Don't Condemn Your Future to be Your Past - June 5, 2011

Many people seek a "New You!" but soon find themselves back in the same rut after some initial change in their lives, much to their dismay. Other people don't even get that far, they continue to do the same self defeating actions over and over never knowing how they always wind up back where they started. Without fully integrating physical, emotional, and spiritual issues, something remains in the background to lead you back to exactly where you don't want to be again. We then realize that a fundamental internal transformation is required.

Self Transformation brings purpose to our lives and allows us to truly love and respect our own self so that others can honor that as well. Says Buddhist master Bhikkhu Bodhi, in "Self-transformation", Access to Insight, 5 June 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_16.html."Self-transformation is also a fundamental goal of the Buddha's teaching, an essential part of his program for liberation from suffering. The Dhamma was never intended for those who are already perfect saints. It is addressed to fallible human beings beset with all the shortcomings typical of unpolished human nature: conduct that is fickle and impulsive, minds that are tainted by greed, anger and selfishness, views that are distorted and habits that lead to harm for oneself and others. The purpose of the teaching is to transform such people — ourselves — into "accomplished ones": into those whose every action is pure, whose minds are calm and composed, whose wisdom has fathomed the deepest truths and whose conduct is always marked by a compassionate concern for others and for the welfare of the world."

A gradual process of self-transformation is necessary that involves: abandoning (pahana), the removal from the mind of all that is harmful and unwholesome, and development (bhavana), the cultivation of qualities that are wholesome, pure and purifying. With Self Transformation comes Self Transcendence, which in Buddism is the letting go of all attempts to establish a sense of solid personal identity where one is clinging to the very things that cause one's suffering in the first place. Continues Bhikkhu Bodhi, "Our ongoing attempt to establish a sense of identity by taking our personalities to be "I" and "mine" is in actuality a project born out of clinging, a project that at the same time lies at the root of our suffering. If, therefore, we seek to be free from suffering, we cannot stop with the transformation of the personality into some sublime and elevated mode as the final goal. What is needed, rather, is a transformation that brings about the removal of clinging, and with it, the removal of all tendencies to self-affirmation." 

As one of my teacher used to say, "How to do?" Besides doing the physical work of Qigong and meditation, a real attitude adjustment is required in order to fully commit oneself to Self Transformation. One of the best methods I have found to use to begin the process of stripping away the past is that used by Dr. Robert Anthony in his "Secret of Deliberate Creation". Following is a description is Dr. Robert Anthony's own words explaining how to change your inner vibrational patterns in order to reconcile your past with your future:

"I would like to continue our discussion of the WAY IT IS a little further so that you really get what's happening.  I realize your teachers, parents, mentors and those around you have taught you to tell your story about the WAY IT IS.  After all, that is "reality". But here is what you must do.  You must begin to tell your story about the way you want your life to be. Tell your story of the way you want it to be until you begin to believe the story. (After all, you believe the story you are telling now as though it were true!) When you believe your new story, your vibration will shift and the universe will match your story.  The universe is always matching your vibrational energy.  Most people don't know they can offer a vibration that matches what they want.  Instead they believe they should offer a story about the WAY IT IS, not realizing they are attracting more of the WAY IT IS.

You can get swept up in the WAY IT IS because the WAY IT IS gets your attention. The reason for this is all of our physical senses are designed to help you observe your environment.  What you see with your eyes is a translation of vibration, what you smell with your nose is a translation of vibration. What you feel with your fingertips is a translation of vibration. What hear with your ears and taste with your tongue is a translation of vibration. You are a veritable vibrational interpreter.  I just want you to realize that the true interpretation of the vibration that is going on within you is translated into emotion. Your emotions are really telling you the story you want to be aware of.

So when you feel negative emotion what your inner guidance is telling you is you've got chronic thoughts going on, and more importantly current thoughts in the moment that are not a match to what you want. And, depending how strong the negative emotions are, it will determine to what extent your thoughts are in
alignment with your desire.  Negative emotion is always the indicator. When you feel ANY negative emotion it is time to pay attention because you are going in the wrong direction. You are moving AWAY from your desires. Use this powerful indicator to your advantage and shift your energy in that moment and start moving TOWARDS what you desire by changing your story from the WAY IT IS to the way you want it to be.

Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT!  No matter how large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow. P.S. In 'The Secret of Deliberate Creation' I show you exactly how to shift your vibration in an instant -- and I guarantee it with my unique 'Quickstart Guarantee'-
don't hesitate and take a look now...- - Dr. Robert Anthony"
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=5CpKR&m=3XDppMUOP0B705D&b=RHySJiHHYlqeieIIO9AJVg

In my own practice, Jindao Life Transforming Qigong was developed as an answer to this problem. Once your body, mind, and spirit are fully integrated (through physical movements), then comes Peace of Mind (through meditation), and then one can achieve Self Transformation and Self Transcendence (through activation of the chakras, meridians, and dantiens), which brings forth a life that is free of the conditioning of the past. Life Transforming Qigong accomplishes this by opening up the physical, emotional, and mental binds that block your potential, limiting your life. Life Transforming Qigong makes you more intelligent and wiser, physically healthier and more vigorous, increasingly psychologically effective, more creative, rational, and productive, and more effective at gathering and filtering information. When we use Qi to nourish the higher self and our subtle body, we become much more aware of what is really going on around us and take on a deeper appreciation for the value and miracle of being alive.

- Sal Canzonieri

www.JinDaoLife.com

ROOTING - The Foundational Support of Qigong - May 29, 2011

The Goal in the art and science of Qigong is to BE Balanced as Efficiently and Effectively as possible. The Result is that your internal energy ("Jin" in Chinese) has Effortless Power.

In the study and practice of cultivating Qi and effortless internal power, one of the most important principles is the concept of rooting. Rooting is having perfect balance so that you can move efficiently and effectively, without disjointedness and without struggle. Rooting is one of the means that Qigong uses to transform your life from dis-ease into one of Joy and Gratitude.

You develop root by studying what the body must do in order to keep the weight's center balanced while moving slowly, eventually adding more and more speed. People lose root because they use the wrong part of the body to focus their strength. For example, when the shoulder moves first in an action, it is incorrect. One should use the lower body to drive the force. No matter how hard one attempts to be soft, they will never truly relax and have effortless power until the lower body drives the force.

In the article, "Rooting, the Secret of Getting Power from the Earth" by Gaofei Yan and James Cravens, explains what rooting is: "Rooting is the process of making a good connection to the ground in stances and during transitions. ... When we refer to rooting we are talking about rooting the legs (and thus the entire body) of the completed postures as well as the legs during the transitions as well. When we are trying to achieve rooting in Taijiquan [Qigong], we should visualize below the surface of the floor or ground... much like the roots of a tree. The "Bubbling Well" an acupoint called Yong Quan (KI-1) located on the bottom of the foot should be used as the point from which this imaginary root extends into the ground from which to draw strength. Rooting in Taijiquan [Qigong] will transfer from foot to foot, but never stays equally rooted on the right and the left. The weight should remain on the outer edges of the feet and remain a slight gripping feel with the toes, the ball of the foot, and the heel. Although the Yong Quan never touches the floor, you should still focus on this area as the root of each movement."

Yan explains how rooting effects your Qigong practice: "when one uses the lower body to drive the force, the root can be lost because the shoulder, as well as any other joint or part of the body may interrupt the transference of power. When there is tightness or loss of coordination between the various joints and parts of the body, root will be lost. The hip, leg, etc. must act as one! Many times things inside the body fight against each other. For example, if the inguinal crease (part where the legs connect to the torso) at the hips is tight, the flow of energy will be broken in the body, breaking the root. When one practices in this way, the tightness or lack of body unity can give one the tendency to get injured. Sometimes one locks a joint. The hips and shoulders are typical joints that students will lock which breaks the root. At the other extreme, the body can be too loose or limp which will also cause the root to be broken.

Other causes that disrupt a continuous root include psychological reasons. Being frightened suddenly is a common example of how one's energy will rise, taking away the potential power from the ground through rooting. Other emotions, such as anger, happiness, sadness, and being excited, can all play a role in losing root since they distract the mind from its focus. Finally, the reason for a lost root is often a combination of several postural problems. When one loses root, his movement or force cannot change directions and his body is segmented and not unitary. Internal power should be round and unitary, not linear and segmented. Roundness has the quality of
continuation and flow, while linear does not contain this quality and will cause the body to stop and start, producing a segmented non-unitary action."

When having root, the body moves as a whole unit. Continues Yan, "when one loses root, several factors are involved: the amount of tension in the muscles, the way in which the body connects and works together, and the ability to produce a powerful product in terms of projection. . . In order to have a proper root, movement should never go by arm alone but by the whole body. The weight is transferred by turning the body. . . Without lower body emphasis, there is no rooting. . . In Tai Ji Quan [and Qigong] one moves very slowly, balancing over the yong quan points in the bottom of both feet in order to find and control the center of the weight. This assures that the force can come from the ground and not be stopped inside the body. Furthermore, the front leg must also screw [in to the ground] and not be"loose" so that the whole body can contribute to power going out of the hand. The sensation is that the ground below moves in opposite directions due to this inward screwing with both legs. A loose front leg creates a large energy loss going out the front knee. In Tai ji we say that the front leg has no 'Peng Jing' [warding off energy]."

