“When I try to do my qigong, I just can’t seem to let go of my thoughts,” she said. “My mind doesn’t shut up. Am I supposed to be thinking nothing at ALL?”

This question came from one of my Qigong 101 students. It’s a good question, and a common one. I get it not just from qigong students, but also practitioners of yoga, sitting meditation, and tai chi.

If I had to venture a guess, I’d say that I’ve probably received this question at least 300 times since I started teaching in 2005.

So why don’t I have a blog post answering this question, you ask?

Another good question! Let’s fix that now, shall we?

But first, a story!

I Think I Might Be Enlightened

The year was 1991. I was attending a lecture at Columbia University by Professor Robert Thurman, a famous Buddhist scholar.

Professor Thurman isn’t just book smart. He’s also one of the first Westerners to be ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk. Oh, and he’s also friends with the Dalai Lama.

So he knows a thing or two about meditation.

“I had an awakening experience last week,” the student said. “I think I might be enlightened.”

Giggles filled the lecture hall. It was obvious to all of us that this dude was stoned. I think it was obvious to Professor Thurman too, but he listened patiently.

“What’s your name?” Professor Thurman asked.

“Dan.”

“Tell me more, Dan.”

Dan explained how, since his awakening experience, he had been 100% thought free.

“The chatter in my head…you know, the radio station…it’s just, like, gone.”

“And how long has it been gone?”

“Since my awakening…like 6 days,” he said earnestly.

“So no chatter for 6 days?” Professor Thurman clarified.

“Right, man.”

Professor Thurman nodded but didn’t say anything. He paced around the front of the hall pensively, as if mulling something over in his mind. But his silence lasted longer than any of us expected, and all 50 or so Columbia students started to squirm in their seats.

Finally, after what felt like 10 minutes but was probably just 1 minute, Professor Thurman turned around suddenly and looked at Dan again.

“How about now?” he said.

Laughter erupted throughout the room, but Professor Thurman was still focused on Dan.

Dan considered the question deeply and looked as if he were meditating with his eyes open.

“I think you’re right,” he said finally, as if it were just him and Professor Thurman in the room. “I still have thoughts.”

“Don’t be ashamed, Dan,” Professor Thurman said. “Maybe you did have an awakening of some sort. But having no mental chatter at all — that’s perfect enlightenment you’re talking about, kid, and it’s a long way off for most of us, myself included.”

Mrs. Schupack, Zen Master

My first experience with meditation was in 5th grade. I think that my teacher, Mrs. Schupack, might have been a Zen master in disguise.

“I dare you to think of nothing for 60 seconds,” she said to the class. “No thoughts whatsoever for 60 seconds. Go ahead. Close your eyes and try it.”

I was 10 years old, and I thought I was pretty clever. I closed my eyes, confident that I would nail this challenge.

“Easy peasy,” I thought to myself.

“Wait, that was a thought,” I thought.

“And so was that,” I thought.

“Okay, no more thoughts,” I thought.

I squeezed my eyelids tight and did my best to concentrate. And I had a pretty good run. My mind was quiet for a second or two.

But before I knew it, I was thinking about lunch. Specifically, I was thinking about the vanilla pudding cup that my mother had hopefully packed in my lunch bag. I was thinking about popping the can open and licking the metal top carefully to get the delicious pudding….

“Time’s up!” Mrs. Schupack said.

“No way!” I thought. I felt defeated. It seemed like such an easy thing to do, but I had failed miserably.

“Anyone succeed?” she asked, a wry smile forming on her lips.

“I did,” Timothy said. I and several other students chuckled. There was NO WAY that Timothy had succeeded. He was full of you-know-what!

“No you didn’t,” Mrs. Schupack said confidently. “Because it’s impossible.”

She went on to explain that having zero thoughts for 60 seconds was not humanly possible.

Later, as I was eating my delicious vanilla pudding, I thought about what Mrs. Schupack had said. Was it really impossible to turn off your thoughts for 60 seconds?

33 Thoughts Per Minute

I’ve heard that the average human has over 50,000 thoughts per day. That’s over 2000 thoughts per hour, or 33 thoughts per minute!

This rings true to me — 33 thoughts per minute.

We’ll come back to this number because I think it’s useful for both beginners and seasoned meditators.

In the Zen tradition, we call this the Monkey Mind:

• The Monkey Mind is the radio station that Dan thought was forever gone from his head (but wasn’t).
• The Monkey Mind is the chatter that I heard in my own 10-year-old mind.
• The Monkey Mind is active in every human.

When people start to meditate, whether it’s sitting meditation or a form of moving meditation like qigong, they start to become aware of the Monkey Mind.

That’s what happened to me in Mrs. Schupack’s class. And that’s what happens to everyone who starts to meditate.

Thought Clusters

Does 33 TPM (Thoughts Per Minute) sound like a lot to you?

If you haven’t practiced meditation, then it probably does.

But if you’ve practiced meditation, you’re probably nodding your head and thinking, “sounds about right.”

Without a base level of meditative skill, it’s hard to be aware of all 33 thoughts. Your mind moves so fast that you can only track some of them, maybe not even half.

Then, with practice, you start to discover what I call thought clusters.

What at first seemed like one thought is actually a whole cluster of sub-thoughts.

For example, my 10-year-old brain started to think about vanilla pudding. But underneath that thought were many sub-thoughts, like, “it’s almost lunchtime,” and “I’m hungry.”

There were even non-verbal thoughts, like the muscle memory of opening the can of pudding. This was something I had done countless times — something I could feel in my fingers.

All of that forms a thought cluster. It’s several thoughts, not just one.

If we include thought clusters, then 33 TPM is a good example of what most people can expect when starting to meditate.

1 TPM

The goal of meditation is to gradually quiet the Monkey Mind.

You can think of this as gradually lowering your thoughts per minute from 33 TPM down to 1 TPM. But as Professor Thurman said, this is a lifetime of work.

Wait, what about 0 TPM?

I won’t even talk about reaching 0 TPM because it’s so advanced and so far from my own realm of experience that it’s practically meaningless.

In other words, even after decades of meditation practice, I still don’t worry about 0 TPM.

This was Dan’s mistake. He thought that, at the tender age of 19, with very little meditation experience, he had somehow catapulted himself to 0 TPM.

Sorry, Dan. You did good, but not 0 TPM good.

I do suspect that Mrs. Schupack was wrong and that 0 TPM is actually possible. But we’re probably talking about a tiny percentage of people in all of human history.

Are You a Child Prodigy?

Here’s what beginners and intermediate students really need to understand:

You don’t play the Schoenberg Violin Concerto after 1 year of practice.

You don’t even play it after 3 years of practice.

If you are a child prodigy, then MAYBE you play it after 10 years of practice. Maybe. And in that case, you’re one of the best violinists who’s ever lived.

The truth is that most violinists will never be able to play it. Not ever.

But this doesn’t mean that they can’t be amazing violinists! They absolutely can!

And that’s my message to you. You can be an amazing meditator without ever reaching 0 TPM.

In fact, you should probably stop thinking about 0 TPM altogether.

What’s Your TPM?

Dan thought he was suddenly and permanently at 0 TPM. Thanks to Professor Thurman’s ingenious teaching method, Dan realized that he wasn’t there yet.

Similarly, at the age of 10, with my first real attempt at meditation, I was aiming for 0 TPM. I was doomed to fail.

The student at the very beginning of this post, the woman who asked if she’s supposed to be thinking nothing at all — she was also aiming for 0 TPM.

Let me be clear: 0 TPM is not the goal.

Instead of aiming for 0 TPM, just aim to lower your TPM by 1 or 2 points every year.

That’s it. Just 1-2 TPM lower per year. That’s enough.

This is enough to get the many benefits of meditation, which is what you’re really after, right?

You want to be less anxious, to be more present, to have less pain, to have more energy, and to be happier, right?

Lowering your TPM, even by just 1 or 2 points, will start to bring you those benefits.

How To Spot a Fake Master

I’m of the opinion that most people who talk about being enlightened probably aren’t.

Here’s how you can tell.

Ask them if they are able to clear their mind 100%.

In other words, ask them if they are at 0 TPM. If they answer yes, then they’re probably fake. Go find another teacher.

(Of course, they might ACTUALLY be enlightened, in which case, sorry! You just missed an opportunity to learn from a living Buddha! My bad!)

Every meditation master that I’ve learned from admits that they are not yet at 0 TPM. In other words, even world-renowned meditation masters still can’t “think of nothing”.

But don’t let this fool you. These people are still INCREDIBLY skillful.

For example, someone who can repeatedly and reliably get to, say, 5 TPM — now that’s someone who deserves your respect!

The Bottom Line

Here are the key points of this post:

• Your mind absolutely should NOT be totally empty when meditating, whether it’s qigong, yoga, sitting meditation, or tai chi.
• Stop trying to “think of nothing”.
• Instead, just try to lower your Thoughts Per Minute (TPM) by 1-2 points.
• Remember that, in the beginning, you might feel like your TPM is increasing rather than decreasing. This is because meditation practice enables you to be aware of thought clusters.
• Most of us start at about 33 TPM (including thought clusters).
• You’ll start to reap the benefits of meditation even if you lower your TPM by 1 or 2 points.
• Most people who claim to be enlightened probably aren’t. Your miles may vary.

