Ki

[rdonovan1]

I am just wondering if anyone might happen to have any suggestions as to how I can improve my Ki. I'm just wondering because at the moment I am going through both financial and legal problems and because of it all it is really forcing me to take a deep look at myself in an attempt to change myself for the better.

I've studied psychology and other related things in the past because of my interest in things like seduction and attraction and because of those studies I have really learned a lot about both myself and other people, but as of yet I still don't know it all. Because of those studies and because of the neighborhood that I currently live in I am trying to not only get back into the martial arts, but I'm also trying to take a real strong look at myself trying to figure out as to what kinds of things might be holding me back from being all that I can be. I've been reading one book relating to the martial arts called 'The warrior is silent' and I've also read a book that Chuck Norris once wrote called 'The power within'.

I've also read his book where he talks about his life and as to how he grew up. When I read that book I found a lot of similarities in it between me and him in that both me and him basically grew up without a father. The main difference that I saw between how he grew up and how I grew up is in where we learned much of our ideas relating to being men and morals and values. According the book that I read he got many of his ideas from watching Westerns at the movies. I on the other hand got my ideas from watching martial art movies.

I'm not here to irritate or annoy anyone for any reason. All I am here to do is to learn and to maybe try to understand myself a little better so that I am more effective in everything that I do.

I just thought that I would ask because I have in the past studied NLP and other related topics and based upon what I have learned there seems to be a lot of similarity between NLP and things like Zen. The only main difference that I see between the two is that Zen tends to take a little longer than NLP does, but unlike NLP it does tend to touch upon the spiritual and metaphsical aspects of things whereas NLP does not do that at all and that is something that I am trying to understand a lot better than I do now.

 

[ap Oweyn]

What, specifically, are you hoping to achieve? "Know myself better" is pretty nebulous. I'm not saying it's not a noble aspiration. But I'm unclear on what you mean by 'ki' and how you think it's going to help you. You may well find studying Zen very rewarding. But it seems like you might need to take some practical measures to resolve more practical problems before you worry about Zen.

Just a thought. Not discouraging you. It's just difficult to give you any really useful advice without knowing what you're trying to do more clearly.

 

[Xue Sheng]

As already mentioned by ap Oweyn, what do you mean by Ki

Qigong (Ki = Qi) There are multiple approaches to the study of Qi from different perspectives, religious, medical and martial.

Could be you should look for an Integral Yoga class, study Zen and/or look into things about Mindfulness

There are a lot of good books that may help

If mindfulness then possibly a book by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Or maybe look to Chinese and Japanese philosophy, or any philosophy for that matter. Also there is a book called Zen in the martial arts by Joe Hyam

I am not trying to discourage you either, it is something well worth doing, I am just looking for clarification

 

[rdonovan1]

At the moment I am under a lot of stress because of both the legal and financial issues and I am trying to work on them by as much as I can using what resources that I have available to me. That however seems to be just a part of it.

Recently I have been watching 'The Pickup Artist' on VH1 and while I was watching it I found myself Identlfying with many of the things that many of the guys said on the show relating to their game. Part of that I can handle through the seduction and attraction community, but not all of it.

I've also done security work both armed and unarmed and in both cases I tended to feel rather vulnerable to attack either physically or verbally.

On one occasion while doing unarmed security ended up running off a couple that was on the property that I was guarding. The property was an old hospital that is being converted into a hotel and supposedly the place is supposed to be haunted. I personally don't believe in ghosts at all, but there was one story in which a female guard had quit because some transiant was found on the property and from what I understood the transiant came at the girl. That along with the area that I live in and things that I have seen while an over the road truck driver and things that I have learned either through independent study or through things like private investigation and theorizing about a past relationship has gotten me to really think about myself and my overall level of security, self confidence and self esteem.

I used to study Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido before I started to drive truck, but due to financial and time contraints I was never really able to advance past the level of gold belt.

Because of that an incident that occured when I first moved to New Mexico with an alleged friend who tried to fight me because he thought that I wanted his wife has really gotten me to think about things relating to my overall security.

