Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong OPTIMAL SFQ ?

WOULD THE OPTIMAL SFQ BE:
1.ACTIVE EXCERCISE,followed by
2.SMALL UNIVERSE,then
3.SELF CONCENTRATION?
________________________________
WOULD,IN THAT ARRANEGEMENT, THE
ENDING FROM ACTIVE EXCERCISE AND
THE ENDING FROM THE SMALL UNIVERSE
BE UNNECESSARY - INSTEAD,JUST ONE ENDING
AT THE END OF THE SELF CONCENTRATION
(HAND RUBBING,FACE,HEAR,HEAD,EARS,
LEFT/RIGHT CIRCLES...)?

I think the optimal is what works best for you. It also depends on how much of each you mean. If you mean one hour active, followed by the half hour of the two meditations, as they are on the CD for Level I, then I would say, no, that is very good, but not "optimal" or "best".

In general, it is probably better to do more Active and more Small Universe.

But if you mean is it better to do Active before meditation, yes, in general, that is best, I think.

And as far as the end, you are correct, in that you need only one ending. But then the question becomes, which ending? I do one of the short ones, if I have run out of time. But if I have the time, I do the entire LONG "Harvesting of Qi" ending from the Active Exercise at the end of the entire practice session (i.e. after I have completed both the Active exercise AND the Small Universe or other meditation). I think that is "best"

But you do not need to do a "Harvesting" or ending after each "movement' of an SFQ session. One only at the very end.

I thought that "optimal" would be two hour sessions of active, following the "seasons" Spring, Summer, fall, Winter. Qi circulates every half hours correct?


JEFF

Yes, that is my understanding also, as far as amount of time. I understood the original question to be regarding optimal SET, as in active and meditation and which order. In terms of both that question and yours, I think the best would be TWO hours of active, followed by ONE hour of Small Universe, and then ending with some variation of ending exercise/harvesting qi.

And then, including Self-Concentration at the end, I see as gravy or icing (or Butterfly Healing Meditation or one of the other variations on Self-Concentration, such as the excellent meditation in the EUPHORIA! course from LSC. That meditation has been offered as a free bonus download for all kinds of things. I don't have the Euphoria course, and know nothing else about it, other than that Master Lin guided meditation, which as Shawn has described it, is somewhere in between the Self-Concentration and the Butterfly Meditation, both in terms of pace and length of time).

I kind of use the Self-Concentration meditation and its variations as either a break during the day or a little "qigong nap". I rarely use them as part of my regular SFQ routine. But to each their own, and it might be good, better or best for some people to do so. Actually, lately, I have been using that free download of the 15 minute meditation Master Lin offered back a few months ago for my little break. I like that one a lot for that! Short, sweet and very healing. I now use it a lot like I sometimes use the 10 MInute Supercharger Paraliminal (still my favorite Paraliminal!).

But, yeah, two hours is best for active exercise, one hour is better, half hour is good (in reverse order! ).

And then for when to do meditation, best is after active exercise.

Hi,
I like the first answer, as to what would be optimal, being 'what works best' for you. I am certainly not the bottom line reference regarding your question, although I would like to offer some additional considerations related to your initial post.

- Consider the experiential aspect of the practice versus the academic. I would say another perspective at considering what the optimum practice is, for you, is at some point, to immerse in all aspects of the practice, to find out for yourself what those aspects are. Experiential has a relationship to developing the intuitive. The more time you spend in any one aspect of level I, the more experience you have with it, and the more you know what it is relative to you, and what's best for you. It would not be so good to approach your practice like getting on a treadmill and setting a timer.

- My sense of say small universe versus self concentration, is that two distinctly different approaches to meditation are given.
Self concentration seems to me , a bit like the Taoist Inner Smile meditation , in that the initial alignments given embody happiness. Also, it has an aspect of informal, and letting go. Small Universe is very different, in its more specific structure and moving focus. In the long run, Small Universe might be something that is more likely to remain in your qigong toolkit, but I think it is best to stay open to every aspect included in level I, and spend time with each element, and be flexible on your feet. You change, the energy of each day is different. You want your practice to be consistent, and you also don't want to intellectually lock in some perception of what it should be. There is a rigidity in that. You can be led by your practice experience.

