h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Was doing a qigong class yesterday and I've had some interesting feedback.

This was the sixth session out of a series of 10. One of the participants said that she found herself tearful and sobbing at the end. I noticed that she didn't join in a face massage that I did right at the end, and I thought she looked a bit unhappy, however I didn't want to draw attention to her. I've always said that if there are parts that feel uncomfortable, then it's OK to stop for a while and rejoing as and when.

I gave her advice about doing the 'closing down' that I do at the end of every session and also about sitting quietly and visualising being surrounded by healing white light.

She later told me that she'd check with a couple of others who had also had tearful reactions. Powerful stuff. It's releasing blocks.

How fascinating.
I usually get that reaction to a good guitar solo...





And I'm not joking.

Now that's interesting. Who floats your boat musically speaking?

......it's the *again*! , but I just had to ask........what exactly is qigong? Showing my ignorance again, but....if you don't ask....you'll never learn

I'll need to wait till tomorrow to find out now, as my online time is up. Have a lovely day , speak to you later. I've really enjoyed our conversations today....

Prideth

Prideth 'q' in Chinese is pronounced 'ch' as in cheese, so 'qi' is pronounced 'chee'. Qi is the same as the Japanese 'ki' and means energy or life-force. Qigong (and the gong bit can be pronounced 'kung') means energy exercises. Qigong is an essential part of t'ai chi, as t'ai chi uses and directs the energy, but you don't have to do t'ai chi to do qigong.

To do qigong correctly, there are the physical movements, which could, if you wanted to be cynical, be described as arm waving. It needs to be done in conjunction with breathing correctly, using the full lung capacity and breathing to what the Chinese call 'dantien' and the Japanese call the 'hara', which if you put your thumb on your belly button is two or three fingers below. Then there is the visualisation that goes with it. And being present, with a clear mind.

I enjoyed our conversations today, too!

sounds just the ticket! May be I should think of taking it up I could do with some de-stressing, and getting my mind and body in conjunction...

...how did you get interested in it Z and then start teaching too?

Prideth

I started doing t'ai chi about 12 years ago and after a while the teacher used to ask me to help with the beginners.

At work about five years ago, I was complaining. I wanted somewhere to practice t'ai chi and I'd tried a few places out of doors, but these were not terribly satisfactory. Someone asked me if I had thought about starting a class, then I could practice. i said I'd think about it. A little while later, she told me I had 12 people wanting to join the class, so I started one. That was five years ago this coming January.

As people in the class were reluctant to practice the form, which needs practice outside the class, so I started doing qigong too, which we can do without needing to practice. Then my director asked me to put on a 10 week course, which I am now in the middle of.

...isn't it amazing how things happen Z ? Good luck with your classes...

I'd heard of t'ai chi and seen it on TV, but hadn't heard of qigong. Mind you, there's lots of different martial arts, aren't there? I think the Chinese seem to have it right when it comes to training the mind and body....

Prideth

Yes, the Chinese got some things absolutely right, but others very wront - as in the footbinding of women!

There was a TV programme some time ago called something like 'Stand Still, Stay Fit' which was qigong exercises. I think it came on at some unearthly time, so I didn't see much of it. There are probably videos of it, though.

Mornin' Z How's yersel' an' wee this fine mornin'?

...right enough! Ouch! It makes me wince, just at the thought of having bound feet The things women have had to endure.....

...I think I must have been when the programme was on about qigong. my video's caflut too, so could you please recommend a good book on qigong? ...that's if it's possible to do the exercises from a book, is it?

Prideth

Randy Rhoads, Frank Zappa, George Barnes, Albert Lee, Charlie Christian, Ted Nugent, Angus Young

There are just certain tones that work for me.

It also applies to songs. I was singing along with a Robert Palmer song while driving to church last night, and not only was Uvula amazed at the usefulness of the song, but my rapturous reaction to it.

Evening, Prideth!

A good book on qigong. I'll have a look and post a bit later. The best ones are published by China Press, but probably only available in the Chinese quarter. There are a couple of good ones i can think of. I wrote a reading list for my group at work. I'll have a look tomorrow.

tr,

I've only heard of Frank Zappa (and I think Charlie Christian) out of these. Is it because they're American and haven't travelled over here, or is it because they play a type of music I'm not that familiar with? I know you won't *know* the answer for certain, however, you might guess.

Why was the Robert Palmer song useful? I can imagine your rapturous reaction to it.