One of the security companies that I worked for trained me to use a baton and a gun and because of the neighborhood that I live in I now carry around police grade mace and an expandable baton when I leave or at least when I can. That job however along with other things has gotten me to think about my unarmed skills. That's good and that is something that I am working on when possible, but somehow I believe that there is something deeper within me that is holding me back.

I have learned in the past from studying seduction and attraction that there has been a lot of verbal and emotional abuse in my family and that is something that I am currently working on, but for some reason I still don't think that is enough because I have often found myself having problems really describing myself properly in things like job interviews and other things and that same thing has also made me wonder if some of those same fears are holding me back in other areas of my life.

I'm looking at this from a martial art perspective because I personally believe that the martial arts can help me with the emotional and spiritual growth aspects and that they can also help to increase not only my self esteem and self confidence, but also my overall awareness. I do however feel at the moment as though I am at the very least plateauing and not making the progress that I should be making.

Part of the stuff relating to verbal and emotional abuse has gotten me to study things like verbal self defense and things relating to sales and marketing.

I'm sure that what I am looking for is already inside of me, but at the moment I just can't figure out as to how to really tap that potential so that I can move forward onto bigger and better things.

I know that I'm not the only one that has come across this problem as I know that Bruce Lee supposedly had certain fears and demons that haunted him. I however just can't figure out as to how to really transcend those fears and demons and I guess that is part of what I am trying to figure out. If I can somehow figure out as to how to transcend those fears, demons, and obstacles then everything else should in theory come to me easier after that.

 

[ap Oweyn]

At the risk of stating the obvious, have you considered seeing a therapist?

I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with what you're describing. But guiding you in self-exploration is kinda their bread and butter.

 

[blindsage]

rdonovan1, it's been a while since I've seen you post, if you're really back here looking for honest help, then you are going to have to really listen to what people tell you and not argue and rationalize every time you get some criticism and feedback.

Xue Sheng will be able to help you figure out some things about Ki (chi/qi) if you are willing to listen and set aside your pre-conceived ideas about it.

ap Oweyn's suggestion of therapy is an important step that you should invest yourself in.

 

[Tez3]

rdonovan1, it's been a while since I've seen you post, if you're really back here looking for honest help, then you are going to have to really listen to what people tell you and not argue and rationalize every time you get some criticism and feedback.

Xue Sheng will be able to help you figure out some things about Ki (chi/qi) if you are willing to listen and set aside your pre-conceived ideas about it.

ap Oweyn's suggestion of therapy is an important step that you should invest yourself in.

I was thinking that too. I was thinking too that your post makes great sense, I hope it's taken as good advice and we don't have more frustrating posts to come.

 

[rdonovan1]

rdonovan1, it's been a while since I've seen you post, if you're really back here looking for honest help, then you are going to have to really listen to what people tell you and not argue and rationalize every time you get some criticism and feedback.

Xue Sheng will be able to help you figure out some things about Ki (chi/qi) if you are willing to listen and set aside your pre-conceived ideas about it.

ap Oweyn's suggestion of therapy is an important step that you should invest yourself in.

Therapy will only work if the therapist is willing to follow me around all the time and fight all my battles for me. That's the only way that therapy can even remotely be successful.

I don't know about you, but somehow I just don't see that as being very practical. The answer is deeper than that.

 

[72ronin]

rdonovan1, You mention B.Lee's demons, Now look at how he used that very problem as drive, to push himself to get better and better..

Most of what you mention can become a drive for improvement, use it in this way. Develop these things into positive drive.

You must find a club you are comfortable with and can afford to train quite regularly in. I would suggest a Traditional Art.

Confidence does not appear when we become good fighters, its more about the time invested in the club, the structure found in the more traditional clubs, it helps with the things you speak of.

Theres nothing out there waiting to transform us into what we want, it comes from within.
You "have" tapped into it, with this very conversation. Perhaps nothing felt like it changed for you, although you may be looking too hard for it. What is "it"?
"It" is just you, like me, a human being with emotion which ebbs and flows like nature.

There is no more, no less for us all. We all are the same.
Look at threads on the martial arts forums that say things like "what has m/arts done for you".
Then read all the comments, so whether they seem confident now or whatever, we all deal with the same things to some extent.
Find a traditional art and relax into it..