- It is optimum, to integrate qigong into a lifestyle practice. I don't know what the drop out rate is, but I would assume that not all people that come to qigong, stick with it. I sometimes look at the 28 minute cycle of qi relative to how long a long form of Tai Chi takes. There is a similar time frame. Doing say, a Tai Chi form everyday for many years, is great. Same for 30 minutes of qigong. If you managed to integrate qigong into the rest of your life for 30 minutes a day, that is better than a plunge into 3 or 4 hr qigong practice for a few years, then stopping.

- It is easy to self judge oneself, relative to how one see's self doing this practice. It is not constructive to implant the notion that something is optimum, and then on some level 'know' that you are doing less than optimum, when you can't accomplish what you set up as optimum. It is also harder to respond to change, if you lock in a definition of what you think you need everyday.

-The optimum, is emptiness. This would speak to quality versus quantity. If I had a choice, I would choose ten minutes of genuine emptiness over one hour on the qigong treadmill. A deeper stance relative to active, or a lotus sitting position relative to meditation, changes the quality of time spent. One hour meditation in a lotus position, is different than one hour meditation lying down.

- There are 24 hrs in a day. Which is optimum, being happy for all your waking hours, or doing a qigong exercise for two hours.
Focus on a qigong exercise for two hours, or bringing focus into your workday. This relates back to lifestyle practice, but I bring it up again to consider important elements that are outside the physical practice, but relative to personal transformation. Qigong supports, helps, or can lead one into broader lifestyle awareness's/perspectives. The physical practice is one thing, the spiritual/mindfulness another.
Many people tend to think that standing a certain way and moving
your arms, is the essence of the qigong. Keeping that smile embodied, or happiness, or holding a focus, are such important elements in the practice, and those elements can extend beyond the confines of a practice session. Two hours of smiling inward, is better than two hours of moving your arms and dropping the smile. You could say, just relative to this, that being happy is optimum, and also, developing a strong focus. Developing focus, starts with minutes or even seconds. Again, it is good to consider these things when you look at your optimum practice, and what the quality of that practice is. Too much focus on time spent can miss the point.

- My impression of this two hour mark, is that it is applicable in one session or as an overall template for the day regarding exercise/meditation sessions. Good, better ,best relative to all at once, or in parts. If you want to teach, do more than that. If you have a serious illness, try to do more if possible. If you have a life/purpose/purposeful career, utilize qigong to support it, not supplant it. Finding the connection between practice session and lifestyle is very good. Focus at work, be happy in life.
love,
gallen

Wow. Another very powerful response from brother gallen! Right on, brother!

These posts are the kinds of things that I highly recommend people to read more than once. There is a lot there. In fact, I highly recommend even GALLEN read this a few times! I am serious: my brother, I do believe that when you get into this mode, you are channeling something very high and very clear.

Thank you and thank the Source of such insights!

Hi Steve,
I simply have a sense of what SFQ/gigong is to me, based on experience, and if I see it being defined in too limited a way, and I am around, I will contribute to the conversation. I also like to keep the conversation relative to more people if possible, rather than one specific situation.

After I wrote my reply, I went outside to do some exercise. Wow. If you live in the Mpls area, go outside today, period.
You might see me out there again today, pulling ice out of the plants! patience, patience.... Perfect spring energy, the sun...
Some thoughts came to mind while I was exercising.
They were relative to the above reply. One was " yield to the practice".
Another was to be 'inspired' to practice, or, be in spirit, not mind.
Also, it is wonderful to go into a practice session, with no sense of time. Very liberating, and more condusive to emptiness. Ideally, one could go in, and come out when it is time to come out.
I don't think I'm channeling!
love,
gallen

yes, initiali my question was about optimal 'set' or 'sequence',
but now i got some good clarifications too! great. love that 15
minutes (heart/planet) meditation too. so worm! harvesting/ending
is prety important, so i needed be sure.
thanx for help. peace & love