So there you go. There are my thoughts about…well…thoughts!

What do you think? Did you find my TPM analogy helpful? Let me know in the comments below!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Should Your Mind Be Totally Empty While Meditating? appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“I tried qigong, but it didn’t work for me,” she said.

This is my nightmare. This is what wakes me up at night screaming “NOOOOOOO!” like Luke Skywalker after he found out that Darth Vader was his father.

I want people to fall in love with qigong. I want them to have an amazing, positive experience with this beautiful art. I want them to get the many health benefits of qigong for themselves.

And they can do exactly that, but there are some pitfalls to avoid along the path.

If you avoid these traps, then qigong will work wonders for you.

In Western civilization, one of the biggest traps is treating qigong like calisthenics.

In this article, I’ll explain why qigong is fundamentally different than calisthenics, and how to avoid this common trap so that you can get the benefits you deserve.

What Are Calisthenics?

First, let’s define calisthenics:

cal·is·then·ics

n.

exercises consisting of a variety of gross motor movements—running, standing, grasping, pushing, etc.—often performed rhythmically and generally without equipment or apparatus. They are, in essence, body-weight training. They are intended to increase body strength, body fitness, and flexibility, through movements such as pulling or pushing oneself up, bending, jumping, or swinging, using only one’s body weight for resistance; usually conducted in concert with stretches. [from Wikipedia]

Let me be absolutely clear that calisthenics are a good thing.

Many, many people — especially in the US where obesity and inactivity are becoming epidemics — could benefit from calisthenics.

But I didn’t dedicate my life to the art of calisthenics. I dedicated my life to the art of qigong, and with good reason.

Calisthenics Didn’t Heal My Depression

Calisthenics didn’t save my life. Qigong did.

Specifically, it saved me from an illness that has killed more people in the 21st century than all of the global wars combined.

I’m talking about Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), or clinical depression.

Although there’s evidence suggesting that regular exercise and calisthenics can help with depression, those things didn’t work for me.

I was in my 20s when I was diagnosed.

At the time, I was already a black belt in Karate, I could crank out 50 knuckle pushups like it was nothing, and I probably could’ve gotten a job modeling men’s underwear because I had amazing, washboard abs.

I also had depression, low-back pain, a weak immune system, and anxiety.

Calisthenics are great, but they didn’t help me to heal.

It was qigong — REAL qigong — that helped my body to finally heal, not calisthenics.

The Yoda of Yoga

Before we talk about what real qigong is, let me tell you what it isn’t.

To do that, I’ll tell you a quick story.

I heard this story from a friend who, interestingly, now practices qigong rather than yoga. Since I seem to be on a Star Wars theme today, we’ll call him Luke.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, Luke was living in an ashram in India. He was there to learn from a famous yoga master.

While he was there, a young American yoga teacher came to visit the ashram. We’ll call him Han.

Han requested an audience with the guru, and it was granted. While the guru and many disciples watched, Han proceeded to demonstrate several advanced yoga postures.

You know — those pretzel-like ones that you and I will never be able to do.

After getting into one of these poses, Han would glance at the guru, presumably looking for approval.

This went on for a while, with the guru saying nothing. The silence was thick and tense.

Finally, the American stopped posing and asked, “Master, what did you think of my yoga?”

The master paused for a moment before responding. Then he spoke.

“I have not seen you do any yoga yet,” he said.

BOOM! Best answer ever! That guru was like the Yoda of yoga. 

If this answer confuses you, then here’s what he was conveying with his ingenious comment:

• Yoga is more than just going through poses.
• Yoga is an internal art.
• If you’re constantly glancing at someone while doing poses, then you’re obviously not practicing it as an internal art and thus you’re not really doing yoga.

That Ain’t Qigong

These days, yoga has gotten so muddled with calisthenics that the guru’s message is almost completely lost. It’s sad, but many people view yoga as Indian calisthenics, completely ignoring the internal aspects of the art.

And the same thing is starting to happen with qigong.

Qigong is becoming more and more popular, and that’s a wonderful thing! In fact, I believe qigong will one day be bigger than yoga.

But popularity brings its own problems. 

Like with yoga, many people don’t understand that qigong is an internal art.

When someone says, “I tried qigong, but it didn’t do much for me,” it makes me want to scream because what they did most likely wasn’t qigong.

They were just doing bad calisthenics.

Often, these are the same people who ask which exercise they should practice for X problem and then expect that exercise to fix their problem in just 3 weeks.

Gentle Calisthenics?

In the West, we have no point of reference for an art like qigong.

When we see the slow, gentle exercises of qigong we have nothing from our culture to compare it to. So we just compare it to calisthenics.

Here’s an example from my recent retreat in Costa Rica:

From a Western perspective, an exercise like this makes no sense. How could something like that make you healthier?

It’s too gentle, too soft, and too simple.

Even when compared to yoga, qigong is gentler.

With yoga, if you ignore the guru’s advice from above and you practice it as calisthenics, you’ll still get some health benefits.

Anyone who has accidentally wandered into an “All Levels” yoga class knows just how challenging it can be.

That shit is hard!

I think that many people who practice yoga KNOW that they’re just doing it as calisthenics rather than an internal art.

But they’re still getting results because calisthenics are good for you! Duh.

The Secret of Both Qigong and Tai Chi

With qigong, it’s different. There are many styles of qigong, and some are more vigorous than others.

But all of them are built on a foundation of softness and relaxation.

If you were learning qigong in Mandarin Chinese, then virtually every teacher would say the same 2 words over and over, regardless of the style:

fang song (放 松)

This simply means “loosen and relax”.

Even if you were doing a tai chi form, which is more complex and usually more vigorous than qigong, you would still hear fang song repeated over and over.

(If you’re not clear about the difference between qigong and tai chi, then this article will help.)

Both tai chi and qigong aim to get the qi, or internal energy, flowing smoother and smoother.

And to do this, to get your qi flowing smoother, you need to practice fang song.

Softness vs. Calisthenics

This concept of softness is not found in calisthenics nor in yoga.

Savasana (Corpse Pose) is the closest thing I’ve found in the yoga tradition, but it’s characteristically different because it’s done lying down rather than standing.

If you try to fang song (loosen and relax) in yoga like we do in qigong, your teacher will not be happy.

And fang song is even more foreign in calisthenics.

Relax while doing pushups? No way! Tense yours muscles and your core!

Keep heart rate low? No way! Get it up into the target zone!

Really, qigong and calisthenics couldn’t be more different in their approach.

This is good news for people who hate calisthenics.

The truth is that many people come to qigong precisely because they hate calisthenics. And that’s fine!

As long as you’re doing REAL qigong, you’ll still get results even if what you’re practicing is super gentle.

What Is Real Qigong?

What is qigong then? I’m glad you asked! Let’s start with a simple definition.

qigong

n.

An ancient Chinese mind-body practice that cultivates the internal energy, or qi, to restore wellness, build mental and emotional strength, reduces stress, and increases vitality.

The key words in there are:

• mind-body
• qi
• cultivate

This is similar to what the guru was trying to tell the American about his yoga. And that’s what I’m trying to tell you.

Here’s a simple way to tell if you’re doing REAL qigong, or just calisthenics.

Can you get results with a simple, gentle exercise like Gathering Qi from the Cosmos?

(If you don’t know this exercise and you’d like to learn it for free, then click here for lifetime access to an online mini-course.)

This exercise is a good example because there’s no real stretching, no squatting, and no complex movement.

If you can get health benefits with an exercise like this, then you’re doing REAL qigong.

Essence, Mind, and Energy

In Chinese, there’s an ancient phrase that nicely sums up the difference between calisthenics and qigong:

nei lian jing shen qi
wai lian jin gu pi
(内練精神氣外練筋骨皮)

This translates to:

Internal training cultivates essence, mind, and energy;
external training cultivates tendons, bones, and flesh.

(It sounds better in Chinese. It even rhymes!)

Here’s another way to say this:

With internal arts, the most important stuff happens on the inside!

The Best of Both Worlds

Of course, not all qigong exercises are easy.

Some of them are downright challenging, even if you’re in good shape.

For example, Lift Heels Bend Knees (#18 from the 18 Luohan Hands) involves a full squat while balancing on the toes.

If you practice this as calisthenics, then yes, you’ll get the benefits of calisthenics.

But why would you want to do that when you can have the best of both worlds?

Here’s a profound truth that all great martial artists throughout history have known:

You get the best results if you train both internal and external.

Internal Vs. External Martial Arts

Tai Chi is considered an internal martial art. It focuses on cultivating essence, mind, and qi. This is why it’s so closely related to qigong.

Karate, on the other hand, is considered an external martial art. It focuses on cultivating tendons, bones, and flesh (i.e. muscles).

But is it really true?

What if you practice tai chi devoid of the internal aspects? Is it still an internal art?

Similarly, what about the tiny Okinawan Karate master that I met 23 years ago who showed me an exercise to train energy and mind? (I didn’t realize what it was until many years later, sadly.)

