Exploring Real Energy in Yoga, Martial Arts & Healing

In summary, the author was not sure where to post this, but they are interested in what the "energy" is in yoga and martial arts. They think that there is either real energy or something that is physically exerting itself. They describe the physical exertion of doing martial arts and how it causes feelings. They mention ki and how it has been described as harnessing one's potential energy and directing a physical force. Finally, they talk about the breaking of boards and how it is done with practice and conditioning.
  • #1
Gale
684
2
i wasn't sure where to post this since I'm not sure if it's a real energy or not but ah well...

you know how in yoga some forms of martial arts or sometimes self healing techniques... maybe even hypnosis, i forget, but people mention sending the 'energy' here or there. like in yoga phrases like 'releasing the energy to the floor' or 'feeling the energy go from your feet to you head' or stuff like that, is there some sort of real energy they mean or something? i mean, i do yoga, and I've done martial arts and my mum's friend does this white light healilng thing where I'm always closing my eyes imagining and energy flowing through my body. i was just wondering what the sensation is. is it all in my head or something else to it or what?
 
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  • #2
I am sure that there is a number of us that will say yes it is real. It or its effects can be at least indirectly measured. I'm also sure that just as many of us will tell you that its all in your head and imaginary. Don't believe them. Even if it is all in you head it works and that's all that counts.
 
  • #3
Physical exertion causes all sorts of feelings. I'm not a practicing Yoga person, but I like watching the how-to videos :smile:

Anyhow, pick up a 20 lbs block, from the floor to your waist, and set it back down. Repeat 10 times.

Do you feel the energy? Its your muscles in action. I'm sure there is lots of technical info that I'm incapable of providing, but its basically like friction. You can overheat muscles, etc.

Now of course there's is also the more mystical energy, of which I think your referring, something like ki. I've heard it described as harnessing your potential energy and directing a physical force, perhaps used in combat or heeling.

Martial Arts have done some crazy things throughout history, as in, pushing the limits of what men and women can do. I'm sure if there is some odd energy, they would have found it. I've seen such displays before, even Bruce Lee speaks of such energy. I have no reason myself to say its fake, for there seems to be no definitive proof either way.
 
  • #4
i have been into yoga for a few months now, and i am addicted...so addicted that i bought a dvd instead of going to class so i can do it at anytime

as for the energy you are placing, it's a form of your concentration, at least in my opinion that you are directing...yoga isn't something you will listen to a walkman while becoming more flexible, it is actually feeling your body become better...
 
  • #5
I don't know yoga but I've done martial art in the past. I would rather describe it as the control of one's mind than energy. It really pushes the limit of what we think we can do, but, in the end (when your mind is exhausted) you're left with the physical injuries you can't deny.
 
  • #6
Gale,

I've never had such an experience
myself. That is: I've nev-
er felt the sensation of being
posessed of, and in control of,
some kind of energy in or around
my body. Not even when I was in
my twenties and at my healthiest.

I have, however, heard many people
I consider level headed speak
about this, which makes me think
there is something to it. I don't
know what though. I've wondered
about it many times and can't
reach a conclusion.

-zoob
 
  • #7
Speaking of Martial Arts and Brue Lee- His famous 1-inch punch. Recorded on video and everything. You see him move forward slightly and he knocks the guy about 15 feet back. I believe it's mind over matter. Not saying it's a "mystical energy", but more of a matter of extremely good control of your center of gravity and muscles. Martial artists can break boards, but the reason is that they basically condition themselves by hitting a board over and over and over again until it becomes so calloused, that when they do break a board, the callous and fatty deposits protect the bone underneath. That's how I believe they do it. There is also a form of martial arts called DAM MAK, or "death touch". And it's what it sounds like. Far from being mystical it's simply a matter of applying the right pressure to key nerve bundles in the body which are more sensitive to pressure, and thus give sensory overload when the correct pressure is applied. Any doctor could confirm this. So as you can see, there is a logical explanation for every "mystical theory". Some are just more widely known than others, and some haven't been explained yet.
 
  • #8
breaking boards:
i did karate since i was 6 and before i was 7 i could break a board. it really isn't terribly difficult. by the time i was nine, i could break three. i don't think there's too much mind over matter. just technique. even the guys who broke bricks just used technique. you got to hit it right, and follow through, and don't mind the pain, you get used to it, calluses or whatever.

as far as the energy goes, i was thinking maybe it was a combination of blood flow and the ideas in your mind. but i wasn't sure...
 
  • #9
So you're saying that I, never having formal martial arts training could break a board as long as I followed through?
 
  • #10
So you're saying that I, never having formal martial arts training could break a board as long as I followed through?

yes, probably, it might hurt, and i'd recomomend a soft wood, but yeah, i can't see why not, i did it when i was just a tiny sprat.
 
  • #11
It is blood flow, muscle tention, and mental concentration. It can work, but there's nothing magical about it.
 
  • #12
Originally posted by Gale17
yes, probably, it might hurt, and i'd recomomend a soft wood, but yeah, i can't see why not, i did it when i was just a tiny sprat.

Well you if I use balsa I can probably do it with my pinky, but that's not the point right? the point is to be able break a normal piece of wood.
 
  • #13
Well you if I use balsa I can probably do it with my pinky, but that's not the point right? the point is to be able break a normal piece of wood.

well then, get yourseld a nice oak (or whatever is a hard wood, i don't know) and try it out. just visualize the energy going through your body, out your hand and through the board, snapping it in two.
lemme know how it goes :wink:
 
  • #14
Watch the brick-breaking on TV some time...those cement slabs are mostly sand, in case you didn't notice.
 
