SEX AND CHI KUNG
Intensive Chi Kung Course
Question
I read in your books that having sex will affect a person's progress in Chi Kung. Since it is normal for people to have sex 2 to 3 times a week these days, wouldn't it be difficult for modern people to achieve good progress in Chi Kung? Should a person who wants to be good in Chi Kung cut down on the frequency of sex in the first few months of his practice, or are there other ways to manage this?
-- Ricky, Singapore
Answer
You are right. He may cut down on sex or there are other ways to manage this. This choice depends on a few variables. The following background information will help him to choose wisely.
One variable is his condition, like whether he is sick or healthy, and whether his work and daily living are hectic and stressful or relaxed and pleasant. Another variable is his needs and aspiration, like whether he is an ordinary nine-to-five worker or he is training to take part in a world freestyle fighting competition. A third variable is the type of chi kung he practices and his level of attainment.
Next he should understand how chi kung works, and what it is for. Basically it is to improve his energy volume and flow, and to enhance his life as well as the lives of other people, especially his family and friends.
Hence, if he is weak and sickly and his chi kung is of a low level, it is advisable for him to abstain from sex for the first three months to build up his energy foundation. On the other hand, his chi kung may be of a high level but he is preparing for some important task involving vigorous activity, he may also abstain from sex for the time being to conserve his energy for future use.
But for most ordinary people, who have been enjoying wholesome, regular sex before starting chi kung, it does not make sense that an art that is supposed to increase his energy, which is needed for sex, should distract him from his enjoyable acts. The same philosophy applies to his other wholesome pleasures. If he enjoys a little drink, an occasional smoke, and good food without ill effects, it does not make sense to deny himself these little pleasures just because he practices chi kung, unless of course he does so for some other more urgent or important purposes.
Let us look at a simple analogy. Suppose you have been taking your family out for dinner once a while, and this has made all of you happy. Now you are going into business to increase you cash volume and flow. You will have to decide whether to miss the family dinner outings to invest more money into your business so that, hopefully, you can take your family for expensive overseas holidays instead, or to carry on with the dinner outings but with less investment into your business.
But you must not confuse yourself with means and ends, as some people often do. You would be a fool, if, after all the sacrifices you and your family have made, and despite making a lot of money in business, you have no time even to have an ordinary meal with your family at home. Remember that practicing chi kung, like going into business or to work from nine to five, is a means to make your and other people's lives meaningful and rewarding. Having wholesome sex is an important aspect of a meaningful, rewarding family life.
Reproduced from Question 8 in Selection of Questions and Answers Jan 2003 Part 2.
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