Qigong & Fibromyalgia: From the Arthritis Care and Research study

Fibromyalgia is a rheumatologic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain that leaves those afflicted with fatigue, painful ‘tender points,’ morning stiffness, and difficulties with sleep and the performance of routine activities of daily life. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that can be difficult to relieve medically.

A study at the University of Maryland School of Medicine concluded that a mind-body approach, which included the practice of Qigong and meditation, showed a significant reduction in pain, fatigue, and sleeplessness; and improved function, mood state, and general health following an 8-week intervention. Furthermore, as reported in Arthritis Care Res. 2000 Aug;13(4):198-204, Improvement was sustained for 4 months after the end of the 8 weekly sessions.

In other words, Qigong produced relief from symptoms that continued for 16 weeks after the patients discontinued the practice. This would be akin to having a pain medication that lasted for 4 months after one took it!

Another study at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and reported in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, reported that a mind-body approach resulted in less pain, fatigue, and morning stiffness than a course of drug treatment alone, and that “optimal treatment of FMS should include (these) non-pharmacological interventions”

Internal forms of Qigong can alleviate this type of soft tissue condition as they gently stretch the muscles without irritation or exhaustion, and allow the vital energy to move unimpeded in a balanced manner throughout the body.

Qigong Instruction

Fibromyalgia, T’ai Chi and Qigong

Plantar Fasciitis, Fibromyalgia, Tai Chi & Qigong

How does Tantric Qigong™ work?

It can be said that Qigong works by uniting heavenly and earthly energies. While Western science does not yet have a full explanation of how Qigong does this, it most likely that it works by amplifying your personal Chi (Qi, life force, vitality, Ki) by drawing in earthly and atmospheric / solar ionic energy to supplement your existing vitality. This is attained through gentle movement, breath control, mental focus, Intention, and the most efficient grounding technology yet known.

Although it may appear that many systems of meditation and yoga aspire to similar effects, in practice and effect they are quite different.

Hatha Yoga has a general objective that is comparable to that of Qigong and achieves its ends through breathing, concentration, and stretching.  Yoga tends to lower somatic resistance, which allows energy to be freed up and diffused in a general way throughout the physical and emotional bodies.

Meditation attempts to unify these polar energies through mental control and creating inner peace. Most forms of meditation reduce mental disorder; thus indirectly allowing the body to relax its resistance to a certain degree. The effects are felt most strongly in the mental and emotional bodies. Both meditation and Hatha Yoga can create some of the same effects as Qigong, but may take longer to achieve it.

Forms of Kundalini Yoga, Kriya, and pranayama quickly push energy into the body and chakras through aggressive breathing techniques and movement. The relative bioenergetic charge thus created can vary quite a bit depending on that tradition and teacher. These systems generally lack a comprehensive and efficient grounding component, which can make their practice somewhat tricky for those persons wishing to remain in the world. Forms of Kundalini practice can create dramatic physical, emotional, and mental side effects and should not be undertaken without a teacher. Preferably in an ashram, under supervision 24/7.

I have met many students and teachers of these arts that have applied them in an extremely yang fashion and none of them have seemed grounded and balanced to me. Although they do experience a lot of energy, the energy meets the resistance of their body, mind, and karmic history. This creates a lot of unnecessary drama and significant side effects. This seems to be a result of too much energy meeting too much resistance and with too little grounding. Gurus who achieve spiritual power in this manner are very much a mixed blessing.

With Qigong, both the practice and the effects are quite different. Unlike the yogic paradigm, which asserts that the first chakra is the perineal / coccygeal area, Qigong knows that the first chakra is located in the bottoms of the feet. This is the way that nature intended earthly life force (kundalini, chi) to be conducted into the body. There are built in safeguards and processes of energetic transformation that makes this raw power easier to deal with and to apply to the body, mind, and emotions in a purely positive way.

The movements of Qigong are very gentle (virtually no energy is consumed by strenuous work) and coordinated with deep breathing, supreme mental focus, and proper bioenergetic alignment of the body. The effect is to amplify one’s vitality while simultaneously reducing internal somatic, emotional, and mental resistance, all in a grounded and balanced fashion. This Taoist approach generates a lot of Chi safely and quickly, often within a few seconds. Mastery may take somewhat longer.

It has been said that Qigong supercharges the body with a balance of earthly and atmospheric ionic energy. This energy suffuses the body, mind, and spirit. The Chi that is birthed in this fashion can be used to invigorate tissues, blood, lymph, bone, and the central nervous system; purifying, soothing, and healing along the way.

Tantric Qigong™ is to regular Qigong as a Lexus on the Autobahn is to an oxcart in a muddy field. They will both get you to your destination, but differ quite a bit in speed, efficacy, and comfort. While Qigong is supreme at creating the benefits mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, the traditional Taoist process of creating personal freedom and spiritual liberation through burning karma is less well defined. The Taoist approach to chakra activation and transmuting negative emotional patterns is convoluted and obscure at best. In contrast, with Tantric Qigong™ we avail ourselves of esoteric Taoist, Tantric Kriya, Kundalini Yoga, and Tibetan techniques not yet generally known in the west to simplify and enhance our process of self mastery and liberation.