The truth is that internal and external overlap more than many people realize.

Ideally, you want is to train BOTH internal and external together.

People who train tai chi but can’t do 10 pushups are only training the internal side.

People who train karate but can’t feel their qi are only training the external side.

Train both, and you’ll not only be a better martial artist, but you’ll be happier and healthier too.

Qigong For The Win

But this article is about qigong, not martial arts.

For many people, qigong provides us with a simple solution to this problem.

No matter what, qigong should be practiced as an internal art. But it can also be practiced as calisthenics.

It gives us a simple way to train the internal side at least, plus the external side if we want to.

But don’t fall into the trap.

There are 3 possible ways to train qigong:

a) practice it as an internal art;
b) practice it as an external art;
c) practice it as both an internal and external art;

By now, you should realize that b) is the trap that too many people fall into.

Don’t be one of them.

More Internal Training, Please

In the 21st century, what the world needs is more internal training. Perhaps more than ever before, we desperately need to train essence, mind, and energy.

We don’t need another external art. We’ve already got plenty of those.

If you want to train qigong as BOTH internal and external, great. That’s option c) from above. That’s what I do.

The same goes for tai chi. If you want to use it as both internal and external training — great. I do this too.

But if you had to choose ONLY one aspect, if you had to choose between internal and external — then make sure you choose the internal aspect. That’s choice a) from above.

You can use other arts for your external training if you like. If you enjoy yoga, use that for calisthenics. (Just don’t tell Yoda.)

If you have a calisthenics routine built into your martial art, use that.

Or if you absolutely love the elliptical at the gym — go for it.

Just make sure that you’re also training the internal side.

So How Do You Train Internally?

If you’re interested in learning the true internal skills of both qigong and tai chi, then you’re in luck.

It just so happens that I teach these skills online. What an amazing coincidence!

In a recent article, I mentioned the 4 primary skills of qigong:

1. Discovering the Qi
2. Circulating the Qi
3. Aligning the Qi
4. Gathering the Qi

Different masters might use different terminology, but these skills are universal to all forms of qigong.

If you want to train qigong (or tai chi) as an internal art, then you need to learn to relax your body (fang song), clear your mind, and feel your qi.

You need to learn how to get your qi circulating through the 12 primary meridians so that it can heal your body (and mind).

You need to learn how to align your body properly so that the qi is able to flow.

And you need to learn how to gather more qi into your system.

And that’s exactly why I spent so much time and energy creating my flagship online course called Qigong 101: The Art of Healing for Busy People.

If you want external training, then this course is NOT for you. But if you want to learn the internal side of qigong, if you want to learn the 4 primary skills, then consider joining us.

Registration opens in November, but the 12-month course doesn’t officially begin until January so you can start the new year right.

I say “officially” because you’ll get lots of goodies to hold you over, including a special module on beating holiday stress with qigong.

If you’re not already on the waiting list, then you can join at the bottom of that page. Here’s that link again.

And keep an eye out for my free video training series that I’ll be releasing in a few weeks.

I’ll teach you some of the internal secrets of qigong in that series — for free. Yes, you read that right. FREE!

In the meantime, do you have a question or something to add about the internal nature of qigong? Comment below, let’s converse!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Why Qigong and Calisthenics are NOT the Same appeared first on Flowing Zen.

I quit Facebook because it was making me angry. The politics, the racism, the hatred, the pointless arguing that never convinces anyone.

All of this was making me angry. It wasn’t good for my Liver Qi.

Some people think that a qigong teacher like me shouldn’t get angry in the first place.

This makes me angry too.

Jesus got angry at the money lenders, the Buddha got angry at his monks, but somehow I’m expected to be 100% free of anger?

Someone once asked the Dalai Lama if he ever gets angry or outraged. He said:

“Oh, yes, of course. I’m a human being. Generally speaking, if a human being never shows anger, then I think something’s wrong. He’s not right in the brain. [Laughs.]” [source]

I totally agree with him. And believe it or not, so does qigong philosophy.

The 3 Types of Anger

Qigong philosophy, which is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, tells us that there are 3 types of anger:

1. Excess Anger
2. Insufficient Anger
3. Appropriate Anger

Two of these are unhealthy. Can you guess which ones?

If you guessed #1 and #2, then you get a gold star!

Think of a see-saw. One side of the see-saw can be up (excess anger), or it can be down (insufficient anger), or it can be perfectly balanced (appropriate anger).

Or if you want another analogy, think of Goldilocks.

Anger can be the bed that’s too hard (excess), the bed that’s too soft (insufficient), or it can be the bed that’s juuuust riiight (appropriate).

Let’s look at each of these different types of anger separately.

1. Excess Anger

Too much anger is the obvious one — the one that gets all the attention. It’s also the reason that anger gets such a bad rap.

You’ve seen this type of anger in action at some point in your life, and it probably wasn’t pleasant.

To illustrate the problems with excess anger, let’s take the example of an abusive husband.

He’s seething with anger, and he frequently lashes out with verbal and physical abuse toward his wife, his kids, and even the dog.

There’s no question that this is unhealthy for everyone involved, including him.

His anger is unbalanced in a way that leads to violence and abuse.

In the see-saw analogy, his anger is up. In the Goldilocks analogy, his anger is the bed that’s too hard.

2. Insufficient Anger

The idea that someone can have too little anger is downright confusing to most Westerners. This confusion is connected to the false idea that anger is always bad.

Westerners tend to think, “the less anger, the better”.

But less anger isn’t necessarily healthier.

Let’s take the same example from above, but this time let’s look at the wife.

If she has been enduring her husband’s abuse for years, then hers could be an example of insufficient anger.

Why doesn’t she leave him, or take steps to protect herself, the kids, and the dog?

It’s not because she’s weak. Her “fed up” switch isn’t working properly.

You’ve probably been in a situation where you finally got fed up. Once that happened, once the “fed up” switch was flipped, you suddenly had the energy, mental clarity, and motivation to make changes.

That’s precisely the energy that the abused woman is lacking.

Her anger is unbalanced in a way that leads to numbness and inaction.

In the see-saw analogy, her anger is down. In the Goldilocks analogy, her anger is too soft.

3. Appropriate Anger

Appropriate anger, sometimes called “righteous anger,” is not only healthy, but essential to human life.

This is the energy that fuels action, the energy that enables people to right wrongs, the energy that fights for justice.

For example, the energy that led Martin Luther King to fight for civil rights — that was righteous anger, especially since it was non-violent.

Another example is the anger that led Susan B. Anthony to fight for women’s rights.

Righteous anger is appropriate to the situation, flows naturally, and then resolves itself.

If you look at the example of the abusive husband and the abused wife — they both represent opposites sides of an anger imbalance. Neither one of them shows appropriate anger.

Anger and the Five Elements

Traditional Chinese Medicine has a core theory called The Theory of Five Elements.

Basically, there are five energies that are represented by fire, earth, metal, water, and wood.

Each of these energies has a list of correspondences. For example, the Water Element is associated with the season winter, the color blue, the putrid odor, and the emotion of fear.

Don’t worry. You don’t need to memorize the chart above — unless you go to acupuncture school, in which case you have to memorize a much bigger and more complicated chart!

(And if you’re already an acupuncturist, please understand that I’m simplifying the Theory of Five Elements here for the sake of clarity.)

For our purposes here, we only need to look at the Wood Element, and the corresponding organ and emotion.

As you can see above, the emotion for the Wood Element is anger, and the corresponding organ is the Liver.

So what does all this mean for you and your liver?

Facebook vs. Your Liver

I mentioned earlier that Facebook was bad for my Liver Qi.

Can you see the connection now?

Facebook was making me angry, which was affecting my Liver Qi.

Eventually, this could affect my entire Wood Element, throwing my whole energy system off balance.

Yes, Facebook is one of the many things screwing with your qi!

Remember that it’s nearly impossible to have appropriate anger on Facebook. The same is true of reading a newspaper.  You simply can’t take meaningful action against every issue you see on Facebook or in the news.

Sorry. Sharing an article on Facebook doesn’t count as a meaningful action.

The anger that I was feeling while scrolling through my Facebook feed was going nowhere. It was just getting stuck. And that’s not healthy.

So I quit. I still use Facebook for Flowing Zen, but I no longer scroll through my news feed.

And my liver is happier for it.

The Two-Way Street

Here’s the fascinating thing about these Five Element correspondences: they work in both directions.

For example, if you injure your liver, perhaps by drinking too much alcohol, then you can actually make yourself angrier.

The Liver Qi gets disrupted by the alcohol abuse, which then disrupts the balance of anger.

In other words, anger can injure your liver, or injuring your liver can make you angry.

If you’re thinking, “That seems like a vicious cycle,” then you’re exactly right! The connection between anger and your liver can snowball in some pretty unhealthy ways.

Balance Your Wood!

By now, I hope you’re starting to see that anger management is really about managing the Wood Element.

When your Wood Element is in balance, then you’ll experience more and more appropriate anger.

Similarly, you’ll experience less and less of the imbalanced versions of anger, like rage or numbness.

