What I consider paramount to any ki practice

[SenseiMike]

The most important aspect of any ki exercise is belief. You must accept that ki exists. Now, how does one achieve this? For me it was science, I found an interest in quantum physics and began reading a series of books on the subject, any book is just as good as another as long as wriiten for normal people to understand. Once I was able to see that is an actual intelectual base for such beliefs, I began looking into relegions that paralleled the science. I found that many of the beliefs in Zen Buhhidism were comparable to the science. It is thus no surprise that many of the old masters were followers of Zen.

Anyway, you first have to accept that ki is a reality. However you do that is up to you, for me it was science leading me to convert from atheism to buhhidsm, but you could take any road you choose find your "faith" in ki.

Once you accept the belief in ki, you have to actualize it. This is the hard part, the really hard part. You'll need to change your whole perception of the world around you, and of your self. Moving meditation such as kata and ki ko (chi gung) are paramount in this, and seated meditation even more so.

About meditation (moving or seated) there are two real types,passive and aggressive. I know aggressive meditation sounds like an oxymoron, but hear me out here. Passive meditation is great for relaxing and clearing your head, and thus should be performed very regulary many times a day. Aggressive meditation tho, is being proactive in your meditation, passive meditation is like sitting at a bus stop waiting for the bus to come, were as aggressive meditation is like hijacking the bus and taking it were you want it to go. You need to focus on your breath in a way in wich your body stays relaxed, but your mind is moving before your body, thus you mentaly breathe out before your body does. when running kata move your mental punch out before your body punches. Get your mind trained to move faster than your body, but keep the two connected.

when it's time for seated meditation, don't just stare at a wall, once you've cleared your head, visualize, see yourself lpperforming what it is you wish to do, feel it, taste it, smell it etc...make it real/

Since I've started doing this I've made very real improvements in my abilities. I still have a whole lot further to go, and can't pull it off in kumite yet, but I have faith I'll get there soon enough.

Edited October 4, 2005 by SenseiMike

[AndrewGreen]

Umm...

Ok, but can you point to a few scientific studies that demonstrate the existance of Ki?

[SenseiMike]

no, but I can point to over a hundred years of research

seriously, the science is there and is currently being used for some cool stuff in labatories across the world. prototype free energy machines are a great example. heck, just do a google search on the zero point field.

[SenseiMike]

also I recomend reading "The Feild" or "The self aware universe" I had both these books, but they were stolen by my roomate. They are chock full of experiment notes that show the existence of ki.

[AndrewGreen]

How about something that shows the human mind is capable of manipulating and harnessing these energies?

Everything that has tried to show this has failed. Just cause quantum mechanics says some neat things in no way proves ki exists.

[Patrick]

We removed this post by accident. Sorry for the confusion.

Good entry but i dont really see a need to be buddhist to find chi. I'm jewish but i still believe in chi. I go to a jewish community center and my senseis are jewish and i don tknow if i'm being foolish or not but to me it seems as though they have really good control of chi and yeah, i dont really know what point i'm trying ot make here cause all i need to say is youd ont need to be buddhist.

And just face it everyone who is bashing this topic. Science will never be able to prove chi exists so why do you bother saying the same thing over and over again. We are only human, we dont knwo everything. We would be foolish to think we can prove everything. If you believe in chi its good enough to be real. I mean its more real than other things in this world. For example, if you believe in chi how is it any different from believing the world is round or anything else?

Wlel whatever, i dont see why people get so annoyed when peopel tlak abotu chi.

[SubGrappler]

And just face it everyone who is bashing this topic. Science will never be able to prove chi exists so why do you bother saying the same thing over and over again. We are only human, we dont knwo everything. We would be foolish to think we can prove everything. If you believe in chi its good enough to be real. I mean its more real than other things in this world. For example, if you believe in chi how is it any different from believing the world is round or anything else?

Wlel whatever, i dont see why people get so annoyed when peopel tlak abotu chi.

If you cant prove something, it makes credentials a little difficult. Without any facts whatsoever, who becomes a leading authority on what proper "chi" usage is and isnt? How can one person discredit another, or credit himself with anything when there is no medium established?

Believing the world is round and believing in chi are two completely different things. Its a known fact that the world is round. Your analogy would be better suited this way- Believing in chi is similar to believing in religion.

[giang_hu]

I do not know whether to believe in chi/ki or not. I DO know that I have experienced some crazy sh*t. I've thrown a punch and been pushed backwards by bong sao. I've been pushed backwards when the other guy's arm and hands were fully extended and he didn't move. Maybe we shouldn't care whether or not chi/ki exists but whether or not we have the determination to train to those levels!

[SenseiMike]

AndrewGreen, I used to be exactly the same as you in your beliefs. And you're correct in the proving wether or not the human mind can manipulate these energies is the ultimate goal. There are institutions working on such, and I'm sure that one day they will be successful at it.

Some quick points, about zen & chi as they relate to modern science:

1) Ki is usually taught as a ray of light that enters & can be emited through the body. Modern Science has revealed to us "bio photons" in short, they have found, measured, and published the results there of, that living beings, as well as natural food sources (fresh plants) emit photons on a cellular level. Our bodies are filled with internal light. Tha is a scientific fact. This also goes hand in hand with doaist/buhhdit belief that eating fresh leafy green vegetables will increase your chi.

2) Science has proven that all matter & energy are made of the exact same "stuff" & that it is only a matter of how that "stuff" is aranged that results in who/what we are. There is an old belief in the zen world that there is no such thing as "1" because everything is divisible, one apple can be cut in half, then into quarters, etc.. science has shown us that you can divide an atom into protrons, nuetrons, and electrons, then divide those into "quarks" the quarks are divisible as well, but we currently lack the technology to measure such a small amount. The essence of this point however is that on a base level everything in existence is composed of the exact same ingrediants, only in different combinations. That forms the basis of "interelation" that so much of ki theory depends on.

3) Nonlocality is a term used in referance to orbiting elctrons. Science has recorded that one electron is capable of existing in multiple orbits at the same time, and that it's existence in either orbit is dependent on an observer. (yes I know it gives me a headache thinking about it too) this gives credibilty to the belief in a nonlocal mind, (another biggie in zen/ki practice) as well as the existence of consciousness at the sub-atomic level. practicing ki you taught to shift your mind, out of your brain and into your foot, your hand etc.. as far as the conciousness, one could speculate that if a single electron possesses enough consciousness to be aware of an outside observer, than a cluster of elctrons (I.E. a human being) would be extremely conscious.

4) back to our good budy the electron, if it is capable of breaking the most basic laws of physics as they relate to our concept of space/time then the ki/zen concept of stretcing one's mind out to exist beyond the body is 100% scientificaly posible. What is our standard of comunication these days? electrons, we send them up and down wires, though the air, all to send information to remote sources. Human beings are made up of billions of these particles.

[KarateKid7]

your claims are amazing. have you specialised in transferring the "mind" to the body? can simple meditation and chi gung exercises put you on the path?