Further, says Yan, "In order to have root, certain things must be true about the body, the movement, the Qi (energy), and the mind:

Body

1. The body should be straight. The body sinks and the head hangs as if suspended or pulled upward lightly from a string. This opposite stretch creates a straighter spine which then allows muscles to relax, giving more flexibility and movement to the body.

2. The waist must sink; sometimes one side may sink. This sinking has always been recognized as necessary in rooting.

3. Muscles on both sides at the inguinal crease should relax. If one does not relax, chi will not go down into the legs. This also aids in the process of straightening the lumbar curve in the back.

4. Two Huantiao (the points just behind the side hip bones) must be rolled back and out; these are also acupuncture points.

5. The distance between the upper inner thighs (dang) is the same width at the front of the inner thighs as at the back of the inner thighs. For example, if one assumes a toe-in hour glass stance, the distance at the rear of the inner thigh is greater than at the front. If one tucks the hip forward, the distance at the front of the inner thighs is greater than at the rear of the inner thighs. In Yang style Tai Ji they say they put the whole body on two legs, and the Chen style of Tai Ji explains this by saying it is like taking a seat or a sitting position while standing. The upper inner thighs should have a shape like an upside down letter "U" and not like an upside down letter "V."

6. The acupuncture point called the Huiyin or perineum, as well as the anus, is internally pulled upward. This keeps the small heavenly circulation or the chi unblocked.

7. The "Wei Lu" refers to keeping the lower back straight during the posture or movement.

8. The entire body through to the legs must screw inward which will open the inner thighs. The knee should not be inward, but should be lined up straight with the foot's direction so that the power from the ground will not be broken. One will actually feel an outer pressure on the outside knee as the legs screw inward toward the ground.

9. The acupuncture point "Wei Zhong," located on the leg behind the center of the knee should always be strong. The knee will have to be bent and not kinked inward in order for this to be right.

10. Toes should grip the ground and the yong quan points (located just below the ball of the foot but just on the toe half of the foot) in the bottom of the feet become empty, which contributes to all movement and stability. The yong quan points are also known as the "bubbling well."

Qi (energy)

The Qi in the body will flow properly when the three acupuncture points are lined up properly. These points are:

1. Bai hui - located on the crown point.

2. Hui yin - located between the genitals and the anus; this point should close and lift.

3. The intersection between the two yong quan points The intersection is somewhere between the feet depending on the posture.

These three points should all be lined up vertically. One cannot
overemphasize the need to relax. When the three points are lined up in a relaxed manner, the Zhong Qi (centered chi) gets larger. Chi is a difficult subject for those just beginning to study, and the concept of centered chi is difficult as well.

Mind

The mind and spirit must be strong in order to keep chi from rising, which will destroy the effort of rooting. The mind must be very centered and controlled. Many people practice Chan (Zen) exercises, or something similar, in order to accomplish this. This, of course, has a parallel in life since the mind must also be kept centered every day in order to handle all circumstances.

When practicing, one should use imagination so that one can image clouds or a river to create evenly flowing movement. One can go fast yet stay quiet. When traveling in an airplane, one feels very still even though the speed may be 500 m.p.h.. Enemies to the mind are anger, fear, and various other emotions and distractions. They raise the chi high in the body, making the body tight and again destroying the root.

All of these requirements to building root support each other and connect to each other in a complimentary fashion. After a long time you will understand the beautiful harmony of the requirements. The straight plumb line requirement causes the thigh to go in, but when one takes the two points in the hip out the knees move out opening the thighs up properly. Another example of harmony between the requirements is that when the legs are down and when one sinks, the practitioner can use the whole body as a unit."