In the example above, if we were to harmonize the energy in the wife’s Wood Element, then she would develop the balanced, righteous anger necessary to leave or stand up to her husband. (I’ve actually seen this happen with my students.)

If we were to harmonize the energy in the husband’s Wood Element, then his anger would calm down, and he would gradually find ways to express himself without being verbally or physically abusive.

This is all well and good, but how do we actually do it?

How To Develop Appropriate Anger

If there is something better for managing anger than qigong, I haven’t yet found it.

Acupuncture is great, and a good acupuncture physician should help you to diagnose and treat the imbalances in your Wood Element.

Yoga is also great, although it doesn’t use the Five Element theory. I also think that, when it comes to anger, qigong packs more of a punch, literally and figuratively (see below).

I assume that the Dalai Lama uses sitting meditation, and techniques like Loving Kindness Meditation.

(Click here to read my article about Loving Kindness Meditation, including a free audio — but make sure to READ the article before sending me hate mail. Thankyouverymuch!)

Punching Your Way to Appropriate Anger

I mentioned that qigong packs more punch. That was actually a bit of a qigong joke. I’ll explain.

There’s a famous qigong is called Punching with Fiery Eyes. This exercise happens to be excellent for harmonizing the Wood Element.

This technique is found in both the 18 Luohan Hands and 8 Pieces of Brocade qigong sets. The picture above shows a bunch of my certified instructors doing the technique (with Simon leading the charge).

There are lots of qigong techniques that will harmonize the Wood Element, but this one is a great example.

Slow and Soft, or Hard and Fast?

Punching with Fiery Eyes can be practiced slowly and gently, like tai chi.

Or it can be practiced more forcefully, like karate.

If you have excessive anger, then practicing the softer version, with a gentle punch and soft breathing, can help to soften your anger.

If you have insufficient anger, then practicing the harder version, with a forceful punch and a shouting sound, can help to raise your anger to a healthier level.

Whether the energy of your Wood Element is too hard or too soft, qigong exercises like this one can really help to bring it back into balance.

Personally, I just love that the same technique can be used for both types of imbalanced anger. It’s yet another reason to fall in love with qigong.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How to Get Angry Like the Dalai Lama appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Qi Gong. Chi Kung. Chi Gong. Qigong.

I tried different spellings on different brochures.

I quickly learned that the spelling wasn’t the problem.

The problem was that Americans had never heard of such a thing as qigong.

I considered using the words “tai chi” instead. After all, there’s a ton of overlap between the two arts. And of course I also practice tai chi.

But the qigong that I teach is significantly different than the tai chi that is commonly practiced. I wanted to differentiate between the two, so I continued to use the word “qigong”.

Zoom ahead 12 years into my teaching career, and the world has changed.

Today, the word qigong — however you choose to spell it — is much more widely recognized.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it’s widely recognized.

Most Americans still haven’t heard of it. But awareness is growing, and that’s a wonderful thing.

(Note: if you’re new to qigong, then click here to learn the best qigong exercise EVER.)

Change takes time. It took time for yoga to become the billion-dollar, global industry that it is today.

But I believe that if you give qigong a little time, it will be huge.

In fact, I think qigong will be bigger than yoga one day. Here’s why:

1. Qigong is easier than yoga.

Qigong is accessible to absolutely everyone. I’ve taught extreme athletes, and extreme couch potatoes. I’ve taught 20-somethings and 80-somethings. I’ve taught disabled veterans and marathoners (and also disabled marathoners).

For example, the picture above shows the exercise called Pushing Mountains, which involves gently moving your palms back and forth in a flowing manner, and coordinating your breath with the movement.

Anyone can do this exercise. It can be done sitting, it can be done in a wheelchair, and it can even be done with one arm.

There is only 1 prerequisite for success with qigong: a strong desire to practice for 15 minutes a day (or more).

I probably don’t need the rest of this list. This reason is enough to explain why qigong will explode in popularity.

2. Qigong is easier than tai chi.

There are many reasons why the art of tai chi didn’t see the same boom as yoga, despite it being practiced in the US for over 50 years.

In my experience, the biggest reason is this: people are intimidated by tai chi.

I can’t tell you how many students have come to me over the years telling me that they previously tried tai chi, but found it confusing, frustrating, and stressful.

With qigong, you don’t need to memorize long, complex routines. Nor do you need to worry about the martial aspects of the art.

Qigong allows you to dive immediately into the meditative and energetic aspects of the art, which is also what brings you quick results.

Click here to get a free taste of what I’m talking about.

3. Qigong is challenging. 

Although some qigong exercises are physically easy, other exercises are incredibly challenging — both physically and mentally.

Because there are so many different qigong techniques, it’s easy to raise the difficulty level for those who are ready.

Just as there are techniques that are appropriate for those who are ill or out of shape, there are also techniques that even an olympic athlete would find challenging.

And this is wonderful because it means that the art of qigong can grow with us.

4. Qigong is medicine.

Yes, yoga can be medicine. And so can walking. And so can laughter.

But qigong is unique in that it was actually engineered to be medicine.

(Note: Not all styles of qigong were designed to be medicine. For example, Iron Shirt Qigong is not meant to be medicine, although it can have therapeutic effects.)

Qigong is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine, along with acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine.

In China, you can find qigong in the hospitals. In fact, in some hospitals there’s an entire qigong wing!

5. Qigong is complementary.

If you see an acupuncturist in the United States, you will often be prescribed both herbs and acupuncture.

This is because the two forms of medicine compliment each other well.

Perhaps the main reason why qigong is so complementary is because you can take it home and use it safely on your own — something that isn’t possible with most forms of medicine.

Over the years, I have collaborated with acupuncturists, massage therapists, chiropractors, psychologists, MDs, reiki healers, osteopaths, and nutritionists.

I have seen with my own eyes how qigong can greatly complement other forms of healing.

6. Qigong is empowering.

Yoga is empowering too. But unlike yoga, Qigong doesn’t require physical strength or flexibility.

In fact, too much physical strength can be a hindrance with qigong. Body builders, for example, often struggle to relax the muscles and let go of deeper layers of tension.

An art that doesn’t need brawn for success is empowering to women, to the physically unfit, to the disabled, to children, and to smaller-sized men like myself.

7. The world is ready for mindfulness.

Mindfulness and meditation have been on the cover of Time Magazine several times.

Even major corporations are talking about mindfulness these days.

The world is falling in love with mindfulness, and this is a beautiful thing.

Wait —  didn’t you know that qigong is a traditional form of mindfulness meditation?

It is.

If you’d like to learn more about the connection between qigong and mindfulness, then read my article: 5 Things You Should Know About the Mindfulness Craze

8. Qigong is fun.

I imagine that yoga is fun for many people. I prefer qigong, and so do many of my students.

Let’s call this one a tie.

9. Qigong is accessible.

Compared to other arts, you actually need very little training to start getting remarkable results with qigong.

This is because qigong emphasizes internal aspects like mindfulness, breath, and energy flow rather than physical postures and alignment.

I can train a fresh beginner to start getting amazing results in just 3 hours.

In fact, I’ve watched many students continue to practice on their own and get all sorts of wonderful health benefits after only 3 hours of training.

You can even start getting results with just 10 minutes of instruction! Click here to learn the best qigong exercise EVER — for free.

10. Qigong flows.

With yoga, you don’t usually take a single exercise and do it 20 times in a row.

With qigong, this is the norm.

Repeating a simple, flowing exercise like Lifting The Sky 20 times in a row allows you to forget about the form, and instead focus on the internal aspects.

This creates a wonderfully enjoyable flow when practicing qigong.

11. People are learning Chinese. 

This reason is probably unexpected, but I think it is significant.

The world is changing, and the East is becoming a powerhouse, especially China.

People are learning Chinese in order to do business with China.

If you can speak and read traditional Chinese, then you can make the leap to classical Chinese easily.

As Westerners learn to speak and read Chinese, the qigong and tai chi classics will become better studied and translated.

This will only serve to strengthen the art of qigong.

I think it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing pop psych books about applying the Qigong and Tai Chi classics to business and relationships!

12. It’s all about the qi.

There is a growing awareness about acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and feng shui.

In all of these arts, qi is the star.

Although the concept of qi is historically Chinese, it is a phenomenon that transcends culture. It’s all qi — whether you call it qi, or prana, or vital energy.

I believe that, in the 21st century, humans will start to see that it’s all about the qi.

And once they do, it’s natural for them to become interested in the ancient art of cultivating the qi — qigong!

13. Tai chi is empty without qigong.

Although tai chi is more widely known in the US, it is often devoid of real qi cultivation. This is unfortunate.

Tai chi is a martial art that should have the concept of qi as a central training tool.

Many people practice only the external, physical aspects of tai chi, and these people are becoming increasingly interested in qigong to supplement their tai chi training.

14. Qigong is spiritual.

Both qigong and yoga can be used to cultivate spirituality regardless of your religious background.

In fact, I’ve taught religious leaders from all of the major world traditions — and none of them had any issues with practicing qigong.

Qigong gives us a wonderful and practical way to work on spirituality.

