Enter the Devil and Qigong Deviation

[Sorcerer]

I have heard a number of things now about "Enter the Devil" and "Qigong Deviation".

How dangerous is qigong? Im guessing that the microcosmic circulation has more risks than perhaps embryonic breathing or other simple Wei or Nei Dan Qigong. What exactly is Enter the Devil and what is its cause within Qigong theory? What shold one avoid when doing Qigong?

I know a basic relaxing qi visualization meditation. Can I teach this to other people?

[Maestromap]

On "Qigong Deviation" I will say this. Look at how many people are on this forum. Since Ive been a member no one to my knowledge has posted anything saying the think they have the syndrome. My advice would be to just take it easy and don't get too carried away.

As for "Enter the Devil". What is it exactly?

Michael

[Sorcerer]

Fro what Ive heard Enter the Devil is a type of Qigong psychosis. Ive heard the term used by my old Sifu and I also found it in the writings of Dr Yang.

[Sorcerer]

http://kundalini.se/eng/qigong2.html

[yeniseri]

I have heard a number of things now about "Enter the Devil" and "Qigong Deviation".

How dangerous is qigong? Im guessing that the microcosmic circulation has more risks than perhaps embryonic breathing or other simple Wei or Nei Dan Qigong. What exactly is Enter the Devil and what is its cause within Qigong theory? What shold one avoid when doing Qigong?

I know a basic relaxing qi visualization meditation. Can I teach this to other people?

Zu huo ru mo (devil running fire) is considered an adverse event of psychiatric origin that is encountered in modern qigong practice. It is rare, but due to the undiagnosed and negative impact of psychological repression, it manifests itself based on the total population. Even an occurence of < 5% of 1b. is stil a large subset!
Please read Spring 2007 Vol 17, #1 of Qi -Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness.

Something like baduanjin, Wuxingqi, etc is safe due to non-visualualization content of practice but still basic procedures are to be followed as in any exercise class.

[joeblast]

I have heard a number of things now about "Enter the Devil" and "Qigong Deviation".

How dangerous is qigong? Im guessing that the microcosmic circulation has more risks than perhaps embryonic breathing or other simple Wei or Nei Dan Qigong. What exactly is Enter the Devil and what is its cause within Qigong theory? What shold one avoid when doing Qigong?

I know a basic relaxing qi visualization meditation. Can I teach this to other people?

Its called "deviation" for a reason - behavior you can consider deviant in some fashion becomes poisonous, perhaps even a vortex of one. For example if you're an alcoholic, abuse drugs, sex, reckless behavior, etc...but 'deviation' like things become manifest when the 'rate of change' of energy potentials become too high for the person, and damage of whatever sort may occur if (too many?) improper steps are taken. Its not like "screw up once and you're cooked with high energy potential practices," but, things along those lines are the reasons that there are foundational practices, and there are 'advanced' practices. If you mess with energy potentials that you are not conditioned to handle, you're asking for a platefull. Some practices I have in the toolbox, I dont do very often for that reason.

Relaxation stuff is great, especially as an introductory thing. People naturally begin to search for more as they verify the benefits for themselves

Learning to breathe silently is wondrous of its own accord, lends well to embryonic breathing, all those foundational exercises (and moving qigong, taiji, etc) are plenty safe for anyone to do - that's why they're 'foundational' - grounding, calming and smoothing the breath, keeping the center - you're best off if you learn these things among the first! Relaxation is just that, a good exercise in grounding, in its own particular...idiom!