Hello,
I have been doing a lot of reading on the subject of Qi and in those readings are certain exercises to help you actually feel your Qi and I actually could feel my Qi for the first time (I think) and it was amazing! and now I am trying different things out with my body and it seems like the key is in your breathing...that is the only way I can feel the energy. I have always been told that breathing while striking is a key to the art as well as power and I realize NOW that this is true. Anyways this new found key is making my mind focus on strikes and in a way I am trying to not only deliver a strike but with my breathing I am trying to deliver Qi with it. I am not sure if this makes a difference but in my mind it does. If you study and focus on Qi can you actually feel it being transferred in a strike or is it just a piece of the art that must be considered at all times?
Answer
Hi: well your not imaging things. When you first start practicing Chi Gong exercise, you will begin to feel a warming or tingling in the torso and limbs. This tingling is the movement of the Chi. At this stage, Chi is only in a gas or vapor form. However, the longer you practice, the more liquid or solid it becomes. That is, it becomes fused into your blood, tendons and bones. After quite sometime of practice, it becomes completely solid and heavy which can especially felt in your limbs as you hit. Many martial arts employ this technique without even be aware of doing so simply maintaining there navel point and employing breathing techniques.
In addition, there are many many Chi Gong exercises. Jimmy taught several types to myself and others. However, for the most part Jimmy (Chan Duk) would dismiss the idea of Chi, and or Chi exercise. This was due to the fact that (as I state before), he thought it would be misinterpreted by most of his students (which did occur), and thus make him and the art look Mickey Mouse. With this being said, the following is the first or basic Chi Gong exercise Chan Duk taught me. This exercise is used to develop and store Chi or Qi in your navel point (dan'tien or tan'tian (our natural chi reservoir which refines the Chi as we practice)), located 3 fingers below the belly button, and which is our center of gravity point. Note: Dan or Tan mean; "crystal essences" or "distilled vital red essences" and Tien meaning "field", "place", or "area". Together it means energy field, reservoir, or vital red energy place.
Lastly, not only does this exercise allow you to build up energy and power, but also to cleanse the organs.
Standing Pole Exercise
1. Face East; Feet at shoulder width in a full horse; breast bone is lifted up; hands/wrist crossed at your solar plex.
2. Breath in and swing both hands outward and up, raising them over your shoulders palms facing the sky.
3. Then, rotate both palms down in front of the upper chest and press the hands downward along your center line to bladder level while exhaling ha. Sound is made by opening the mouth and tightening the throat at the base of the tongue similar to a deep snoring.
Keys
Imagine the chi being moved from your navel thoughout the body and out the limbs.
On your inhalation, imagine that you are drawing your breath/chi from the ground and up..
Eyes Follow the hands. Repeat 10 times.
Good Luck, Jim Benckert.
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Question
I was told by someone that the older one gets the less chi one has, is this true or by exercise can it be maintained throughout ones life? Thank you for your time.
Answer
Hi; Yeah, that's true. That is why we die. However, this is a very complicated subject, but let me try and simplify it. Prenatal or finite chi is that which we inherit from our parents and is that which we are born with. It is only a limited amount of Chi. However, there are three (3) basic Chi soures;
1. First there is the chi your born with (original chi) stored in the kidneys. This energy must be taken care of very carefully because it is the energy that maintains our existence and can be used up before its time. It is depleted through unhealthy living such as; wrong food, alcohol use, illness, anger and stress.
2. Second, there is the chi we can accumulate (called grain chi) which comes from the environment. This chi comes from eacting (food) and drinking (water). It is also known as "Postnatal Chi" meaning it comes to us after we are born. This is the energy we need to maintian of lives. This chi can be cultivated.
3. And then there is the Chi we can generate (air chi) which is extracted by way of the lungs. This Chi comes from correct sleeping and breathing. It can also be developed through proper exercises. As one ages the chi channels and points in the body begin to shut down. Chi Gong exercises are used to keep these acupuncture points open so the body stays healthy. Therefore, practicing Chi Gong is like cleaning or bathing yourself, and your energy everyday. This regenerates and replenishes our bodies, mind and chi. This in turn slows down the aging process, while building up our mental and physical chi reserves (abilities). Thus, we cannot add to our "Original or Birth Chi", but we can keep it from being used up to quickly through correct living and proper exercise. That is why you see some master in there 50's, 60's and 70's with very little gray hair and few wrinkles, there chi is strong. Remember, those that are always sick or on medication, are so because there chi has broken down or become very weak. They need to build up there Chi.