It allows us to heal not just our body, not just our mind, and not even just our spirit — but rather the combination of all three.

Qigong is all about unifying mind, body, and spirit, not separating them.

For example, some stubborn medical ailments will actually required that you practice exercises that work on mental/emotional/spiritual blockages.

15. Qigong supercharges sitting meditation.

Legend has it that Bodhidharma arrived at the Shaolin Temple only to find that the monks were sick, weak, and unable to go deeply into their sitting meditation.

To solve the problem, he taught them qigong.

And it worked. The Shaolin Monks turned into some of the best meditators in history, not to mention some of the best kung fu masters.

In my experience, the same phenomenon is happening today. People are practicing sitting meditation, but not reaping the rewards that they deserve.

Simply adding a daily qigong practice can supercharge your meditation, just like it did for the Shaolin Monks 1500 years ago.

16. Qigong is a quicker path to healing.

More than ever, people are looking for fast and effective forms of healing.

Many of these people end up finding qigong — even if they had previously practiced yoga for many years.

Because it is designed as a form of medicine, qigong can be a faster path to getting the results that you want.

If you get good instruction and then practice for 15-minutes per day, you will see good results within weeks, if not days.

And if you practice 15 minutes twice daily, then you’ll see truly remarkable results!

Conclusion

There you have it. That’s why I believe that qigong will be bigger than yoga in 10-20 years.

What do you think? Did I miss any reasons? Do you agree or disagree with my argument?

As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

And if you have friends or family who would like a taste of qigong, then I recommend that you send them to this free lesson here.

The post 16 Reasons Qigong Will Be Bigger Than Yoga in 16 Years appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Asking questions is an important part of learning.

Here’s how the “Ask Sifu Anthony” series works.

The post Ask Sifu Anthony – June 2014 appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Sex in America

In Greece, women go topless on the beaches. In America, just a picture of a woman — not even a topless image, mind you — can make some people squirm with discomfort.

Why?

America is #1 in a lot of things.

We are the undisputed champions of baseball, basketball, and REAL football. We have the #1 military in the world. Oorah!

And until very recently, we were the fattest country in the world.

But when it comes to sexual satisfaction, we’re not #1. We’re not even #2. In fact, we’re hardly on the list at all.

It’s probably no surprise that Greece, Brazil, and Italy are at the top of the list of the most sexually satisfied countries in the world.

But get ready to have your mind blown:  Switzerland and Germany are also way ahead of us in sexual satisfaction.

What gives? Is the beer THAT much better over there?

In a previous article, I started a conversation about sex in America. I talked about how there is an imbalance in the way that Americans manage their sexual energy.  And I talked about how we could learn a thing or two about sex from the ancient Taoists.

Hormones and Health

When your sexual energy is blocked, then your health will suffer. In my article about the 12 things that are blocking you from healing, I listed sexual fulfillment as one of the 12.

And it’s a big one.

When your sexual energy is blocked you’ll experience all sorts of negative symptoms, from frustration to lack of creativity to low back pain. But it’s even worse than that.

Blocked sexual energy affects your hormone production. It’s hard, if not impossible, to be full of vitality when your hormones are aren’t working correctly.

How to Get Unblocked

So how do we start getting unblocked? How do we begin to heal our society? How do we save America from the sexual frustration terrorists?!?

As we must do with all change, we must start with ourselves. Change comes from within. Here are some ways that you can start to heal and balance your own sexual energy.

1. Do Qigong

Qigong is the art of cultivating your internal energy. If you haven’t already learned some qigong, then stop what you’re doing and go sign up for my free online qigong course, or go learn Lifting The Sky for free.

There are advanced qigong exercises that are specifically designed for cultivating sexual vitality (more about those below), but you don’t need those. Even a simple 2 minute daily qigong routine will help tremendously.

2. Sleep More

In our culture, we say silly things like, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

No, you won’t.  But you may in fact die sooner because you don’t sleep enough.

In the qigong tradition, sleep is considered to be one of the major ways that the body restores and heals itself.

It’s also super important for hormone regulation. That’s why morning sex can be so powerful.

Get more sleep for 30 days in a row, and you may find that your libido suddenly gets stronger and healthier.

3. Exercise Your Pelvic Floor

This type of exercise, which involves flexing the pubococcygeus muscle, is often called “kegels”. But it’s not just for women.

The ancient Taoists encouraged both men and women to practice this type of exercise.

There are many versions, but the easiest way to get started is to simply stop the stream while urinating. This is a good way to make it a habit. Stop and start the stream several times each time you go to the bathroom.

Later, once you’ve got the hang of it, you can flex the pelvic floor without urinating. The beauty of this exercise is that it’s invisible, so you can practice it all day long!

Don’t tense the body or legs while you do this. And try not to hold your breath either. Lift and hold like this for 10 seconds, and then release.

For men, it should feel almost as if you are retracting the testicles up into the body. For women, it should feel (or so I’ve been told) that you are drawing a small egg up into the vagina and toward the cervix.

The ancient Taoists go one step further for women. Basically, they talk about doing kegels with resistance. This technique is beyond the scope of this article (and beyond the scope of my experience), but in short, it’s involves doing kegels with a jade egg in the vagina.

4. Practice The Small Universe

The Small Universe is an advanced Taoist qigong exercise that I’ve already talked about in depth. It’s not for beginners. If you mess with this technique before you’re ready, you’ll probably just block your energy even more.

But if you already know the Small Universe, then it’s an awesome choice for cultivating sexual vitality. If you’ve been practicing the Small Universe for more than a few months, then you should have already seen some improvement in your sexual vitality.

Men should experience harder erections, a higher sex drive, and greater control over ejaculation. Women should experience increased wetness, a stronger libido, and increased pleasure. At higher levels, when both partners are practicing the Small Universe, sex can become a deep, spiritual practice.

5. Practice The Small Wheel

If already you know the Small Universe, then the Small Wheel is easy.

The Small Wheel involves circulating the energy in a circle from dantian, down to huiyin, up to mingmen, and then back to dantian. So rather than the larger circuit that we do in the Small Universe, this circuit is smaller.

I feel like I should reiterate that this is not for beginners. If you don’t know the Small Universe, then you shouldn’t mess with the Small Wheel. Beginners should focus on simpler and safer techniques, like Lifting The Sky, and the next exercise, Belly Breathing.

6. Learn Belly Breathing:

Belly breathing is not necessarily a qigong technique. Singers do it. Some yoga schools also do it. It’s a skill that you had as a baby, and have probably lost. But it’s easy to regain.

Learn to breathe from your belly, regardless of the method. Belly breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, encourages the relaxation response, improves digestion, and (drumroll) nurtures sexual vitality. Here’s a trick that will help.

Lie down and place a heavy book on your lower belly, just below your belly button. Breathe naturally, but gradually allow your breathing to come from your lower belly. The book should rise as your breathe in, and fall as you breathe out.

7. Take a Chill Pill! 

Stress creates cortisol (also known as the stress hormone). And cortisol messes with your sex drive (and your health).

You need a solution to stress in your life. Obviously, I’m a fan of qigong and tai chi.  Maybe your choice is yoga, or some sort of meditation. Great. But you need a solution.

If you don’t have a solution yet, then try my free class.

From there, I highly recommend that you commit to doing 2 minutes of qigong every day.

Stress management is more important than all the other things on your to-do list.

8. Hang Out

Humans are social animals. Spending time with other humans can have a dramatic effect on cortisol (see above) and oxytocin (see below). When you lowering cortisol levels and raise oxytocin levels, your libido (and your overall health) will improve.

9. Hug it Out

While you’re hanging out with friends and family, go ahead and hug!.

Hugging stimulates a hormone called oxytocin, sometimes called the “cuddle hormone”.  This hormone is associated with all sorts of benefits, including stress relief, depression relief, weight loss, and pain relief.

And yes, pets count!

10. Walk it Out

Exercise is important, and there’s no simpler form of exercise than walking. In the world of Chinese medicine, the only form of exercise that is better than walking is qigong. And even if you know qigong, you should still walk every day.

I have and Apple Watch, which are also digital super-pedometers. They measure all kinds of things, like distance walked, number of steps, number of flights climbed, calories burned, etc.

They say that a healthy person should take 10,000 steps per day. Unless you’re already very active, you’re probably going to get a huge wake up call when you first start using the Fitbit. You’re probably closer to 2000 steps than 10,000.

Increase the number of steps, and you’ll gradually watch a lot of your sexual blockages melt away. You’ll also have more energy, and sleep better. Sounds like a good deal to me!

11. Get Your Yoga On

The ancient Taoists didn’t talk about yoga, which is an Indian art. They talked about qigong, which is a Chinese art.

But yoga can definitely help.

I’m not a yoga expert, but if I look at the art from a Chinese medical perspective, it’s clear that the postures help to open up the flow of energy through the body. This, in turn, will help to gradually clear some of the sexual blockages.

Personally, I prefer qigong and strongly believe that it will be bigger than yoga one day. But to each their own, and if yoga works for you, then keep working it!

12. Meditate

Lately, people are talking about sitting meditation being the cure for just about everything. And it can be true — for some people.

