Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong Question concerns pain around spine

Hello, I have been practicing SF level I for about two weeks. Very happy that I can start feeling the chi. I also felt pains in some areas got worsen before they got better. All along I have been happy about the improvement and I was glad that I can follow the full active exercise tape. Not at the breathing part, I think I can reach that someday.
However, I have developed pain around the spine section near the kidney area. At first I thought it was another healing process that I am feeling. Now, it has been long enough to bring me concern. For the last couple days, I started to do the exercise sitting down instead of standing up. I am not sure whether I had been standing incorrectly and caused the problem. Maybe I just tried too hard to stand up straight and did it incorrectly or there are energy stuck in that section of the spine. It hurts and I can not use the Sword Finger for my own back. I had also did the Small Universe Meditation in bed and later slept through it. Would that be a problem if I don't end the Meditation as Master Lin guided us? Thanks for your helps.

Hi Bluebird,

You know I thought I was going nuts but I am noticing "symptoms" flaring up all over my body! Master Lin said there could be a worsening of symptoms in people with arthritis. I have arthritis in my hip but I'm having problems with my eye, foot, and now I have a toothache that needs attention. All at the same time! Not to mention some female problems flared up as well. It's quite annoying.

I thought he meant that only arthritis will get worse before it gets better. I'd like to request a clarification on that statement from Master Lin if possible. It gets scary when pains, and diseases start "erupting" after first starting SFQ.

I do get some neck pain after doing the ending exercise, so I try to do it gently. I also noticed some soreness in my spine so I'm trying to be gentle until my body gets more flexible. I tried the 7 steps last night and I can't hold my balance! I had knee surgery in May so I'm still recovering from that with a weak right leg.

Blessings,
Diana

You know that's just normal. Have you ever read Louise Hay's book, You Can Heal Your Life?

She says that when you begin affirmations, all the symptoms will get worse before they get better. It's interesting and curious.

Same happened to me when i did them in the beginning but it eventually cleared up. But, only you can be the judge of how serious it is and what to do. I would say that phoning LS support and speaking privately is better than a public DF. The only thing they'll say would be very general and consult your doctor if you feel the need. They have to be very careful in what they say to us. Qigong is not medicine or part of the medical profession. So when we bring up medical concerns, they really can't and shouldn't give advice that could be misinterpreted by us.

The body is interesting and so is disease. Disease knows that medicine, good thoughts, affirmations are trying to destroy it and it fights like hell for it's existence. When i had very serious Lyme disease, it got much worse when i began taking medicine. I became totally crippled. I didn't know at the time i took my meds that for serious cases, the reaction could last 3-7 days.

Good Luck to us all

[This message has been edited by Margaret (edited August 27, 2002).]

Thanks Magaret, I believe you about disease "knowing" that you're trying to get rid of it and it tries to stop us from doing so. I had the same feeling. Demonic? Hmmmm.....

hello bluebird,
If I hear you correctly, some pain initially came and went, but one has gotten worse? It may be nothing, but as Margaret mentioned, you can always consult a doctor if you are really concerned. If this came up with doing the exercise, I think that is it's probably nothing, but you may be doing something incorrectly.. I would look at two things:
1) your posture: Be sure your back is straight. You don't want a curve in that area where the pain is. If you butt is sticking out, and you are curving your lower spine, it can create alot of tension in the area of pain you mention. Especially if you are new to this, and perhaps don't exercise in general that much, etc. An hour is a long time, if you are in an incorrect position. Stand against a wall and check your posture. If you back is straight, the small of your back will touch the wall. You straighten the lower back by tucking the pelvis forward. Relax the hips, don't hold any strain after doing this, keep the shoulders down, relax.
2) If it is kidney related, in the sense of low energy, and you aren't replenishing or feeding yourself as you exercise(you mention breathing): Just practice sitting with a "straight" spine (straight, not stiff, pull or suspend the crownpoint, "align" the back to straightness). Practice breathing in this position. Place your left palm on your lower dan tien, right on top of left. Opposite if you are a women. Pull up gently on your privates to close off the bottom. Press your lips gently together pulling back to the corners of a "smile". This closes openings where chi can leak out. Focus on your breathing in this position. Breath universal energy into your lower dan tien. Think of all the energy coming in, how you are closed and storing it. You can also shift, and focus on the mingmen point ( point on spine opposite navel). With another focus, bring energy there as you breath , like small universe. You can also put your hands on your kidneys. Massage them and hold the palms there for a few minutes. Think of putting dark blue energy into the kidneys. You can use sword fingers from the front to clear the spine in the back. All the above focuses on breathing energy into the lower dan tien, and energizing the kidneys. "If" , you are taxing yourself, by doing the full set of level I, spending time doing these things would be a good warm up, or meditative/energizing approach. Then do a shorter set, say 20 minutes, and build up slowly. Famous words, " Force is followed by a loss of strength". Sometimes that force can be you pushing too hard.
3) sitting and doing the level I exercise where you hold the ball by the lower dan tien and breath energy into the lower dan tien as you spread the hands, and exhale releasing blockages back to the universe as your hands come together , would be a good one while you sit too, gathering and storing, releasing...
You need to track this pain, even if it is nothing. Vary your approach to get a fix on it. See what affects it. Length of time, posture, kidney energy, or just a passing blockage making itself known.

Diana, Margaret,

Thank you for sharing your SFQ practice experiences and your insights. Yes, Good Luck to us all in this journey of healing.

Gallen,

You are truly the "senior" practitioner in the SFQ family. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!

Yes, some pain initially came and went are all in areas that I knew they had had pain before. Therefore I viewed that as healing process. This particular one is one that is in the area that did not have pain until I started the exercise.

1)Posture : Now I see. Well, the "small of my back" did not touch the wall and that is where it hurts. The pelvis is not tuck forward. I was only bending the knees.
I can tell by following your instruction to see when my back is straight and how I should feel by standing with a straight back now.

2)Kidney energy: Last night after meditation exercise, I did a 5 minutes meditation on the pain area. Just thinking of it turning into dust and flow out of my body. This morning the hot sensation around that area is gone, just warm. Feeling much better. Thanks so much for giving me the detail direction in this area. I will follow your suggestions and add them as a warm up and track this pain.

[This message has been edited by Bluebird (edited August 28, 2002).]

Thanks for those well intentioned words...With respect to Master Lin,
I am not a senior student in the SFQ family! I practice SFQ, and I have some previous experience.
I am glad you already made some changes and that you are having some good results.

Gallen,

Are you on Level 3 yet? Does it go any higher? How long have you been practicing SFQ?

Yes, I have taken level III. For myself, it is not a "place" or level to be at. It is more information to work with. Where one is "at" is not determined by the level of SFQ class one has taken. In my experience , basics are very important, and I often return to them for new growth and insight. At the moment, I spend most of my overall time in small universe meditation. As I mentioned to Margaret, there were people at the level III clinic I took that were very much at a beginning level yet, in many ways. There is a level IV offered in Minnesota. I am not sure how long I have been taking SFQ,,,,a year and a half?, maybe two..