A lifelong practice

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(Liang Zhenpu style Baguazhang)



I have based my training routine around the following two systems:

1. Taoism (Chinese Daojiao).

2. Theravada Buddhism.

In the first case, I have adopted Baguazhang as my main physical exercise due to its great benefits. It will enlarge one's physical, mental, and even psychic horizons. Physically, it will tone and invigorate your muscles and sharpen and soothe your nerves, teaching you to relax and improving your overall health. Mentally, the bodily relaxation will produce a calm mind, one capable of great concentration. Psychically, it will stimulate the various psychic channels of the energetic body, carriers of the life-force which nurtures and sustains the person.

Baguazhang (or Bagua), is one of the three main branches of the neijia (internal family or system) of Chinese boxing. The other two are Tai Chi Chuan and Hsing I Chuan. The name as well as the rationale derive from the system of philosophy growing out of the I Ching (Book of Changes), 3,000 years old, but timeless.

The text describes an ancient system of cosmology and philosophy that is intrinsic to ancient Chinese cultural beliefs. It is centred around the idea of the dynamic balance of opposites (yin and yang), the evolution of events as a process, and acceptance of the inevitability of change.

Eventually, the I Ching evolved to ethical enumerations becoming a book of wisdom, one of the Five Classics of Confucianism. It became a common source for both Confucian and Taoist philosophy. Baguazhang is based around the concept of continuous change and transformation giving expression to a system of exercise and defense.

I train every Sunday in a small and secluded park located in the city where I currently live. I follow the Liang style, which seems like a mix of both Yin and Cheng styles and it is only found in Beijing area. Liang style is descended from Liang Zhenpu, the youngest disciple of Baguazhang's founder, Dong Haichuan. My teacher is a student of the current lineage holder, Wang Tong, who studied under Li Ziming (one of Liang Zhenpu's students). In Chinese martial arts, the concept of "lineage" is very important since it symbolizes the strong bond between master and apprentice similar to that of father and son.

Aside from Sunday training I practice during the week, 4 times per week depending on how I feel that week since I find Bagua extremely demanding on my energetic system. In addition I find training in Australia very demanding due to yang being dominant which is not really compatible with my own energetic system: I am a fire horse. Horse represents fire (yang) and 1966 is a fire year. In other words, I have to manage this excess yang carefully or I will burn out easily. Check my post about Five Elements Theory.





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I also practice Vipassana daily, early morning and late evening sessions, in which the practice is split into two defined components: walking and sitting. Check my post about walking and sitting meditation. However, I am quite careful with the walking component because Bagua is already taxing the legs during practice, which will lead to overtraining. As a matter of fact, I got a cold this week that ended up in a mild bronchitis from which I am almost recovered because my chi is strong after so many years of practice.

Any form of physical exercise, aside from Vipassana itself, is highly discouraged during retreat because of that very reason. Read more on this article...

Fruit juices

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The best fruit you can drink is found in the fruit shop, where you buy your own fruit and and prepare it at home using a blender/fruit juicer. Add some water or soy milk and you will be set. However, in the process of preparing the juice most of the pulpy part is filtered out; and, as a result, the fibre component of the fruit is lost. Therefore, if you want to obtain the full benefits of fruit consumption then eat it, don't drink it!

All those fruit juices they sell in the supermarket are not nutritionally optimal since they are loaded with sugars, fat, sodium, additives (sweeteners), preservatives and food colorings. In addition, they are addictive in order to increase the sales rate of the food companies that produce them.

These companies use images/messages and product claims that far-fetched. Nutritionally they provide nothing, which warrant adequate control in terms of food labelling and packaging. Read more on this article...

Yin and Yang & Five Elements theory

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Let me give a brief explanation of the ancient concept elaborated by Taoism many thousands of years ago. Yin and Yang symbolize the perspective of balance and continual changeover. Everything in the Universe is subjected to the action of these forces -please, do not bring up the scientific perspective as my discussion goes well beyond that- as nothing escapes to it, and their flux being eternal.