There are five basic levels of Tantric Qigong™ training that begin with elementary Qigong and culminate in powerful and efficacious practices rarely taught publicly. We employ principles of Bioenergetics, Chakra, Kriya, and Kundalini yoga, Emotional Freedom, Karma burning, Tibetan Tantra, and Tumo in a safe, balanced structure that requires only a few minutes each day to perform. © 2009 Keith E. Hall Inner-tranquility.com. All rights reserved.

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My Teacher: Yung-ko Chou

In an age where anyone who takes a couple of weekend workshops can call him or herself a “Master”, Professor Chou was the real deal. He never referred to himself, nor encouraged his students to refer to him, as “master”.  Over the years, my personal experience has led me to believe that a teacher who deeply desires to be called “Master” probably isn’t one. Chou was a master by virtue of his actions, lack of hubris, and the scope of his embodiment of Taoist art forms.

Professor Chou came to the United States from Taiwan in the 1970’s. In his 60’s at the time, Professor Chou, with his nimble intellect, was able to learn to speak and write American English, and deal with the not insignificant culture shock of his adopted country. Professor Chou was in his sixties and seventies when I studied with him, but due to his abundant Chi his physical appearance was more like someone in his forties. He had dark hair, an attentive mind, and was remarkably flexible, equanimous, and quick witted. He walked every where he needed to go since he did not have or need a U.S. driver’s license. Professor Chou was a exceedingly quiet and unassuming man with an almost dry sort of wit and a sense of cosmic humor. If you were drawn into this inner circle, he would often gently and subtly tease you while also promoting your commitment and discipline to the art form.

For the first semester or so of my study with him, he spoke little English, and what he did speak was heavily accented at that. His students were forced by this predicament to rely on copying and imitating his movements, posture, and breathing patterns.  His didactic, limited to simple directions, was not understandable to my ear (due to his thick accent), thus we were forced by circumstance to be present, centered, and attentive in a somatic and spiritual mode. The verbal explanation modality was not really accessible to us in any practical way. I think this was an excellent way to learn: shut off the speech centers and their concomitant cerebricity and just be attentive, focused, and present.  If you couldn’t do that, then you probably weren’t going to be able to learn the forms.

Professor Chou taught the T’ai Chi Chuan Yang style long form, Push Hands, applications for self defense, the Song of the Free Hands Fighting, the Eight Treasures Qigong (known in those days as “The Ancient Exercises of China”) and Ba Gua (Pa Kua). Very few of his students elected to pony up the discipline to learn and embody the gift of all of these arts.

His approach to cultivating student motivation and discipline was simple and threefold:

– Set an invariable schedule of forms to teach weekly: three forms each class
– Encourage students to practice twice a day: he repeated this in every class
– Allow students to take as many classes as they wanted to each week

So he had a set schedule for teaching the forms and encouraged self-responsibility in his students by reminding them to practice morning and evening, and offered the opportunity to attend multiple classes at no additional charge.  I believe that Professor Chou realized that only the most committed students would take advantage of and follow this structure.

He had a remarkable gift for teaching his students, who were at many disparate levels of awareness and spiritual awakening, in an individual and personal manner. He could tell what your level of awareness was, and seemed to slightly adjust his teaching to support one’s unconscious level of spiritual desire. He was able to teach a roomful of students who had very different desires, intentions, and skill sets simultaneously. Some students were there to learn “Chinese exercise”. Some were focused solely on the martial art aspect. Some were merely curious, with no firm intention or commitment to learn the form. A few were gifted with the opportunity to learn all of these aspects and Self-Mastery too. He subtly supported his students’ desires on multiple levels at the same time, with humor and boundless patience.

Professor Chou’s style of teaching was a combination of holding the static positions so students could copy his biomechanical model, and continuous movement to foster an experience of flow. Periodically he would do corrections, which can be quite important, but he did not torture new students with excessive fussiness over the details. His “middle path” approach gave students both a feeling of the precision of T’ai Chi Chuan, while also facilitating the experience of being in flow.

I felt privileged to study with this Master at a time when the height of learning technology was the electric typewriter and the Xerox machine. There were no videos, widgets, YouTube, phone apps, or other near useless electronic diversions to distract one from the opportunity to be physically in the presence of one who had deeply mastered the art, and who cared deeply about transmitting it to whomever could receive it.  Electronic technology will never be able to duplicate being in the presence of a Master. Not a day goes by that I do not feel gratitude for the great good fortune to have had the time and opportunity to study with this remarkable Sifu.  © 2009 Keith E. Hall and inner-tranquility.com.