Qigong (and Tai Ji Quan) sets up the root initially by standing in the Wu Ji posture. Wu Ji refers to absence of movement. From the Wu Ji comes the Tai Ji ('from nothingness comes everything'). In the Wu Ji posture, you can feel the three points in one line in order to feel the centered Qi. The weight should be centered over the yong quan points in the bottom of the foot. Rooting makes you feel centered, which has a calming effect as the Qi sinks down into the lower body. You feel like a Big Tree, part of nature, timeless and endless. This harmonious state allows your movements and perceptions to join and follow (give and receive) with your inner self, other people, and the environment you operate in. Finally, says Yan, "The Tao Teh Ching [Book of Changes] was written by Lao Tzu who described the way of the universe. This book told people how to control the world. Its conclusion was that you control the world by controlling yourself - that you have more control in this world if you simply learn to control your own self and balance." Thus, Rooting allows you to be fully aware of what things feel like in such a complete way that you are in direct communication with the reality of the moment. It puts you in the driver's seat.

Emotional Healing - Do You Live Life or Does Life Live You?

 

Life's up and downs can often trigger emotional responses, which are either healthily expressed or unhealthily repressed inside. The Emotions (which can be seen as "Energy" in "Motion") are a powerful part of our being. Emotions of any kind cause strong feelings in the body and in the mind. When the body and the mind are not in harmony, it makes us feel confused, unhappy, and ill at ease, hence, dis-ease begins. Just imagining happy or sad feelings or thinking of a happy or sad situation will cause you to feel positive or negative emotions. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine dis-ease is caused by emotional repression. People think that strong emotions are "bad" and they avoid feeling them. Trauma, resentment, grief, or grudges can become locked in the body's tissues and organs. Such repressed emotions get held in the organs of the body and each emotion is associated with a particular organ. The liver stores anger, the kidneys hold fear, the spleen holds worry, the lungs hold grief and sadness, and in the heart repressed emotions can cause depression and a lack of joy. Repressed emotions can slow down circulation to the organ and toxins can build up. 

 

For example, lung and respiratory problems may result when sadness is repressed.  Blockages in the kidneys may lead to reproductive, bone, ear, and other problems when fear is repressed. Anger issues such as resentment can cause problems with the Liver. In her article, "Moving into Thankfulness with Qi Gong" (published in the New Health Digest, November 2003), Lisa B. O’Shea states "Resentments can be big or small and can cause huge stress on our physical and emotional well-being. Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong look at this resentment as relating to the Liver energy system. The Liver system includes the liver and gall bladder, their respective meridians, the eyes, glands, tendons and ligaments, the peripheral nervous system, as well as nonphysical elements such as decision-making, action taking, and the emotions of anger and frustration. Symptoms such as depression, anxiety, cancer, ovarian cysts, fibroid tumors, endometriosis, constipation, headaches, allergies, twitches, muscle cramping, PMS, or menopausal problems can all come from the stress on the Liver energy from bottled up emotional resentment."

 

Stress, anxiety, tension, and the inability to relax also effect us by building up static electricity in the body. This static causes blockages, which cause stagnation, which causes congestion, which causes inflammation, which causes infection, which causes infestation. The calmest person in the world is still subject to outside factors that wear away at one's wellbeing. It has recently been proven by scientists that the body cells hold memory; thus, emotions repeatedly felt set up a pattern of vibration within the cellular memory of a given organ. These emotions adversely affect decision making and action taking. The good news is that Qigong, and Jindao Life Transforming Qigong in particular, offers great relief from emotional effects. The various self healing movements practiced in Qigong help to restore balance to the body, mind and emotions, not by reviewing the emotional issues, but by releasing the trapped emotions from the organs and body tissues. The Four Core Points of Qigong (Posture and movement; Deep Breathing; Massage; and Meditation) all work together to unwind the body, release the trapped emotions, and harmoniously unify the body, heart, and mind. Upon this release, we begin to feel unification, peace of mind, and self transformation.

 

How does Qigong do this? Qigong movements exchange energy (Qi) between people and the universe. The greater concentration of energy (Qi) from the Universe flows into areas that are deficient in Qi and restores them back to harmonious levels. This can take minutes, hours, days, or weeks, depending on the severity of one's condition. Once the emotions are balanced, the body calms itself. According to Qigong master Li Junfeng, "Qigong is good for overall health. Through the exchange of qi, diseased qi is removed and fresh qi is gathered. Qigong brings about the removal of negativities that lead to worry, sadness, anger, nervousness, fear, and a stressful life. As a result, one is free to lead a happy and carefree life. Modern medicine is good but only provides a temporary solution. If people want to maintain their health the energy level in the body must be in balance - the emotions must become balanced and even. Emotions can affect the physical body. The emotions and the physical body must be in harmony. This determines the quality of life. Finally, qigong opens the heart. As one experiences the opening of the heart, this allows the qi from the universe to go to the entire body, removing the negativities that rob one of a life of perfect well-being."