Yin and Yang (we could have called Alpha and Omega but it is not a Greek concept so we must respect Chinese philosophy as their original discoverers of this philosophical idea) represent the dependent opposites that must always be in balance. The opposites flow in a natural cycle always replacing the other. Just as the seasons cycle and create a time of heat and cold, Yin and Yang cycles through active and passive, dark and light, etc. They are in constant struggle for dominance bringing life and equilibrium to the system; however, none of them (Yang as emerging and Yin as withdrawing) will completely cancel the effects of the opposite; that is, if we take for example the model of day-night, then the latter cannot perpetuate itself since the former will quickly appear in order to counteract its effect (darkness).

That principle has many other manifestations; if you take a look at all the phenomena you can observe in the Universe you will notice that everything is grouped in pairs following this model: light-dark, hot-cold, life-death, high-low, proton-neutron, fast-slow, fire-water, activity-inactivity, push-pull, masculine-femenine, etc.

Yin and Yang can also be subdivided in what Chinese Taoism refers to as the Five Element Theory, as both forces will interact and give rise to different energetic manifestations:

1. Wood as generative. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as an expanding force. For instance, tree growth.

2. Metal as contracting. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as a solidifying force. For instance, a one-dollar coin.

3. Earth as balancing. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as an centering force. For instance, soil.

4. Fire as expanding. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as an rising force. For instance, sun.

5. Water as sinking. Ying and Yang will combine in such way that the blend will manifest itself as an conserving force. For instance, water itself.

These energy phases are constantly changing activity, each one nourishing and controlling the other so that there is a constant circular movement without beginning or end. The interaction of these primordial forces creates harmony in the changing course of nature's cycles. The Five phases of Elemental Energy combine and recombine in countless forms and produce material life. Everything that exists contains the five elements in varying proportions.

The human body itself is the good starting point to understand the action of Yin and Yang and its five manifestations. I will look into this in a further post. Read more on this article...

Some thoughts about the life force

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Life force is an intangible force that guides life in the Universe. It is known as chi/qi in China and Japan (ki) and prana in Vedanta; however, other ancient cultures, like Greece (pneuma), Polynesian (mana) and even in the Old Testament Hebrew Kabbalah (ruah), also discussed the existence of a life sustaining force of living beings and vital energy.

Western society still ignores its existence because its approach to this issue is conceptual, scientific, empirical. Maybe one day Science will prove the fact that chi is a real and tangible but so far all the studies done on this subject are inconclusive.

When I first started getting involved with energetic practices 7 years ago, I didn't have a clue about the idea of "chi", I just kept on practicing my Taoist exercises religiously, day after day. Then one day, persistence payed off: I actually felt strange sensations all over my body, structural and internal changes and deep release of emotional changes and an spiritual awakening that most human are totally unaware of. Soon I started reading various books on the matter and decided to join a local Tai Chi Chuan group I read about its enormous health benefits. Today I no longer practice Tai Chi Chuan, for various reasons, but it's cousin Baguazhang, which I found even more energetically profound than Tai Chi Chuan.

So, what is the best way to understand and prove the existence of this mysterious force? There are several methods:

1. Meditation
2. Chi Kung (Qigong)
3. Various internal martial art practices: Tai Chi Chuen, Baguazhang, Hsing I Chuan, etc.

These will enable you to detach from the influence of those factors that interfere with "feeling the chi." Please don't get me wrong, the life force is always there, otherwise there would be no life on this planet, as chi permeates all living organisms. It is actually being carried in the air by negative ions (tiny, and highy active molecular fragments that carry a negative electrical charge equivalent to that of one elctron). On the other hand, air pollution carries substances such as dust, smoke and various toxic chemicals in the form of large polymolecular ions that carry a positive charge, this will neutralize the effects of the vital negative ions and in turn reduce air quality. In other words, living in big cities is detrimental for your health and be a cause of lowered lifespan.