Not everyone is ready for sitting meditation. If it doesn’t work for you, then don’t feel guilty about trying something else. (I recommend trying forms of moving meditation like qigong and tai chi.)

If sitting meditation calms you, gets you into a deeply relaxed state, and helps you to quiet the mind, then it’s also going to help you to unblock your sexual energy. So keep going!

13. Men — Ditch the Tightie Whities

Believe it or not, tight underwear constricts the flow of blood and energy to the male genitals. Wear boxers, or boxer briefs, not “tightie whities”.

14. Squat

Squats are great for lots of things, including sexual health. If you know the qigong exercise called Three Levels To Earth, then practice that. If not, just learn what they call an air squat. This a conventional, physical exercise, and it won’t have quite the same effect as qigong exercises, but it’s close enough for jazz.

Squatting opens up the pelvic area (called the kua in qigong and tai chi terminology), massages the internal organs, and promotes a healthier production of hormones. I recommend doing them throughout the day. If you sit a lot for work (see #15), the get up and take a “squatting break” at least once an hour.

15. Sit Less

Sitting is the new smoking. That’s what all the research says. Sitting is killing us by slowly messing with our hormones, our metabolism, and our energy levels.  This can wreak havoc on our libido.

The solution is to take breaks. Every hour, without fail, get up from your desk. Walk around, do some squats, do the 2-Minute Drill, or whatever. You might also consider getting some sort of standing desk. Or better yet, get your boss to buy one for you!

16. Masturbate

Practice makes perfect! One of the best ways to harmonize and unblock your sexual energy is to masturbate.

Hold your horses, men. Notice that I didn’t say anything about ejaculation. And with good reason. According to the ancient Taoists, men must be extremely careful in how often they ejaculate. If you ejaculate too frequently, you’ll drain your energy. (On the other hand, if you ejaculate too infrequently, your energy will stagnate.)

Two thousand years ago, the Su Nu Jing (素 女 經) , a classic text on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), advised how frequently a man should ejaculate to maintain optimal health. The following chart shows the guidelines from that classic text.

Your miles may vary.

For women, the same rules don’t apply. According to the ancient Taoists, women lose energy from menstruation and child birth, not from orgasm. This means that women have a carte blanche when it comes to masturbation and orgasm.  There’s no such thing as “too often”.

This is a big topic.  If you’re interested, I’ll write a separate article entirely on masturbation.  Let me know in the comments below (or send me an email if you’re too shy).

17. Just Do it!

I saved the best for last.  Having sex — satisfying, intimate, passionate sex — is part of the solution.

Part of what’s causing our sexual blockages is that Americans just don’t have sex often enough.  We’re too busy, too stressed, or too tired.   Whereas other countries are doing it a few times a week, we’re doing it a few times a month, or with many couples, a few times a year!

There’s no easy fix for this one.  It’s a complex problem.  My best advice is to work on the tips above.  Start with yourself.  As you clear your own sexual blockages, you may be surprised to find that things suddenly start to flow more smoothly with your lover.

What Do You Think?

Do you have anything to add to the list?  Did I miss anything?  Go ahead and add it to the comments below.  I’m interested in hearing from you.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post 17 Ways To Unblock Your Sexual Energy appeared first on Flowing Zen.

You’re a good student, right?

Whether you’re new to qigong, or you’ve been practicing for years — you want to be a good student and avoid making mistakes.

And you definitely want to avoid making the #1 mistake, right?

If so, then you’re in the right place.

By avoiding this mistake, you can not only save time and money, but you can get on the fast track to healing.

The good news is that this mistake is simple.

The bad news is that simple doesn’t mean easy.

But it’s worth it! Once you correct this mistake, you’ll immediately start seeing better results.

Immediately. Not 3 months later, and not even 3 days later, but immediately.

Don’t take my word for it. Read on, and see for yourself…

The #1 Mistake

Without further ado, here’s the #1 mistake that people make when practicing qigong for healing:

Students pay too much attention to the physical aspect of qigong.

When it comes to maximizing your results, there is a simple equation that will help:

• The physical aspect is responsible for 10% of your results.
• The breathing aspect is responsible for 30% of your results.
• The meditation aspect is responsible for 60% of your results.

I like to call this the 10/30/60 Rule.

The Physical Aspect (10%)

The physical movements and postures — like Lifting The Sky, Pushing Mountains, or another qigong exercise  — are only responsible for about 10% of your results.

In other words, even if your physical form is absolutely perfect, you only get 10 points max!

The Breathing Aspect (30%)

How you inhale, exhale, and pause — and what you feel while doing all this — contributes to another 30% of your results.

In Chinese, the word qi means both energy and air. And this word just about sums up what’s happening here: you’re breathing both energy and air.

If you practice this aspect perfectly, then it will contribute to 30% of your overall results.

Breathing air is easy. You’ve been doing it for years! But in order to breathe energy, you need to a) learn the skill, and b) practice the meditation aspect of qigong.

The Meditation Aspect (60%)

The meditation aspect is the master key that unlocks the healing potential of qigong.

Unfortunately, this aspect is also the most confusing, probably because we typically try to understand it with our intellectual mind.

In the Zen tradition, the intellectual mind is known as the Monkey Mind.

Meditation practice taps into what is known as the Zen Mind, which is totally different. The Zen Mind is a meditative state where the Monkey Mind is quieter than usual, the brain waves are in the Theta state, and the nervous system is in the parasympathetic state.

If you learn the skill of the Zen Mind and practice it, then it will account for 60% of your overall results.

(If you want to learn more about the Zen Mind, then keep reading or scroll down.)

But What About Alignment?!?

Some of you are undoubtedly confused by this 10/30/60 Rule.

Perhaps you’ve been taught that proper alignment is critical in qigong. Or maybe you’ve been taught that the foot must be placed “just so” in your tai chi form.

Alignment does matter. If we’re talking about tai chi, which is ultimately a martial art, then the placement of the foot does make a difference when you’re blocking or delivering a punch.

In qigong, the alignment of the spine and the body also matters.

But when it comes to health and vitality, these things still only add up to 10% of your results.

I’ve taught people in wheelchairs, people with prosthetics, and people with partial paralysis.

In all of these cases, the students got amazing results even though the physical movements and postures had to be adjusted. In fact, many of these students got better results, possibly because they naturally paid more attention to the breathing and the meditation aspects, knowing that they couldn’t possibly perfect the physical aspect.

Mary The Butcher

Let me give you a real-life example. Years ago, in my studio in Florida, I taught a monthly introduction to qigong.

In that workshop, I always taught an amazing qigong exercise called Lifting The Sky. But I also taught the 10/30/60 Rule.

To this day, I give my students permission to “butcher” the physical form. I always see smiles of relief when I tell them this. Students are thrilled at the idea of not having to get the form perfect.

During one of these intro workshops, I recognized Mary. She had taken the workshop 6 months earlier, but was retaking it in order to review. (This was before I was teaching online, otherwise she could have just clicked a button to review.)

When I saw Mary performing Lifting The Sky, I actually chuckled to myself.

Mayr’s form was beautifully awful. I mean it was REALLY bad. It was about the worst performance of Lifting The Sky I’ve ever seen.

Physically, that is.

Most teachers would probably rush to correct her, and maybe even chastise her. But I’m not most teachers, and I did something different.

“Mary, you took this class 6 months ago, right?” I asked her during the break.

“Yes, Sifu,” she said. “And I’ve been practicing every day!”

“Wonderful!” I said. “How are your results?”

“Amazing! My arthritis pain is almost completely gone, I’m sleeping like a baby, and I’ve got tons of energy!”

After hearing her answer, do you think that I corrected Mary’s form?

The answer is a firm “no”.  I didn’t correct her.

Why not?

Mary was obviously doing something right. She was getting good results. She was following the 3 Golden Rules. And most importantly, she was practicing regularly.

If I had to score Mary’s qigong performance, it would look something like this.

• 4 (of 10)  points for the physical aspect
• 28 (of 30) points for the breathing aspect
• 55 (of 60) points for the meditative aspect
• 87 (of 100) points total
  

In my world, an 87 is solid B+, which is great! Mary’s form was weak, but her breathing was almost perfect, and she was doing a great job of following the 3 Golden Rules during the session. In other words, her overall qigong performance was excellent even though her form was abysmal.

Don’t Correct That Form!

What do you think would’ve happened if I had corrected her physical form?

If it was as easy as correcting her form and adding 5 points to her overall performance, then I would’ve done it, of course.

But that’s virtually impossible to do. Here’s why: Adding points to the physical aspect almost always involves taking points away from the breathing or meditative aspects.

Instead of relaxing, letting go of worries, and enjoying herself, Mary would have been worrying about getting the physical aspect of Lifting The Sky perfect.

She might even spiral down into negative self talk.

“I’m so uncoordinated! And I can’t believe I’ve been doing it so badly for months. I’m so stupid!”

As a result, the meditation aspect would likely drop by 20% or even 30%.

Once the meditative aspect drops, then the breathing aspect will also drop because the nervous system begins to tense up.

In other words — correcting the physical form often creates a cascade of negative effects.