 

The ancient Chinese Qigong masters taught the importance of connecting spirit to body or the Heavens to the Earth through ourselves. In essence, we become an antenna between the cosmos and the Earth. In Jindao Life Transforming Qigong, one is taught how to receive and transmit unconditional love through exercising intention. Continues Li Junfeng, "The true qigong awakens understanding from the heart so people can have a natural life rooted in unconditional love. Qi is never separated from love. Through the practice of qigong, true love is always with you - the joy of the lightness of being is always with you. A healthy mind coming from the practice of qigong cooperates with the flow of qi in the body. In the end, one realizes that it is not that the heart and the mind are used to make the qi flow effectively. It just happens naturally, of its own accord. Then life is never seen apart from the qigong state. It is then that one's life becomes established in it."

 

 When we encounter emotional upsets, this is exactly the time when you should practice Qigong! Using your brain-mind to solve your problems is to no avail. No matter how many times you ask, your mind has no clue on how to solve your problems. If it did, you wouldn't have any! Instead, your heart-mind (xin) is the place to direct your attention. Receiving and transmitting Qi to the heart field here harmonizes the internal flow of energy and disperses the stagnant energy trapped inside. In this way, you can move your low energetic vibrations to a higher vibratory state of Joy and Gratitude arises as we see how things truly are and appreciate what we have. Instead of dwelling on what is wrong, we start from a point of wellness and blossom out from there. Upon release, the result is always a big smile and a sudden laugh as the nervous system balances out as well. Daily Qigong practice makes it easier and easier to laugh at the daily aggravations and frustrations that happen. Thus, 'you live life', instead of 'life living you'!

 

Sal Canzonieri - Jindao Life Transforming Qigong instruction and healing

How does Qigong HEAL?

How does Qigong HEAL?

By raising energy high enough to push through blockages in the circulatory and nervous systems (like blowing through a straw to clear the path). A blockage is a small area where blood cannot fully go or where disease can occur. Qigong improves blood flow and opens blockages by relaxing the body so that your INTENTION can guide the blood through to closed off capillaries. Studies show that Qigong activates 90 percent of the brain.

Qigong increases the level of circulation to the body, organs, glands, and nerves, which rejuvenates the body, mind, and spirit. Increases Longevity and reverses aging process; results in significant memory improvement, learning, and enhancement of the physiological functions controlled by the brain. Mediation is done with breath work and movements to help relax the body further to promote healing, such as:

Moving Meditation – heals while also making richer, thicker brain pathways and connects to the Insula, soothing the limbic Brain, relieving stress.

“Mindful Meditation” - The body is totally relaxed while moving in a meditative state.

Qigong gives the BENEFITS of jogging while using relaxed stillness within movements:

1) Improves motion of blood circulation and increases levels of neurotransmitters in blood.

2) Stimulates appetite, sexual functions, assimilation of nutrients, aid digestion/elimination.

3) Accelerates metabolism, weight regulation, and sleep regulation.

4) Boosts immunity, and reduces stress induced cortisol.

5) Develops dexterity, reflexes, and prevents osteoporosis; opens joints, stretch muscles, and enhances balance.

6) Allows greater brain-based microcirculation, stimulating bioelectric currents.

7) Enhances mental sharpness, focus, and concentration.

8) Restorative healing, calming effect brings peace of mind – cerebral cortex calms down.

9) Harnesses Universal Source Energy, improves healing, and helps spiritual growth.

Health practitioners NEED Qigong as they can became drained, absorb aches and pains of their clients, and may use incorrect body alignment and improper posture.

Practice in groups amplifies energy greatly. Biological magnetic field of each person joins to create a large group field. High amplitude energy heals people in a powerful way.

1 person = 5 units of energy. Person doing Qigong alone = 25 units; w/ 3 people = 150 units; w/ 10 people = 700 units; 500 people = 100,000 units.

"Emotional fitness": Qigong > Awareness > Attention. Meditational Qigong = Paying attention to HOW YOU THINK. Thoughts, Energy, and Intention work together. You choose your emotions. On a basic level, your own patterns of THINKING and FEELING lead to the ACTIONS you take and the BEHAVIOR you display. Qigong helps in GETTING PAST FEAR and "CONNECTING" ON A DEEP LEVEL. Negative feelings, more often than not, lead to NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES. If you are in CONTROL of your EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES and have a handle on your own emotional state, then you can consistently create more POSITIVE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES.

Matter = knots of Energy. Energy is made of light. Light comes from Universe. Universe is created of thought. Universe = Giving Energy; Earth = Receiving Energy; People = Sharing Energy – the intersection between “heaven and earth”.