If you happen to live in a big city, go to your local park early morning and you will notice the invigorating effects of the air in that area due to the absorbing effect of positive ions by the trees. There are other methods of natural ionization such as places where the water flows freely and naturally (waterfalls), where there is a continuous flow of wind over wide open spaces and areas of high altitude (mountains).

The second most important for life-sustaining "chi" is food. You are what you eat, if your diet is deficient don't expect any miracles. You must breathe good air and eat quality food (well I forgot to mention that drinking purified water if you drink from the public water supply is also very important) if you want to live a healthy aging long life. Of course, there are other influencing factors that determine the individual's lifespan but there are beyond the scope of this article.

In future posts, I will discuss some basic energetic exercises (Chi Kung) which will develop and strengthen your life force as well as providing health benefits that external exercises can't simply match. Forget about the idea that running, swimming and going to the gym will help you keep the body of a young person in your 40s, 50, 60s and beyond. But careful, no one can cheat physical death; sooner or later we will all die for birth requires death to exist. I don't want to become too philosophical in my post as my Blog is focused on the practical aspects of Eastern wisdom, namely Taoist and Buddhist. Back to that point, Chi Kung practices won't help you to become a physical immortal but will rise the quality of your life in many aspects: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. External exercises are very limiting in the benefits they provide once the individual reaches a certain age.

Stay tuned for the next post as I will talk about the basic Chi Kung exercise, Zhan Zhuang, which is proven to be very simple and effective yet energetically demanding. Read more on this article...

Mind matters

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Photo by: h.koppdelaney



Regardless of the meditation system you decide to pursue, success is largely dependent upon the ability of controlling your emotions and impulses constantly triggered by society's own dynamics. For instance, let's imagine for a second that you are walking down the street in the busy central business district and come across this beautiful woman walking along wearing high heels and a suggestive dress. I can guarantee you that your mind will be drawn toward her instead of focusing on the act of walking, or making sure you don't bump into anyone if it happens to be peak hour.

The following Zen Buddhist tale comes to my mind:


Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young woman. Wary
of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. One of the monks
hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported
her across the water, and put her down on the other bank. She thanked him
and departed.

As the monks continued on their way, the one was brooding and
preoccupied. Unable to hold his silence, he spoke out. "Brother, our spiritual
training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one
up on your shoulders and carried her!"

"Brother," the second monk replied, "I set her down on the other side, while
you are still carrying her."

Try to aim your mind at whatever you are doing in that particular moment rather than thinking of many different things at once. This skill will improve many aspects of your life. Let's name a few:

1. Increased concentration level
2. Improved sleep
3. Increased awareness
4. Clearing of emotional blockages
5. Strengthening of the immune system Read more on this article...

Golden Light meditation

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It is a wonderful method used by Wandering Taoists and is used to strengthen the aura and guard us from negative energies, bring good luck and prevent misfortune, increase your premonition ability (ESP) and prevent the distractions of society and that of the lower astral planes. This is a great method to realize your mystical potential.

The best time to practice this great visualization method is early morning before Yang energy takes over; that is, when the sun rises above the horizon.

We can break it down into three different sections:

1. Preparation

2. Mudra (hand gesture)

3. Closing


1. Before you start your practice rinse your mouth and wash your hands. Sit down either on the floor in any Yoga position you deem comfortable; alternatively sit on a chair making sure your back is not resting against any surface.

Place your hands in front of your lower tantien (which is approximately just a bit below the navel) and form a cup with them (men with their left hand on top, women with their right hand on top) and let the thumbs gently touch each other.

Relax your mind and your entire body by imagining it is changing its shape from ice to water and from water to gas. Think of your body dissolving slowly. If you find this exercise difficult, lie down on the floor and focus on your breath and then the rising and falling of your stomach. Then resume to the sitting position.

Before we start with section two you must ask for assistance from the higher astral planes. You can ask your God, Buddha or any other religious entity you normally pray to for help. It is also very important acknowledging the fact that you are following this path to strengthen your moral character, showing repentance for all the wrong you have done, and promise to have a compassionate heart to all sentient beings as well as help other people and forgive them for any of their wrong doings.