  • #15
So it's really an illusion how disappointing :frown:
 
  • #16
Watch the brick-breaking on TV some time...those cement slabs are mostly sand, in case you didn't notice.

don't be so mal, cement bricks are sand anyways, just hardened and stuck together. sides tv isn't the know-all tell-all on anything. tv isn't real, it's tv. I've seen real brick breaking, and it's neat. i just never thought to ask my sense or the other elders about the energy it took to do it.

also, i was just thinking, my friends and i used to goof off and say we needed to 'zen out' and focus before we broke boards, reach our 'chi,' are these energy things? are they say 'real' or just mental things?
 
  • #17
oh, and how about the healing energy thing? my mum has a friend who works with crystals and stuff who uses a white light energy thing for healing. anyone have any input on this?
 
  • #18
Originally posted by Gale17
oh, and how about the healing energy thing? my mum has a friend who works with crystals and stuff who uses a white light energy thing for healing. anyone have any input on this?

Yeah...it isn't worth sour owl poop...



Seriously, this stuff is pure nonsense.
 
  • #19
Originally posted by zoobyshoe
Gale,

I've never had such an experience
myself. That is: I've nev-
er felt the sensation of being
posessed of, and in control of,
some kind of energy in or around
my body. Not even when I was in
my twenties and at my healthiest.

I have, however, heard many people
I consider level headed speak
about this, which makes me think
there is something to it. I don't
know what though. I've wondered
about it many times and can't
reach a conclusion.

-zoob

This has nothing to do with yoga, but a year or two ago when I was trying to get myself to lucid dream, I had an experience something like this. I was in a hypnagogic state and managed to maintain consciousness at the point where you usually fade out. All of a sudden, this incredible rush surged up and down my whole body-- it felt sort of like I was being shocked with a live wire. My guess, in retrospect, is that it was the physical sensation of my body falling asleep and paralyzing itself, something that we're usually not mentally awake to experience. The sensation itself was sort of similar to the 'chill up the spine' sensation, just magnified a hundredfold. I believe that it was energy, just nothing esoteric-- probably a burst of activity in my nervous system.

(Just out of curiosity, is there any scientific data on the activity of the nervous system during the various phases of sleep?)

edit: now that I think of it, this sensation was also somewhat similar to the feeling you get just as you're falling asleep and have that intense feeling that you're falling, which startles you back awake. Makes me wonder if the two are related-- if that 'falling' feeling is actually the dream-prismed sensation of your body falling asleep.
 
Last edited:
  • #20
to get back on topic, i don't believe yoga is magical, but actually a quite simple exercise of releasing pent up toxins within the body, and this is the most scientific explanation for why there is energy after yoga...my dad is studying to be a licensed massage therapist, and he says the same is true for getting a massage...the therapist works the muscles so that the toxins are relased from the muscles, thus giving the client energy and a natural glow to the skin...
 
  • #21
Hypnagoge:

Here is a site that will probably
interest you alot:

Sleep Paralysis Page
Address:http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/S_P.html Changed:12:21 PM on Saturday, August 23, 2003
 
  • #22
Magical Energies

The thing to take into question is not whether these energies are magical but to understand what magic is. Magic was the word used by our ancestors to describe any unseen energy. Therefore radio and brainwaves are both magical. The energy used in yoga and martial arts can be explained by science but science cannot tell you how to unlock that energy. Yoga and the martial arts are designed with the intention of teaching the student how to use these energies. Call it magic or call it psycological either way. The important part is understanding how to develope these skills in an applicable manner. I break six inch thick home building bricks and have no formal martial arts training. I have however come to understand the principles of harnessing my energy and using the entire body in cooridination. I believe it is magical because although science tells me what is happening to my body nuerologically and physicaly only the eastern esoteric writings have allowed me to understand how to accomplish these things.
 

1. What is the connection between yoga, martial arts, and healing?

The connection between yoga, martial arts, and healing lies in their shared focus on the mind-body connection and energy flow. These practices all use physical movements, breathing techniques, and mindfulness to improve overall well-being and tap into the body's natural energy systems.

2. How does yoga, martial arts, and healing affect energy levels?

Through their various techniques and practices, yoga, martial arts, and healing can help to balance and increase energy levels. By promoting relaxation, reducing stress and tension, and improving physical health, these practices can boost overall energy and vitality.

3. Can anyone benefit from exploring real energy in yoga, martial arts, and healing?

Yes, anyone can benefit from exploring real energy in yoga, martial arts, and healing. These practices are accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels, and can provide physical, mental, and emotional benefits for anyone looking to improve their well-being.

4. Are there specific techniques or practices within these disciplines that focus on energy work?

Yes, there are specific techniques and practices within yoga, martial arts, and healing that focus on energy work. For example, pranayama (breath control) and meditation are both important aspects of yoga that help to balance and control energy. In martial arts, qi gong and tai chi use specific movements and breathwork to cultivate and circulate energy. In healing practices such as Reiki, practitioners use their hands to channel and manipulate energy within the body.

5. How can exploring real energy in yoga, martial arts, and healing benefit overall health and wellness?

Exploring real energy in yoga, martial arts, and healing can benefit overall health and wellness in many ways. These practices can improve physical strength and flexibility, reduce stress and anxiety, increase mindfulness and self-awareness, and promote a sense of calm and well-being. By tapping into and balancing the body's energy systems, these disciplines can support overall health and improve quality of life.

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