TRUE SHARING > Resistance against ego > Reveals the Light by Sharing.

“I receive not for myself alone but in order to share.”

“You have to Give in order to Get”. Giving is receiving.

“It’s not what you want, but what you got”

Five Stages of Qigong Development: 1) Mind-Body Awareness; 2) Coordination of Breath with Mind-Body; 3) Rooting & Energetics; 4) Silk reeling – Waist rotation and alignment; 5) Spiral energy body.

Eating Air - April 24, 2011

The ancient Taoists regarded deep breathing as a form of nourishment. During deep breathing, you not only fill the body with purifying oxygen, but also guide universal energy (Pre-Natal Qi or Chi) in and out of the body as well. This nourishes the Post-Natal Qi that you were born with but deplete as you age, greatly rejuvenating your body. The fact is, the full amount of oxygen that the body requires is MORE than what regular everyday breathing can provide. The deep breathing that results from strenuous activity is required by the body, as our ancient ancestors did while hunting and farming, in order to force you to inhale more air. 

 

According to Qigong master Bruce Frantzis, "Unfortunately, most people have poor breathing habits. They take shallow breaths, only use a portion of their lungs, even when they believe they are taking deep breaths, and hold their breath--especially when they become nervous or tense. . .  Breathing with the whole body has been used for millennia to enhance the ability to dissolve and release energy blockages in the mind/body, enhancing well-being and spiritual awareness. . . Studying your breathing patterns can make you aware of the ways your moods and emotions change. For example, fear tends to produce erratic, strained or weak breathing patterns. Holding the breath is often a preceded by violent, angry explosions. Likewise, holding the breath without realizing it is part of a reaction to stress and tends to increase its severity. Shallow breathing makes people prone to lung weaknesses in the face of environmental problems, such as polluted air, and can also lead to depression."

 

While hard physical activity can be exhausting, the act of deep breathing itself is not. The practice of Qigong (breathing or energy movements) brings large amounts of oxygen into the body with barely any energy cost to it. In fact, slow deep breathing burns fat, which gives us much more energy than the burning of carbs do when performing physical exercises like body building and aerobics in the gym. The saying is "Where intention goes, Qi follows. Where Qi goes, the blood follows". Fully oxygenated and energized (Qi filled) blood kills organisms that cause disease, eliminates infections, and clears meridian blockages, altogether resulting in healing!

 

Qigong deep breathing techniques, says Bruce, "get everything inside your body moving and in synch with the rhythm of your breathing. It wakes up the inside of your body and makes it incredibly healthy. The methodology cultivates your ability to relax at any time and concentrate for long periods. . . (It):

• Facilitates oxygen intake and the balances the oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange in the body
• Fully expels carbon dioxide
• Retrains your nervous system to relax
• Improves the functioning of your internal organs
• Increases Qi reserves in the body. " 

According to Yan Gaofei, "Chinese Medicine teaches that tension (stress) will block the continuous smooth flow of chi. Because chi is the “leader” of the blood, poor chi circulation will negatively influence the blood circulation causing the body to grow improperly. Without the nourishment provided by a strong chi/blood movement, our body becomes “dry” and stiff, unable to optimize organic performance. Good chi and blood flow enable the body’s systems to be “fluid” and soft in order to be successfully functional. Without good chi/blood circulation the total body, its organs, and its systems (nervous, circulatory, digestive, etc.), falls out of natural harmony resulting in sickness, weakness, systemic breakdowns, stress related illnesses and disorders. Chi flow stimulates blood flow and together they are vital for a good interchange of the internal energy necessary for good health. When you develop the ability to relax completely and go into a deep “quiet,” in time, you will reduce and eventually reverse the damage produced by pressure and emotional or physical strain. Initially it may appear that nothing has changed outwardly but, in fact, much has changed internally."


The Jindao Life Transforming program's natural energetic transformational exercises are based on ancient Qigong and Neigong movements that help balance the body from the inside out, producing three major changes in the body:

1. Helps to rid the body of stagnant energy that is not moving freely. Stagnant energy is located where there are physical, emotional, mental, and psychic blockages.
2. Raises the body's energy levels so that its own natural healing capacities are stimulated and become strongly elevated.
3. Helps to balance the body's energy flow through the meridians and deeper energy channels and vessels.

The famous Dr. Oz, Oprah's medical guru, on his television program, also espoused Qigong as a way to “add years to your life”, to reduce stress, promote longevity, cardiovascular care, and help alleviate chronic pain and fatigue symptoms. Qigong makes your body pulse with energy. Only Qigong deals with the actual energy itself to such a degree that it causes our body to regenerate. 
 