Make sure you breath naturally throughout the duration of the entire exercise.


2. The mudra adopted during this meditation is called "golden light hand seal."

Change your hand posture to the golden light hand seal. It is accomplished by coiling your middle and ring fingers and placing your thumbs on top of them. Then let the index and small fingers of both hands touch each other lightly.

Close your eyes and visualize a white full moon in front of you illuminating your whole body. You must then visualize the full moon as a stream of white pure light entering your body through your third eye (midpoint between your eyebrows) down to your solar plexus (centre of your chest) and finally into your heart.

Visualize and look internally at your heart, which is illuminating a golden radiance increasing its size gradually from small to large in an spherical pattern, and then visualize it becoming a rising reddish sun illuminating your heart and lungs. Maintain this visualization state for about 5 minutes (or less if you find it difficult. Start with one minute and then slowly build it up to 5 for several days until you become comfortable with your practice).

The next step is moving the reddish sun to the middle of your chest and stop there for 30 s to 1 minute. Then lower the reddish sun down to the middle of the lower tantien, and visualize that the radiance of the reddish sun is increasing in size and fills your entire body from the inside: internal organs, blood, bones, bone marrow, muscles, tendons, skin and hairs. Continue to expand the golden radiance of the reddish sun until it reaches the size of the room you are practicing in (if outdoors imagine it expanding to about a distance of 5 m.)


3. Raise your hands above your head with palms facing each other as if you are holding a ball. Inhale deeply at the same time you are doing that, then exhale slowly and lower your hands slowly as well down to the chest level bringing them back together. During the lowering of both hands, visualize the golden reddish sun quickly shrinks back down to your lower tantien becoming a reddish elixir pill illuminating a red radiance. Repeat this 1 to 3 times in order to condense all the illuminating chi energy into your lower tantien.

Finish by rubbing your palms together and massage your head, face, ears, the back and front of your neck, and your arms.

Stand up and perform walking meditation slowly for the same duration you performed this exercise (usually 20-30 minutes). There is no need to visualise anything in this case, just focus on your walking steps and your breathing.

Points to remember:

1. Make sure you practice in a quiet and well ventilated area. If you feel too hot during your session reduce your practice time.

2. If you feel any unusual sensations during practice just acknowledge them as they are all impermanent and won't last long. Read more on this article...

Good fats and bad fats

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If you run marathons or climb high mountains it shouldn't be an issue since your body is a burning machine that will use anything you put in as fuel. But not everyone is Reinhold Messner or Abebe Bikila, so we must pay careful attention to certain fats.

Fats can be divided into saturated, unsaturated and trans-fatty acids (also called hydrogenated because they are created when an oil that is largely unsaturated, such as corn oil, has hydrogen added to it, causing fat to become more solid at room temperature). Trans-fats are the worst offenders since they are a by-product of processing, and are commonly found in fast-food, deep-fried foods (donuts, french fries, etc.), margarine and vegetable shortenings. Trans-fats will lower good cholesterol and increase the bad cholesterol, boost the acidity of the human body leading to a wide range of health problems and lowered lifespan.

Saturated fats come second in terms of bad fats and are found in animals meats (except fish) and dairy products. Other sources are coconut, cottonseed and palm kernel oils, but contrary to what people may think coconut oil is very good for human health due to its ability to prevent weight-gain or cure obesity, by stimulating metabolism. It is quickly metabolized, and functions in some ways as an antioxidant.

Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, can be further divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Avocado and nuts are monounsaturated and provide health benefits; however, whole grain wheat, cereal, oatmeal are also monounsaturated but are processed and should be avoided if one wants to lose weight. Polyunsaturated fats that are beneficial for our health are found in fish and sea food (herring, salmon, mackerel, halibut), soybeans, and fish oil.

