Bigu and Its Uses in Health Martin Eisen, Ph.D. 1. What is Bigu?
In Chinese “Bi” means to stop or avoid, and “Gu” means grain and includes includes corn in that group. Thereore, Bigu means to avoid grain and is oten commonl! ta"en as to stop eating. #ne o the earliest descriptions o Bigu $as ound in sil" scrolls, rom the %estern &an D!nast! '()* BC + ( -D, discovered in tom/s in Changsha, China at Mang$nagdui. The irst scroll had over ort! diagrams and descriptions o Dao 0in e1erc e1ercis ises es.. Dao Dao 0in $as $as an earl earl! ! orm orm o 2igo 2igong, ng, $hich $hich induc induced ed,, prom promot oted ed and and conduct conducted ed 2i or health health and to cure cure diseas diseases. es. The second second scroll scroll descri/e descri/ed d Bigu Bigu as “-/andoning Gu and Ta"ing 2i”. Thus, Bigu is ta"en to mean to rerain rom eating ood and eating 2i instead. In terms o degree o involvement there are t$o "inds o Bigu + ull and partial Bigu. In 3ull Bigu a person ma! drin" a small amount o $ater $ithout an! ood. In Partial Bigu there is a small inta"e o ood li"e ruit, nuts, and hone! + traditionall! called “3u Er Bi Gu” + asting $ith a pill. There are records dating /ac" to anti4uit! in /oth China and India that relate incidences o numerous people $ho have lived in an energ! state $ithout ood or e1tended periods o time. It is currentl! reported that in China toda! there are people have /een living $ell in a Bigu state or !ears. It is important to distinguish %estern %estern asting rom Bigu. 3or one thing, %estern %estern asting can rarel! /e sustained over an e1tended period o time as the /od! /o d! eventuall! /rea"s do$n and the “aster” /ecomes de/ilitated. -n important characteristic o Bigu5asting is that the practitioner6s overall condition improves rather than $ea"ens '7. 2. Can Bigu be explained?
%estern stern /io5me /io5medic dical al scienc sciencee cannot cannot e1plai e1plain n e1tende e1tended d Bigu, Bigu, since since the Bigu Bigu energ! energ! e1perience is out o the realm o the ph!sicall!5/ased lie modalit! o its theories $herein the /od! re4uires at, car/oh!drates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and so on in order to e1ist e1ist.. 8one 8oneth thel eles ess, s, some some $est $ester ern n scie scient ntis ists ts have have /eco /ecome me inte intere rest sted ed in the the Bigu Bigu e1perience as is evidenced /! the more than 9)) participants at a Bigu conerence at Penn :tate ;niversit! in ())) $here more than 7)) research papers $ere presented on the su/ong 2i. ;nder the catal!tic action o #riginal '0uan 2i, >ong 2i is transormed into True '>hen 2i, $hich circulates to the internal organs and nourishes
them '(. Thus, it is theoreticall! possi/le to produce >hen 2i $ithout or $ith ver! little Gu 2i, /! a/sor/ing 2i rom the universe. ;ltimatel!, it is the a/ilit! to a/sor/ ;niversal 2i in a manner $hich supports the ph!sical /od! or an e1tended period o time that creates the Bigu e1perience. :cientiic credence is given to the a/ove theor! /! the results o the e1periments in descri/ed /! 0an, 0an, et al. in :tudies on the 3undamental Theor! o Bigu '3ood -/stinence ?Preliminar! E1perimental #/servations o Cellular Bigu, '@. &ere, results indicate that mouse h!/ridoma h!/ridoma cells can survive survive in Dul/eco6s Dul/eco6s modiied Eagles medium, $ithout serum, or in phosphate5/uered saline /uer, $ithout other nutrient ingredients, ater a 2igong master pro
Chinese histor! indicates that there are man! $a!s to achieve a Bigu state. Most st!les o 2igong have their o$n uni4ue method o entering a Bigu state and man! dierent techni4ues originated rom Taoist practices. The Taoists /elieve in ollo$ing nature and eating onl! $hen hungr! and drin"ing onl! $hen thirst!. Thus, the! did not generall! orce a Bigu state to occur, /ut rather allo$ed their practice to evolve to that level. There have /een man! Taoist masters $ho retreated to the mountains and caves to practice $ho lived or e1tended periods o time in a Bigu state and $ho are ver! responsi/le or man! o the “techni4ues” that assisted them in creating this possi/ilit! or themselves, $hich the! then shared $ith others. Mostl!, 4igong $as used to create this state, /ut there are also ancient Chinese records o her/al