Tai Chi and "Qi"

[Neya]

Yesterday a friend of mine showed me some Tai-chi moves which I then did together with him.
After 3 minutes or so, I started to feel a tingling sensation in my upper body and face,
which continued after that for an hour or so. He told me that it could be what they call "QI",
but that it's something that shouldn't happen so quickly...

I did some of the moves (and without doubt incorrectly) today again and the same thing happened.
Strong tingling sensations in my upper body and face.

I've been trying to read about it online and was wondering whether it really could be this thing called "QI?"
What exactly do you even do with such thing?

(Im not liking the sensations either, btw...They demand attention.)

[Beekeeper]

Personally Neya, assuming they're the same sensations a person experiences raising energy, I do feel such sensations can occur that quickly in some people.

[Neya]

Well they are different from the vibrations that they are not pulsating sensations,
but more like someone was sticking you 'softly' with needles.

'QI' seems to be used for manipulating energy and healing, so I guess it's good if energy work is being done...
But whether or not the sensations is really 'QI' or something else, I'll probably never know,
but it would be interesting to know whether you could get similar sensations when doing the moves incorrectly?

Im probably just going to let the sensations slide off and forget about it,
because I can't afford to mess up my system again.

[star]

That sounds nice, it takes about 30- to an hour for me to notice anything, and normally is just a feeling of relaxation and happiness! Good luck with your sensations. I know a forum that deals directly with martial arts such as Tai chi called the Tao Bums, a search there might bring something up for you too. Although the people here are very knowlegeable too.

[wstein]

There are two possible causes that I know of.

First is a pinched or injured nerve (includes brain injury) aggravated by the motions. Unless you are experiencing pain or lingering numbness where the tingling was, I wouldn't worry too much about this possibility.

The other is actual energy (QI, chi, the same as raised by NEW). This is much more likely. I have a friend from CA that felt the tingling in her abdomen on the first session. Her teacher said the same thing. He indicated that it might take years for some people to feel anything. If you have been doing NEW, then this spontaneously activation would be much easier.

Tai Chi exercises are intentionally designed to make energy flow in the body through movement (as opposed to intent like NEW). The two work together rather well.

BTW Qi Gong s based on the same principles. Unfortunately, most USA schools only teach the moves important for martial arts. In other countries and in culturally Asian dense parts of the USA, you can learn the whole thing.

[Korpo]

Well they are different from the vibrations that they are not pulsating sensations,
but more like someone was sticking you 'softly' with needles.

That seems to be a blockage. Prickly sensations, tingling, itching, etc. - sensations of discomfort. That is when energy flow hits a blockage.

'QI' seems to be used for manipulating energy and healing, so I guess it's good if energy work is being done...

Qi is the Chinese word for energy, most often used for the energy of the body.

But whether or not the sensations is really 'QI' or something else, I'll probably never know,
but it would be interesting to know whether you could get similar sensations when doing the moves incorrectly?

These are the sensations you get when energy gets moving and starting to clear out blockages. I'm not very good at Taiji, but both Qigong and Taiji moves go through many stages of refinement. I got something going when I started, I got more going when I improved, and I can feel energy sensations during my practice though I'm really not good at all.

The thing is that the ease with which you feel energy sensations could just mean you are strongly blocked in the respective areas. Stronger blockage in the physical body leading to strong sensation even on a minor increase in energy flow. I know I could feel energy movement strongly right from the beginning, only to realise that there is a lot of energy blockages in my body.

This can be remedied by ongoing energy work efforts, though it might take quite some time. But it would probably contribute a lot to your wellbeing on many levels.

Im probably just going to let the sensations slide off and forget about it,
because I can't afford to mess up my system again.

Mess your system up like what? And what from?

Take care,
Oliver

[star]

There are two possible causes that I know of.

First is a pinched or injured nerve (includes brain injury) aggravated by the motions. Unless you are experiencing pain or lingering numbness where the tingling was, I wouldn't worry too much about this possibility.

The other is actual energy (QI, chi, the same as raised by NEW). This is much more likely. I have a friend from CA that felt the tingling in her abdomen on the first session. Her teacher said the same thing. He indicated that it might take years for some people to feel anything. If you have been doing NEW, then this spontaneously activation would be much easier.

Tai Chi exercises are intentionally designed to make energy flow in the body through movement (as opposed to intent like NEW). The two work together rather well.

BTW Qi Gong s based on the same principles. Unfortunately, most USA schools only teach the moves important for martial arts. In other countries and in culturally Asian dense parts of the USA, you can learn the whole thing.

I was glad to find a teacher who mentioned flowing and grounding energy as we worked through the forms, he just mentioned it lightly and I almost missed his references to it entirely!
Now that i've moved I hope to find another good teacher like that. It doesn't seem to be a simple feat, though.