The vegetable oils that you can find in the supermarket shelf (soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, canola, sesame oil, sunflower seed oil, palm oil, and any others that are labeled as "unsaturated" or "polyunsaturated" ) are not healthy because they are unsaturated; that is, some hydrogen atoms have been removed, and this opens the structure of the molecule in a way that makes it susceptible to attack by free radicals. People think that industrial processing is what makes them bad, but that isn't the case: whether cold pressed or consumed as part of the living plant material, they are intrinsically toxic, and it is not any special industrial treatment that makes them toxic.

Nevertheless, olive oil is an exception of the above, and it is considered to be healthy and safe for human consumption; but we must look at the cold pressed extra virgin type as it is the one that delivers all the goodies found in this type of oil (phenolic compounds). It is less processed and is made from the first pressing of the olives as opposed to the other categories: virgin, pure and extra light.

I hope you find the mini-guide useful because there is a lot of misinformation about the topic, especially when it comes time to buy vegetable oil for our cooking.


Points to remember:

1. Do no re-use the oil after cooking.

2. Try to minimize the use of oil in food preparation.

3. Replace butter and margarine with avocado as spreads. If avocado is not available use butter instead of margarine.

4. Margarine contains a high-level of trans-fats which is valid reason to avoid consuming this product from life.

5. Avoid the consumption of fast-food.

6. Exercise regularly. Read more on this article...

Meditation: Progression

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People often ask: How many hours do I need to meditate every day?

The answer will depend on your time availability, but generally speaking the more you put into it the better. This is true if you are attending a retreat since daily social requirements simply dissipate and your mindset changes as a result.

Imagine that you are attending a three weeks meditation retreat, then the expected progression will be as follows:

Day 1

1. Mindful prostration. Watch the video linked in the corresponding entry and repeat it three times. It must be done very slowly.

2. Walking. 10 minutes. Heel up-moving-stepping (3).

3. Sitting. 10 minutes. Focus on rising and falling during inhalation and exhalation phases of your breathing.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you complete 3-4 hours a day.

Day 2

Same as day 1 but increase walking and sitting times:

Walking for 15 mins and sitting for another 15 mins.

Sitting. Focus your mind rising and falling and then in points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

Practice for 4 hours a day.

Day 3

Increase times to 20-20.

Walking. Add an extra stepping point: heel up-rising-moving-stepping (4)

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

Practice for 5 hours a day.

Day 4

Increase times to 25-25.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right; and finish with

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

Practice for 6 hours a day.

Day 5

Increase times to 30-30.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on top of both kneecaps, left and right.

Practice for 6 hours a day.

Day 6

Increase times to 35-35.

Walking. Add an extra stepping point: heel up-rising-moving-touching (toes touch the ground first)-putting (finish touching the ground with your heel) (5)

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on top of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

Practice for 6 hours a day.

Day 7

Increase times to 40-40.

Walking: as per day 6.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on top of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

Practice for 6 hours a day.

Day 8

Increase times to 40-40.

Walking: as per day 7.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on top of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both ankles, left and right.

Practice for 6 hours a day.

Day 9

Increase times to 40-40.

Walking: as per day 8.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both kneecaps, left and right.

Practice for 6 hours a day.

Day 10

Increase times to 40-40.

Walking: as per day 9.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

Practice for 6 hours a day.

Day 11

Increase times to 45-45.

Walking: as per day 10.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

Practice for 7 hours a day.

Day 12

Increase times to 45-45.

Walking. Add an the final stepping point: heel up-rising-moving-lowering(lower your foot to about 1-1.5 inches above the floor/ground)-touching (touch the floor/ground with your toes first)-putting (finish touching the floor/ground with your heel) (6)

Follow these stepping points until you complete day 21.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

Practice for 8 hours a day.

Day 13

Increase times to 45-45.

Walking: as per day 12.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located from lower right-hand side of your lower back to the upper left-hand side of the top part of your back and right below the shoulder, including the middle of the back. Hence, we count three points in total.

Practice for 8 hours a day.

Day 14

Increase times to 45-45.

