CHI FLOW ON CLEANSING, BUILDING AND NOURISHING
Pushing Hands in 18 Lohan Hands
Question
How are the stages of cleansing, building and nourishing different when performed individually compared to when done in a group?
When an advanced practitioner practices together with a beginner, how would the chi flow of the advanced practitioner affect the stages of cleansing, building and nourishing of the beginner, if at all, and vice versa?
Sifu Lee Wei Joo
Answer
As cleansing, building and nourishing are found in all aspects of chi kung and all types of chi kung, though there may be difference in intensity and focus, the answer here applies to all chi kung practice.
In other words, it does not matter whether one practices chi kung to overcome illness, for peak performance or for spiritual cultivation, he undergoes processes of cleansing, building and nourishing.
It does not matter whether he practices Eighteen Lohan Hands, stance training or Small Universe, and it does not matter whether he practices Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung, medical chi kung for healing, or low level chi kung that gives little result over a long time, he also undergoes processes of cleansing, building and nourishing.
But if he practices gentle physical exercise, though he thinks it is chi kung, there will be no cleansing, building and nourishing because there is no energy flow.
The intensity and focus, however, are different. If he practices high level chi kung, the processes of cleansing, building and nourishing will be intense. If he practices low level chi kung, the processes may not be noticeable.
If his purpose of chi kung training is to overcome illness, and he chooses a good approach, like self-manifested chi movement, the focus will be on cleansing. If he wants to develop internal force to improve his martial art performance, and practices Golden Bridge, the focus will be on building. If he aspires to have a glimpse of Cosmic Reality, and chooses Merging with the Cosmos for his training, the focus will be on nourishing.
Practicing individually and practicing in a group will give him certain advantages and disadvantages.
When he practices individually, he has the advantage of regulating his practice according to his needs, and sometimes to his fancies. Not only he can choose the most appropriate exercise for his purpose, but also the process of cleansing, building or nourishing to focus on.
For example, if he wants to enhance his mental clarity, he can choose exercises like Cosmic Shower and Standing Meditation. He might not be able to do so if he practices in a group. He can choose to focus on cleansing to clear his mind of irrelevant thoughts, or on building to have a stronger mind.
When he is in an ecstatic state during Standing Meditation, he can remain longer in the state if he wants to. If he practices in a group, he has to adjust to the others’ needs.
The disadvantage is that he lacks group support, including the energy field of the group. If he is not knowledgeable or skillful enough to make wise decisions on his own, group support will be a great help. For some students, practicing in a group helps them to overcome a serious problem, i.e. worrying and intellectualizing on what to practice.
The energy field generated by the group sometimes acts as a catalyst for some students. Seeing other group members enjoying a chi flow may help some students to overcome their initial inhibition. When they are in doubt they can consult other group members. Group practice makes a training session lively.
When an advanced practitioner practices together with a beginner, his chi flow will help the beginner in all the processes of cleansing, building and nourishing. The effect is better if both operate at the same process. For example, if both are cleansing, the chi flow of the advanced practitioner will enhance the cleansing process of the beginner.
If they operate at different processes, the influence of the advanced practitioners on the beginner may be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on the situation.
For example, if the advanced practitioner is cleansing, it will be disadvantageous to the beginner if he is building at the same time as the bad energy of the advanced practitioner may flow into the beginner.
But if the advanced practitioner is building, and the beginner is cleansing, the influence on the beginner will be advantageous as the energy radiated from the advanced practitioner will help the beginner to cleanse better.
There will also be some effect on the advanced practitioner from the beginner when they practice together, but the effect is minimal.
When both are cleansing at the same time, the good energy flow of the beginner is not strong enough to affect the advanced practitioner, but will the bad energy cleansed out by the beginner be disadvantageous to the advanced practitioner?
This depends on various factors. If the difference of level between the two practitioners is not great, and the beginner cleanses out a lot of bad energy, some of the bad energy may be absorbed by the slightly advanced practitioner. But if the difference of level is great, the chi flow of the advanced practitioner will bounce off the bad energy of the beginner.
However, if the advanced practitioner is building, and the beginner is cleansing, the effect on the advanced practitioner can be harmful, especially if the difference of level between them is not great. If the difference is great, the harmful effect is minimal.
However, if the advanced practitioner, who is not knowledgeable in chi kung philosophy, is taking in energy to build, and the beginner is giving out bad energy while cleansing, the greater the difference of level between them, the more harm it will be for the advanced practitioner.
If the advanced practitioner is knowledgeable, he should not build when another person cleanses. If he has to build, he should let his chi flow to flush out the surrounding bad energy.
Cosmic Shower
The questions and answers are reproduced from the thread Stages of Cleansing, Building and Nourishing: 10 Questions to the Grandmaster in the Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum.
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