by Dvivid » Tue May 06, 2008 2:43 pm
Hi, welcome Lionheart, and thank you for posting.
This is a very good question: how do you measure progress with Qigong practice and results?
First, a note: remember, the Sitting brocades set will maintain your current health. The Standing set will improve your health.
For the purpose of the DVD which is still 145 minutes long (!) Dr. Yang limits the demonstration of each "piece" of the set a few times, so that you can see and learn the correct movements. He suggests that you should practice each of the 8 movements 6 or 8 times, then 12, and eventually even more. He mentions that in ancient times it was common to do 24 repetitions.
The 8 Brocades are "layperson" qigong. Anyone may practice them, with no knowledge of qigong theory, and enjoy improved health. But, of course the more you study, the more you can understand the theory, which can help your practice to become more efficient. Qigong is more than just physical movement and stretching.
Everyone is different. In order for qigong to be most effective, a person needs to be VERY relaxed, centered, focused, and meditative. You need to breathe very slowly and deeply, and keep the mind from wandering, while staying alert and aware. Your sensitivity must gradually become heightened. Your attention needs to focus inward during your practice, so that you can join your breathing with your Spirit in each movement. Without the above, it will take longer to feel results.
It takes regular practice, repetition, and gradual development for your body to respond - some people have an innate body awareness, and others take a bit longer to "get it". I am a slow learner. It takes me longer to really "feel" each qigong movement.
And after many years of practice, I now recognize this same process with some of my students: some get it quickly and report amazing benefits to me after a month or two, and others take longer, and then one day they have some great improvement...
The simple answer is, keep practicing the standing set regularly. Dr. Yang is one of the best sources of information, and that DVD is very clear. I recommend watching it several times, including the Lecture section in which Dr Yang explains each movement in more detail.
Qigong is really about a gradual improvement in your daily quality of life.
SoulX (welcome) - you brought up a very important key point. Anxiety.
Stress. If you can relax for an hour during your qigong practice, but you experience stress the other 23 hours a day, you will likely not feel very much progress with your qigong practice. As lilman said, you have to LIVE the practice. It becomes a way of life.
We all face stress every day - how you CHOOSE to react to it is up to you. If you internalize it, and allow it to influence you, it WILL make you weaker, depressed, more tired, and more likely to get sick. Choose instead to observe stressful things without internalizing them. Remember that even low-level stress changes your blood chemistry, affects your Qi circulation, and turns off your immune response and healing mechanisms.
All this blithering to answer several questions as best as I can - I hope it is helpful. Enjoy your practice!
"Avoid Prejudice, Be Objective in Your Judgement, Be Scientific, Be Logical and Make Sense, Do Not Ignore Prior Experience." - Dr. Yang
http://www.ymaa.com/publishing