The Small Universe -- A Discussion for Course Participants

[Antonius]

Hello everyone,

I'd like to invite everyone who attended the 2007 Advanced Chi Kung course to share and discuss their experiences with the Small Universe. For those who were not at the course, you may also participate, but please keep in mind that this discussion is for us. I would also like to point out that the techniques discussed here are advanced. It is unsafe and unwise to practice them without a master.

I'll kick off the discussion in my next post.

[Antonius]

My Practice

Dear classmates,

I hope that all of you who attended the course are enjoying your practice. I'm sure that you are. I know I am.

Here is what I have been doing. Every morning, I practice the Gentle Small Universe. I start with Abdominal Breathing about 10-20 times, then Submerged Breathing 10-20 times, then Long Breathing, and finally the Gentle Small Universe. (No Forceful Small Universe for me, thank you! )

I have experimented a bit with where to place it in my practice. Mostly, I'm experimenting with whether to do it at the beginning, or at the end. At present, I prefer it at the beginning because it seems to make my Golden Bridge session much more productive (I'm doing 20 minutes of Golden Bridge quite easily now). What about you folks?

By the way, I complied a document with all of Sifu's instructions for the Small Universe from "The Art of Chi Kung". It's all in there, but I found it a bit difficult to page through it all, so I decided to put it all in once place. If you would like a copy of the document, please email me. Also, please note that I will only send copies to those who attended the course.

All the best,

[P. McSweeney]

Hey Anthony,

Thanks for starting this thread.

I'm really enjoying my practice as well. I'm practicing the Small Universe every day and the Big Universe 2/3 times a week. I do about 10 mins standard Horse Stance and follow with the Small Universe. I do it in the Goat Stance with about 4/4/4/4/20 reps starting with Abdominal Breathing through to Gentle. I try to give a gentle thought regularly during the day to the flow.

I'd love to be taken through it again by Sifu as I haven't felt anything as strong since I got home from the course. But I feel great.

Thanks
paschal

[joko]

Thanks, Anthony Sihing, for starting the thread. Is it a coincidence that I was about to ask Sifu about my experiences in my practice of Small and Big Universe, when I went online and logged in the Forum, I came across this thread?

In my experience, after returning from the Course, whenever I practice Stance Training in Horse-Riding Stance, Goat Stance, or just enjoying my Wuji Stance, I feel the Small Universe flow circulating while I am remaining in those stances.
Since I practice Stance Training everyday (not to mention enjoying the peace in Wuji Stance), then practically I also practice the Small Universe every day.

When I 'formally' practice the Small Universe like we did in the Course, after entering and enjoying the phase of continuous Small Universe, somehow, without my conscious effort, the practice continues to start by itself with the 'Medical' Big Universe.

When the two-cycle flow of Big Universe begins to happen, in the background the circular Small Universe is still felt, though as not strong as when I am still in the Small Universe stage.

This was the question I was about to ask Sifu: whether the feeling of these simultaneous flows of the circular flow of Small Universe and the two-cycle flow of Big Universe is a normal progress of practice.

Concerning the 'Cosmic' Big Universe practice, I found out that in fact we had done it before; the first time I experienced it was in the Review Course in October 2006. It was not called 'Big Universe' at that time.

Another realization I have had is this: The procedures Sifu guided us through in the Course is a process of 'triggering' us into the Small and Big Universe flows. The real flows is when we have reached the 'wu-wei' phase. (In the Course, this 'wu-wei' phase was the phase when Sifu said 'Drop your hands, and enjoy the flow').

A rough analogy is the analogy with a speed boat engine. We put gasoline in the engine, check that every part of the engine is in place, then we put the 'starting string' in place properly, and then we pull the string to start the engine running. In response to the 'string pulling' action, the engine starts rotating, and it may continue running with just one pull of the starter string, or it may need several 'pulling' actions. Once the engine starts running, it will continue to run by itself, until we switch it off.

Similarly, we do that. First, we stand upright properly, make sure we feel comfortable in the standing position, smile from the heart, and we do the techniques: abdominal breathing, submerged breathing, etc., until we enter the Small Universe Flow, and then let go.

