Martial Arts and magick Options

I have been trying out a few gentle sessions of Chi Qong; on the DVD and in a book on this art, I have seen a lot of things that relate to magick like the five elements of spirit, water, air, earth and metal. I see too that they talk of lines of energy or life-force running along the acupuncture meridians. Chakras come into it all too.

I have never really thought about how all of this connects together before. I do chakra work and go for acupuncture and now of course, have started gentle Chi Qong; it looks like using all of these things with magick would provide a balance of mental, physical and magickal aspects in ones life. (I realize that all of the above will make claims to all of this, but I am wondering who has actual experience of using some form of these arts and has found true balance.

Any thoughts?


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It can absolutely help with balancing your self.

All the different movements (or stances etc) do different things for your energy flow and body. One reason they were "created" (at least for some forms) is to find balance within one's self and environment. One of the main problems that some people get when they practice "internal energy arts" is to focus on one part and not others. For example, I once knew someone, who practiced Zhang Zhuang (standing meditation) but no sitting meditation at all. He had alot of internal energy, great posture, BUT he could not easily calm down his mind, gradually even during his Zhang Zhuang this problem came about as well.

In theory, the reason for this, is that Zhang Zhuang and other "moving meditations" generate yang energy, while sitting meditations generate yin energy. He became unbalanced and so problems occured. Imbalances, create problems and what is wrong with one part, is believed to affect the whole body, and what is good with one part, affects the whole body as well etc, etc.

Also, just to note, the 5 elements in qigong are earth, fire, water, metal and wood. There is no air.

Yes of course the other element is wood, I was typing from memory, not very impressive was it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tn_dizzy002.gif)



In the book I have, there are no sitting postures or do you mean squatting as if sitting?

No, I just mean basic sitting down and meditating, nothing too complicated, at least not the pose. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)

The main example, in most qigong would be first you would do all the forms or standing meditation etc, then you would sit down, cross-legged and meditate, usually focusing on the Dan-tien, to focus the energies you 'generated' into it, so that it is stored and kept, rather than letting it just flow around and escape. This sort of practice is usually the preliminary to the orbits. It increases the energy of the person and gradually the dan-tien will be able to have more energy at once in their bodies as well as in their dan-tien. the Dan-tien being the center of gravity in the body, maintains balance etc, so the more energy there the more balanced you are.

Aha! found it in the book, it talks about the upper and lower Dantians with instructions on moving the energies (IMG:style_emoticons/default/00000042.gif)

Heh, cool. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The Dan-tien I was talking about there, for note, is the lower Dan-tien, about three finger below the navel and three fingers in. There are three traditionally, the one above, another one about the location of the heart and a third at the location of the well known ajna chakra/third eye. Although, in actual fact, in qigong thought, the highest dan-tien is not located at that place, where the yogi's subscribe to, but horizontally in line, in the center of the head. However, it is believed that focusing where the yogis etc do, 'energizes' that area as well.

Yes, I have now found that too, we are doing well here (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

In fact, my acupuncturist used to try to explain these centres to me, but he uses traditional not five element, so I am not sure if these would be the same ones.

My video is five element and mentions the one below the belly button, but I am not sure which one my book is, but it mentions cranes and rainbows. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/n_chick_left.gif)

Heh, good to hear! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Hopefully you gain something from doing the qigong exercise. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

A quick note to "Dantians" we here in Asia often write them as Tan Thien. As in writing and pronouncation.

Thanks Kiwi Kid and Kinjo

I will look out for the variations in spelling, in fact my book spells it differently form Kiwi (IMG:style_emoticons/default/7.gif)

Heh, different spellings, same thing really. I've heard a few, Dan-tien, Dan-tian, Tan tien, Hara and now Tan Thien, heh.

I got lucky because a few years back a student from Taiwan, here to study western philosophy and finish his masters in psychology, actually got in contact with me (long story of its own) and taught a style of martial arts as a sign of friendship.

The form was called dragon style Ba Gua. I guess in China martial arts is derived from two father styles- king fu and tai chi. Ba Gua, Chi Gong, and Xing Yi are examples of styles that originate with the philosophies of Tai chi - at least thats what he told me. But Ba Gua is a more agressive form of Tai-chi.

There are a total of 72 manuvers. The first 64 are short manuvers grouped in sets of 8. Each group is specific about a type of attacks and defences - elbows, kicks, fist strikes, and throws. Each set correspondes to chinese tri-grams. I know very little about the tri-grams themselves but each is suppose to relate to an aspect of nature. By practicing all 8 sets one is using physical gestures to cerculate energy and thus is balancing themselves. The final 8 manuvers are very long and difficult to learn. In addition I was also taught how to use a straight sword and esorteric weapons my teacher called Uri in chinese I guese it means moon. Basically its a pair of blades and each is like two cresant moons stuck together in opposite directions. Its function is mainly to fend off sword attacks- very wicked and could easily mess somebody up. A lot of respect for weapons is required to wield these things.

Personally I wish I could learn ninjitsu- the real form and not the pretenders. I know a bit about its philosophy though. Any martial arts buffs out there should take a look at a book called "Mind of the Ninja".

This post has been edited by Acid09: Apr 1 2005, 03:08 PM

I did a few years martial arts training off and on but haven't done any for a while, might catch up tho, you never know.

Anyways, the "thought" that has gone into it is very spiritual indeed (as it comes from asia and probably the tao?) and alot goes into the body and the mind (spirit)

If anyone lives in sweden/gothenburg you might want to try out Bujinkan Dojo Göteborg for starters, very nice club, i think i'm still a member too.

I'll look into that book aswell! Anyone have it as a pdf?

I do a modern TaeKwonDo and ive only once in 4 years of doing it done Ki Training

If anyone lives in sweden/gothenburg you might want to try out Bujinkan Dojo Göteborg for starters, very nice club, i think i'm still a member too.

I'll look into that book aswell! Anyone have it as a pdf?

I can second that, the Bujinkan is a great organization.

Nice to meet a fellow ninja!

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