This might be a little oddly specific, but I've sort of been experimenting with manipulating Ki, trying to form it into a sort of "floating light." So far, I've been somewhat successful (I've been able to get it to cohere into a sphere) however, it's a little difficuly getting it to stay that way - it tends to either dissipate or blow up. (After the first time where I accidentally broke my windows and set off a car alarm, I decided to start practicing outside.)
Practicing outside, for those that can, is a very good idea - I’m sorry to hear you had to learn the hard way.
This is a very interesting twist on the techniques covered so far and I applaud you for your inventiveness! Blowing up will be related to the enthusiasm of the genki running the intent, the dissipation the uncertainty unravelling itself.
You will first need to apply a hold intent after what I presume is shine, from section 2.5. This is a kind of “pause”, a way to put a stopper in the genki’s intent to ensure nothing else gets added until you say so, and the intent will continue to run using the rest of the ki, assuming that set of commands was its entire purpose. This will also stop the genki inventing what to do next based off your emotions, like exploding with your excitement.
If your technique is running out even with a hold intent, then I’m afraid you will need to supply more fuel. There could be a way of setting up a mantra for yourself, maybe getitng into a habit of sending a little ki its way with every breath, a little like aura-shoring (covered in 2.4) but to that particular focus. With the latest chapter, adding in some amplification may prevent you from tiring before your appetite to read at night wanes.
I wish you every success in your invented technique!
--Son Gohan
"If you have skipped any of the previous exercises that enhance the above abilities you will you will flounder." You repeated you will twice, Professor Gohan! :)
My editor would like to apologise for the (possibly many) slip ups. They’ve been overworked recently dealing with my brother, who is not known for working steadily towards deadlines.
Same PFN member here-- Thank you for answering! I honestly wasn't expecting it. As to a personal visit, I live in West City, which is why I joined the electronic network instead of signing up for classes in Satan City. Even if I had something like a Jetflier it'd be too long of a commute! I'll try the can thing and start that thread soon. (I'll admit, it's kind of scary to train ki sensing around here in the afternoons, even knowing some of what's going on in Capsule Corp.)
Don’t mention it! Honestly, distance isn’t the problem for us at least; it’s more scheduling, especially with that ten hour timezone difference. Poor luck you’d be in West City, I know the parks are all well-used and most roofs neither accessible nor flat. Still, you’ll find a secluded spot to concentrate somewhere I’m sure!
So uh-- I feel too embarrassed to try and bring this up in the PFN, and I know it's probably later, but the damage I'm technically liable for is starting to tick up. I have no problems with centering or drawing out, but when I suppress, I'm calm, I'm normal, I don't feel anything, but like-- windows break, or other strange, destructive things happen. Am I doing something wrong?
Morning Anon!
Property damage is an unintended side effect of this kind of study and I can assure you, you are not alone in this. Still, that information does not make repairing windows any cheaper. I guess you're running low on new glaziers to contact regarding fixing wanton vandalism and break ins (hoping they won't notice the glass is blown outwards)? I’m counting down the days until home insurance premiums cover both own and third-party ki damage and I’m barred from accessing coverage out of principle…
At any rate, first may I congratulate you on your persistence; despite the trouble you’re having the work you’re putting in now will put you in good stead for later and I greatly admire your enthusiasm!
From the ‘symptoms’ you’re describing I believe you’re experiencing an unfortunate combination of two things. On their own they would be no issue but together are causing a headache.
First, moving your genki by drawing it away from the centre is one particular skill you’re working on and succeeding at. But ki movement and encouraging interaction with the physical world are two subtly different skills. Whilst at rest you're not actively moving genki so feel nothing given what we've discussed so far, your aura still meanders around you and I believe your attempt at genki ‘suppression’, as sensible as an attempt it may be, is creating unintended consequences.
Your attempt to push your genki down in your mind’s eye rather than folding the centre (1-8, 2-6) is being translated by your inexperienced centre as a ‘push’ intent. This causes ki usually passing through solid material with no issue to ‘push’ in the direction of travel. Thus, as your aura exists around you at all times, at far distances this intent translates to a pure outward push (blowing out windows). Nearer to the body, where objects are fully embedded within the aura, push can cause a crushing, explosion or general tearing and warping dependent on the point-to-point density of genki in the aura at that time. The ki clamours to suppress, to push, and happily does so for you. Push is a simple intent and a confused centre will default to it if it feels it needs to do something.
For the second issue, I have a sneaking suspicion to achieve an effect like this in such a consistent manner (i.e. not related to an unintentional beat on the push intent coincidentally causing glass to resonate to structural failure) you are already amplifying your genki to a more forceful level. This is the eventual goal of basic ki-use, so congratulations! You say you’re in a calm state when this happens, yes? It depends on the type of calm. A meditative type of calm enhancing a sense of connectedness to the world around you is a trigger for the amplification of genki (1-9, 3-1).
