Intense Energy Bursts when doing Chi Kung

[Sorcerer]

Hello,

I started doing Chi Kung again and get intense energy boosts for hours after just doing 15 minutes. What does that mean? I find it difficult to get information on this topic.

Best,
S.

[joeblast]

Perhaps more pertinent, what are you doing with it? Treat it as the gift it really is I've obtained metabolic boosts from minute+ breaths - interesting things happen with energetic coherence. But of course do not try to derive too much from such phenomena, nor should you actively seek them either. When these things come, let them come, when they go, let them go, when they do not show up at all do not go making house calls looking for them

[wpgtaiji]

First, what are you doing to get these "bursts"? If you do incorrect qigong, you can feel like you are getting "results", but you can really be hurting yourself. Especially if you have "started". None of the qigongs that a beginner should use should give anything like you are describing.

So, if possible, could you describe what it is you are doing as "qigong" is way to vague a term to be useful. Thanks.

[Sorcerer]

I am doing the Wai Dan Qi Gong form that Dr Yang teaches in his book Qi Gong for Health and Martial Arts.

I don't like all these boogie man stories about how dangerous Qi Gong is. Im not doing the Small Circulation (although I could feel Qi in my head).

I felt really good for the entire day after doing this form in the morning.

And, there were no signs of Qi Gong sickness.

[wpgtaiji]

Mate, dr yang's qigongs in that book are NOT dangerous. They are also not powerful (you cant have it both ways). I was trying to understand what you meant, not feed the ego saying "good stuff" when there is no proof of that. Mate, there are qigongs that can hurt people very badly and that can make you feel "good" or "powerful".

Good luck mate.

[joeblast]

I'm personally not a fan of all the completely benign tales either - if we were talking something that had some concreteness to it that is one thing, but tossing that out whenever energy movement is discussed is just like our other buddy's questioning of its existence whenever it is mentioned. Each of us will respond slightly differently depending on our circumstances, if a moderate amount of practice places an energetic center(s) on the cusp of 'net energy gain,' the rest of the vessels and channels will eventually feel that result also. How about something concrete like if you are doing some "high falutin' energy work" then as an extra precaution make sure that you do copious amounts of closedown and emptiness following the sets so that the energies may be better integrated? Beginners dont need to be scared into making no progress, life's ebb and flow will be enough of a hindrance in that regard.

Sorcerer, dont be scared of small circulation, you just need to establish a good foundation, a good path of least resistance for energies to "default to" - so I practiced embryonic breathing for a couple years before really having gained a comfortable understanding of small circulation (well, I got into some other practices as well, so that also put off my practicing SC) but by that time I was comfortable with EB & the resultant emptiness that comes about from harmonizing the breath processes sufficiently. A firm awareness, foundation on breath etc that will help prevent you from "experiencing stories." Always be aware, awareness is a huge component, every bit as important as settling afterward. The better you can enter stillness, the more deeply you will be able to integrate. Nail down these few very important fundamentals and proceed purposefully, logically, and you will do just fine.

[wpgtaiji]

joe, i agree that new people shouldnt be scared away. However, a new person, by definition is NEW! Qigong can have negative side effects (talk to people who have tried Chia's stuff incorrectly). Learning from a book is not the ideal way to go about it either. I also wrote that nothing in Yang's books (outside the muscle change/marrow wash) are dangerous.

"Energy bursts" can indicate a blockage of meridians (the phrase in and of itself, is too vague).. It could also be from blocking energy input points. It could be that the practitioner was so tense that, for the first time, they were able to relax, and what they feel as energy bursts, was nothing but relaxation! There are other reasons as well. This is a FORUM! I asked for clarification. Without WORDS the question in and of itself is useless. To say to him "Good for you! Keep doing it" WITHOUT understanding what happened in his training is unprofessional. I was not trying to scare him but to understand a bit more on what he was doing (I have yet to see someone new copy still pictures accurately, when they arent fully aware of all the nuances, especially the detail that Yang gives - which is lacking in the book that he is using).

