Why Do We Isolate From the Ground in Nei Gong Practice?

Jiaoshi Andrea
Dec 29, 2025
3 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD9zuQgJ-vc

One of my students recently asked a very legitimate question in the Discord group, a question that often comes up when people compare different internal energy systems:

Why, in Nei Gong practice, do we isolate ourselves from the ground, while many other systems emphasize grounding and exchanging energy with the Earth and the sky?

This is an important point to clarify, because it touches the very nature of what Nei Gong is and what it is designed to do.

A Practical Question, Not a Philosophical One

First of all, this is not a philosophical or symbolic choice.It is a practical and functional decision, directly related to the goal of the practice.

Nei Gong is not a circulating system.It is a cultivating system, meaning that its primary purpose is to accumulate and store energy inside the body.

Once this is clearly understood, the reason for isolating from the ground becomes very simple.

Energy Accumulation vs Energy Circulation

Grounding practices are extremely effective when the goal is circulation.

In many Qi Gong systems, practitioners stand barefoot, connect with the Earth, and exchange energy between the sky and the ground. This approach is excellent for:

Health
Emotional balance
Mental clarity
General wellbeing

In those cases, energy is meant to flow through the body, not to be stored.

Nei Gong works differently.

Here, the goal is to accumulate energy internally and build a surplus that can later be used for deeper internal processes. Because of this, grounding becomes counterproductive.

Why Grounding Disperses Energy

Energy is naturally attracted by the Earth.

Under our feet, there is a massive energetic element: the planet itself. Compared to it, the human body is relatively weak.

If we remain grounded while trying to cultivate and store energy, the energy we generate is naturally drawn downward and dispersed. This directly interferes with the purpose of the practice.

For this reason, isolation from the ground is not optional in Nei Gong. It is a necessity.

A Concrete Example: Fa Qi and Energy Emission

This principle is not theoretical.

It can be clearly observed in Fa Qi (energy emission) demonstrations.

When someone receives energy, another person often holds their ankle. This is done to pull the energy downward, allowing it to travel through the entire body and exit through the feet, instead of accumulating in one area.

In some demonstrations, the same effect is achieved using grounded electrical systems, where a connection to the building’s grounding system attracts the energy away.

These examples clearly show that Qi is attracted by grounding, which confirms why isolation is required during energy accumulation phases.

Nei Gong and Qi Gong Are Not the Same Thing

This distinction is essential.

Qi Gong systems generally focus on health and circulation
Nei Gong aims to go beyond foundational health

Nei Gong works with excess energy, which can later be used for different purposes depending on the individual path: internal development, martial refinement, or spiritual practice.

Because the goal is different, the methodology must also be different.

What About Sky and Earth Unification?

Some practices talk about unifying sky and earth energy in the middle Dantian.Yes, this also exists in the Nei Gong system.

However, these processes belong to later and more advanced stages of practice.

At early stages, discussing them in detail is not helpful and can even be counterproductive. Too much theory leads to imagination, and imagination changes the nature of the practice.

Nei Gong works because it stays simple, practical, and precise.

Why Theory Is Kept to a Minimum

In Nei Gong, theory is intentionally limited.

The practice is experiential. Understanding comes through direct experience, not through intellectual speculation. Once experiences arise, they can then be discussed and validated with the teacher.

This approach prevents confusion and avoids turning the practice into an imaginative or goal-driven mental exercise.

Keep It Simple and Keep Practicing

My suggestion to students — and to anyone interested in internal cultivation — is straightforward:

Stay practical
Don’t over-intellectualize
Practice consistently
Let experience guide understanding

Most answers appear naturally through practice, often even without asking the questions.

Final Thoughts

Isolating from the ground in Nei Gong is not a belief, a tradition, or a symbolic ritual.It is a functional necessity, directly connected to the goal of energy accumulation.

Understanding this difference helps avoid confusion and allows the system to work as intended.

If you are a student and not yet part of the Discord group, you are welcome to join it and share your questions there. Many of these discussions become opportunities to clarify important aspects of the practice for everyone.

Keep it simple. Keep practicing.