Peace

 

[rdonovan1]

Somehow and some where I am going to have to learn to dig deep within myself and I am going to need to be able to stand up for myself and assert myself.

No amount of therapy can ever teach that and it is not practical or realistic to think so. That is something that has to come from within. If it does not come from within then what is the point of the martial arts and the whole concept of self defense.

I'm not arguing with anyone here. All that I am saying that I just don't see as to how therapy would work. In order for that to be effective then the therapist would have to follow you around all day and every day. That is not only a very expensive propsition, but also very impractical as well.

If we are going to think on that level, then chances are we are going to want a teddy bear and a good night story to go with that. That in my book is not the essence of self defense at all and if we are going to allow ourselves to think like that then we are negating everything that any of the martial arts has ever taught anyone regardless of system. It also tends to show a lot of disrespect to all of the self defense and martial arts teachers and arts that have ever lived or existed because what that is essentially saying to them is that we do not think enough of them or the systems to respect or care about what they say or teach. I'm sure that I am probably the only one that thinks this way, but I personally don't think that anyone should ever badmouth or disrespect any martial arts teacher or self defense system without proper facts that can be verified by everyone.

I don't know about anyone else, but I've always been taught that the first rule in any martial art or self defense system is respect towards oneself, ones teacher, fellow students, and the art itself. That's at least what I've been taught maybe others have been taught something different.

 

[rdonovan1]

rdonovan1, You mention B.Lee's demons, Now look at how he used that very problem as drive, to push himself to get better and better..

Most of what you mention can become a drive for improvement, use it in this way. Develop these things into positive drive.

You must find a club you are comfortable with and can afford to train quite regularly in. I would suggest a Traditional Art.

Confidence does not appear when we become good fighters, its more about the time invested in the club, the structure found in the more traditional clubs, it helps with the things you speak of.

Theres nothing out there waiting to transform us into what we want, it comes from within.
You "have" tapped into it, with this very conversation. Perhaps nothing felt like it changed for you, although you may be looking too hard for it. What is "it"?
"It" is just you, like me, a human being with emotion which ebbs and flows like nature.

There is no more, no less for us all. We all are the same.
Look at threads on the martial arts forums that say things like "what has m/arts done for you".
Then read all the comments, so whether they seem confident now or whatever, we all deal with the same things to some extent.
Find a traditional art and relax into it..

Peace

72ronin, I really like what you had to say. It makes a lot of sense.

I'm not really sure as to how to do this as of yet, but somehow I need to learn to tap into my inner strength and somehow I need to learn how to defeat my own inner demons or to at least put them in proper perspective like Bruce Lee did. If he can do it and if others can do it then there should be no reason as to why I shouldn't be able to either. The only question is as to how to do it and as to how to really unleash my inner potential so that I am and can be the best that I can be in life.

Sometimes that is easier said than done though and sometimes it can be the hardest thing that we can ever do.

I don't know who said it, but I've heard it said in the past that more often than not we are usually our own worst enemy with the amount of negative things and self criticisms that we tend to put on ourselves.

From what I've been told and from what I've heard in the past no one can ever hurt us as bad as we can hurt ourselves. I don't know about anyone else, but I have on numerous occasions done or said something that I wish I had not done or said and as a result that has lead me to feel things like guilt, remorse, and other related things.

From what I understood of the book by Chuck Norris what we all need to do is to learn how to conquer ourselves and like I said that is often easier said than done.

 

[ap Oweyn]

What makes you think that you're wired so differently than everyone else that a therapist would have to follow you around when they don't need to do that with anybody else? I think you have the wrong idea about what therapists do, frankly.

Therapists are supposed to teach you how to better "look inside," as you keep saying. The tools they teach will be with you at all times. They don't have to be.

But if you're resistant to that idea, I don't know what to tell you. I don't see Zen as a more plausible measure though.


Stuart

 

[rdonovan1]

What makes you think that you're wired so differently than everyone else that a therapist would have to follow you around when they don't need to do that with anybody else? I think you have the wrong idea about what therapists do, frankly.

Therapists are supposed to teach you how to better "look inside," as you keep saying. The tools they teach will be with you at all times. They don't have to be.

But if you're resistant to that idea, I don't know what to tell you. I don't see Zen as a more plausible measure though.


