Body, Breath, Mind | Geoffrey Wilson

Body, Breath, Mind November 27, 2007

Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Articles, Courses, Meditations, Philosophy, Psychology , trackback

This excerpt is taken from my new Oriental Psychology Distance Learning Course

Taoist meditation exerts a profound influence on the ‘Three Treasures’: Essence (the body), Energy (the breath), and Spirit (the Mind). Essence is associated with not only the reproductive and generative power responsible for development (the Kidneys), but also drive and determination. Energy is equivalent to the Post-Natal Qi derived from food, drink and the air that we breathe (the Spleen and the Lungs). Spirit is the Mind and though it resides in the Heart, each organ is nonetheless affiliated with its own mental-spiritual aspect. In other words, Spirit is a complex of inter-connected and interdependent relationships.

There are several simple steps to follow when embarking on the journey of discovery that is learning the art of meditation. They are easy to implement and sustain, especially with practice and dedication.

1) Adopt a comfortable posture, balance your weight evenly, straighten the spine, and pay attention to physical sensations such as heat, cold, tingling, trembling, or whatever else arises.

2) When your body is comfortable and balanced, shift attention to the second level, which is breath and energy. You may focus on the breath itself as it flows in and out of the lungs through the nostrils, or on energy streaming in and out of a particular point in harmony with the breath.

3) Focus attention on thoughts and feelings forming and dissolving in the mind, your awareness expanding and contracting with each breath, insights and inspirations arising spontaneously, visions and images appearing and disappearing.

Eventually you may come upon (and perhaps randomly discover) intuitive flashes of insight regarding the ultimate nature of the mind: that in essence it is open and empty as space; that it is clear and luminous as a cloudless sky at sunrise; that in terms of its true nature, it is infinite and fundamentally unencumbered (this is called the original mind).

There are also some more specific instructions regarding posture:

Floor Position
Sit cross-legged on the floor in ‘half-lotus’ position (the foot of one leg placed to rest on the calf of the other), with the buttocks slightly elevated on a cushion or pillow. The advantages of this method are that this position is quite stable and encourages energy to flow upwards towards the brain.

Chair Position
Sit erect on a low stool or chair, feet parallel and a shoulder width apart, knees bent at a 90 degree angle, and spine erect. The advantages of sitting on a stool are that the legs do not cramp, the soles of the feet are in direct contact with the energy of the earth, and internal energy tends to flow more freely throughout the lower as well as the upper torso.

Cautions and Warnings
Most practitioners who follow Taoist Meditation techniques use both methods, depending on conditions (such as availability of chairs). When sitting cross-legged, Western practitioners, whose legs tend to cramp more easily than Asians, are advised to sit on thick and firm cushions, perhaps with a phone book or two underneath, in order to elevate the pelvis and consequently take pressure off both the legs and the knees. This also helps to keep the spine straight, without putting any strain on the lower back.

Placement of the hands is also quite important. The most natural and comfortable position for many is to rest the palms lightly on the thighs, just above the knees, with palms facing up. However, some experienced practitioners find it more effective to use one of the traditional ‘mudras’, or hand gestures (for example, thumb and index finger touching with other fingers outstretched). Experiment with different combinations of both posture and mudra until you find a style that is most suitable.

The Medicines of Fire and Water
Taoist meditation masters teach and demonstrate three basic ways to control Fire (the mind of emotion) with Water (the mind of intent), so that the student’s goals in meditation may be cultivated, refined and ultimately realized.

Stop and Observe
The first method is called ’stop and observe’. This involves paying close attention to how thoughts both arise and fade in the mind, learning to let them pass like a freight train in the night, and certainly without clinging to any particular one. This develops awareness of the basic emptiness of all thought, as well as non-attachment to the rise and fall of emotional impulses. Gradually one learns simply to ignore the intrusion of abrasive and discursive thoughts, at which point they cease to either come and go if only for the sheer lack of attention.

Observe and Imagine
The second technique is called ‘observe and imagine’, which of course refers to the technique of visualization. Put simply, the student employs intent to visualize an image – such as a dignified and glorified spiritual giant like Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, a sacred symbol, the moon, a star, or whatever – in order to shift mental focus away from thoughts and emotions and stabilize the mind in one-pointed awareness.

You may also visualize a particular energy centre in your body, or listen to the real or imagined sound of a bell, gong, or cymbal ringing in your ears. The point of focus is not important: what counts is shifting the focus of your attention away from idle thoughts, conflicting emotions, fantasies, and other distracting antics of the ‘monkey mind’ (fire) and concentrating attention instead on a stable point of focus established by the mind of intent, or ‘wisdom mind’ (water).

Intent
The third technique in cultivating the ability to control the mind is called ‘using the mind of intent to guide energy’. When the emotional mind is calm and the breath is regulated, focus attention on the internal energy. Learn how to guide it through the meridian network in order to energize the vital organs, raise energy from the sacrum to the head in order to nourish the spirit and brain, as well as exchange stale energy for fresh energy derived from the external sources that are heaven (the yang sky) and earth (the yin ground).

Begin by focusing attention on the Lower Elixir Field (the area below the abdomen), and then moving energy from there down to the perineum, up through the coccyx, and up along the spinal centres into the head, at which point the attention shifts to the Upper Elixir Field (between the brows).

Though this may sound vague and perhaps veer on the strangely esoteric side of things (at least to the uninitiated), a few months of practice, especially in conjunction with Qi Gong exercise and balanced dietary habits, usually is sufficient to expose the subtle worlds of energy and awareness that are hidden within our physical bodies and minds. All one has to do is sit still and shut up long enough, for the mind to fall into line.

For further information on the new Oriental Psychology Certificate Course click here http://www.artofhealth.com.au/more_info2.html