"Sinking the qi" from Daoist internal alchemy

[oregano]

Recently I have been experimenting with Daoist physical mudras and meditation practices with the aim of "sinking the chi" from the upper dantians into the lower dantian, or the "sea of qi". From what I understand of Daoist internal alchemy and a lot of other Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is a good starter goal.

So far I can definitely say that my lower dantian feels more full, and I can feel the tension leaving my chest (the so called process of "emptying the chest"). As the qi leaves my upper dantian (the "third eye"), I notice less discursive thoughts as well, and less anxiety and deliberation over inconsequential things. There is also a feeling of general wellness, and less frequent moments of feelings of unwellness.

I'm just wondering if anyone here has walked this kind of path before. What should I expect? When should I consider this part of this kind of path to be completed, if ever? What is, in your estimation, the next part of this path? What are some pitfalls in this kind of path? (I've heard of "qi deviation" or "qi sickness", and so of course would prefer to avoid that)

 

[ewiz]

I can't really give good advice for all of your questions, but I can offer some input. From what it sounds like you're doing, the effects you're having match what you should be experiencing quite well. Drawing qi to the lower dantian is all about balance and grounding. The trouble I think people run into, especially when they talk about sickness, is when they are trying to force these movements of qi. If you try forcing things, you can end up with all sorts of unseen tension and blockages, which manifests in the opposite ways (insomnia, anxiety, headaches, irrational emotions etc.) I don't know how common this is when using hand seals, because I have mostly focused on standing exercises to this end, zhan zhuang. In zhan zhuang, doing things wrong can happen fairly easily when you are first starting out. It can be difficult. But it also works very quickly to draw everything that's scattered about into your lower dantian. This might be something worth looking into, as it sounds like you have a good grasp on your current practice.

This specific type of practice, I feel, can be very useful to do before and after magical practices. Sorta like charging and recharging your personal battery, and centering yourself in your body. It helps you get out of your head, which I think is important. I knew a very wise man from another tradition who recommended pushups before and after evocation, and I think this operates on a similar principle.