Gita's Q/A Forum: Questions From Readers

Question: I just found out that doing energy clearing/balancing practices like, Qigong, Tai Chi and so on are actually irritating to the astral body. Can you help me to understand why?

Answer: Whenever there is a feeling of irritation in the emotions, feelings of instability or spaciness, fear, or many other not so friendly emotions, it is time to stop and observe the causes. Don't ever feel that you don't know better, or being spacey and uncomfortable somehow is “spiritual.” These are signs from your bodies telling you to stop and take notice.

Whenever we do any work on our bodies, we release tension and toxicity. Too much too soon, and you are sore and irritable, depressed, or suffer various levels of emotional and mental and physical illnesses. Too little and not sustained, and there is no benefit. The wrong kind of energy work, and serious damage may result. And, thinking this is the permanent solution creates false expectations and running after non-essentials. This kind of thinking and expectation build glamors, illusions, and various self-deceptions that further retard our growth. Every kind of energy work or even spiritual work is not necessarily useful to everyone.

When we release pain on any level, they become like broken pieces of an iceberg that float on the surface of our aura.

I personally don’t believe any externally imposed practice has a lasting effect on our bodies. The right kind of body work will prepare the ground for the real work to commence. When we do the real work, which means to make real changes in every part of our life, then we may have sustained healing and change from the ground up. We cannot rely on any practice or anyone to make changes for us. Others can help us feel good and have temporary adjustments, but they cannot hold that charge for us. We have to develop the body and subtle network that will sustain and hold change.

Additionally, when we do any energy work, including meditation and prayer that is far above what our bodies can handle, we will be bringing up and stirring too much too soon. It is like rain that floods. If we persist to irritate our subtle bodies by practices that inflame us, we will do serious damage.

I personally don't subscribe to any kind of physical, emotional, mental, spiritual exercise that is “done till it hurts.” I don’t even believe in overdoing reading and study and meditation. Pushing beyond your limits is baloney and a huge glamor! Your practices of any kind should not hurt but should be “comfortably challenging.” In fact, I have observed that when students take on too much, they end up unbalanced and “weird”. Having bought into the false notion of spiritual change, they even believe they are getting better and they are the last to know how weird they are being. Or, they quit, which is the better choice but in a way further retards real growth and real healing. When we do not have discernment, then we take the long, circuitous route to transformation!

The bodies can be healed and have sustainable healing through slow, real change and effort. If you want to change and make every practice really “stick” then go slow. Give time for every part of your life to adjust to the changes. Choose the practices and treatments that are right for you. Don’t build the false notion that with many books and many exercises and many meditation courses you are going to become an initiate and be healed. Nor believe that someone else can initiate you or make you advanced or heal you. You may feel good temporarily, but it does not last unless the change is systemic and initiated by your own efforts. The right kind of body work will prepare the ground for healing and can be sustained only through your efforts to make life changes.

Question:  So is it OK to do Qigong as long as you understand that it's only the band-aid effect? Or is it better to just leave such things alone and only do the deeper work to get to the real issues of imbalance?

Answer: In reality, these are all a temporary in their effects. It is never OK to do any body work if it irritates you. Anything that feels uncomfortable, stop no matter what it is. Not all ancient practices are good for us in our current bodies. Ancient methods of healing and balance were designed for different kinds of bodies. People needed these thousands of years ago in order to coordinate their subtle bodies with their physical bodies. Our bodies now are very different and need different approaches.

So, first you prepare your bodies to be receptive by changing your focus to a higher current of energy, then you engage in inner work that builds your soul consciousness and bathes your nature with the love and healing of the higher worlds. The deeper work that you do will get you to the real issues. That is the best way for sustainable healing and progress. Healing of our complete nature is a process of removing obstacles and then building the subtle mechanism for the circulation of psychic energy. It takes time and sustained effort.

You need to be very selective and careful in what you do to yourself. Develop the art of communication with your bodies by listening, observing, and responding appropriately.

 You are most welcome. Glad to be of help.

Gita