Thus, the practice of "eating air", which is Qigong, greatly revitalizes the body in every way. After learning the proper breathing methods and physical movements, Qigong practice on a much deeper level includes visualization, intent, and deep concentration with subtle changes in energy development. Cultivating relaxation and looseness through both meditation and physical activity helps Qi flow through the body with unimpeded circulation, channeling Qi where it is most necessary. Qigong allows you to manipulate Qi for many purposes, including: pain relief and self healing, organ and neuro-lymphatic health, self-defense, and psychic and personal development. Regardless, since it is a form of nourishment, Qigong is something that must be practiced regularly, with the commitment to incorporate it long term in one's lifestyle. Without this commitment, Qigong's amazing benefits are temporary. With everyday practice (even for 15 minutes a day), Qigong brings long years of healthy physical, emotional, and spiritual purifying, healing, and nourishment.

Sal Canzonieri - Jindao Life Transforming Qigong
http://www.jindaolife.com

Wu Wei - Doing Without Doing - April 3, 2011

At the very heart of Qigong training, coming from its Taoist roots, is the idea of "Wu Wei", which is Chinese for "Effortlessness". Wu Wei is an important concept that involves knowing when to act and when not to act. Wu Wei has also been translated as "creative quietude," or the art of letting-be. Wu Wei is about letting the Tao or Source of All flow through you so that your life is not a hard struggle; it is about not straining or forcing things to happen but letting them happen as they should in due time. For example, Trees grow by growing, not be "doing something" to grow. Planets revolve by revolving, not by "doing something" to revolve. Thus knowing when (and how) to act is not knowledge in the sense that one would think "now" is the right time to do "this", but rather just doing it, doing the natural thing. Qigong, in the form of Neigong, is also used to even make the practice of martial arts become effortless. It is used so that you can adjust your balance, body alignments, posture, and movements so that you can move and be with Effortless Power. The aim of wu wei is to achieve a state of perfect equilibrium, or alignment with the Tao or Source of All, and, as a result, obtain an irresistible form of "soft and invisible" power.

Being in a state of Wu Wei means knowing the power of letting go. The distinguishing characteristic of Taoism is that of being natural. According to meditation master Bruce K. Frantzis, "Wu wei is not “non-action”, but action that operates by simply following the natural course of universal energy as it manifests without strain or ego involvement. Ultimately, wu wei boils down to recognizing what exists at the absolute depth of your heart and mind. Rather than allowing your ego to get involved, you find relaxation and letting go of any need to do. When the ego is active, strain and stress follow." Qigong and especially Qigong Meditation methods teach you to use their full effort without strain. If you can remove the strain, then any action becomes relatively effortless by definition. Continues, Bruce K. Frantzis, "In this light, “not doing” doesn’t mean you don’t do anything. You can raise your hand, which is an action, but it’s a fairly effortless action if you’re a healthy human being. Ask yourself these questions: Can you remain relaxed enough that you don’t tense, force, apply your mental will or project your energy outward to accomplish a task? Can you allow action to naturally and spontaneously emerge from within you?"

In the beginning, one encounters Internal Resistance. Just ask yourself, for example, something like, "What if I didn't have to work?" and then see how suddenly the chatter inside the mind comes up and starts giving you a million reasons why you have to "work". This resistance is the Ego looking to preserve the status quo to keep you safe, to prevent any unknown and unforeseen consequences. But, any time you are uncomfortable you are growing. Letting go of this internal resistance is letting fear go. Fear is taking a past experience and projecting it onto a future experience, which totally destroys the moment where an opportunity can be received. Fear starts in the past and future and denies the present. But, by letting go of what no longer serves you, you can take action and take the steps that will prevent your future from becoming your past! Hanging on to feelings (resentment, anger, hurt, shame, etc.) or judgments or conclusions force you to be in your own way, these emotions block you, stagnate you, congest you. From there physical injury starts to develop in the body, in the form of pain, inflammation, infection, and infestation. So, there is a big relief in letting go. Qigong allows you to observe what you have blocking you inside, breathing through it, and letting the sigh of relief release the stagnant emotion. You feel the block opening and this trapped energy moves out and goes higher and higher from where it was locked in until it is no longer felt inside again.