Rev. Keith Hall’s Bio

Instruction & Coaching

What is Qigong?

Qigong (Chi Kung) is a system of Taoist exercise and meditation developed at least 4000 years ago in China. Some attribute the Yellow Emperor and / or his teacher, Qi Bo, with the discovery of the principles underlying qigong practice. The word “qigong” perhaps can be best translated as “energy mastery.” It is a method of balancing mind, body, emotions, and spirit through a series of external and internal movements with mental concentration. These movements, along with certain stances and biomechanical body alignment, are coordinated with the breathing and the mind.

There are many forms of qigong and associated practices such as jing dong, dong gong, zuo gong, wushu gong, nei kung, etc. T’ai Chi, often translated as “supreme ultimate” or “supreme ultimate energy,” can be regarded as a particularly evolved form of moving qigong. For our purposes here, we will consider any of these various forms of Taoist energy exercises and meditations as a form of qigong.

One can consider qigong to be a kind of Taoist form of moving yoga, though qigong postures tend to be less strenuous than many yoga asanas. With some adaptation, qigong can be performed by virtually anyone, regardless of physical condition, as long as the practitioner is able to concentrate mentally.

Sometimes qigong is divided into subcategories depending on its application. So there are medical qigongs, martial qigongs, health qigongs, and spiritual qigongs. Qigong can also be classified by the direction and intention of the energy generated. External qigong generates life force internally and broadcasts this energy externally. So, martial qigong could be considered a form of external qigong, as could medical qigong. In medical qigong, the qigong master generates the chi and directs it toward a patient who needs healing. This is akin to a sort of “laying on of hands” in the western traditions of spiritual healing.

Qigong on the Mountain

Internal qigong generates energy and circulates it within the practitioner. One application of this form is internal self-healing, where one circulates energy to remove physical blockages or imbalances. This form, along with medical qigong, is somewhat related to the disciplines of Oriental Medicine such as acupuncture and herbology, which seek to balance a patient’s life force. Another application of internal qigong is for spiritual development. Here, spiritual power is generated and circulated internally through energy channels and the chakras for the purpose of clearing karmic effect, attaining self-knowledge, expanding or dissolving ego boundaries, and direct spiritual experience.

In terms of karmic intention, martial qigong could be considered to be the lowest form of qigong, as its intention is to control or harm others. Medical and health related qigong would have a higher intention, as they work to relieve suffering and generate health. Spiritual qigong has the highest intention, as it concerns itself with self-realization, expanded or mystical awareness, and enlightenment, which this planet needs so desperately at this time.

Qigong can be characterized as a gentle form of non-impact aerobic exercise and stretching suitable for warming up for more strenuous exercise. An example of this would be Tiger Woods, who reputedly has practiced qigong. Qigong can be used as a stand-alone form of gentle physical maintenance as well. It is also a highly effective form of stress management when used to calm the emotions and center oneself. Qigong as a spiritual discipline is a moving meditation particularly well adapted for restless western minds and active, stressed, and time-challenged lifestyles. © 2006 Keith E. Hall and Inner-tranquility.com. All rights reserved.

Rev. Hall has taught Tai Chi, Qigong, Tantra, & body / mind modalities for 30 years & is a senior student of Prof. Yung-ko Chou, with permission to teach. He has studied at East West Schools across the world & with Dhyanyogi Madhusudandas, S. Saraswati & others. He practices Bioenergetics, Bagua, Tumo, Vipassana, Zen, Spiritual Bodywork, various Yogas, & other East West disciplines. He has published articles on Tantra & Taoist arts in numerous journals & is the Founder of Jade Garden Tantra and www.inner-tranquility.com

Instruction & Coaching

A Woman’s Response Re: Ejaculation Control, part 4: Peng Zu

This is a continuation of the discussion in Ejaculation & Mental, Spiritual, & Physical Health Part 4: Peng Zu

Q. Julie: Your article was saying how we become healthier and more balanced WITH a partner and without we are also targets for demons…what (can) a person without a partner…do to protect themselves and to also be more in balance and healthier. I can’t just pick some random guy to balance myself with…lol… so what can I do? Thanks for the information.

A. I believe the quotation from Peng Zu (Peng Tsu, Peng Zu) that your are referring to is:

“To be solitary and long for intercourse shortens a man’s life and allows a hundred ailments.
Ghosts and Demons will take advantage of such a man to copulate with him”

First, you have to be aware that the proto-Taoist traditions of some 4-6,000 years ago contained both practical spiritual wisdom and also some superstition. Over the millennia, it has become more apparent which is which.

What Peng Zu refers to are nocturnal emissions. Obviously, he is talking about men, so I don’t think this going to be much of a problem for you unless, of course, your boyfriend has them every night! A woman’s “demons” are usually more emotional than ejaculatory in nature. Unless you are a woman with a high degree of female ejaculation skill. And prone to narcolepsy.

