Spiritualism

[NewCasa]

I had supper with a good friend last night. He had been living and going to school in Hong Kong and China for the last year and a half and had many stories to tell. He is very much into Kung Fu, so he took the opportunity to spend his school break at a Shaolin school. He said that the training was very rigorous but that he enjoyed it greatly. Ok enough digression

I asked about tai chi, something I've been quite interested in for quite a while. He talked about the chi and I've done a little checking on the meaning of the word - it translates as either 'air' or 'energy'. But when I talked with my friend he referred to it almost as an inner spirit and referred to getting in touch with the power of the chi. I found this quite interesting.

I think sometimes of the yoga equivalent. I'm not sure of the terminology, but I do know that there are exercises in yoga that are designed to get a person in touch with their inner spirit.

Then there's Deepak Chopra speaking about 'the path' and the need to stay on the path. Now in his terms I believe that we each have our own path - not the same at all as Christian beliefs.

So, ok to my point. I'd like to use these more or less random ruminations to start a discussion from as many points of view about the human spirit, chi, astral body or whatever else people would like to name it. Does it really exist separately from the corporeal body? What is it's nature? Where was it before you were born? Where will it go after you die? How can a person best improve on it and care for it? Is there any point to being concerned about it's welfare? And so on.....

Oh, for this thread it'd be really nice if we could have a sort of 'non-partisan' discussion, if possible. I know religion is about beliefs, but I'm taking a point from Tansy here - we seem to have a preponderance of Christians and I'd rather this thread took into account as many different belief systems as possible. I'll answer my own questions from my own belief system in due course but I'd like to hear from others first, if anyone would like to comment.

[Tansy]

So, ok to my point. I'd like to use these more or less random ruminations to start a discussion from as many points of view about the human spirit, chi, astral body or whatever else people would like to name it. Does it really exist separately from the corporeal body? What is it's nature? Where was it before you were born? Where will it go after you die? How can a person best improve on it and care for it? Is there any point to being concerned about it's welfare? And so on.....

Okay, it kinda depends on what you're talking about. For example: 'human spirit, chi, astral body...'. The astral body is the 'form' of energy that you take if you're outside of your physical body. Chi/Qi is energy itself. The energy inside of you, outside of you, all around you. The energy of life itself; the lifeforce. Both of these things would be considered a part of the human spirit.

But you're talking about yoga and t'ai chi, both of which are meant to harmonize body, mind and soul so... I'll take a stab at chakras. (Go with what you know!) Chakras are energy centres of the body. If you take a look at a standard picture of the chakras of the body, where the chakras are there are clusters of nerve centres. (Although some schools of thought say there are 7 chakras, and others dismiss some of them as irrelevant and state there are only 5.) For example: your heart chakra is in your chest area. There are nerve clusters there. When you feel sadness/happiness/a strong feeling, you feel it in that centre/chakra.

I'm not sure where I stand on this existing outside of my physical body. It's nature? I think it's the lifeforce in and of all things. It's a part of me, and I'm a part of it. Before I was born it was with me, wherever I was. After I die it will be with me wherever I am. I think improving on it and caring for it is mainly acknowleging it's existence in the first place. That it is there, and an important part of my being. It is my lifeforce, my connection with the life around me, my direct link to Diety. As for being concerned for it's welfare... I'd say it's important, but that's me. We go out of our way to care for our body, our mental health, and our emotional health. There are people trained to help us with all of these things. So why not care for our spiritual as well? Why should that be 'weird' or shamefull somehow? Sounds healthy to me.

[NewCasa]

Ok so from what you're saying I'm getting a mental picture of a sort of concentrated energy mass (astral body, life force, human spirit) that is linked to the corporeal body at several points (chakras, nerve clusters) and is surrounded by similar energy that is in random form (chi). It seems to me that your description indicates a new use for the human nervous system since the nerves would become receptors for the astral energy right, but that may not necessarily follow - just my own speculation I think. Good so far or am I oversimplifying?

So my friend last night described breaking a brick with his hand. He said that before he did so he had to gather enough 'chi'. Would you say that one can gather chi from the air for personal use?