The new equation, after correcting her form, might look something like this.

• 9 (of 10)  points for the physical aspect
• 19 (of 30) points for the breathing aspect
• 33 (of 60) points for the meditative aspect
• 61 (of 100) points total 

In this second equation, Mary scored a 61 with her qigong performance.

That’s a failing grade, folks. The difference between a score of 87 and a score of 61, in terms of long-term results, is massive.

For students fighting a serious illness, this could literally be the difference between life and death.

Why Students Make This Mistake

Now that you know about this mistake, now that you understand the theory behind it, you’re good to go, right?

Wrong.

As I said, even my own students, who have heard all of this many times, still make this mistake. Why?

We live in a physically-oriented culture. We perceive the world through our eyes. We notice what looks good.

Qigong is an internal art. This means that the important stuff happens on the inside. In other words, the important stuff is almost invisible!

The 10/30/60 equation highlights this fact.

In America, we’re not familiar with internal arts. We’re more used to external arts, where the important stuff happens on the outside.

Ultimately, the 10/30/60 rule is about focusing more on the internal aspects than the external aspects. 

So even if you forget the exact equation, you can remember the lesson behind the equation.

Learning to pay more attention to the internal aspects is an ongoing process. It’s about reconditioning yourself to a new way of thinking. And this takes time.

This is why we have the 3 Golden Rules as a guide for practicing.  If you consistently come back to the 3 Golden Rules, over and over, then you’ll naturally be following the 10/30/60 equation because you’ll naturally be focusing on what’s important (i.e. what’s happening inside).

Try It Out

If you’re already practicing qigong, and if you’re new to the idea of this 10/30/60 equation, then I encourage you to give it a try for a few weeks.

The free audio below will guide you through a 4-minute session that focuses on the meditative aspect of qigong.

Try it and you’ll get a taste of the Zen state of mind. Later, you can incorporate this into your qigong routines.

Or if you don’t know any qigong yet, then go grab one of my free or paid online courses here.

If you’ve been practicing qigong with a wildly different equation — for example, if you’ve been putting 60% of your attention into the physical aspect, 30% into the breathing aspect, and 10% into the meditation aspect — then you’re going to see an amazing jump in your results, and very quickly.

Let me know in the comments below how this equation works for you. And if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Avoid This Qigong Mistake to Supercharge Your Results appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Today is Valentine’s day.  While I sometimes feel like this holiday is more about selling cards, flowers, and chocolate than it is about love, I still think it’s a good time to talk to you about qi and sexual energy.

But first, I should mention that I’m terrible at talking about sex.  Just ask my students.  The other day, during an advanced class, I turned beet red while talking about the sexual vitality that we cultivate through the qigong exercise called The Small Universe.

Hey! You try getting in front of 25 adults and talking about sex without sounding like a jerk!  It’s not easy.

I’m American.  And the truth is that Americans are conflicted when it comes to sex.  On the one hand, we expect to see sex everywhere — on TV, the Internet, in magazines and books, and in movies.

On the other hand — we’re super puritanical.  When I was in Europe years ago, I couldn’t help but notice that women on the beaches walked around topless.  Meanwhile, in the good ol’ U.S. of A., we freak out when a woman dares to show a bit of side-boob while breastfeeding in public.

In other words, we’re prudes.

My premise in this article is that there’s an imbalance in the way Americans manage their sexual energy. As a culture, we’re repressed.  Our sexual energy is stifled.  It is not flowing as smoothly as it could.

Answer the following questions:

• Do you get easily frustrated, even by small things?
• Do you lack motivation and drive?
• Do you have difficulty making decisions, even minor ones?
• Do you lack creativity?
• Do you have a growing sense of disconnectedness?
• Do you experience a background static of anxiety?
• Men — do you have low back pain or prostate problems?
• Women — do you suffer from severe PMS, fibroids, or endometriosis?

These are some of the symptoms that can arise from stifled sexual energy.  Sounds pretty bad, doesn’t it?

It gets worse.

If a person’s sexual energy gets stifled badly enough, then it can lead to major distortions not only in their health, but their psyche.

And that’s when the really awful stuff happens.  For example, in schools, churches, and organizations all around the country, the result of extremely distorted sexual energy can be seen in behavior like sexual abuse and/or rape.

Perhaps now you can understand why I think that this topic is so important.

So here we go.  Let’s talk about sex.  I’ll be brave, and face my “talking about sex” fears.  And you’ll need to be brave too, because it’s a difficult topic.  But we can do this.  We’re adults, and we can find a way to talk about sex in a productive manner.

East Vs. West

The ancient Eastern masters, especially the Taoist masters, viewed sexual union as a way to harmonize the body’s energy (qi).  Basically, they viewed sex as a form of qigong — a way to cultivate energy for health, vitality, and even spirituality. 

In other words — pretty much exactly the opposite of what Western culture teaches. We live in a culture that, not so long ago, told pubescent boys that they would go blind if they masturbated.  Or worse, that they’d go to hell!

Of course, that didn’t stop them from doing it.   It just made them feel ashamed, which in turn distorted their sexual energy.

Teenage boys are full of hormones and sexual energy.  Where do we expect that energy to go?  Into sports?  Video games?  Homework?

Young boys need to be taught to manage their sexual energy, not stifle it.  And by “manage”, I don’t necessarily mean orgasm.  If you think that orgasm is the only way to manage sexual energy — well, then you’re probably a product of Western culture!

Our culture is terrible at managing sexual energy.  And it’s not just teenage boys.  The same is true of young women.  It’s also true of older women.  And older men.  And middle-aged men.  And middle-aged women.

In other words — everyone.

As a culture, we have a lot to learn about how to manage our sexual energy.

When The Energy Gets Distorted

Ask yourself this question:  Why are there so many cases of child sexual abuse among priests? 

The ancient Eastern philosophers would say that this is happening because the sexual energy not just of the priests, but of the organization, is distorted.  To solve the problem, we need to harmonize that energy.

Let me be clear that I’m not suggesting that priests or nuns should give up their celibacy.  I honestly don’t think that that’s the root of the problem.  Monks and nuns in the ancient Shaolin Temple were celibate, similar to modern-day Christian priests and nuns.

But here’s the difference — the Shaolin monks and nuns practiced qigong and meditation in order to manage their sexual energy.  As a result, they were able to channel that energy in healthy ways, like into their spiritual cultivation, and also in to the practice of Shaolin Kung Fu.

A lot of my students are older, and some of them have told me that they are sexually inactive.  But being sexually inactive doesn’t mean that you can skip the sex conversation, just like you can’t skip it if you’re a priest.

The same goes for those who would prefer not to be celibate, but currently don’t have a sexual partner.  You can’t just stick your head in the ground and pretend that you’re not a sexual being.

One way or another, your sexual energy will express itself.   It will either express itself in a healthy way, or in an unhealthy way.

How To Harmonize Sexual Energy

If you practice qigong, tai chi, meditation, or yoga, then you’re already working on your sexual energy.  That’s a great start.

But there are Taoist qigong techniques that are specifically designed to harmonize sexual energy.  If you’re interested, I’ll write a sequel to this article and talk more about how these techniques can help us to cultivate and harmonize sexual energy.  Want more on this topic? Then let me know in the comments below.

**EDIT** The follow-up article, 17 Ways to Unblock Your Sexual Energy, can be found here.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Let’s (Try To) Talk About Sex appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Maybe you agree with the dogs.

The classics say that dawn is the best time to practice qigong. I absolutely agree. And not just because it’s written in the classics, but because I’ve tried it all.

At the turn of the century (I love saying that), I went through a phase where I practiced qigong at midnight every night. The classics say that midnight is the 2nd best time to practice.

I enjoyed it. Midnight was certainly a good time to practice.

But not as good as dawn.

I’ve also experimented with practicing at odd times — early afternoons, evenings, late mornings. All of them were okay.

Not as good as midnight.

And definitely not as good as dawn.

I’ve even experimented with (gasp) practicing at noon even though some teachers think it’s a no no.

Time and again, I kept coming back to dawn. It just feels like the best bang for my qigong buck.

A student recently asked my why it’s so great practicing at down. Here are my reasons.

Why I Practice at Dawn

1. Dawn is a magical time of day. The world is still asleep (including the dogs!).  Cars aren’t driving. Humans aren’t bustling. The birds are just waking up.   And the light is absolutely incredible.

2. It’s cooler. In Florida, this is a big deal if you’re going to practice outside from May to October.  Once the sun comes up, it immediately starts getting hot. I practice outside 365 days a year, so the earlier the better.

3. The energy is awesome. The classics say that the energy is better at dawn.  And my experience confirms it.  The energy is softer somehow. And purer. And awesomer.

4. The whole day is better. When I practice at dawn, I finish my session as the rest of the world is waking up. I can think of no better way to start my day. As I finish, I can feel the full potential of the day ahead of me.   And I’ve got the energy and the motivation to fully embrace it.

5. I can practice again later. This applies to a morning practice in general, but I feel that it works even better if I practice at dawn. Because I’ve started my day right, because I’ve got plenty of energy, I’m more likely to practice again in the afternoon or evening. I have that option.  If I only practice in the evenings, I don’t get that option.  So if you’re looking to increase your dosage of qigong, practicing at dawn is a good way to do it.