It is possible that some highly eroticised women endowed with some degree of Tantric skill might have such vivid sexual dreams that a genital orgasm could occur, but this is much more likely to be a more diffuse sexual charge than strictly genitocentric. Men however, produce semen continuously, and as will be discussed further in this series of articles, it is not entirely healthy to never ejaculate. If too long a time elapses between ejaculation, the body may tend to take control with the cooperation of the subconscious, hence the nocturnal emissions that gave the ancient Taoists such concern.

Forbidden Planet, Karmic Monsters from your Id

Doc Ostrow: …”the Krell forgot one thing.”
Commander Adams: “Yes, what?”
Doc Ostrow: “Monsters, John. Monsters from the Id.”
–Forbidden Planet

Awakening with the obvious evidence of some nocturnal sexual process could be confusing to a simple Yaoist living at the dawn of recorded history. Add to that the great length that Taoists go to avoid loss of semen through ejaculation control, and one can see how a superstition of demonic erotic possession aka “Monsters from the Id” could, well, “arise”.

In the Catholic Christian lineage, this loss of control over sexual fantasies and the resultant nocturnal emissions experienced by celibate monks is externalized as a succubus; a demon in the form of a seductive woman who visits a monk in a dream state. These demons were thought to arouse the sexual energy ( Jing, Shakti) of the celibate, then feed off the life force, much like a vampire. According to the Malleus Maleficarum, published in 1487 by the Inquisitors Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger, a succubus would collect semen from men they had sex with and impregnate women with it for evil metaphysical purposes.

I, however, prefer my succubi to be incarnate in flesh rather than being ephemeral dream demons.
Just a personal preference.

The quote from Shang-ku-san-tai,

“Man and woman mutually complete each other, just like Heaven and Earth gave birth to each other. Tao nourishes the vital force (chi) in order that man may not lose his harmony.”

The Tantric Dakini Goddess Mae West

relates to the great energizing and balancing of life force that can occur through High Tantric Sex, and especially with lovers who are willing to sexually and emotionally surrender to each other on a significantly deep level. So, on the one hand, “some random guy” might not serve this process, however you might also consider reading some of what the great Dakini and early feminist Mae West had to say on this subject. Here was a woman truly empowered by her sexuality at a time when this was not supported at all by our “polite” society at the turn of the century (her play entitled “Sex” resulted in a morals charge and imprisonment in 1927.)

Sex is one of the nine reasons for reincarnation - the other eight are unimportant.
–Henry Miller

Energetic balance ( polarity) can occur with or without a partner, you don’t need to wait for the perfect partner to get started. In fact, you are much more likely to attract a higher quality partner if you are willing to begin to use Tantric and Taoist forms to clarify your energy and burn your karma. Often Like attracts Like, so, to paraphrase Gandhi: “Be the lover you want to attract in the world…”

I am also reminded of the time that Teri Hatcher of Desperate Housewives fame appeared on the Jay Leno show with a Tantric Revelation: She was talking about catalogue shopping and mentions that she bought 5 (that’s right, five!) Kegel Exercisers.

Jay Leno: So, um, can you lift more than you used to…or….?

Teri Hatcher: I now have a very strong kitty cat.

Jay Leno: (!!!!!!)

Teri Hatcher: All the other ‘desperate housewives’ are married and stuff, but, like, when I get a boyfriend, he’s gonna hit the jackpot!

You gotta admire Ms. Hatcher’s commitment to personal growth. Like Mae West, she seems gratified by taking charge of her own sexuality.

Of course, in ancient pre-battery operated times, The Taoists and Tantriks developed a high sexual and spiritual technology. The Tantric Qigong (sm) exercises “Wag the Tail” and “Raise on the Toes” open the pelvis and stimulate the kidney meridian.

Wag the Tail (c) 1997 Keith E. Hall

raise on the Toes

Tantric Qigong (sm) , T’ai Chi, and some forms of Yoga are the best all around exercises for increasing, balancing, and applying one’s life force for karma burning and other spiritual purposes, with or without a partner.
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The yogic asanas known as The Goddess pose and The Butterfly pose also burn pelvic karma and resistance to your own Goddess Power while indirectly stimulating the kidney energy.

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Here is an exercise from our 10 Minutes to a Healthier You! (sm) and our Tantric Transformation (sm) courses that you can do on your own:

The Energy Pump

1. Contract and pump the anal sphincter and the muscles of the vaginal wall, pulling upwards. If possible, make this a relatively fast contraction and release (2-3 contractions per second.)

2. After you get the hang of this, begin a pattern of deep breathing through the mouth where you are exhaling while you contract the muscles, and inhaling as you relax the muscles.

3. Imagine that the fast, deep breathing and contractions are like a bellows fanning the fire of your life force. This can also be done with pelvic rocking or thrusting.

Doing a few minutes or more of this each day will increase your life force (Chi, Qi, Ki), sexual power (Shakti, Jing), and ability to receive pleasure while also toning the PC muscle (pubococcygeal muscle) and vaginal muscles.

