Chi Kung near a graveyard

[Kevin_B]

Dear family,
Of the “don’t do’s” of Chi Kung practice is to not practice close to a graveyard (cemetery). This Sunday I move to new accommodation that is within 140 meters of the perimeter of a reasonably large graveyard. Is this too close so as to be an issue with my practice? I don’t have a visual on the graveyard from either the house I am moving to or the estate in which the house is situated. But its there.
I feel like a fool. I was very careful in choosing a bedroom which would facilitate good practice (size, facing a backgarden etc) but didn’t think of the surrounding neighbourhood. And I should have as I know the area quite well. I haven’t signed a contract so I could move out after a month if need be.
Any advice/suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Best wishes,
Kevin

[Kevin_B]

I've just found this quote from Sifu Darryl Collett:

I recently asked Sifu a similar question and he replied that 250 - 300 metres is a good distance and that 1000 metres is an even better distance.

I think my stay will be short in my new place.

[Anton S.]

Good quote!
Good luck!
I used to stay 300m away from a graveyard and it was creepy.
Just practice your ChiKung in a park at good distance of min. 1000m and move away hihihihi

[Maxime]

Hi Kevin,

unless you want to help lost spirits and ghosts, I would suggest that you move out from this flat.

Personally, as I have become very sensitive thnaks to my Chi Kung practice, I am even uncomfortable by simply driving by a cemetery for a few seconds.

The energy close to a cemetery is far too Yin and some factors can disrupt the good Chi-Shen harmony, especially during practice.

Just my opinion.

Maxime

[Dorit]

Hello @ all,

I am living quite near a cemetery, but my house and terrace are facing away from it (right side) - and, I suppose, the graveyard is about 400-500m away, behind houses and a small field. I do not feel there are many dead people around, not more than everywhere.
Well, I do the best with it. Just now I do not think the cemetery is harmful to me. The other side would be not to practice ...

All my best,
confermezza

[Luo Lang]

If there is a possibility to stay far away from a graveyard, then take the opportunity.

If not try your best to work to stay away from it.

A good example was when I took Sifu to the rheinfall. There was at this day plenty of parking spaces left, I parked very close to a cemetery. I was not aware of it. In my mind I wanted to be as close as possible, giving Sifu's family the shortest way to walk to the waterfall.

Sifu asked me to move the car away.

[Anthony S]

This is also good practice in mindfulness.

Some years ago, when Inside Kung Fu was taking some photographs of Sifu we were in a park in Burbank. Before they started taking photos Sifu noted a steeple of some sort in the very distant background of the photo. He asked them if it was a cemetery and wouldn't continue until they assured him it wasn't. I was amazed at Sifu's awareness to even consider this.

[Andrew R]

Are there common symptoms of signs of practicing near a cemetery? Ie. signs that you should move somewhere else? There's a graveyard not too far from my current home, I'd say less than 500 meters away. Between my home and the graveyard there's nothing but trees and other green stuff, would this help? I assume the size of the graveyard is also a factor, and it's not very big.

[Anthony S]

I lived in a Condo complex in Las Vegas that bordered a very large cemetery. I lived on the opposite side of the complex and, in my case, I didn't feel it was any problem and I never noted any effect to my practice. In this case, the size of the cemetery wasn't an issue because there was a big barrier, lots of homes, buffering it.

One of the most obvious signs of ill effect would be a mental, emotional or spiritual problem, from this type of deviated practice.

One of my students in Mexicali, Mexico told me he lived next door to and overlooking a cemetery. I had to tell him that, notwithstanding the convenience of practicing at home, he should not practice there. He would have to make an effort to find another place to practice. He really needed to move from that home.

[Anthony S]

The trees and grass themselves don't necessarily mean that they are a sufficient buffer.

[Andrew R]

Thanks for the feedback. I've re-checked the situation and it's fortunately not too bad. I recalculated the distance and it's about 550-600 meters from my home. It's very small, no more than 40 by 50 meters. There is a buffer zone of green and also a decent size area of homes between here and there. The graveyard is also right on the ocean coast, maximum 100 meters away from the water. I imagine this would help as well, unless the ocean breeze/energy flow takes the graveyard chi towards us.

[Kevin_B]

Dear friends,

Thank you for taking the time to offer advice on my predicament. The message is clear: get a new place to live! This I certainly will do but until then I will heed the advice of my Sifu who said we should always make the best of the situation in which we find ourselves.