But I’m a Night Owl!

I understand that it’s not easy for some people to practice at dawn.  “I’m a night owl,” or “I’m not a morning person,” are common excuses. But they are just that — excuses.  I know because I’ve used them myself.

Once upon a time, I was anything but a morning person. I was a night owl. I felt most productive and alive at night.

By contrast, I felt sluggish and dull in the morning, even with lots of coffee.

Now it’s the opposite. I feel more alive in the morning, even without coffee.

This morning, I drank water before practicing. Nothing else. When you sleep well and wake up early, you don’t need coffee to feel alive.

And that’s part of the problem, isn’t it?  You’re just not sleeping particularly well. So it’s no wonder that you’re not a morning person.

Sleepy Time

Night owls are out of rhythm with the cosmos. Our bodies were designed to be awake at dawn. For hundreds of thousands of years, our ancestors got up at or before dawn. When we stay up late and wake up late, we go against the natural rhythms of the cosmos.

If you stay up late, especially if you use electronics, then your body gets confusing signals. It doesn’t get a chance to unwind properly. The light stimulates the eyes, which stimulates the deeper parts of the brain, and your internal clock gets thrown off. So when you finally go to sleep, you don’t sleep deeply.

And this happens to many people every night, for years.

They say that one hour before midnight is worth two after. I don’t know if that’s true or not. Honestly, I don’t concern myself with what time I go to bed. I only concern myself with what time I get up. And if I constantly get up early, then my body tells me to go to bed earlier. Simple.

30 Dawns

For some of you, this challenge will be easy.  But for some of you, it will be a big deal.  Here’s the challenge: Practice at dawn for 30 days in a row. (If you’re new to Qigong, then start here.)

If you can manage it, then I think you’ll see why I practice at dawn. Or, if after 30 days you’re still miserable, then at least you’ll have bragging rights.  “Sifu, I tried your stupid dawn challenge, and it was awful!”

What say ye? Are you going to try practicing at dawn? Or do you already do it?  Keep the discussion going in the comments section below!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Why I Practice Qigong (and Tai Chi) at Dawn appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Students are always looking for tips and tricks for getting better results with qigong. I do my best to help by offering lots of tips in my classes and on my blog.

But you don’t need a long list of tips and tricks to succeed with qigong.

All you really need to do is follow The 3 Golden Rules.

Having taught thousands of people on 4 continents, I can say with confidence that the 3 Golden Rules will solve about 70% of your qigong problems. 

Without further ado, let’s look at the 3 Golden Rules.

Rule #1: Let Go of Worries

Worry will find all kinds of creative ways to sneak in to your practice. That’s okay, and it’s normal.  The trick is to let go of the worries after they sneak in.

How do you let them go?

Just do it! A gentle exhalation through the mouth may help, but don’t start worrying about how to let go of worry!

And don’t worry if you have a lot of worries sneaking in. Just let them go as best as you can.

“Can any of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?”  – Jesus [Matthew 6:25-33]

Why this is important:  Because worrying block the flow of qi. Whenever you are worrying, your energy is stifled. As soon as you let go of those worries, the energy will start to flow again.

Remember that worry is a useless emotion (see the wonderful quote from Jesus above).  It never changes anything. All it does is block the flow of qi in your body.

Rule #2: Let Go of Thoughts

Thoughts will creep in. This is natural. It happens to all of us, even masters.

Let them go, over and over.

If you say, “I tried, but I can’t do it!” I’ve got news for you.

That’s a thought too. Let it go.

Don’t let the letting go of thoughts turn into more thoughts. You can’t think your way out of thinking.

Why this is important:  Because thoughts block you from the Zen Mind. If you’re thinking, you’re not in a meditative state of mind.  And if you’re not in a meditative state of mind, then you’re not getting the best results from your practice.

Rule #3:  Enjoy the Moment

If you’re doing Lifting the Sky, enjoy it. Enjoy the movement, your breathing, the flow, the experience.

The mind will wander to the past or the future, but your job is to bring it gently back to the present moment — to right now.

Why this is important: Staying present, also called mindfulness, is an aspect of the Zen Mind and it  stimulates the flow of qi. In other words, enjoyment does the opposite of worrying and thinking.  Whereas worrying and thinking block the flow of qi and pull out out of the Zen Mind, enjoyment pulls you back in and simultaneously gets the qi flowing. What a great deal!

Applying the 3 Golden Rules

Over the years, I’ve been amazed at how many issues can be solved by following these 3 Golden Rules.

It’s become bit of a joke in my classes. A student comes to me with _______ problem, I “solve” it with the 3 Golden Rules.

I’ve even used the 3 Golden Rules to help people from other meditation traditions, like yoga or tai chi.

Let’s analyze some common practice problems, and solve them with the 3 Golden Rules.

Example #1

Problem: You’re enjoying your practice, but then you start worrying about whether or not you’re doing the form of Lifting the Sky correctly. Doubt creeps in, with it the negative self-talk.

Solution: Use Rule #1. Let go of this useless worry. Just let it go without fussing.  If the worry comes back, let it go again. And again. Remember that worrying blocks the flow of qi. So the worry is worse than any physical mistakes you might be making.

Tip:  Intentionally make some mistakes in the physical form. Since the physical form is not that important, these mistakes don’t matter.  By making mistakes on purpose, you may find that you’re able to let go of worry more easily. Try it.

Example #2

Problem: Your mind is full of thoughts.

Solution: Use Rule #2. Start by noticing a thought. What were you just thinking about? Catch yourself in the act. When you do this, it means that you’ve stepped outside of the stream of thoughts and shifted into observer mode. This is the critical step in learning to cultivate the Zen Mind.

Tip: Wait for thoughts, like you’re a ninja waiting in ambush. Don’t expect the mind to be perfectly clear.  Your mind won’t be 100% clear until you are enlightened, which is probably not going to happen next week. Instead, expect thoughts to come in. And when they do — be ready to let them go!

Example #3

Problem: You’re practicing daily, but you’re not getting the results that you had hoped for.

Solution: Use Rule #3. Do whatever it takes to enjoy yourself. Focus on the joy of breathing. Feel the relaxing effect of the exhalation, or the nourishing feeling of the inhalation. Or you can focus on the movement. Feel the wonderful stretch at the top of Lifting The Sky, or the amazing spinal decompression in Carrying the Moon. Find something to enjoy. It’s there.

Tip: Acknowledge that qigong is inherently enjoyable as long as we remain in the present. It’s only when we slip into thoughts about the past or worries about the future that the experience becomes unpleasant.

The 3 Golden Rules in Daily Life

Perhaps even better than using the 3 Golden Rules for your practice is using them for your daily life.  This is what Zen is all about — enriching our everyday life. Ideally, we want to practice Zen all day, every day.

Here are a few examples:

Example #4

Problem: You hate your job.

Solution: Pick one work task with a clear goal, and then immerse yourself in it, even if it isn’t enjoyable.  Focus 100% of your energy and attention on the task — for only 15 minutes. Do not allow anything to distract you during those 15 minutes. Let go of any irrelevant thoughts that creep in.

Tip: In the beginning, it will be hard to do this for 15 minutes without getting distracted. But keep trying.  Once you get the hang of it, I recommend that you stick to 15-minute “bursts”. That’s about as long as most humans can focus before losing concentration. So do 15 minutes, take a break, and then do another 15-minute burst.

Example #5

Problem: Your back hurts.

Solution:  Notice how often you worry about your back pain. Catch yourself in the act as often as possible. This is the first step. After you can do this easily, start letting go of the worry in addition to noticing it. Use Rule #2 to let it go.

Tip: Remember that your back pain absolutely has an emotional component.  So by worrying all the time, you are actually perpetuating the pain. If you can successfully let go of the worry, the pain itself will start to melt away.

Example #6

Problem: You are in a rut with your tennis game (or golf, or basketball, or whatever), and you keep losing.

Solution: Use Rule #3. Enjoy yourself. Remember when you absolutely loved to play the game? Has that changed? If you were winning in the past but are losing now, then you’re probably not enjoying yourself as much as you used to. This is a lose-lose situation. Not only are you not enjoying yourself, but you’re losing as well!

Tip: Go back to enjoying the game. Make a concerted effort to enjoy yourself, no matter what. In fact, purposely plan to lose the game, but have a great time doing it. If you rekindle your love for the game, if you enjoy the experience, then you’ll gradually start winning again. But when that happens, don’t fall into the same cycle again!

Summing Up

There you have it, 3 rules to help solve 70% of your issues.

I should add that the 3 Golden Rules will only solve problems IF you are practicing regularly. If not, then the first step is to use the correct qigong dosage.

And remember the 3 Golden Rules will only solve 70% of your issues. There may be other important reasons why you’re not healing.

Now I’d love to hear from you. Have you had experiences using the 3 Golden Rules? Got any questions? Post your comments below. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post The 3 Golden Rules for Qigong and Tai Chi appeared first on Flowing Zen.