There is a variation of this that is known to increase one’s sexual magnetism to an almost hypnotic level. I have seen men sweat and begin to lose control of their power to focus in the presence of a woman adept at this. Some pheromones don’t hurt either….

In summary:
–You don’t need to worry about demons or nocturnal emissions.
–There are exercises you can do on your own to increase your life force and sexual magnetism.
– You are The Goddess. © 2008 Keith E. Hall. all rights reserved.

Instruction & Coaching

Fibromyalgia, T’ai Chi and Qigong Q: Sarah writes: I would just like to introduce myself to the group as a new comer. My name is Sarah and I am a 29 year old Fibromyalgia sufferer. Three years ago after an extremely difficult time in my life I developed Fibromyalgia to a point where I also lost a lot of my muscles and was practically wheel chair bound. However, I joined my local pain clinic where together with medication I was introduced to alternative therapy. I was always a believer in aromatherapy and had been practicing this on myself for some time with some quite effective results. My pain clinic then introduced me to Tai Chi Chuan and acupuncture.

I have been practicing Tai Chi for 8 months now and WOW what a difference to my life it has made. I am now fitter than I was before my illness and although I still have a few worse days and some amount of pain my life has become completely fulfilled and manageable…I meditate daily and am a calmer, surer, more steady and patient person than I ever was before. I have 3 children and they are amazed at the difference in me now and the amount of patience that I now have. So to all you suffers out there, there is hope, believe me.

A: Thank you so much, Sarah, for sharing your story. Qigong (Chi Kung, Chi Gong, Chi Gung) and T’ai Chi (taiji), which is a form of Qigong, have proven remarkably effective at controlling various forms of stress, pain, autoimmune disorders, among many others. These practices create vitality, empowerment, groundedness, serenity and freedom.

Forms of Qigong and T’ai chi Chuan are often recommended for persons with cardiac conditions, allergies, asthma, addiction, anxiety, sleep disorders, and other symptoms of stress and aging. These practices are also a good complement or introduction to Taoist Tantra and Kundalini work.

T’ai Chi is one of the Master forms of Qigong in that within its practice is contained most of the higher aspects of Qigong. This makes T’ai Chi tremendously efficient, albeit quite subtle and complex. Of course benefits are readily apparent to those who invest commitment in mastering it’s complexity.

I have taught these forms for over 30 years and over that time period a couple of dynamics have become apparent that I would like to comment on, i.e. Intent and Practice.

Intention The character of one’s Intent will shape and direct the life force and consciousness that is created. This is a very personal issue, though I believe it is up to the teacher to attempt to set a general tone in this regard. In my classes I endeavor to focus on rejuvenation, open hearted empowerment, and evolution in the spiritual sense. I also seek to present the esoterica of the Taoist, Yoga, Tantric, and Bioenergetic traditions in a manner that is non-sectarian, non-dogmatic, and readily available to the western mind set.

Spiritual Practice The quality and quantity of time put into your practice is crucial to receiving any benefit, let alone mastery of these forms. T’ai Chi, Tantra, and Yoga are Master Systems for health, longevity and Enlightenment. As such, they are complex and demanding, especially as they evolved in a cultural and historical framework radically different than our current Western experience.

One thing I have noticed over the years is that as our pace of daily life continues to increase, people seem less empowered to create significant blocks of time to pursue their own healing and awakening. We seem to know, or notice, less about ourselves, our world, and the ramifications of our actions. The faster we go, the less we know. This is the paradox of the “information age.” There is faster and easier access to data, and seemingly less and less Wisdom in its application. Click the remote, surf the next website, scan the next radio station, walk or drive nattering on and on with our cell phones… Our constant mental and physical movement betrays a deep restlessness, and perhaps a shark-like fear that stillness is death.

Spiritual Tradition Many Teachers are most comfortable within the structure of their traditional schools and lineages. Most of the time this is perfectly acceptable and efficacious in that one attracts students mainly from the spiritual tradition or religion indigenous to that culture. More problematic is the process of transferring practice and wisdom cross-culturally.

The dilemma is that although a tradition may have precepts and practices invaluable to the modern western world, its cultural trappings ensure the assimilation of its wisdom will be difficult, if it’s wisdom is recognized at all. My teachers have mainly been Masters who came to the U.S. to bring the insight and technology of their respectful schools to Westerners. These Masters were motivated by the dire need to bring wisdom to the most technologically advanced and spiritually confused populace in history. They knew that it may be that our personal and planetary survival would require an acceleration of awakening, and that cultural and religious predilections would make this much more difficult. Knowing the limitations of our material civilization, they decided that long-established cultural and religious methods were inappropriate and inefficient. We needed to get it, and get it fast!

