About 380 years before our era Plato writes on Politeia, " The Republic ". In this book, Plato recounts a dialogue between his mentor Socrates (470 BCE – 399 BCE) and one of his two brothers named Glaucon. This dialogue is called "Allegory of the Cave" and describes the essence of our reality.
The reality that we perceive is like the shadows that the prisoners see on the wall of the cave. These prisoners cannot turn their heads to see the origin of the shadows. All they can see are the shadows on the wall of the cave, which is their only reality.
By analogy, our common senses cannot perceive the origin of what we describe as our reality. The only reality that we perceive is that which our 5 senses send back to us. Reality is created by something that is beyond our senses. It is only through logical thinking that we can discover the origin of the reality we perceive.
Although our senses perceive only the world of shadows, our mind is able to assume the existence of a world of light and a world of objects blocking the passage of light. Together, these three worlds form a unit.
"Here are men in an underground cave-like dwelling, which has its long entrance, opening the whole cave to daylight; they have been there since childhood, their legs and neck caught in ties that force them to stay put and only look forward, unable to turn their heads because of the tie; comes to them the light of a fire that burns above and far behind them; and between the fire and the chained men, a road in the height, along which here is that a low wall was raised, in the same way as the puppet demonstrators have partitions which separate them from people; it’s above that they show their wonders.
(…)
– See also, along this low wall, men who carry objects of all kinds which go beyond the low wall, statues of men and other living beings, shaped in stone, wood, and in all materials; among these carriers, as is normal, some speak, and others are silent.
– It's a strange picture you describe there, he said, and strange prisoners. "- Similar to us," I said. To begin, in fact, do you believe that such men could have seen anything else, of themselves and of each other, that the shadows which, under the effect of fire, are projected onto the wall of the cave in front of them? (…)
"Then examine," said I, "what would happen if they were detached from their bonds and if they were cured of their error, in the event that things naturally happened about as follows. Whenever one of them is detached, and is forced to get up immediately, turn his head, walk, and look at the light, with each of these gestures he would suffer, and the glare would make him unable to to distinguish the things which shadows he saw earlier; what do you think he would answer, if we told him that earlier he only saw nonsense, while now that he is a little closer to what is really, and that he is turned to what is more real, he sees more correctly? Especially if, by showing him each of the things that go by, we asked him what it is, by forcing him to answer? Do you not think that he would be lost, and that he would consider that what he saw earlier was more true than what is shown to him now?
– And furthermore, if we also forced him to turn his eyes towards the light itself, would he not have pain in the eyes, and would he not flee from it to return to the things he is capable of to distinguish, by considering the latter as really sharper than those that we show him?
– And if we tore him out of there by force, I said, bringing him up by the rocky and steep slope, and if we did not let him go before we dragged him out into the sunlight, would he not suffer from it, and would he not be indignant at being dragged in this way? And when he came to the light, eyes flooded with the brightness of the day, would he be able to see even one of the things that now he was said to be true? "
Everything in the shadow world is a creation of the dynamics of what we can call the “proto-world”, That is to say the blocking of light by objects which casts shadows on the wall (corresponding to the observed phenomena of the world of shadows).
Everything in the world of shadows (3D) is a creation. The dynamics of the proto-world creates these three-dimensional projections.
Tradition designates the source of this act of creation as the Creator. All "Creator, creation and creature" form one trinity (in Latin, this Trinitarian unit is called Genitor, Genero, Genesis).
Aristotle (384 BCE – 322 BCE) refers to the Creator as the one who moves without being moved: he is the First Engine (Primum Mobile) and is the root cause of all change in the world. In the world of Source, the movement does not exist, there is only universal immobility, as Walter B. Russell (1871 – 1963) rightly pointed out.
In contrast, in the world of shadows there are only movements and a complete lack of stillness. This is why Heraclitus of Ephesus (535 BCE – 475 BCE), another great scientist from ancient Greece, would have said (according to Plato) " Panta rhei "(Πάντα ῥεῖ)" which literally means "all things flow" (in the sense of "Everything goes") and synthesizes the thought of a world in perpetual motion.
The movements that we perceive in the world of shadows are the projections of the dynamics of the proto-world. In the source world there is only the unity of general stillness. In the proto-world this unity is divided into two complementary movements (called the Yin Yang duality). The reflections of the dynamics of this proto-world as manifestations in the world of shadows complete this Trinity.
We find the essence of the proto-world in the dynamics of creation and we call this dynamic essence "Qi". However, we are talking about a proto-energy which we can visualize as a sine wave in 2D. This proto-energy should not be confused with the energy of the shadow world which is defined as the ability to act on 3D objects.
We can illustrate our point with geometric concepts. The cube represents the three-dimensional world of shadow. The square represents the two-dimensional proto-world. The line represents the one-dimensional source world.
The claim that “Everything is energy"Is only true in the proto-world. In the shadow world, our senses tell us that “Everything is matter”. However from the point of view of the source world “Everything is information”. Information is at the heart of everything that exists.
Vital energy, or simply energy, is the (metaphysical) cause of vitality and growth.
The energy of the shadow world is the ability to do physical work, it is the "projected" (3D) of vital energy (2D). Matter is then the energy of the world of shadows condensed or more precisely, matter is condensed light.
Matter (Xing), energy (Qi) and information (Shen) form the tri-unit called Hun Yuan Qi in Zhineng Qigong.