Stuart

I'm not putting them down at all. Some however are better than others. The only problem with therapists though is that they can only deal with the mind. They cannot deal with anything other than that. Wouldn't it make sense to use the right tool for the job? I'm not real good at metaphors, so I hope that you will get my point and I hope that there will be no confusion or misunderstandings at all. I'm also not a tool expert either, but it would seem to me that if you want to accomplish a certain task then you would want to have the right tools on hand and in the proper quantities and sizes.

For the last several years I've been studying and learning from people like Dr. Milton Erickson who was the world's foremost hypnotherapist. This guy could take anyone and change them around by getting them to look at themselves and by asking questions. He was considered the worlds best when it came to the mind and much of the work of NLP that was done by Dr. Richard Bandler and John Grinder was based upon the work of Dr. Erickson.

Dr. Erickson however could only work on the mind. He could do anything about emotional or spiritual issues. Those were topics that were way out of his league.

That tends to lead to the question that if something like that can't be addressed by an expert in the mind then the answer must lie somewhere else.

From what I have been taught and from what I have studied about the martial arts. The martial arts is good at all three aspects and I think that is important because if one of them is out of whack then what good are you. It's kind of like having car that has 1 good tire and 3 flat tires. Sure you might be able to get a little ways, but not very far on that 1 good tire. Gas mileage and steering are going to suck and more often than not you are going to end up messing up the rims really bad in the process.

 

[ap Oweyn]

If you're satisfied that this experience effectively rules out the entire field of behavioural science, then I'm at a loss for words.

Anyway, it seems like the forum has been down this road before. And I'm not up for being in the sequel. So good luck to you. I think you're looking in the wrong place. But you aren't interested in hearing it. And that's fair enough.

As a counselor, past client, and aficianado of philosophies Asian and otherwise, I think you're dismissing one tool entirely and putting all your hopes, unwisely, in the other. But that's your call.

And... scene.


Stuart

 

[blindsage]

I'm not putting them down at all. Some however are better than others. The only problem with therapists though is that they can only deal with the mind. They cannot deal with anything other than that. Wouldn't it make sense to use the right tool for the job? I'm not real good at metaphors, so I hope that you will get my point and I hope that there will be no confusion or misunderstandings at all. I'm also not a tool expert either, but it would seem to me that if you want to accomplish a certain task then you would want to have the right tools on hand and in the proper quantities and sizes.

For the last several years I've been studying and learning from people like Dr. Milton Erickson who was the world's foremost hypnotherapist. This guy could take anyone and change them around by getting them to look at themselves and by asking questions. He was considered the worlds best when it came to the mind and much of the work of NLP that was done by Dr. Richard Bandler and John Grinder was based upon the work of Dr. Erickson.

Dr. Erickson however could only work on the mind. He could do anything about emotional or spiritual issues. Those were topics that were way out of his league.

That tends to lead to the question that if something like that can't be addressed by an expert in the mind then the answer must lie somewhere else.

From what I have been taught and from what I have studied about the martial arts. The martial arts is good at all three aspects and I think that is important because if one of them is out of whack then what good are you. It's kind of like having car that has 1 good tire and 3 flat tires. Sure you might be able to get a little ways, but not very far on that 1 good tire. Gas mileage and steering are going to suck and more often than not you are going to end up messing up the rims really bad in the process.

You're already not listening. Somehow I don't think you going to be any more successful in getting answers now than you were when you posted previously. Good luck.

 

[rdonovan1]

If you're satisfied that this experience effectively rules out the entire field of behavioural science, then I'm at a loss for words.

Anyway, it seems like the forum has been down this road before. And I'm not up for being in the sequel. So good luck to you. I think you're looking in the wrong place. But you aren't interested in hearing it. And that's fair enough.

As a counselor, past client, and aficianado of philosophies Asian and otherwise, I think you're dismissing one tool entirely and putting all your hopes, unwisely, in the other. But that's your call.

And... scene.


Stuart

I'm already familiar with accountability and that is something that I have been working on by studying things like psychology and NLP.

They unfortunately do not have all the answers.

