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Qigong practice can yield various benefits such as disease prevention, longevity, physical fitness, and the stimulation of potential at different levels. This reflects the results of practicing qigong and the transformation of one’s temperament at various stages. During the practice of qigong, there are unique reactions at each stage (though not every practitioner experiences them), such as the emergence of images or sounds in consciousness during the early or developing stages of potential. This phenomenon is referred to in qigong as “hallucinations” or “the conflict between true and false perceptions.” Many practitioners have reported experiencing such phenomena. Some believe it to be divine guidance from celestial beings or aliens, viewing it as a positive occurrence in their practice; others dismiss it as superstition. How should one approach this? This is a question every practitioner must address.
1. What are Hallucinations and the Conflict Between True and False Perceptions?
The conflict between true and false perceptions arises when hallucinations occur during the initial development of potential. Once a certain level of practice is reached, latent abilities such as clairvoyance, consciousness perception, and precognition can be developed. These abilities allow one to perceive objective reality without relying on ordinary sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body).
Since ordinary consciousness is only established based on the recognition of things through common sensory experiences (or reference frames), there is no established reference frame for recognizing newly developed extraordinary abilities. As a result, some individuals may struggle to accurately reflect these extraordinary pieces of information. At the moment they receive such information, they may already have a complete judgment but are unaware of how they arrived at that conclusion. Past experiences relying on sight and sound manifest in the form of hallucinations. For example, if an extraordinary ability perceives someone (Zhang San) at the door, the practitioner may not realize that their potential has been developed. In the complex and rapid information activity of consciousness, the past recognition process based on sight and sound is triggered—resulting in hallucinations. They may see images or hear someone say, “Zhang San is here at the door.” Since the conclusion aligns with reality, those who experience this phenomenon often believe it to be guidance from celestial beings, advanced life forms, or high-level teachers. Because they believe it to be true, this process reinforces their consciousness, allowing them to even converse with the voices in their consciousness, asking questions, many of which may be correct—because this is based on the extraordinary abilities developed. However, it should be noted that at this stage, the abilities are not yet strong, and if attention is dispersed towards the hallucinations, progress in practice becomes difficult. At this level, the ability to discern information is subject to external interference, leading to erroneous judgments.
Failing to overcome the conflict between true and false perceptions not only hinders the correct understanding and mastery of extraordinary abilities but also poses a risk of mental instability. During a lecture in Anhui, I encountered a couple who claimed to diagnose diseases through their practice. They said that a teacher often guided them during practice, though they had never met (the teacher spoke to them in their consciousness, and the messages varied for each person). They believed they could call upon the teacher for assistance in diagnosing diseases. I informed them that this phenomenon belonged to the conflict between true and false perceptions and was not a reality, but they did not take my advice seriously. To further persuade them, I asked them to diagnose a disease for a deputy director of a local health bureau within their “qi field.” The wife attempted the diagnosis first, but could not find anything. Then her husband tried, and he too could not find any illness. I told them that the individual certainly had an ailment and suggested they call their “teacher” for assistance. They did so, but the diagnosis provided by their “teacher” was completely inconsistent with the patient’s actual condition. They were astonished. I explained that during the conflict between true and false perceptions, their abilities were still unstable, and they needed to continue practicing to restore their true nature before further progress could be made. However, they did not heed my advice. Later, I heard that the couple’s temperament had worsened, and they frequently quarreled. This fact indicates that during the conflict between true and false perceptions, individuals often do not cultivate their temperament properly, making it even more difficult to transform their character.
Ancient qigong texts did not differentiate between hallucinations and the conflict between true and false perceptions. Although there are many similarities, there are distinctions in their levels. For ease of learning and application, I will discuss them separately based on qigong practice:
1. Hallucinations: In the process of practicing qigong, various images unrelated to internal scenery that appear in consciousness are collectively referred to as hallucinations. Hearing various sounds, even teachings from celestial beings, is termed “auditory hallucinations”; seeing mountains, rivers, lakes, flowers, trees, and even celestial beings or spirits is termed “visual hallucinations”; and experiencing various sensations unrelated to practice is termed “sensory hallucinations.” They are called hallucinations because they do not represent real existence. Of course, there are material reasons for their occurrence (see the section “The Generation of Hallucinations”).
2. Conflict Between True and False Perceptions
Ancient qigong practitioners regarded knowledge obtained through the five sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body) as unreal, false, and illusory. Only content perceived through practice and extraordinary abilities is considered real. In the early stages of developing potential through qigong, some individuals may experience phenomena referred to as divine guidance, such as hearing someone inform them of a situation during practice, which aligns with reality, such as diagnosing or treating an illness or even predicting future events. This situation is termed “the conflict between true and false perceptions.”
