being more slack, but to no avail. My Christian convictions are too strong. I went through a lot of crap trying to change it, but I decided I couldn't.

I remember I used to hate to go home after school everyday. I hated the way my house made me feel, and the way it looked. Could that be a Feng Shui issue? Like, I dunno..maybe...

My thoughts, as a qigong practitioner? Well I consider being judgemental of others as a form of closing yourself to energy. You can choose to let the energy in, or not, or to simply pass through you.

As a practitioner, I try to stay open to aid the flow of energy. I try and achieve and maintain a balance in my energy. As a SFQ practitioner, I try and use energy to help others.

As part of the whole me, I don't dismiss superstitions. I don't necessarily adopt them either. Many of them have some valuable basis, but may not apply anymore.

For instance if you live in europe during the black plague, the 100 day rule might turn out to be one of the best rules you ever followed. Or should the SARs virus visit your city it may be a good rule.

Many religions have rules about foods. There were probably very good reasons for them, and those reasons may become valid again. That said, I live in Canada and eat beef regularly.

As a gigong practitioner your thoughts move and shape qi, use them create that you want and not what you fear. That doesn't mean I don't recognize the wisdom and qi in things like antibiotics.

You are perfection.
Iam2

Eric
I married into a chinese family and in the early days of my marriage (30 years ago now),when someone in the family passed on there was a mourning period of 100 days during which time we had to observe a few protocols related to respect and mourning. One of those was not being able to actively socialise - maybe this is why your friend's mother was not keen for you to visit - out of respect for your grandmother rather than superstition that something bad might happen to her.

As a QiGong practitioner I don't think qi gong involves either religion or superstition - and certainly I don't think there's any bad Qi - just too much or too little that may be in the right or wrong places. That being said, and as IAM2 says, we have the power to move the Qi once we know how.
with love
Jetay