ormulas or Bigu. 3ood inta"e $as graduall! curtailed curtailed and instead, instead, her/s $ere ta"en. People could then achieve achieve Bigu in ten da!s to a month using these special ormulas. But, again, a certain level o energ! attainment $as assumed assumed /eore this practice practice $as utiliAed. The Buddhists Buddhists $ere more orceul orceul in using their minds as a $a! to direct energ! to create a Bigu5t!pe state. Conucian practices, martial arts and Chinese Medicine 2igong each have practices to create an energ!5/ased lie sustaining state.. There are some 2igong teachers $ho “loan” their o$n 2i to their students in order to relieve and prevent hunger. This is usuall! a temporar! measure and the students must still still practice 2igong to cultivate an energ! oundation. oundation. ;ltimatel ;ltimatel!, !, it is 2i cultivation cultivation that creates a Bigu state. There are also man! people $ho have “accidentall!” entered into into a Bigu Bigu stat statee as part part o thei theirr pers person onal al deve develo lopm pmen entt $ith $ithou outt it havin having g /een /een an intention. 4. !oble"s in Bigu !o#ess
%hile the Bigu state is ver! natural, i !our energ! level is attuned to this state, various pro/lems ma! arise i it is not. These s!mptoms can /e signs that it is time to stop the process or to consult $ith !our doctor or energ! master or guidance. :ome o these s!mptoms are listed /elo$. 'a ac" o Conidence
Bigu is not a $estern5st!le ast and should not /e entered into $ith that mind set intention. I !ou do not eel conident that !ou are sustaining the Bigu state as a result o energ! development, stop Bigu practice. '/ DiAAiness and 3ainting DiAAiness and ainting are re4uentl! e1perienced s!mptoms, especiall! rom the irst to the ith $ee" o asting, due to the drop in /lood pressure or /lood sugar. Dia/etics and people $ith lo$ /lood sugar or /lood pressure are more li"el! to e1perience these eects. 'I !ou are someone $ith dia/etes or lo$ /lood pressure, Bigu should onl! /e underta"en $ith the supervision o a doctor. 'c Pain Pain can occur in an! part o the /od!. It ma! last rom a e$ seconds to a e$ da!s. Inre4uentl!, the pain ma! last longer. Pain during Bigu can indicate that a /od! part is /eing repaired and restored to normal unction. Pain should a/ate over time $ith the Bigu state. It is reported that ater a e$ months in Bigu a "ind o headache can occur due to energetic changes that are elt /ecause o higher perceptual a$areness and not ph!sical changes. I sudden, e1treme pain appears, consult a doctor immediatel!. 'd Ph!sical %ea"ness I !ou eel $ea" !ou must
undetecta/le, lo$ or undetecta/le /lood pressure, and peripheral c!anosis. Death ollo$s soon i reh!dration is not started 4uic"l!. -ter -ter 79 5 () o the total /od! $ater is lost, !ou cannot /e reh!drated. Please /e a$are that i one is in a true Bigu state, deh!dration and emaciation are present. But, i !ou are e1periencing an! orm o deh!dration, it is /etter to drin" li4uids and ta"e care o !oursel than to persist in a practice p ractice that is not sustaining !ou at that time. ' 8ausea and Fomiting These can /e signs that the /od! is ridding itsel o to1ins. This ma! indicate that !ou $ere not completel! cured o some condition in the past or that !ou have an undiagnosed illness. I vomiting persists or contains /ile or /lood, consult co nsult a doctor. 'g %eight %eight oss and an d Emaciation #/ese people usuall! lose more $eight than thin people. &o$ever, !our $eight should sta/i sta/ili liAe Ae,, some someti time mess ate aterr a e$ e$ da!s da!s.. The The amou amount nt and and rate rate o $eigh $eightt loss loss varie variess individuall!. %ell nourished people have asted up to seven $ee"s $ithout harming their /odies. -ter that time, the /od! cannot re/uild itsel and !ou /egin a process o emaciation. Thus, i ater a month, !ou have little energ!, end Bigu, since !ou have not succeeded in using 2i or nutrition and tr! again later. -nore1ic people should not practice p ractice Bigu until the! are cured o o their disease. 'h :$elling oints oints ma! s$ell, $ithout an! pain, during the irst t$o months o Bigu. This can indicates that the
