Trunk

While “esoteric” can mean “private” or “secret” or “understood by only a chosen few” .. I think its truer meaning has to do with “inner” teachings as contrasted to “outer” (exoteric) teachings.

Exoteric teachings advise about the outside “do good deeds”, “be virtuous and patient”, and so on. Esoteric teachings advise about what is happening int…[Read more]

“Best way” is to study consistently in person with enlightened teacher.

Biggest keys are central channel and spine.

Some info at Alchemical Taoism.com.

> the testicles feel like they are ‘full’ and gets slightly painful (like a cramp feeling). How can that be remedied? >

Here’s a simple way to massage the testicles, one at a time.
The idea is to take a testicle in between the thumb and fingertips of one hand, and rhythmically squeeze it gently at approx the rate of your heart-beat (approx 1-2…[Read more]

S,
With much of this stuff, experimenting and going at it from several different angles often pays off well. You’ll find that your body responds better to different methods at different times, and this varies even more from person to person.
T

Alchemical Taoism.com

> What types of exercises are considered “rooting” exercises and why? >

Standing practices are key to rooting. “The Book of Nei Kung” by C.K. Chu is a good instructional book.

I’m a bit typed out. Maybe someone else could answer your rooting ?s more extensively.

Mat,

m> Yi swallows chi .. best to let it make it’s way down gently. >

Yes. In fact the method can’t go down via tensing. The “gentle open space held by attention” is by its nature, not-tense. However, however far down you can get it to go tension-free, I encourage you to, because the lower tan tien ties it altogether (heaven~human~earth)…[Read more]

> If I have been “going too far along the expansive jing route”, I have not done so deliberatley as I don’t even know how. So, I’m not quite sure what you mean by “developing a feel for my own internal weather and fine tune accordingly” >

Basically I meant that, over time, you get a feel for how things are in your body and adjust your practices…[Read more]

> I am one of those people who can be VERY ungrounded, so not sure this is for me, >

Good call.
Your routine should heavily favor rooting practices.

While Yi Swallows Qi helps grounding (because it’s training in sinking qi, and trains the tan tien to open & recieve and gently hold), there can be some bubbling up of unrooting emotions etc on…[Read more]

Miso, cool monicker, btw. 🙂

m> Would this be a safe practice to pick up and simply try, independently? >

Yup, very much so. In general, one of the gentlest practices.

But there’s a contraindication for everything, so here it is with this one. In the beginning, it may cause un-groundedness in those that are very prone to it. For…[Read more]

Michael,
Thank you.
Keith

> Trunk has a pretty nice place to start… but currently just can’T remember the link… >

Here it is:
AlchemicalTaoism.com

Miso,

m> involves stretching. Other qigongs i’ve seen also incorporate this and it seems important. Somehow I feel it may be a missing link for me, someone who suffers from a lot of stagnation. >

I’ve considered that some qigong systems do not have stretching in them because stretching is covered so thoroughly in other systems (ex. hatha…[Read more]

Mat,

It occured to me that, while Hagar’s and my previous comments give some important solutions to your situation, they by-passed some of your ?s.

m> but my understanding/assumption is that qi generates heat , and too much heat can deplete the yin. >

Well, qi can be of different qualities; some can be more soothing. But also, yes, you…[Read more]

Just to add to Hagar’s well put response.

Its particularly important to get the jing into the spine. Not just “up through the body”, but really into the dense tissues of the spine. Much of arousal is jing activity in the outer regions of the nerve plexuses. Integrating jing with the spinal column provides a counter-balance to that, that…[Read more]

nn> How about the stream spreading from the Greek Philosophers to modern scientific method for example? How about the “lineage” of democracy and free speech? How about saying you follow an “Alexandrianist” philosophy where you believe in many streams of knowledge combining and people draw from its big river? >

Not sure if I was clear in my…[Read more]

> If you do a search on “Bodri”, you will find my views about Bodri’s website analyzed extensively in my April 8,2005 posting entitled, “Bill Bodri’s views on qigong & yoga” >

Here’s the link to that post #1412.

This is an important discussion; thought I’d make it easier for everyone to get to the referenced info.

This boy was on the television news, also.
Nice that things like this are getting news play.

> In the same way I think that sex done regularly and repeatedly in an unconscious way as pure outward release is inevitably harmful. If had more consciously it can be more nourishing and the outward movement of energy can be turned in ward to move the water wheel of the energy body. I also believe that it is a rare practitioner who can do 100%…[Read more]

Two things I do think that most people who teach for very long have:
1) Five times a normal person’s stamina.
2) A thousand times a normal person’s patience.

I still feel a tickle to write about the topic of teachers.

I don’t feel that its a realistic appreciation of teachers to assume or expect them to be.. entirely comprehensive. Neither as a person nor as a teacher of some body of knowledge.

Personally, Everybody has their strengths and weaknesses, everyone. That’s just obvious; people are…[Read more]