Walking: as per day 13.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located from lower right-hand side of your lower back to the upper left-hand side of the top part of your back and right below the shoulder, including the middle of the back. Hence, we count three points in total.

Practice for 8 hours a day.

Day 15

Increase times to 45-45.

Walking: as per day 14.

Sitting. Focus your mind on:

- Rising and falling.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the external side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both ankles, left and right.

- Points located on the internal side of both kneecaps, left and right.

- Points located on the top middle part of both thighs, left and right.

- Points located in the lower back at both sides, left and right.

- Points located from lower right-hand side of your lower back to the upper left-hand side of the top part of your back and right below the shoulder, including the middle of the back. Hence, we count three points in total. Then go down to:

- Lower left-hand side of lower back counting the middle point between both points: top and bottom and go across to the top right-hand side of your upper back just below the shoulder, and in similar fashion go down (including the middle point) until you reach the lower right-hand side of your lower back.

Practice for 8 hours a day.

Day 16

As per day 15 but increase times to 50-50 and practice for 9 hours a day.

Walking: as per day 15.

Sitting. The focusing points are the same as day 15.

Day 17

Repeat the same routine as day 16 but increase times to 55-55. Practice for 9 hours a day.

Day 18

As per day 17 but increase times to one hour for each component. Practice for ten hours a day.


Next time, I will discuss the last three days of our three week retreat, which are proven to be the most difficult (even though a three week retreat is already challenging enough for a lay practitioner).

Remember: taming the mind is an enormous task.


Good luck!

:) Read more on this article...

Meditation: Sitting

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The sitting part is probably less demanding than walking because we are not paying attention to a careful stepping execution plus the mid wanderings. There are many meditation methods, and two systems are well-known for using meditation as the main tool for their practice: Buddhism and Taoism.

Several meditation techniques will be discussed in later entries. Today, I am going to continue with the system I discussed the other day, which is Buddhist Satipatthana Vipassana (also called Insight Meditation).

After you finish walking, find a place that is quiet, comfortable and neither too cold nor too warm. Then sit on the floor cross-legged on top of a cushion or two in order to maintain your spine straight. Keep your legs rested on top of a thick yoga mat so they don't get numb during your practice. If you feel that crossing your legs is to hard, sit in another position that is as comfortable as necessary but not to the point of being too comfortable. Your back should not be resting against anything. Your hands need to be put one on top of the other facing up and thumbs touching at the tips (traditional method); alternatively you may rest your hands on your thighs either facing up or down.

After you set your self in the position just described, close your eyes to avoid anything that may distract you from the main point of focus: breathing and mentally repeating rising of the stomach (inhalation) and falling of the stomach (exhalation). The key point here is the focus on this breathing mechanism and the repetition of the words: rising...falling...rising...falling, keeping your awareness in the rising and falling of the abdomen.

That is it, very simple. However, the ego-mind is not easy to tame (monkey mind), as it will quickly wander around. Never mind, if those thoughts arise just observe and acknowledge them as will quickly go due to the fact that all phenomena in our reality is impermanent. Nothing has existence of its own and nothing will remain forever.

As long as you focus yourself in the breathing process and observe all the process that occur in your mind as well as in your external surroundings (noises, heat and cold, breeze, etc.) then your practice is following the correct way. Why? Simply because we are acknowledging all the factors that arise during meditation. If we start to feel pain in the legs, then we repeat: pain...pain...pain. And eventually the pain will go away. If it's cold what we feel, then we say to ourselves: cold... cold...cold, until it goes away. If we feel sad, then we say: sad...sad..sad, until sadness disappears.

By doing so, we are slowly calming down the mind and understand that everything is really impermanent; that suffering comes from us being attached to our external environment.

Gradually, this meditation system will bring calmness and happiness into your life, freedom from seeking constant pleasure from material things; increased awareness of the world, the people around us and all the emotional states that rise and cease inside of us in the present moment. Insight Meditation will actually help us to remain calm when all those conditions rise and cease because they are really impermanent, and clinging onto them only brings suffering and stress.