It is recommended that i one is e1periencing visions o other dimensions, ghosts, deities, etc., that guidance rom a high5level 4igong practitioner $ho is amiliar $ith the Bigu state /e sought. '" :"in Changes :"in pro/lems are common during Bigu. These can result rom past or current s"in diseases or rom or a ne$ disease coinciding $ith Bigu, since man! to1ins are eliminated rom the s"in. Generall!, these pro/lems disappear $ith continued Bigu. 'l 3eeling Cold Man! people eel cold even i it is $arm and the! are $earing $arm clothes or covered /! /lan"ets. Drin"ing hot drin"s creates a $arm eeling onl! $hile !ou are drin"ing and shortl! ater$ards. Too man! hot drin"s can /e a strain on !our elimination s!stem. 3eeling cold is caused /! poor energ! lo$. This ma! /e an indication that !ou are not read! or Bigu at this time. 'm 3ever 3ever occurs $hen the /od! is ighting /acteria, viruses, etc. Drin" onl! $arm $ater, rest and sleep. The ever should a/ate ater a e$ hours or da!s. I it does not, or or sudden, high ever consult a doctor. 'n &air oss &air loss is a sign o emaciation and Bigu practice should /e stopped. 'o oose Teeth During da!s @ to 7( o Bigu !our teeth ma! eel loose and the gums ma! ooAe. This is usuall! a result o the /od! deto1i!ing itsel. -ter the deto1iication period, the teeth usuall! /ecome tight again and even stronger than /eore. &o$ever, i !ou have had gum pro/lems, caries, or a /ro"en illing, consult a dentist. 'p Dierent %orld Fie$ -ter some time o Bigu, !ou ma! see the $orld dierentl!. Things $hich $ere important /eore seem unimportant and vice versa. ve rsa. Tas"s $hich !ou could do automaticall! /eore ma! seem diicult, diicult, as i !ou $ere irst learning them. #ther tas"s, previousl! previousl! diicult, diicult, seem eas!. This state ma! last or some time, depending on the individual. It is pro/a/l! /est not to operate machiner! or to drive $hile in this state. ;se !our altered vie$ to learn to see things dierentl! d ierentl!.. $. Uses of Bigu
In ancient China, Bigu $as used mainl! or religious purposes and /! martial artists $ho $ent into seclusion to perect their art and discover ne$ methods. Bigu practice $as also used /! Taoism practitioners to preserve lie energ! or longevit!, and to reach higher level o cultivation. There is no histor! histor! o Bigu /eing used to com/at starvation. starvation. Bigu could /e useul useul or countries having permanent ood shortages or or temporar! ood shortages caused /! natural natural disasters. disasters. E1plorers, E1plorers, astronauts astronauts,, miners and sailors sailors might /eneit /! learning Bigu. There is no histor! o Bigu /eing used or $eight loss in ancient China. Hecentl!, Bigu has /ecome popular or $eight loss ', '9 '*. It should /e noted that there are people $ho have entered into the Bigu state or more than three $ee"s $ee" s $ithout an! $eight loss. %eight loss is
simultaneo simultaneous us recover! recover! rom multiple multiple “incura/le” “incura/le” conditions conditions $ithout drugs is other$ise other$ise unprecedented cannot /e e1plained /! current /oi5medical theories. :ome people ater Bigu appear !ounger + their hair dar"ens, scars are less noticea/le and their s"in is soter and smootheras 2igong practice enhances the ree lo$ o 2i or /ioelectricit! $hich improves meta/olism and also /alances organ unction. Thus, it seems highl! plausi/le that Bigu practice $ill also produce anti5aging results in clinical trials. It is also reported that Bigu could /e used as a supplementar! therap! in restraining cancer gro$th and to /uild up immune s!stem 'L. ;nortunatel!, there are not enough scientiic studies /eing perormed at this time in the %est to provide enough accepta/le $estern scientiic evidence in this area or a $idespread clinical application to occur. &o$ever, successul applications o Bigu 2igong techni4ue $arrants urther scientiic studies. %. & 'ethod fo! &ttaining Bigu
The ollo$ing steps are due to Master Bin &ui &e T$o $ee"s /eore /eore starting, practice “s$allo$ing 2i” as a meal. Imagine the 2i as ood and s$allo$ the 2i to the stomach as !ou inhale. I !ou have diicult! diicult! in visualiAing this, ta"e a sip o $ater. -s !ou e1hale imagine imagine the 2i going to the lo$er Dan Tien. Tien. To start, each meal consists o 7( mouthuls o 2i. %or" %or" up to @* mouthuls at each meal. 0ou have @ meals a da!. 7.