For why you’re feeling no change and yet seeing an alarming effect - I believe your autoceptive awareness, the sense related to usually subconscious processes like temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and internal ki-sense is not currently developed enough consciously to pick up these changes. Without this sense sensitive enough one is not able to train one’s genki. We’ll be working on developing autoceptive awareness in 2-1. Do not fret - this is like teaching oneself to play an instrument; one must first develop an ear for music and then train the fingers. Dexterity within the hand comes with practice, and so does dexterity in assigning intents to genki.A couple of options are available - drop Pan a line on the PFN from your normal account, she could rope you into her local ki-based classes if you’re in Satan City or she may visit (I can’t promise anything, of course). You could even start the thread on it - though there’s a lot of activity at the moment so I can understand your trepidation. If you wish to go it alone, take practise outside with a drinks can as a barometer (if it crushes, stop) and see if you can draw the ki in one direction when pushing (without focussing on suppressing the centre for now). If you can consistently knock the can in the direction you’re trying to move ki, that’s a good sign. Ideally I’d tell you to wait for the discussion on autoception to develop your ki-sense further, but I’d ignore that advice, too. -- All the best and best of luck, Gohan(PS, for those not exploding glass and still working on sensing the centre, don’t panic! Early aptitude does not correlate with eventual results! You’ll catch up in no time, especially if you work in the order described.)
Thank you for writing this, it's probably the only textbook I'll ever enjoy and be able to read (they're normally too dry and all massive walls of text that hurt my head and my eyes when I try to read them)
Morning Anon! Well, this is a lovely surprise. I’m extremely pleased (I’m inferring) that you’re enjoying it so far and not finding it too dry. I’ll admit the very start of the first draft was a rabbit warren of nuance and, as Pan joked, “exactly the same as your science papers but enuunnnncciiiaaaattteeedd ssslllloooowwwwwerrrrrrr”. Pretty soon the journal was covered in not-a-small number of sticky notes suggesting additions of art and photos dug out from shoeboxes. I’ll add more to already posted sections of this serialisation as and when we stumble across them I’m sure, to be published in a later print version of the textbook. As much as I’d like to insist everyone read every page, textbooks are made to be dipped in and out of as needed rather than read completely linearly, so don’t feel bad if your eyes tire. Still, I hope the extra material is both informative and fun for you. –Son Gohan
Any tips on dealing with the disorientation that comes with getting Ki-sense? It's amazing, but kind of overwhelming.
I’m guessing from the positive to neutral tone of your observations, you have not yet vomited. If that is the case, congratulations! If you have, then my commiserations.
I would read the accounts of another student going by the name of WestCityDunderHead (a moniker most inappropriate, I assure you) here [https://groundbreaking-science.com/post/176496532353/if-youre-having-trouble-22-x-post-from-pfn] and here [https://groundbreaking-science.com/post/173843142873/if-you-are-having-trouble-with-autoception].
For my own advice, I would go somewhere very still in life. If you can go out of town to a forest, or to remote solar or wind farms, and lay in the grass or dirt, approach the exercise slowly. At that distance the movement coming from a city will be in a fixed point at least, so you’ll be able to get your bearings. Do not try a boat as like the horizon, the ki will bob relative to you and still trigger sea sickness in those unfortunate enough to experience it.
Increase the time you’re actively ki sensing every day and your tolerance will also grow. But make note of your amazement now and remember to recall it in such times this new sense becomes mundane!
-- Son Gohan
Dear Prof. Son, I have many questions on Ki sensing, I have been attempting many weeks ago this same exercise. I live in a similar setting to Mt. Paozu (close to a river fall and a forest with a couple of inhabitants living close by). Early this morning when I heard noise outside, I tried not to look through the window to identify who these people were but I can't help. I sense the river fall is disturbing my sensing abilities during the practice. How can I center my focus? I am at chapter 1.6
Dear Student,
I am glad to hear that your studies are progressing even outside of the city. For other rural learners, please take both note and heart! Learning with very few people around is still possible.
The environment can be a horrific distraction, I agree with you. The sound preventing you from keeping focus within, and I can imagine that when you move to later chapters, the ki of others will pass through your mind’s eye like a searchlight. I can imagine the ki from life in the waterfall would only add to that fizzing distraction. I mention mindfulness training in the newest section and this could be of benefit to you early - the ability to notice that you have been distracted, and then to place those thoughts to one side. It’s a way to notice when your distraction is frustrating you, too, and then address that frustration. Don’t beat yourself up, just accept that you are struggling that day and try again later.
As for the waterfall itself - one way to remove the distraction is to immerse yourself in it, in this case quite literally. If the size allows it, go sit in the falls. The sound and life then will be all around you, and cancel out, the roar acting like a noise machine. The pressure of the water can be meditative, too. Give it a try.
All the very best,
Hello! I’m a martial artist who is branching out to more creative endeavors and I have been inspired by your work, and commitment to the (In My Opinion) very real Science of Ki Control. I would enjoy to do a Dramatized reading of this book for A potential YouTube Video. Credit Given where Credit is due of course. Thanks have have a very great day!
((Hey hey! Thank you for such a high compliment! You’re more than welcome to do a reading with credit given like you’ve said, it would be an honour! And I’d love to see/hear the finished work so please, send a link over if/when you’ve published. For full disclosure, I made sure the hard-science-y parts of the textbook draw heavily from real science but when applied to ki it’s made up, (and further massaged to fit Dragon Ball’s version of ki) but many of the exercises are drawn from a mix of mindfulness, qi-gong and a few science experiments on interoception, as well as plain old imagination :) I wish you the very best luck and hope you have a great day, too! ))