Points to remember:

1. Make sure you sit for the same amount of time you spent walking.

2. Do not expect quick results in this system let alone in others. Mind control is a very slow process. Takes years and years of practice but the benefits are enormous.

3. Purchase a timer. It is easy to give up or dedicate more time to either walking or sitting. A timer will facilitate your practice and help you establish a routine. Read more on this article...

Meditation: Walking

Walking meditation is a key component of our practice because of the following reasons:

1. It will help you to meditate better in the seating position.

2. It will stop the bio-electromagnetic energy (chi/prana) from pooling in the head as well as the chance of it becoming stagnant in meridian points; that is, it will be evenly distributed all throughout the body, starting from the head and down to the feet.

3. By focusing on the various strokes involved in the walking process, it will enable us to settle down the wanderings of the ego-mind.

4. During walking we are actually massaging and pushing on parts of the feet which will have a beneficial effect on other parts of the body as a result of the mutually interdependent web of cause and effect. Simply put, the human body is interconnected through a web of cause and effect such that the whole and the parts are mutually interdependent. The following charter is pretty much self-explanatory:


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Before you start walking is important that you observe these points:

1. Stand on both feet close to each other.
2. Look in front of you to a distance of 2 m. in front of you.
3. Imagine there is a straight wide line just ahead and you are walking on it. Maintain your attention on that point that is moving forward at the same time you move forward.
4. Breath in and breath out naturally.
5. Your arms should be kept behind or in front of you while you hold hands: right hand holding the left hand.
5. Say: standing, standing, standing (becoming aware of the fact you are stopping).
6. Then you start the actual walking process. Points to be followed:

- Lift the right foot off the floor and repeat: raising, moving, putting. Make sure when you repeat these words you are clearly aware of them. Do it slowly to avoid the mind wandering off.
- Lift the left foot off the floor and repeat: raising, moving, putting.
- When you want to turn around and walk the opposite direction, then you must do the following:

Bring the back foot up to the front foot, next to each other, and repeat the following words:

- Stopping, stopping, stopping (becoming aware of the fact you are stopping).
- Standing, standing, standing (becoming aware of the fact you are standing).

Right after that lift the right foot off the floor and turn 90 deg. to the right saying: turning. Repeat the same process with the left foot.

And finish off by turning both feet facing the opposite way where you came from, and slowly repeat: "turning-turning."

Once you complete the turn start all over again but this time you will be walking in the opposite direction.

7. In addition, before you start walking again after completing the turn, you can stand and meditate in that spot. This break is extremely beneficial!
8. Walk for 10 minutes.
9. Start the sitting part. Do it for 10 minutes.


Points to remember:

1. To succeed in walking meditation we must verbally repeat each point, slowly and matching exactly the movement itself. So when we raise our left foot we are doing it at the same time as we say "raising."

2. The walking and sitting components have equal weigh, which means that if we walk for 10 min. we must sit for 10 min; and if we walk for 40 min, then we must sit for another 40 min.


The following video shows you how to correctly perform walking meditation in its most simple way:




Notes:

1. The walking meditation described in this post is used in the Theravada Buddhist tradition of northern Thailand, being part of what is commonly referred as "Insight meditation" or Satipatthana Vipassana Kammatthana:

Kammatthana: meditational exercise.

Vipassana: insight, understanding the true nature of reality, the direct and intuitive understanding of the true nature of all mental and physical phenomena.

Vipassana is based on the Four Satipatthana, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. That is to say, Insight is realized by the consistent and progressive application of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are:

1. Mindfulness of the Body,
2. Mindfulness of Feelings,
3. Mindfulness of the Mind, and
4. Mindfulness of the Mind Objects.

Taken from "The Only Way," by Venerable Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo, translated by Kathryn Johnston Chindaporn and published in Chomtong, Chiangmai, Thailand, 1999.

2. The Buddhist monk performing the demonstration only focuses in one stepping point: stepping left and then stepping right. Read more on this article...