[Tansy]

Ok so from what you're saying I'm getting a mental picture of a sort of concentrated energy mass (astral body, life force, human spirit) that is linked to the corporeal body at several points (chakras, nerve clusters) and is surrounded by similar energy that is in random form (chi). It seems to me that your description indicates a new use for the human nervous system since the nerves would become receptors for the astral energy right, but that may not necessarily follow - just my own speculation I think. Good so far or am I oversimplifying?

So my friend last night described breaking a brick with his hand. He said that before he did so he had to gather enough 'chi'. Would you say that one can gather chi from the air for personal use?

Nope, that's about it there. Except the chi is a part of your energy as well. Lifeforce.
I don't really know about martial arts, I'll have to ask my guy when he gets home. But I *think* it's gathered from all around as well as from within.

[NewCasa]

Ok well I think of the chi as being like 'the force' in starwars. It's all around us and we can sort of call on it if we need to.

[Fyre]

My belief is that what he defines here as chi is the collective energy in all living things that surround us. When I do healing, I can call on the elements and use them to give my recipient more energy. So yea, I believe he could use air to help him break a brick- A lot of healers drain themselves when they work on people because they use some of their own energy when doing so. This leaves them with fatigue, thirst and headaches, which is dangerous and unnecessary if you ask me. I use a lot of different modalities when working with energy. Energy is all around us, so the possibilities are endless.

I believe that our own personal energy is part of a collection from every living thing. I believe that no energy dies, it just transforms- Like how you feel it when your mood changes when you're angry or happy. I believe that when I die, I will be given another reincarnation and a chance to attain the highest spiritual possibility my soul can. I believe that I am here now to learn the lessons I did not in my past lives.

If you need any clarification, just give me a shout and I'll try to be more clear.

NoCasa: Sorry for naming my thread what I did, perhaps I should have scrolled down and read yours before I named mine- Lmao I really wasn't trying to rain on your parade...

[NewCasa]

NoCasa: Sorry for naming my thread what I did, perhaps I should have scrolled down and read yours before I named mine- Lmao I really wasn't trying to rain on your parade...

No problem my friend. The more the merrier! Interesting post!

[Fyre]

Thank you NoCasa!

[kitca]

very interesting.

i think, fyre, i sort of think the same as you. i dont think we just end. i think we come angain and again and do need to learn things. everything is connected. i used to think it was just living things that had energy, but now i think there is more to is. i think structures/buildings have energy, i think rocks have energy (actually, isnt it proven that they do?), i think water in lakes, etc has energy.

i think there is so much we dont understand and so much distortion and distraction out there. i was raised catholic, but i dont agree with their methods, teachings etc. my family would just die to hear that it was so bred into them. but i think there is so much more out there that we are missing...

[Fyre]

Thank you for your post kitca- I do also believe that structures or anything that a living thing has touched can absorb energy, leaving an imprint or sorts in/on it. I can feel energy imprints when I touch all sorts of things- These come as images or sometimes unexplained empathic feelings at the time. I believe that all the elements (Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Spirit) have energy in them that we can channel for the greater good- I use them in healing sometimes.

[kitca]

i dont get imprints or empathic feelings, i just get this feeling of good vibes or bad vibes. i cant explain why but some people/things really make me have a good feeling energy, and others just wear me right out and stress me out. i call them 'energy suckers' and i am learning to avoid these people as best i can.

just being out at the beach last weekend sitting on the rocks watching the water, and studing the rocks. before that i was so tired in the car driving i was trying to nap. there was no one at one of our favorite coves (hibbert bay) so we got out awhile. i had such energy and enthausim (sp?) and felt so good. 10 minutes after i was in the van i was exhausted again. i suppose you could just say it was the fresh air, but i really think there was much more too it.

[animal lover]

I agree with both of you Fyre and kitca.

I too believe that there is energy in everything. Certain places do emit some kind of feeling of energy, positive or negative.

Many people can get vibes off of objects, my self included.

Some will scoff, but perhaps it's becaue they dont feel it?

I once went to a crystal workshop that was pretty amazing.
we Lay on the floor and had certain crystals tplaced on our bodies that coresponded with the Chakras.

then some music was played and each crystal resonated when a certain pitch was reached.
crystals and rock DO have a coresponding energy to certain musical notes.
anywa it was fun and a little freakiy, but very very interesting.

My feeling is that there is so much out there that we just dont know and we can spend a lifetime learning these things.
anyway, you're certainly not alone in your beliefs!