Through one seduction teacher I was introduced to the concept of Huna. I can't say that I fully understand it at all, but from what I can tell it seems to be similar to Ki and Zen as they both tend refer to things like meridians and the flow of energy.

Meridians and the flow of energy is not a new concept as it has been known about by the Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese for a long time.

I suspect that my problem has to do with blocked flows of energy and meridians within me and that in turn is causing me to feel the way that I do.

It may sound crazy, but when you look at things like chinese accupuncture, Japanese accupressure and of course Dim Mak then it makes perfect sense.

The problem is that I don't really know as to how to properly deal with stuff like that.

I've had some exposure to it from the ninja concept of Kuji in the past and I know that mediation is supposed to help as well. I also know that in the book 'The Power Within' by Chuck Norris he describes how he was taught by Shaolin Monks to access his Ki.

I've got one video relating to Ki in which they talk about stuff like that and as to how old it is and we all know the tales of martial arts masters doing things like sitting motionless in pools of freezing water.

We've also heard of people like firewalkers and even people who are able to lay on a bed of nails while various feats like brick breaking with sledgehammers are done on them and without them sustaining any kind of injury at all.

That's the direction I'm looking at.

 

[Xinglu]

They unfortunately do not have all the answers.

Here is a hard dose of reality: Nothing has ALL the answers. Furthermore if it is truth you seek, you won't like it. No one ever does. There are no easy answers.

Through one seduction teacher I was introduced to the concept of Huna. I can't say that I fully understand it at all, but from what I can tell it seems to be similar to Ki and Zen as they both tend refer to things like meridians and the flow of energy.

Bollocks! As a Practitioner of TCM and a Zen Buddhist I call bull ****. Zen has nothing to do with Meridians and if someone is selling you this line of crock, get a refund, as it certainly isn't Zen.

This is going to sound harsh, but the Zen solution will be to "sit down and shut up" A.K.A. Zazen. But even that isn't a magical cure all. Zazen sucks, it is boring and hard on the knees. Much like standing Santi, the benefits are not apparent right away and often takes years before people make any real break through. Faster change is made via change of lifestyle and mindset, but even then Zazen is needed. You want Zen? Sit, breath, and stare at an empty wall. It is a long and hard road, filled with pain. There are no mystical instant results.

If you want to learn about TCM send me a PM and I will put you in contact with a TCM school in your area. If you want to learn about Zen, I'll point you towards a good starting point, with out any of this neo-hippy **** (You know, that "Zen wrapped in karma dipped in chocolate" mendacity that is so popular as of late) that has become so prevalent in America.

As for a MA that might suit your growth? Try Aikido. It might do wonders for your mindset.

As to this "uniqueness" where proven methods of self exploration don't work on you, just remember, you are unique, just like everyone else. If the tools of exploration don't work for the explorer, who's to blame? The tools or the explorer?

 

[jks9199]

Therapy will only work if the therapist is willing to follow me around all the time and fight all my battles for me. That's the only way that therapy can even remotely be successful.

I don't know about you, but somehow I just don't see that as being very practical. The answer is deeper than that.

No -- therapy will help YOU develop the tools to fight the emotional battles within and without, and to develop more successful coping mechanisms.

I obviously am making a lot of presumptions based on your posting, and that's no substitute for an actual assessment by a real mental health professional. But I'd say the odds are real good you'd benefit from spending some time with someone...

Of course, YOU have to be willing and open to facing those battles yourself, too...

 

[Chris Parker]

Rdonovan1. No game talk (seduction teachers). No NLP. No Erickson/Bandler/Grinder. You've missed all of it. Huna shares some basic conceptual ideas with chi/ki/qi, as well as some teachings similar to acupressure, but your understanding of that is lacking as well. Listen to people, realise that you are being given good solid advice, stop arguing back against everything (if you really want to learn from those you are asking), and for the love of all that is good and holy in this and every other world, lose the "poor me" attitude. It'll only lead to more pain and misery for you. We've been through this before.

Okay, that was harsh, but the memories of last time stay with me.... I beg everyone's indulgence. Sorry.

 

[Bruno@MT]

There is a saying attached to my art: shut up and train.

follow that advice, train hard, go deep.
That'll do more good than endless blubbering about NLP, ki, prana, meridians or kuji.