Regarding hallucinations, since they cannot find objective evidence, as long as one has a certain level of cultural literacy, explaining the essence of hallucinations can resolve the issue. A friend of mine, Zhou ××, had a father-in-law (a professor in neurophysiology) who practiced qigong for an eye ailment. Within six months, his eye condition improved, but he began experiencing hallucinations. Every night during the hour of the rat (11 PM to 1 AM), he would practice and talk to himself as if conversing with someone: “Who are you? … Are you a fox? … What do you want from me? … You want my elixir? Do I have an elixir? … Yes, but I can’t give it to you!” After saying this, he would gesture as if fighting with someone, continuing this for over ten days. My friend Zhou ×× asked me for help. After inquiring about the professor’s feelings, I both performed energy work on him and explained the principles behind hallucinations. After hearing this, the professor lightly clapped his hands on the table and said, “As a neurophysiologist, I have fallen into the maze of consciousness activity,” and then laughed heartily. After that, he never experienced similar hallucinations again.
In contrast, the “conflict between true and false perceptions” can find “objective” evidence. For example, during practice, if one hears someone say, “Your friend Xiao Li is at the door! Hurry and open the door!” and upon checking, Xiao Li is indeed there. Many practitioners believe this is guidance from celestial beings, spirits, or advanced life forms. Some boast about their high-level skills because of this; others have developed mental illnesses as a result. The “conflict between true and false perceptions” is a crucial juncture in the practice process. Failing to overcome this barrier means one cannot reach a high level. This assertion is not fabricated by the author; it is thoroughly discussed in classical qigong texts, as well as in Buddhist and Taoist scriptures.
2. How are Hallucinations and the Conflict Between True and False Perceptions Generated?
Ancient people referred to hallucinations and the conflict between true and false perceptions collectively as magical realms or hallucinations. While some have pointed out that they are the “transformative mechanisms of the golden elixir” or “hallucinations produced by the changes in the five organs and six viscera,” the fundamental cause lies in the impurity of consciousness. As stated in the “Instructions on Life and Nature”: “The harm from demons is actually my yin spirit disturbing my heart’s ruler,” and “When thoughts are not unified and wander outside, demons will come.” This clearly indicates that the generation of hallucinations is a result of thoughts not being unified. From the perspective of qigong science, these statements are undoubtedly correct. However, it should be noted that the generation of hallucinations and the conflict between true and false perceptions occurs at different levels. Below, I will discuss them separately: hallucinations are often reflections of the body’s internal qi transformation. Hallucinations arise from the combination of the qi transformation of the five organs and the existing concepts (or images) in consciousness. Therefore, the appearance of different hallucinations is a result of the internal qi transformation affecting different organs and stimulating consciousness. According to the holistic theory of qigong, the five organs (heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys) are related to five emotional activities (joy, anger, thought, worry, fear), and emotions are closely linked to the changes in the body’s qi. When the “will” is focused, it can “move qi”; for example, anger raises qi, joy relaxes qi, thought binds qi, worry disperses qi, and fear stagnates qi. Conversely, the movement of qi can also trigger emotional changes, which is what the ancients referred to as “when qi moves, the will follows.” The generation of hallucinations is often related to this. Taking joy as an example, I will provide a simple analysis of the mechanism behind the generation of hallucinations.
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that: “Joy harmonizes qi and reaches the will, allowing the protective and nourishing energies to flow freely.” That is, when a person receives positive stimulation and feels comfortable and joyful, the qi and blood within the body will also flow smoothly. One could say that the feeling of comfort and joy in the body is closely related to the smooth flow of qi and blood. This state of inner joy and the related processes (including the factors that induce joy) will leave “memory traces” in consciousness. When practicing and entering a state of tranquility, the smooth flow of qi and blood can also produce a sense of comfort and joy. This internal feeling can easily trigger the excitement of those with a nervous disposition, leading to the spontaneous recollection of past joyful experiences, such as a tranquil lake, beautiful mountains, and vibrant flowers. Naturally, beauty can become an object of recollection; magnificent temples and exquisite statues (including those of Buddhas and celestial beings) can also serve as materials for reminiscence. Since logical thinking is in a hazy state during tranquility, the spontaneously recalled images may sometimes present a distorted reflection. Additionally, during practice, the quality and quantity of qi are superior to normal, so the images that appear are often more vivid and radiant than those seen in daily life. The mechanism of hallucination generation is similar to that of dreams induced by various stimuli during sleep (though not identical). For instance, if the leg is stimulated by cold during sleep, it may lead to dreams of running on ice and falling into cold water. It should be noted that the complex narrative in dreams is a result of the brain’s inability to conduct precise analysis after receiving cold stimuli while asleep, thus triggering memories of past experiences with cold. Here, it is not difficult to see that the narrative in dreams is illusory, while the sensation of cold in the dream is real. Similarly, in qigong practice, the images are illusory, while various sensations (including psychological states) are often the result of internal qi transformation. Therefore, one should not equate hallucinations with the individual’s thoughts, nor should they use this as a basis for judging superstition. Whether something is superstitious or not does not depend on the generation of hallucinations but rather on how one approaches them. Worshipping deities in hallucinations and treating certain words as divine is superstitious; analyzing and studying hallucinations as a phenomenon in the practice process is scientific.
Source: High Dimensional Numbers
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