If it takes more than 10 minutes, I’m outta here! Would you wait more than 10 minutes in line at the 7-11 or McDonalds? When was the last time you watched a music video that eschewed strobe-like edits for a clear steady view of the artist? Or waited patiently, without fidgeting, at a traffic light, DMV, or in a waiting room?

Often it seems our patience and attention span is decreasing so profoundly, it will soon be measured in nanoseconds! I love the practices of Qigong, Tantra, T’ai Chi, Zen. Yet, I am painfully aware that our mind-set requires a non-traditional and efficient methodology adapted for westerners. That is not to say that one cannot accrue benefit through a traditional technique, many have. I am merely observing that to attain the deepest benefit of these conventional approaches requires a lot of time and commitment, hours each day, and our material culture is not very patient or supportive in this. We feel we have “no time.” Really what is going on is that we spend all of our waking time in outwardly directed agendas. Nonetheless, this is how it is for most of us.

So, to “bring the mountain to Mohamed” so to speak, I have created a course of study that requires only 10 minutes each day. Mental, physical, and emotional health is quickly improved through highly effective Taoist, Bioenergetic, and Yogic techniques. Easy, efficient and powerful, it gets the job done in minutes. © 2002 Keith E. Hall. all rights reserved.

See also: Qigong and Fibromyalgia

Plantar Fasciitis, Fibromyalgia, Tai Chi & Qigong

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Qigong & Fibromyalgia: From the Arthritis Care and Research study

Instruction & Coaching email for info on instruction

T’ai Chi & Qigong Instruction available in the Baltimore Washington, DC area.

Taoist & Yogic Practices.

Tantric Qigong
Tantric qigong (chi kung)  can be so ideal in the winter. Even though the earth is cold and hibernating, one can draw on the Earth’s deep Yin while willfully stimulating the Heavenly Yang.  Tantric Qigong includes gentle movement, conscious breathing, and stretching. It takes only 10 minutes and can be practiced either indoors, or outside in the natural light for additional benefit. In the winter, Tantric qigong helps you to fire up your Heavenly Chi while drawing on the deep stability and steadfastness of the Earth’s Yin.

Here are some tips for practicing  Tantric Qigong in wintertime:

–Increase the number of repetitions of the 8 Treasures.
–Focus on directing the chi inward. Pay particular attention to Chakras 2, 3a, 3c, 4 and 6.
–Do “Raise and Lower Hands Alternately” to stimulate and balance the immune system while drawing in and balancing the Heavenly and Earthly Qi.

Tantric Qigong: Raise Hands alternately

Here are some additional exercises from the Advanced Tantric Qigong curriculum that may be helpful. Some of these 8 Treasures Tantric qigong forms balance yin and yang, some permeate the body with energy, some balance the pineal gland. If you’ve taken the courses, you know which does what.

–Golden Serpent (Tantric Qigong Level 2)
–Heavenly Chakra Qi Gong (Tantric Qigong Level 3)
–Transmuting Breath (Tantric Qigong Level 4, part 1)
–Transmuting Breath 2 (Tantric Qigong Level 4, part 2)
–Heart Breath 3 (Tantric Qigong Level 5, part 3)
–Tumo meditation (Tantric Qigong Level 5, part 4)

See also: Winter Meditation for Collecting Life Force

Qigong and Immunity

Qigong, Immunity, and Influenza

© 2006 Keith E. Hall. All rights reserved. Part 3: Some simple suggestions

Presencing™

See how the change of the seasons affects your Qi and Life Force:Tantric Taoist Sexology & The Seasons.

Learn Tantric Qigong™:

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Instruction & Coaching

Qigong and Fibromyalgia

Q: A.M. writes: I am a Fibromyalgia sufferer for 7 years now and I have been practicing qigong (not as regularly as I would like, but…) for the last 3 years. However I find that the most useful technique for coping with my fibromyalgia is meditation. It targets the pain directly and allowed me to stop taking marijuana for the ever-present nerve pain. Just knowing that I had some control over the situation was a tremendous weight off of my chest and it helped to end the vicious emotional cycle caused by feeling powerless. Now I have developed somewhat of a routine where I periodically use marijuana in conjunction with my qigong (because I find it twice or three times as powerful that way). I have all but cured myself but for some minor lingering pain. Right now I practice sporadically and my progress is relative slow but steady. Anyway, I am curious to hear any of your thoughts on the subject.

A: Yes, the combination of qigong and meditation can be quite effective, as the results in the original research project indicate. (see: Qigong & Fibromyalgia: From the Arthritis Care and Research study)
I believe that fibromyalgia is characterized by a sort of energetic “congestion” that afflicts the muscles and nerves, and the noticeable symptoms are pain, fatigue, and stiffness. It seems to me that there are two categories of possible intervention here: treating the pain, and treating the underlying energetic congestion.

Blocking Pain
Interventions include the use of pharmaceutical analgesics, hypnosis, and meditation and visualization. The use of drugs in treating this condition is best discussed in a medical forum, however I will comment of the use of hypnosis and meditation.