In the “Huai Nan Zi” (classic work of the same era as the Nei Jing) we can read that Xing is the “house of the living”, of life, Qi “Fill the living”, and Shen is “responsible for the living”. When we are caring for a sick person, we must consider these 3 elements together.
NB: in TCM, when we talk about matter / substance inside the body we rather say Jing, Qi, Shen. In the same way, in the physical body, Yin and Yang are substances (zhen Yin / Yang) stored in the Kidneys and different from the philosophical Yin / Yang.
Qi and Qi Hua are the epitome of the theory of Classical Chinese Medicine
The notion of Qi is the foundation, the basis of Chinese medical thought. It is the Qi that describes all of the body's metabolic functions.
- Shang = produce, role of the Liver
- Zhang = grow, role of the Heart
- Hua = transform, role of the Spleen
- Shou = to harvest, role of the Lung
- Cang = hide, role of the Kidneys
It is said, for example, that the Lung controls Qi, that is to say that the Lung controls the inputs / outputs of Qi in the body via the movements of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is smart health connected to the plexus and to Ming Men. It contracts, relaxes, goes up and down, it's a physiological reality.
When we explain the functions of Zang Fu we should always describe Qi AND Qi Hua, or Ti, Yong and Hua. We should for each Organ describe and explain Xing, Qi, and Shen. Acupuncture is used to heal Xing and Qi, Qi Gong is used to heal Shen.
The basics of Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong are identical. Before the Tang and Song dynasties, there was no difference between the two disciplines. It was their subsequent separation that led to many misunderstandings by practitioners and the decline of so-called classical Chinese medicine.
GONG MEDICAL IQ is used for diagnosis and treatment. If we practice properly and seriously, tenaciously, we can develop the ability to receive information of HUN YUAN QI, of the universal field of consciousness. We know that HUA TUO practiced QI GONG and used 3th eye for diagnosis. He used neither the tongue nor the pulse but looked directly inside the body.
When you seriously practice GONG QI, you develop special faculties, we cultivate the intelligence of the Heart (ie the wisdom and openness necessary for communication with the Dao) and we practice acupuncture and superior massage.
First of all, you must practice GONG IQ for yourself, before doing medical QI GONG.
The practice of Qi Gong is an important origin of Classical Chinese Medicine
In the “Shen Ji Zong Lu” (Song Dynasty), it is said to “Look inside to heal”. Li Shi Zhen in the “Ben Cao Gang Mu” recommends that we “Close your eyes, look inside”.
Qi Gong is a foundation and the epitome of clinical practice in Classical Chinese Medicine.
According to Nei Jing, the good doctor:
- Regularizes (strengthens) consciousness (Shen)
- Exercises (strengthens) the body
- Knows the pharmacopoeia
- Knows acupuncture
- Knows the functions of Zang Fu
Also in Nei Jing we read that "The rude doctor puts attention on the Xing, the senior doctor puts attention on the Shen", which can also mean that the doctor receives the information, often in the form of images.
In the Chinese tradition, study and practice are inseparable. We must first cultivate Qi Zu (vigorous energy) by practicing for example the 1st method of Zhineng Qigong and meditation to strengthen the Qi of Dan Tian.
Then you have to Shen Ming (clear consciousness) by practicing the methods of concentration and bringing the consciousness back inside the body. To "practice" Qi is to think about Qi, to watch Qi constantly so that consciousness combines with Qi.
To think Qi we can practice Peng Qi Quan Ding Fa, the 1st method of Zhineng Qigong. You have to feel the movement of Qi which penetrates ever deeper into the body, down to the cellular level. Always think about the meaning of the practice: what do I do, what are the effects …?
We can look at Qi around us and in our bodies. We observe the Qi of Nature by letting ourselves be penetrated by the beauty of the world, by the magic that emanates from organic life on Earth.
We can then imagine Qi using images. You can imagine the water flowing, flowing, a river, a wave, a balloon, the Qi that turns … but beware, it is only for concentration. The natural movement of Qi is SIMPLE, it is to enter / exit and go up / down. As soon as you feel the IQ, you don't do anything, you no longer imagine anything. Consciousness must be calm, everything must be and remain SIMPLE, without too much form. I stress the danger of using images that are too strong or in opposition to our physiology. The simplest, the formless is always the best option, just pay attention and look.
One must practice, as the Masters do, with absolute FAITH. For a treatment in IQ GONG you must not doubt, you must believe in a total success. It is important that the patient also believes in it. If one keeps a clear conscience, one eliminates all agitation of the HEART.
It is the consciousness that sends the information, the FU (the wish), into the Qi field: "What do I want? be happy, sleep well, lose weight, gain weight, be healthy, etc. ”. If a person practices little, FU cannot be “correct”, in the sense of “in accordance with natural laws”.
If we move forward with total confidence it works and it’s the same for any energy healing technique : Reiki, universal energy, magnetism.
You have to train the consciousness to be able to enter the energy, it takes a lot of practice. Consciousness must enter the center of the disease and transform it. It is a different intention to bring out or make disappear … it is the HUN YUAN QI which heals, everything is transformed, here and now.
To dialogue with Hun Yuan Qi you need the same emotions, the same ideas as Hun Yuan Qi, you have to speak the archetypal language of the Spiritual Heart, Love.