Practicing in a public park in the morning solves half the problem and in a way this is funny because for many months I have been seriously considering doing this anyway. There is a beautiful park close to where I work which is quite in the morning and when asking the question "Now Kevin, why don't you be a good little Chi Kung boy and practice in the park before you go to work everyday" the answer comes to me in an instant: Blockage. Yes, I have a blockage about practicing outdoors by myself and it manifests itself in many ways: "What if someone sees me?", "What if some weirdo thinks I'm mad?", "What if some weirdo thinks I'm on drugs?", "What if some weirdo thinks I'm mad and on drugs?"...or heaven forbid, "What if my boss, or that hot Spanish girl I fancy, thinks I'm mad and on drugs?"...and so on and so fourth.

This I need to address and my new accommodation issue has very much brought it into focus and given an added urgency to it. For the past three mornings however the blockage has been holding steady (like all good blockages I suppose). So I need to focus!

Practicing in a park at night isn't possible so for that I will be practicing at home. And I will just get on with it. However, as advised by my Sifu, I will include a blessing at the end to liberate all sentient beings but apart from that it is Chi Kung within 120 meters of a graveyard for me for the next few weeks and I'm not too worried about it. There have no problems for the past few nights. Its making the best of the situation in which I find myself.

Best wishes,

Kevin

PS Next week is Halloween and, I think, a splendid time to go stay with my parents for a few days...50 miles away!!!!!

[Mark CH]

Dear friends,

Thank you for taking the time to offer advice on my predicament. The message is clear: get a new place to live! This I certainly will do but until then I will heed the advice of my Sifu who said we should always make the best of the situation in which we find ourselves.

Practicing in a public park in the morning solves half the problem and in a way this is funny because for many months I have been seriously considering doing this anyway. There is a beautiful park close to where I work which is quite in the morning and when asking the question "Now Kevin, why don't you be a good little Chi Kung boy and practice in the park before you go to work everyday" the answer comes to me in an instant: Blockage. Yes, I have a blockage about practicing outdoors by myself and it manifests itself in many ways: "What if someone sees me?", "What if some weirdo thinks I'm mad?", "What if some weirdo thinks I'm on drugs?", "What if some weirdo thinks I'm mad and on drugs?"...or heaven forbid, "What if my boss, or that hot Spanish girl I fancy, thinks I'm mad and on drugs?"...and so on and so fourth.

This I need to address and my new accommodation issue has very much brought it into focus and given an added urgency to it. For the past three mornings however the blockage has been holding steady (like all good blockages I suppose). So I need to focus!

Practicing in a park at night isn't possible so for that I will be practicing at home. And I will just get on with it. However, as advised by my Sifu, I will include a blessing at the end to liberate all sentient beings but apart from that it is Chi Kung within 120 meters of a graveyard for me for the next few weeks and I'm not too worried about it. There have no problems for the past few nights. Its making the best of the situation in which I find myself.

Best wishes,

Kevin

PS Next week is Halloween and, I think, a splendid time to go stay with my parents for a few days...50 miles away!!!!!

Dear Kevin

What park do you practice in? If it is near your work then it can't be too far from my work too. Just curious

Best wishes
Mark

[Kevin_B]

Dear Mark,
Fitzgerald’s Park is the place I was referring to. Its as close to you as it is to me. Have you ever practiced there? This morning I blew another chance to practice there, which is a shame given how wonderful the morning was.
Maybe tomorrow …
Best Wishes,
Kevin

[John O Riordan]

Hey Kevin, haven't seen you in a few weeks.

I recently moved to Clonakilty into an apartment. There is limited space in the apartment and is generally not suited for practice (loud noises in the morning might wake my flatmates!).

So I have a beautiful beach within five minutes of my apartment that I can use as I please for Chi Kung and Kung Fu practice.

At the beginning I also faced the same blockages as you do. "What if people think that I am crazy" or seeing as I work in the locality "What if someone I know from work passes during chi flow". I spoke with one of my Shaolin Wahnam brothers and he offered me some advice which I found was a great help in breaking through these blockages.

It is something like this, if someone observes you during Chi Flow your behavior may make them laugh. Laughter is a good thing as this is making someone happy and what more could you do for a stranger.

They may even tell their friends or co-workers who may also laugh. Your morning practice might help lift the spirits of many people not just your own.

I hope this advice helps you as much as it helps me.

Also if that hot Spanish girl that you fancy see's you during practice it might become a topic that you can share a conversation about. Sharing your knowledge and experiences of the Shaolin Arts with a beautiful woman over a drink cannot be a bad thing.

Regards,

John.