The utilization of techniques such as hypnosis and meditation, particularly meditation that includes visualization, has been effective for numerous conditions, including pain reduction. While these modes of non-pharmacological analgesia provide a valuable alternative, especially where narcotics might be medically indicated, I would also like to observe that they do not necessarily treat underlying causation. Blocking pain is not always restorative, and can sometimes mask an ongoing disease process. It is difficult to make generalizations, since there are many forms and applications of these modalities. I would say however, that if one’s meditation is oriented solely towards pain relief, it is likely to be more palliative than curative.

Relieving Underlying Energetic Congestion
Qigong, as well as T’ai Chi Chuan, is a form of “Taoism in Action,” concerned with flow and balance. Just as the yin yang symbol intimates, there is a dynamic equilibrium between polarities, and from this derives all personal, social, and natural manifestations. Any disparity between these energies will automatically initiate a correction. The more severe the imbalance, the more rigorous and dramatic the adjustment. Since our American culture does not fully support deep, impartial inquiries into cause and effect, we often blindly intervene without any intuitive sense of the consequences. This leads to a certain ignorance in not only health issues, but personal, social, environmental, and political endeavors.

When I use the term “energetic congestion,” I do so in the sense of imbalance and inhibition of flow. This disruption of our natural state of grace results in all forms of dis-ease, physical and emotional; individual and social; in nature and in humankind. In addition to qigong, modalities that facilitate an efficient return to balance include T’ai Chi, acupuncture, Bioenergetics, and certain forms of Tantra and Kundalini Yoga.

Marijuana, though it has increasing medical applications, may not be the best treatment choice. Marijuana has little analgesic effect in a strict sense. It’s effectiveness may be due to its gentle sedative and muscle relaxant qualities. This certainly could decrease the aggravation of neuromuscular pain. One of the drawbacks to this approach is that marijuana tends to have a rebound effect as a relaxant. Just like pharmaceutical muscle relaxants, it has a propensity to have the opposite effect a period of time after it is metabolized, that is, it tends to tighten the muscles afterward. Progressive relaxation ( Journey to the primal Sea, At the Beach) is a technique with no rebound or side effects, and thus may be more efficacious in the longer term, at least as a muscle relaxant.

There are many forms of qigong. The system of qigong and energy yoga that I teach has a physical and emotional balancing effect that can be achieved in as little as ten minutes of practice each day, though longer practice may result in deeper benefits. This style of energy mastery is a balance of internal and external approaches. There is a meditative aspect and a more physical outer element. Gently stretching the muscles in coordination with the mind and breath, and without irritation or fatigue, allows one’s vital energy to move unimpeded in a balanced manner. This combination of gentle movement, attentiveness, and judicious activation of one’s life-force can alleviate energy blockages, and effect improvement on physical, mental, and emotional levels.

Note: Though the classes and seminars that I present are effective for a broad spectrum of persons, those with a specific acute or chronic physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual condition may need personal evaluation and enhancement of the standard training program. This is best effected, at least initially, through personalized consultation. (c) 2004 Keith E. Hall. All rights reserved.

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Sea of Chi, Sex, and Enlightenment

There is more than one acupuncture point to which the appellation “Sea of Chi” is affixed. For instance there is “Qi Hai Shu” or “Sea-of-Qi Shu” (Urinary Bladder 24) which is located at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the third lumbar vertebra. This point strengthens the kidneys, chi and yang, and is said to “enrich” yin. It can tonify the blood, restore collapsed yin or yang, expel kidney stones, and gathers chi for the lower Cinnabar Field. This point is sort of the “back door” to the chakras of the lower Tan Tien (Cinnabar Field) and one of its effects can be to strengthen certain types of sexual energy.

So one can see how Sea-of-Qi Shu has some importance for our vital, sexual, and generative functions. It can be seen also to have a Tantric aspect in that it unifies Yin and Yang, Essence and Spirit.

Most often, the term “Sea of Chi,” as used in acupuncture refers to Qihai, which is on the midline and below the navel. It is used to treat abdominal pain, nocturnal emission, impotence or erectile dysfunction, uterine bleeding, irregular menstruation, dysmenorreha, postpartum hemorrhage, constipation, among others. From this list, one can see how this point has a direct effect on the quality of both male and female sexual energies.

In a sense, this entire mid to lower area of the abdomen can be called a Sea of Chi, with much the same poetic accuracy that the clairvoyant yoga Masters describe this area as Manipura, or the “City of Jewels.” The entire area is a large storage battery for our light, the very essence of our life force. How we express this life force is another matter, and varies from person to person depending on their karmic patterning.