Good luck mate (OP). You should be ok, but dont TRY for feelings, just let them happen.

[Sorcerer]

Thank you both for your comments. Am very grateful that this forum exists. Embryonic breathing as a start sounds good.

[joeblast]

All movement is potential moving from here to there, energetic or otherwise. As far as 'not powerful' that is up to the practitioner...it all depends on the sincerity of practice, how diligently one practices - the stuff dr yang teaches is quite powerful when practiced & applied appropriately. Incorrect practice is what is dangerous. Sorcerer, look at some of my postings around here on the physical mechanisms of breath and apply that to the embryonic breathing concept, it will help. Good luck on your path! /\

[yeniseri]

Are you doing movement or static gong? What you are experiencing doesn't sound right but based on what I know about yangshenggong concepts, it may be a good idea, when doing ending routine to spend more time with hands at lower dantian (qihai) for an extended time period to bring down that 'excess' energy.

What specifically and how does this intense energy bursts manifest itself? Are you thirsty, do you sweat, etc? One of my last qigong teachers, Huang Yucheng said and how I understand what was said is that shougong (ending routine) allows the qi to 'disperse' so on ending, make sure there is a quiet period (2-3 minutes-a guess since different physiologies respond differetnly), roll tongue in mouth (circle left/right, right left) swalowl saliva from the gesture, making imaginary line from throat to qihai. Sit with hands at qihai for 10 minutes. Time spent in shougong is usually 2x per the dynamic phase. One can experiment. Even 1 1/2x is satisfactory based on degree of movement so experimentation and awareness is always positive.

[joeblast]

if there were a plus to click, I would click it

[Sorcerer]

I got this energy burst after doing Qi Gong for the first time in a number of years. I used to practice Small Circulation which I learned after three months of preperation. I think this energy burst came because there was a lot of built up / stagnated energy in my system [?]. Ive done Acupuncture and had similar results.

Now that I'm doing my form again the results are different and more normal.

I used to teach the 18 Lohan Hands to a girl I knew and she said she got similar intense energy bursts, which scared her away from doing Lohan.

[wpgtaiji]

It would be interesting to see what you are doing, though video wouldnt help much, unless you are doing it grossly wrong, which i doubt you are doing. It may be that you are placing weight on the Kidney 1 point, which can cause pulsing sensations because the energy is attempting to break the resistance (which, in this case is your weight). Though, without seeing it or further understanding it is speculation. That someone else you taught experienced similar things is interesting.

The difficulty I have is that qi flow is our natural state. You recognize it when you havent had a good flow and now you do. Once you are used to it, you dont feel it the same way again... it is our natural state! LOL Usually, when someone starts a program, it takes time to get the postures and method correct (look at dr yang's qigong material to see), and 99.9% of people would take time to get it right (especially on their own). This leads me to wonder if a few things:
1) maybe you were really REALLY out of balance and you happened to get it 100% correct right away
2) you are so tense that your meridians are blocked and the pulse is as above
3) you weighted kidney 1 unintentionally
4) or it is an "expected" reaction...

Very interesting case !

[joeblast]

dont bother getting mired in minutia here, scenery is scenery and ten thousand things that manifest cant always be inspected and have meaning extracted from every little thing that happens. when you've made some energetic openings and the zheng qi gets stronger things like this take place, but unless it is so powerful that it incapacitates or otherwise produces noticeable negative effects, dont assign too much significance to it. what are such things doing for you? some signpost, good, keep walking. so long as you're minding posture and process, establish harmony, smile.

[wpgtaiji]

I agree. But from the first session, from a book?

[joeblast]

Yeah, I didnt think that was the case either

Sorcerer » Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:58 pm

[wpgtaiji]

I did karate for nearly 20 years. Did that make me qualified to pick up a YMAA qigong book, understand it and do it correctly the first time out? Even for the first month? At what level of skill was this being taught at? Did he learn that art from a book too (which, believe it or not, is a very important issue when refering to things like this).

Sorry. This is how my mind works. I look to see the big picture, and there are always things left unsaid.