chi meditation

[nemesispoi]

Hey guys. Recently I've been getting into meditation and trying to become more spiritual. I've looked on the internet for tips on building chi but it seems like all of the lessons you have to pay for -.- what I'm wondering is how I can meditate and build my chi, I've read that higher chi levels can make you healthier and I'm really curios on how to do that. Thanks

[CryoDragoon]

Define "chi"... O_o Do you mean something like 'increasing blood cells' or 'increasing oxygen levels'? I've heard about those uses for the word 'chi/ki/whatever'... And I know those can be quite healthy.. ;p If that's the case: regular exercise (especially at high altitudes), good iron, B12 and folate consumption, consumption of foods rich in antioxidants (tea, fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, coffee, chocolate, wine, etc.; HOWEVER, some evidence suggests that it can be adversely affecting your health as well... Oh the paradoxes of science... We'll just have to wait for further evidence..), breathing fresh air (fresh fresh, not just 'outside fresh when living in the middle of the city'), vitamin F consumption, drink enough (so as to avoid dehydration), avoid smoking, and basic deep breathing exercises (as used in yogic meditation, for example). Of course, this differs when you have conditions (such as diabetes, etc.).

[nemesispoi]

Scientifically, I have no idea what chi is. But I know that its the energy that makes up everything and enlightens you

[Corello]

Well, Chi is the life force that binds the universe togheter, as some would say. You can refeer to it as simply "energy" at it's most basic level, regarding the former statement. If it may serve as reference, I can leave here other terms for "Chi", which are Ki, Vril, Orgone, Pneuma, Mana(not a joke), Prana, and I can't seem to recall any other than those. Basically, to build your chi you should build your attention/awareness, you can lay down, sit with your spine straight (but not stiff) with your legs crossed (it's bothersome only in the beggining, but I find it rather rewarding), or simply standing up with your legs open at shoulder width or wherever you feel confortable, along with a straight spine and shoulders, arms, etc. relaxed. The basic meaning of exercising chi would be to focus your awareness, it's basically the same as focusing up "mental energy" towards something for as long as you can, (but in my personal experience, I advise it to be free from forcing your focus), and if some stray thought happens to pass you by, just aknowledge it and return to your focusing point. If you happen to be taken by a thought or fall into an imaginary scene, only to percieve that you were distracted afterwards, don't waste your time thinking you did bad or something, it's just okay and return to your focusing. You can pick whatever "object" you like to focus on, it can be an object you like, you can draw a dot on a piece of paper and hang it on the wall, you can choose a kind of thought or simply focus on yourself(which is what I usually do) or on some chakra. After some train you'll begin to notice more vividly the energy that you focused on, and you'll begin to notice more of the energy inside your body and mind. I usually do this with eyes closed, if you choose to do it on something with your eyes open, remember to look at it gently, do not force your eyes, it may not be good for their health. I hope that this is useful enough.

[CryoDragoon]

Chi and enlightenment? Now that's something new.. I always got a different concept of enlightenment. You know.. Transcendence of pairs of opposites, concrete awareness, joyful participation in the sorrows of the world and the like.. The same with prana and ki, to be honest O_o.. Remember that these concepts were thought up many millennia ago by people who knew squat about the scientific world. So sure, we can use these concepts as just that: concepts, symbols, myths, designed to get you on a certain path, but I wouldn't treat it as gospel scientific truth. I'll elaborate: Prana was the Indian lord of the wind, often symbolic for breath as well. With breath being the 'mother of thought and the mind', that is: the main state-changer of the mind (just think of how your breath behaves when you're sad, scared or calm), sure, enlightenment could be achieved through pranayama (breath control; remember: control your breath and you control your state), in order to calm the mind so as to 'perceive things clearly/awareness of the true nature of things' (which is impossible by definition, though, because we're human and see things through our human-lenses, thus only able to perceive the illusionary world our mind creates for us (maya), though you can get close). This is exactly the thing that you do in yoga (when you participate in a good yoga-class, anyways.. not just the stretching-class that passes for yoga these days). So sure, you can do meditation through pranayama - breath control, and get to some cool insights. The same thing with ki. Depending on the usage, it can mean just 'exerted force', 'psychological attitude', or even taiji-style 'supreme ultimate'. As in: that thing from which yin and yang sprouts (or in and yo since we're talking about japanese stuff here), eventually giving birth to the five elements and everything we see around us... Which brings us back to the notion of 'the transcendence of dualities': everything is one, or the notion of 'proper conduct' (i.e. morals and acting on them) when talking about ki in the 'exerted force' kind of way, and 'proper thinking' (i.e. mindfulness and disregarding the human constructs of our maya-nature) in the sense of 'psychological attitude' where enlightenment is concerned.. Also, being good to your fellow-man as well as mindfulness is quite a recepy for health and happiness (think Dalai Lama). As for energy? Energy is a measurable quantity of a physical system that enables it to exert changes in another physical system.. No woo-woo notion of life force, there.. Basic physics.. As such, if you want to get access to more energy, you have to do EXERCISE, bodybuilding, running, swimming, whatever.. And eat enough, and eat well enough. You can't just meditate and expect drastic changes. Only hard work will do that So now I'm confused.. Basically when you say 'chi', we're talking about magical 'whateverness' now? Yeahh.. Can't help you with that.. What exactly is your concrete goal, here?