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. 0ou mus mustt pr practi actice ce “tot “total al /od! /od! /rea /reath thiing” ng” or or at least east ( hou hourrs eac each h da! da! to provide nourishment. -s !ou inhale, imagine $hite 2i entering !our /od! through ever! pore. #n e1halation, imagine imagine the 2i going to the the lo$er Dan Tien, $here an imagined small ire gets $armer and /righter $ith each /reath. . -t -ter t$o t$o $ee"s ee"s !ou are are read read! ! to star tart. Cont Contiinue nue the @ meal eals o 2i and and the ( hours o total /od! /reathing.
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The irst irst @ or da!s da!s are are the the most most dii diicul cult. t. I !ou are hungr! hungr!,, put put some some ra$ peanuts or Chinese dates, $ith pits, under !our tongue, /ut do not eat them. #nl! use at most 7) pieces a da!. 0ou can drin" drin" spring $ater. $ater. I !ou are reall! hungr!, !ou can add a /it o hone! to the $ater.
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Contin Continue ue $ith $ith !our !our norma normall $or" $or" rout routine ine.. It is normal normal to stop stop deecat deecating ing and to to urinate less re4uentl!. re4uentl!. :tand up slo$l!, since some people can /ecome diAA! or aint i the! stand up 4uic"l!. 4uic"l!. 8o hot sho$ers or /aths, since !our pores $ill /e $ide open. Ta"e Ta"e a short, cool sho$er, sponge !oursel or dont /athe or sho$er.
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I !ou !ou are are tr!i tr!ing ng to impro improve ve !our !our heal health th and and are are on medi medicat cation ions, s, stop stop all medications /eore Bigu.
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Certai Certain n 4igong 4igong devi deviati ation on can can occur occur duri during ng Bigu, Bigu, $hic $hich h are are treat treated ed $ith $ith the the usual 2igong methods. Ta"e Ta"e !our pulse ever! da! to chec" or a/normalities.
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.-ter .-ter !ou deci decide de to to stop stop Bigu, Bigu, !ou !ou must must spen spend d the same same amount amount o o time time gett getting ing out o Bigu as !ou !ou spent in Bigu. The recover! period is divided divided into three e4ual phases, in $hich ood is introduced slo$l!, starting rom li4uid and slo$l! proceeding to solid. 3orm e1ample suppose !ou have asted or or L da!s. The irst @ da!s drin" li4uids. :o! mil" is o", /ut not co$s mil". The ne1t three da!s eat sot oods li"e li"e rice gruel. Bananas are allo$ed. In the last three da!s, introduce solid oods slo$l!, /ut dont eat an! meat..
-s a inal note, it is recommended not to do Bigu on hisJher o$n $ithout the guidance o a proessional and e1perienced instructor and $ithout proper 4igong practice.
(efe!en#es
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%ang . Thorough Clinical E1periment on Bigu5asting, httpJJhanlin.hit./gJ/iguNeng.htm. (. Giov Giovann anni, i, M. 3ound 3oundat atio ions ns o Chin Chines esee Medi Medici cine ne - Compr Comprehe ehens nsiv ivee Te1t or or -cupuncturists and &er/alists, Churchill ivingstone, 7LLK. @. 0an, O., Tra!nor5=aplan, -., i, &., %ang, ., :hen, &. Oia, >. :tudies on the 3undame 3undamental ntal Theor! Theor! o Bigu Bigu '3ood '3ood -/sti -/stinen nence ce?Pr ?Preli elimi minar! nar! E1peri E1perimen mental tal #/servations o Cellular Bigu, Bulletin o :cience, Technolog! :ociet!, (( '9, @L(5@L* '())(. . Gao, G. ;tiliAing the Innate :el5regulator! and :el5healing Capacit! on %eight Management, 7LLL I:::EEM Conerence in Boulder, Co, 7LLL. 9. Gao, G. Bigu and %eight oss 2i as a 3ood :ource, :econd %orld Congress on 2igong, 2igong, :an 3ranci 3rancisco sco,, C-, 8ovem/e 8ovem/err 7LLK, 7LLK, and =ung =ung 3uJ2ig 3uJ2igong ong MagaAi MagaAine, ne, 8ovem/er 7LL. *. Tam, Tam, T. Pi Gu + The %a! o 2igong 3asting, #riental Culture Institute Press, 7LL. . Chen, =. and Turner, 3. - case stud! o simultaneous recover! rom multiple ph!sical s!mp s!mptom tomss $ith $ith medi medical cal 4igo 4igon4 n4 ther therap! ap!,, . -lter lterna nati tive ve and and Compl Complem ement entar! ar! Medicine, Fol. 7), ()). L. &e B. and Chen =. Integrative tumor /oard advanced /reast cancer 55 4igong anal!sis, Integrative Cancer Care, 7'( ())5()(.
