That feeling was not magic, it was an chemical release in your brain, probably telling you that sex was now a possibility
TCM doctor's pov Science is half of human experience - not good, not bad, just a system imho. 'Spirituality' - in its purest, non-religious/dogmatic form - is something else. Qi to me is part of the latter - so are beautiful sunsets, Sandus. (You're bluffing btw - science may tell us what makes a sunset, but not why we find it moving and beautiful - if you think it can, please show me... ) Spoke with Dr Liang on friday - mainland chinese TCM doctor, also trained as a western doctor - he thinks these 'qi' discussions are hysterical, particularly the idea someone can be practising Taijiquan for many years and have no perception of or belief in qi... I agree with him on that He also confirmed qi does not mean 'breath' in Chinese and is not even a euphemism for it. He also confirmed that from his pov (and presumably TCM and the Chinese in general) none of the 'scientific' explanations thus far stated in this discussion are explanations of qi in themselves although all those factors are influenced by and subject to, the workings of qi. He stated that because people cannot 'see' qi or scientifically prove it they refuse to believe it and that this is a limited way of approaching life. His literal words about this were: "Qi is outside of all that. Beyond all that. It is another part of life" So if you guys are happy to live half of life, you go for it - me, I'm for sunsets, good laughs, love, art, poetry, beauty and living life happily and fearlessly. Science can stay home and fix the car... Anyone gonna show me science's formula for happiness btw? Didn't think so lol Nighty night :Angel:
Furry muff... (fair enough) but I had a conversation with 3 Chinese people on Friday about this and their take was that the most common usage of Qi is to do with air... (kong Qi as prev mentioned) that is if the term qi is used without reference, weather, and breath... so I will see your one and raise you 3... but then it all really comes down to what you choose to believe in... And if you choose to believe in Qi in this way fine but that doesnt make it real... in the explaination above I see the words of the jehovahs witlesses... I am sure there is a formula for happiness (doesnt it have something to do with chocolate...???) and science can explain why you feel a certain way... where it may falter (and I am sure there must be some psychobabble around to explain this too) is in its ability to ascertain why one person likes something and yet another doesnt... I suppose its all about what triggers are tripped inside but why are those triggers set off in one person but not another...
As an add on to the above... What I find more incredible is that one person wholeheartedly believes in something that cant be proved, seen or touched (some say it can be felt but thats interpretive) and yet they point blankly refuse to believe in something else that cant be proved, seen or touched...
I am thinking that there is some level confusion here. Chi models and science models are not at odds, they are just different ways of understanding or explaining reality. If you know Descartes or have watched the matrix you'll know that ultimately little can be proved beyond "I think therefor I am", so the only question remaining is: "Which model is more useful to you, chi or science?" Anyway, whos for push hands? j
There is a shed full of stuff which science does not understand hence no cure for cancer and many other diseases. It doesn't mean that an available theory is either right or wrong, just unproven. Some theories in western science like quantum physics are just as 'out there'.
Some might say the high incidence of cancer is a by-product of our adventures with science... I'm also actually a big fan of science - like quantum, string, super-string, chaos etc theories as those branches are approaching reality imo... The rest has a tendency to be reductionist twaddle - destroying things to find out 'how they work' but ending up understanding the 'bits' - but usually not how they actually work ie what gives them life. I went to the 'Bodies' exhibition recently and I loved it - I was deeply moved by how amazing and complex the human body is. That's one of the reasons I enjoy Taiji - the wonder of the human body. As an off-topic aside, one of the reasons the England team is unlikely to win the world cup is that we have all the technical components and theory there - but no heart and soul in the way we play the game. We're obviously still waiting to get that formula back from the lab.... On the subject of qi definitions, there is common usage and there is technical expertise. Above I just said 'heart' meaning passion, but I couldn't name you the various chambers of the organ itself or which flow is in or out etc The guy I asked was a TCM doctor so 3 may not be a bigger bet tbh Regarding why I should believe in Feng Shui just because I believe in qi in Taijiquan, my answer is that the two are largely unrelated imo - one is direct experience, the other is superstition, folklore, astrology and religion. I didn't say space doesn't have energy, did I? I've sorted out spaces by feel, just like my Taiji teacher used to do - but sticking coins and magic talismans around the house? Uh-uh, no thanks, I'll pass. I also have a fundamental religious objection to the central premise of Feng shui - that our environment shapes us. I disagree. My Buddhist beliefs say that we shape our environment with our nature, not the other way round. So while our environment may 'jar' with us, we can always move or change it, we don't need 'magic' and folklore to tell us how ime we just need to be aware and think... :Angel:
I agree, it's the fanatical attachment to any one model that limits us either way. Einstein still believed firmly in god, go figure... ...but anyway think I'll pass on the push hands - you're too blinkin good at it and there's only so much battering my ego can take in one go lol :Angel:
I'm not saying that I avoid any pain, I am willing to taste bitter in my practice. We need to push ourselves and be willing to stretch our boundaries, it's just that your approach seems to me to be one where pain and injury are commonplace. At lest that is the impression I get from your posts.
Formula for happiness money + sex + 'happy' pills + toys = happiness see, science can provide happiness
Go PUSH HANDS!!! I think it works and it teaches in many ways of that, that you may not learn by jsut hearing or seeing. More like experience on how you move and on how you may react on it.
I don't think push hands is bad or anything, I just don't think it's tai chi. or atleast a traditional/original part of it. It's kind of like when you make up a new form for an art even though you can learn that same stuff from the original exercises. It just seems ironic.