(The preparation stage is checking the engine, the gasoline is the result of internal force of years of our chikung practice, and the techniques (submerged breathing,.. etc.) is the 'pulling trigger'. The 'let go' is when the engine start running by itself.)

I wonder that if we continue to practice dedicatedly, eventually there will come the time when the Small Universe and Big Universe are always with us all the time, including the other times even we are not formally practicing it.

In other words, our daily chikung practice (including force training and combat practice) is just a practice. The rest, which means our life, is itself chikung. This means further that our whole life is meditation.

Joko

[Jim Redfern]

Hi Joko and everyone. Wonderful threads, I'm very pleased for you all. Someday I'll practise the universes too

I wonder that if we continue to practice dedicatedly, eventually there will come the time when the Small Universe and Big Universe are always with us all the time, including the other times even we are not formally practicing it.

In other words, our daily chikung practice (including force training and combat practice) is just a practice. The rest, which means our life, is itself chikung. This means further that our whole life is meditation.

I've had the same thought about smiling from the heart. When I do it I notice a physiological change in me and the chi beginning to flow. I wonder as I do it more and more whether this state becomes normality, constant smiling from the heart. I asked my sifu about it and he just said "wait until you meet Sigung".

Jim

[Luo Lang]

Nice thread Anthony,
So far I am doing 5 times abdominal breathing, 5 times submerged breathing, 5times long breathing, 5 times reverse breathing and finally 5 times gentle small unsiverse.

I am doing it actually always after the stance training, as Sifu recommended me to do so.

My stance training improved a lot but I decided to train less. Whereas it was no problem to sit comfortably 20-30' in Golden Bridge I do it now for half of the time. I feel it doesn't need that much at the moment.

The most signifant chance I have felt in my spirituality. I don't know, but I restarted to read Shukawati again and I am very interessted in reading books about the western paradise.

[Mark Blohm]

Nice thread Anthony,
So far I am doing 5 times abdominal breathing, 5 times submerged breathing, 5times long breathing, 5 times reverse breathing and finally 5 times gentle small unsiverse.

Sounds like what I'm doing, but I put about 10 breaths for Gentle Small Universe.

My stance training improved a lot but I decided to train less. Whereas it was no problem to sit comfortably 20-30' in Golden Bridge I do it now for half of the time. I feel it doesn't need that much at the moment.

Me too. I've actuallly brought my stance training down to one session per day beause I've been generating too much Chi. I plan to slowly bring that back, however. Gradual progress.

Practicing dynamic patterns has also changed. Most notable is when I practice lifting the sky. It feels a lot more like mind cultivation/expansion than generating energy flow.

The most signifant chance I have felt in my spirituality. I don't know, but I restarted to read Shukawati again and I am very interessted in reading books about the western paradise.

Yes. I've found myself paying daily respect to Sifu and all the past Masters.


Smile from the heart,

Mark

[Antonius]

Nice to see everyone here.

Paschal: So you're doing it all in the Goat stance? I'm sticking to Wuji stance for a while, and I'll switch to Goat later. As for the sensations being weaker, isn't that always the case after Sifu's courses? Sifu seems to lift us up and give us a taste of a higher level. After the course, it is our job to practice diligently in order to reproduce that level for ourselves. That's what I feel is happening with the Small Universe for me. I feel like, after 6 months of practice, I'll be back near where I was during the course. But what I'm feeling now isn't too bad either.

Joko: That's really interesting that you can feel the Small Universe circulating in the background while doing the Big Universe. I can't feel that yet.

Roland: What's happening, Monkey? Actually, I've experienced a similar kind of spiritual awakening. I thought it was just me. I haven't mentioned it, but during the session where I was thrown down to one knee and broke down in tears, I had a spiritual catharsis. Suffice it to say that since that day, I have been praying to Guan Yin every day.

Mark: Slightly off topic, but were you previously practicing zhan zhuang twice a day? You might want to run that by Sifu. I was under the impression that once a day was the maximum. Please let me know what you find out.