O/~

It was just well-written, well-arranged and well-sung.
It's on the "Heavy Nova" album and it's called "She Makes My Day".
Robert sings a quartet with himself.

Randy Rhoads: Lead guitarist for Ozzy's first solo band. Was responsible for Ozzy even having a solo career with his masterful arrangements and dazzling solos. Died in a plane crash after the second album.

George Barnes: One of the most prolific movie, TV and ad session men during the late fifties and early sixties, was also famous for doing guitar duets with Howard Arlen and George Van Eps that are simply mindblowing even forty odd years later.

Albert Lee: He's a premier session musician. He did some major work with Dave Edmunds, most notably on that reocrd that had "Crawling from the Wreckage" on it.

Charlie Christian: Benny Goodman Quintet. The first famous electric guitar soloist. Died within a few months of his fame from tuberculosis. One of the first black crossover guitar heros. Allegedly died the same day Jimi Hendrix was born.

Ted Nugent: "Stranglehold", "Cat Scratch Fever", "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang" The king of Gonzo Rock and now a board member of the NRA. He and his wife recently put out a cookbook called "Kill It and Grill It". Was in a band called "Damn Yankees" a few years back that had a few hits like "Coming Of Age", "Don't Tread On Me" and "Coming again".

Angus Young: AC/DC Schoolboy outfit. Red Gibson SG.

Mmm... I often have tearful reactions to songs I like. Even happy ones - if I like the tones of the song (melody, chords, the way the harmony kicks in) often I'll start with the leaking. It's annoying, because I like to sing along with the song, and it's hard to do if my throat's all choked up. 'Get Out The Map' by the Indigo Girls is a good example.

Speaking of Robert Palmer, I just purchased 'Sneaking Sally through the Alley' on Amazon.com. He's playing with Little Feat on this album, so it's a completely different sound than when he worked with Power Station. I've heard 'Hey Julia' and 'Sneaking Sally' before, so I know it's worth the money. They just don't play that stuff on the radio... sigh.

Reactions are interesting, aren't they? I don't think music does it to me that often, however stories and situations can. Funny enough, in the sad bits, often I'm fine, it's in the really happy bits that I get choked.

'Even happy ones - ' I wonder why? Yes, it happens to me too!

Z , I'll look forward to seeing your list of books on qigong. You've really got me fascinated by it now...

When it comes to music, I have a theory that we all have individual musical keys/tones which we react most to that are in-built in us. Like you were saying about Human Design Z . I wonder how it would sound, if all our keys were composed into a major symphony? I react especially to the lower range.eg. Paul Robeson's "Moon River", always gets me going.

Prideth

Mmm - Paul Robeson! I especially like his 'There is a balm in Gilead'.

qigong books. My favourite is:

Taiji Qigong: Twenty-eight Steps - compiled by Prof Li Ding & Mr Bambang Sutomo

Foreign Language Press
ISBN 0-8351-2323-5
ISBN 7-119-00778-5

I paid £6 for my copy.

Other more easily obtained books are:

Qigong: Chinese Movement and Meditation for Health
by Danny connor
ISBN 0-09-174714-7
(very accessible)

The Root of Chinese Chi Kung
By Dr Yang Jwing-Ming
ISBN 0-940871-07-6
(very comprehensive)

I could give you more, but that's probably enough as a starter.

There's a brillian book by Donna Eden, whilst not being on qigong is on energy systems called Energy Medicine, ISBN 0-7499-1928-0.

The best thing if you can do it, though is to find a local class.

I just accidently ran across a photo of Graham Parker while looking for something else on line.
I hadn't thought of him in months.
I used to love Graham Parker and the Rumour.
Them and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

I am usually happier with music on, particularly stuff I can sing to, like Chet Baker or Nat King Cole.
I am particularly peeved that of all the things I've ever pursued, singing and playing didn't turn out too good.

I remember the first time I saw the Band's "Last Waltz" movie last year. It was practically a religious experience.

If I remember rightly, you play guitar, tonsil? Didn't it work out well? I tried to play guitar much earlier, and I have a banjo, however the guitar was difficult because my hands weren't strong enough to do the bridges and little interfered with the banjo. I didn't practice enough. Sometimes it feels like I haven't the time to do the things I want to do.

How's your singing voice? I really enjoy singing, yet I haven't done it for quite some while.

I've been doing some work around resistance, and why we don't do the things we *should* do, even the nice things. Interesting stuff.