While acupuncture and moxibustion are excellent for certain conditions, particularly physical and emotional ones, certain aspects of the higher spiritual qualities are more efficiently developed with supplemental practices such as T’ai Chi, Tantric Qigong, Tumo, Conscious Breathwork, etc. Karma is somatically stored in the tissues of this and other areas of the body, and the meridians and points cannot completely release or transform this sort of energy. Apparently the karmic charge is both too dense and simultaneously widespread somatically for the meridians to be able to have a direct, significant, and consistent “karma burning” effect. If that were really possible, then all one would need for enlightenment would be to stick some needles in there. I wish it were that easy. In that case, I can think of a more than a few people who could benefit immediately and tremendously from being needled.

If one’s Intention is to create evolutionary Awakening and Spiritual Freedom, we must harness all the Will, life force, and persistence that the third chakra can produce. One way of doing this is to generate large quantities of Chi through breath exercises, and couple this life force with a process of liberating somatic holding patterns (our karmic habits and resistance to spiritual growth) through precise conscious movement. This allows life force, consciousness, and intention to be unified, and the form of our karmic baggage to be released and transmuted.

This is one of the specific and most important intentions of both our Tantric Qigong system as taught in the “10 Minutes to a Healthier You!” course, and the breath and mental / muscular control and surrender methodology of the “Relax! Journey to the Primal Sea” CD program. These techniques work not only with the meridians and superficial points but also with the deeper, more extensive internal chakras. For instance, the location of the lower Cinnabar Field is not only associated with the QiHai and Guan Yuan points, found two or three inches below the navel, but also an energetic field three to four inches inward (deeper if you are sufficiently zaftig.) Both the superficial and the deeper, more internal fields must be a least partially cleared and balanced for physical, metal, and spiritual health to be restored and Awakening to occur.

Breath Coaching can be ideal for someone who is ready to surrender his or her spiritually maladaptive patterns. During this process, the coach and trainee work with both the seat of personal power, and the seat of Spiritual Surrender i.e., the Tan Tien, Solar Plexus, and Heart Chakras. One does not lose even one quantum of personal power, but the software applications governing its use and intention may change. This transforms self centeredness, victim / victimizer consciousness, and stubborn attachments to ego patterns into an empowering surrender to the Flow of Tao. What is perceived as surrender by some is in actuality allowing yourself to be carried into the power of Universal Flow while generating empathy, gratitude, and compassion as a natural consequence. I think you can see how this would be important for both spiritual progress and healthy, dynamic interpersonal and sexual relationships.
(See, The 3rd Chakra and the Spiritual Purpose of Power, parts 1-6)

Certainly though, an acupuncture and / or moxa treatment can be calming, centering, and revitalizing and tangibly important, since a modicum of physical health and centering is a prerequisite for higher spiritual attainment. In our increasingly frenetic and dis-eased world, this should not be underestimated in its value, especially if it is as an adjunct to an efficacious spiritual and somatic practice. © 2008 Keith E. Hall. All rights reserved.

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Building Chi, life force, and power

In breathing deeply to the Tan Tien, you are building Chi - life force and power, while also stretching the belly physically. Any third chakra issues one may have are actually stored somatically in the belly, and stretching that area kind of “stretches” your paradigm, your karmic patterns. As we stretch, so we also relax and let go. Yin within Yang, Will and Surrender. When this stretching occurs with a clear intention to let go of the past i.e., the karmic habits we have become accustomed to, then true transcendence becomes more likely. So you see, this point is critical in creating the discipline to be on a spiritual path of growth and evolution, although for the purposes on the CD, I would say don’t over-think this and get yourself stressed trying to relax! Just do the breathing nude or wearing loose clothing that doesn’t cinch your waist, let the belly relax, and enjoy!

At first, people don’t really want to stretch this point. I mean they say they do, but really, they don’t. I have had the privilege to be able to teach Taoist and Tantric arts since 1978, and have been blessed with the opportunity to offer these arts to thousands of students. But very few open themselves to actually receive it. Why? Well, it sounds really good to have freedom and more personal power, but the tricky thing is you have to give up your old ways of doing things. These old karmic patterns affect your emotions, relationships, your body, even the very way you perceive the world itself. So, one has to be willing to give up these old habits, whether they are forms of anger, underlying pain, victimhood, or whatever. They have to go to make room for the new person you want to be. To get to own a brand new Blissmobile, you have to be willing to trade in that old clunker called pain and fear.

Now all of this seems elementary in way, and it is. It is really the foundation of any sort of psychotherapy, for instance. However, simple is not necessarily easy, and the mind lies to us all the time. That is why I am a big fan of the somatic approach, because the body does not know how to lie. Even experienced meditators can have their minds play games with them. That is one reason that Zen Masters sometimes do unexpected things, to kind of snap you out of the mental-emotional rut you are in while you are pretending that your are meditating. Change that begins in the body is demonstrably true; no mind games are possible.

So, that is why I put a lot of emphasis in the CD program on the belly, breathing, and letting go. This process allows the body to build power, a reservoir of life force, while over time gently wearing away the old patterns, just like waves on the beach.

© 2008 Keith E. Hall. All right reserved.

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