FMA's and CHI?

Donna,

Chi is a real energy, often described from modern tests as the bio-electrical/hormonal system at work in the body. Tests were performed by French M.D.'s in conjunction with Korean doctors, and they found a microduct (for lack of a better word) system that corresponded 80-90% with the ancient traditional Taoist maps of the acupuncture network of the body. You can, through cultivation, use it for healing and some martial applications (pressure point fighting and disrupting the bio-electrical system). It takes discipline and regular practice. See a Reiki master and have some treatments done to you -- its very comfortable and non-threatening. After a few of them, you'll start to feel it, and then you can decide for yourself if it exists. (Call me or email me and I'll recommend a great Reiki person close by you). Another way is to practice Taoist esoteric yoga. An excellent book that removes the hocus-pocus and teaches it to you in practical modern terms is "Awaken Healing Energy Through the Tao" by Mantak Chia.

That said, there are many tricks that performers use, by subtle manipulation of everyday physics to demonstrate the "wonderous powers of CHI." They exaggerate its capabilites and then use the physics to "prove" it exists. It's all showmanship and trickery, having nothing to do with chi at all. (I've seen that show, too). Sorry to disappoint you in that respect.

Hope this helps!

Brian.
 
On "Chi"--

IMHO, most of the demonstrations are as Brian said, a form of showmanship that can be duplicated without the need for "Chi"

I think "chi" is a certain kind of feeling you get from long familiarity and usage of your body under strenuous physical performance. I think it exists as a feeling that is a good indicator of what is happening with your body, but it does not exist by itself as some sort of electrical force, etc.

However, let me digress a bit and say that some of the claims of acupuncture are actually true.

My father is a 60 year old surgeon trained in the western manner, and some years ago, some doctors came from China and performed an operation under lab test conditions here using only acupuncture and no anaesthesia. The patient really felt no pain, and the monitoring instruments showed no sign that the patient was feeling pain.

After that, my father became a believer in certain types of acupuncture. Of course, there are a lot of people who do it without any real skill, that's understood.

As to "chi" in the FMA, I really can't comment on this.

Best wishes from SYK

 
Donna, I do now that pain can be ignored sucessfully if you have a pressing mission.
Morphine does help.I have thought of Chi ,or Ki. I think that one can call up reserves. No matter what it is called.
Daniel
 
Brian,
do you have any idea where to find that French medical study you mentioned? Anything posted in the net, or perhaps a medical journal it was published in? I am highly interested.

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"Peace is not without conflict; it is the ability to cope with conflict" - Leo Giron
 
Hi Donna!
Your original question was "does Chi have a place in FMAs, or doesn't it?" Definitions of "Chi" vary widely. But when you read stories of the Juramentado taking multiple gun shots without going down...something is going on here. Adrenaline alone? When you hear about FMA fighters using an Antinganting to sustain them and focus them, something is going on. Concentration alone?
When you hear of people receiving Hilot treatments and getting sensations identical to those from acupuncture...something is going on. Suggestion alone? Whatever Chi is, I don't think it is unique to chinese & japanese martial arts, nor that it necessarily needs complicated meditative practice for development. Just my 2 cents. :-)

Keith

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"Walk softly and carry a big stick!"
Teddy Roosevelt
 
Judge,

I don't know where to find the info on that study at this point. I'm certain if you look around enough you can find something on the internet -- or look at Acupuncture/TCM schools and ask them, maybe...

Sorry I can't be of more help...

~B.
 
Since you mentioned those touring "Shaolin monks" ... the Shaolin monastery was destroyed centuries ago and the few monks and nuns who survived went into hiding. The Chinese government has built a reproduction monastery on the site to attract tourists, and hired a troupe of actors/stage magicians who do tricks with flexible spears etc.

The monastery has not been restored in any sense; it's just a tourist trap.

-Cougar :{)
 
Here's an easy little exercise for you to try:

Visualize a dot in your forebrain. Just try to concentrate on the feelings emanating from that dot. Soon enough you'll begin to be able to feel the throbbing of your pulse in your brain. When that happens, try to make the dot as small as possible.

Once you start feeling this, try "moving" that feeling to different places in your body. You may be very surprised at the result-- it just feels like a slightly prickly area of warmth in your muscle layer, and it seems to soothe pain.

 
Asuang,

This is a good exercise, but allow me to throw in a caveat. If you have high blood pressure, do not concentrate on this point. Instead, concentrate on the point (dan tien) about two fingers below the navel and one inch in. Press on that spot for a few minutes to bring your concentration there. Then bring your concentration down to the soles of your feet, right at the spot betwwen the balls of your feet, farthest from the toes. This will help reduce high blood pressure.

Concentrating on the spot between the eyebrows (or forebrain as Asuang called it) may raise your high BP to more dangerous levels. By the same token, if you have abnormally low BP, then concentrating on that forebrain spot will help raise it to more normal levels.

Peace,

Brian.
 
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