Best to all,

[Innes]

Hi Everyone,


My practise is Abdominal Breathing about 10 times, then Submerged Breathing about 10 times, then Long Breathing about 10 times. I then have kept up putting in forceful small universe about once/twice a fortnight, but usually I go into gentle small universe.

I have practise the exercise 'respects to Past Masters' about 3 times since the course and will continue to occasionally put it in to my practise.

Like some other people I initially found doing small universe practise before my morning force training was making my Golden Bridge very powerful but too powerful to sit in for long periods. So i changed my small universe to the end of my morning session and it feels much better to still do a long Golden bridge and then a good small universe practise. I cant remember if Sigung gave a recommended outline of where to put it in to your practise but i think once my body is more used to the small universe flow i will move it back to the start of my practise.

On buses and trains I really, really enjoy the gently thought of the small universe flow. My favourite part of my practise and what i have noticed a huge benefit from doing is remembering Sigung saying something along the lines of 'think of yourself living a healthy, happy life' at the end of my practise.

Great reading these posts,
All the best,

[Mark Blohm]

Mark: Slightly off topic, but were you previously practicing zhan zhuang twice a day? You might want to run that by Sifu. I was under the impression that once a day was the maximum.

This could explain a lot. I will ask Sifu.

Mark

[P. McSweeney]

Hey Anthony,

I agree, in 6 months time if we practice well we should be in a better position to compare

I do practice in the Goat Stance but also in the feet together stance and both are great. Sometimes it feels better with the feet together. I've noticed Hui Yin a lot since the course. If I sit down anywhere and straighten my spine and relax I can feel it strongly. I love standing in queues now cos I just drop slightly into a Goat Stance place my hands at my dan tian and enjoy myself. Sometimes I don't want to go to the counter

Paschal

[George]

I usually practice Small Universe in the evening, separate from the morning stance training. This was what Sigung recommended for me, when I asked him in Malaysia.

The practice itself is similar to what others have described: 5-10 repetitions of each of the stages and then just enjoying the circle. On occasional days I build a ball of energy around my waist area and then direct it to flow inwards and join the circular flow.

I have had a few interesting experiences - being even a little aware of my energy flow is new and exciting to me, so I am very much enjoying myself.

I am also really feeling the benefits of the practice. I need less sleep and I am still mentally more fresh.

Love it.

[Luo Lang]

Originally posted by Antonius:
Roland: What's happening, Monkey? Actually, I've experienced a similar kind of spiritual awakening. I thought it was just me. I haven't mentioned it, but during the session where I was thrown down to one knee and broke down in tears, I had a spiritual catharsis. Suffice it to say that since that day, I have been praying to Guan Yin every day.

Hey there. I really don't know what's happening, but I enjoy it. I also broke out in tears, but later on in the temple. For the last few weeks I bursted out in tears a lot.

Yes I do also pray every day now. At least once a day. Man I have necer really prayed....not really. I tend to pray to Lord Buddha, then to Guan Yin, then sometimes to Sitaigung.

Cheers all of you

[Luo Lang]

I also do the traiing in Wuji stance, because I love Wuji (well, yes our Bro Wuji as well). The goat I prefer, but I decided to slow things down now. Whereeas I prefer the stability in Goat, I now discover the letting go (not physically in term of movements) in Wuji is super nice. And also very very stable.

I start to realise why it's the infinite stance. It's one of the best stances

[Damian Kissey]

Shaolin greetings brothers and sisters

It was nice meeting all of you exemplary good people during the universe course.

About Small Universe practise : i do in Wuji stance , once daily between 10pm to 1 am ( sometimes i miss and replace with 1 session of chi flow followed by standing meditation ), start with 3 repetitions of Gentle Small Universe then let circulate spontaneously ending with chi flow and standing meditation ( all taking about 30 minutes ) .Sometimes after circulating spontaneously , continue directly to spiritual Big Universe .

Since the course , i experience relatively higher energy level and more happy then before .

Thank You and will keep in touch.

Best wishes in all your good endeavours.