Taoist Qigong meditation teaches you how to put forth as much effort as possible without strain. We start by defining the line of effort and strain with simple qigong exercises. Says Bruce K. Franztis, "Through practice, you discover that if you cross the line— if you go past a certain point in body or mind—an internal fight arises, you hit internal resistance. The trick is to figure out how far you can go forward without encountering resistance of any kind. When you play the line without overdoing it, you can achieve more and progress faster. However, as soon as you strain, internal resistance begins to build. Keep in mind that this line of effort and strain is constantly changing. Where you find yourself today is not necessarily where you will be tomorrow or six months from now. So it’s not as simple as identifying the line once and staying behind it. Taoist philosophy recognizes that the Universe already works harmoniously according to its own ways; as a person exerts their will against or upon the world they disrupt the harmony that already exists. This is not to say that a person should not exert agency and will. Rather, it is how one acts in relation to the natural processes already extant. The how, the Tao of intention and motivation, that is key." So, Wu Wei is letting go and then taking action in a way that feels natural, like it was always meant to be.


According to Wikiipedia, "It is not an imaginary state that we aspire to but one readily achievable and frequently entered by those performing repetitive movements which require energy and concentration. It may be experienced by athletes, performers, musicians, ramblers, students of the nei jia (the internal schools of martial arts) students of the wai jia (the external schools), yoga practitioners, students of certain schools of meditation and others. The majority of those who have entered wu wei have no fore-knowledge of the event and only know that something extraordinary happened that they couldn't put into words. . . The goal for wu wei is to get out of your own way, so to speak. This is like when you are playing an instrument and if you start thinking about playing the instrument, then you will get in your own way and interfere with your own playing. It is aimless action, because if there was a goal that you need to aim at and hit, then you will develop anxiety about this goal."

One of the biggest problems or obstacles that people put in their own way is being impatient, of not allowing themselves time to integrate what they have learned through Qigong or elsewhere within themselves. Continues Bruce K. Frantzis, "Over the years, I’ve observed many students try to go around the line. The ones that are successful at advancing their qigong, bagua or tai chi practice (and life in general), know that when they hit any internal resistance, they’ve just got to switch to something else for a while. They take a rest and allow time for integration. Once whatever is causing the resistance is integrated, they can once again move forward. If you can observe yourself and see how much you can do while remaining relaxed and open, you might find that you can’t do as much at first. Back off—whether in your practice or your daily life—and maintain a level of output that doesn’t cause tension. Then, as you begin to do more, tasks will become easier without the necessity of activating your force of will or the drama that has become common to the modern man. In modern life, we’re constantly chasing after things in the external world. But you will never find peace in any external object. Any external object you get will eventually become boring and lose its appeal. Practicing the principle of wu wei, of effortlessness, will allow you time for integration. In the internal arts, you learn form in order to master a technique, then you forget the form, and eventually experience the formlessness of wu wei. This formlessness is the ultimate goal of all the internal arts. This fundamental Taoist concept of action arising from an empty mind without preconception or agenda will help you discover the joy and happiness inside yourself."

Walking Qigong - March 20, 2011

Walking Qigong is a very powerful method of practicing energy movement and healing. Practicing Walking Qigong is very enjoyable thing to learn to practice outdoors in the upcoming spring and summer times. It helps you to lose weight, tone your body, and become more fit and happy; with continued practice you become more relaxed and happy. Not only are the physical, emotional, and spiritual centers opened but coordination and balance are strengthened as well. Immediate movement of Qi is felt through the hands and then rest of the body. 

 

 "As the world’s fastest racewalking gerontologist, I have discovered that blending Qigong movement and exercise has helped me stay healthy and maintain my world class ranking in my age group." - Jack Bray

 

Medical science has for some time known that the action of walking aids in the return circulation through the venous system. No one had suspected that under the arch of the foot covered by the plantar fascia was a bio-mechanical pump activating an entire system of deep veins responsible for the re-circulation of venous blood to the heart. Walking, not running in a manner that allows the heel to touch down first with the weight of the body rolling over the arch of the foot onto the toes will compress the Plantar heart pump on the feet in the most efficient manner.

 

The movements protect against osteoporosis, arthritis, weakness, heart disease, and fatigue, bringing you more vitality, rejuvenation, and flexibility. Grounding, proper alignment, posture, weight shifting, breath work, energy movements, self healing, and more are all coordinated together while walking in a special pattern from side to side. Practicing qigong also has positive results on regulating the respiration and oxygen of the body. Medical research has shown that an insufficient supply of oxygen can increase the growth of cancer. When the body is rich in oxygen, the cancer cells die. Walking Qigong allows for greater oxygen content in the body.

 

Another important factor is the stability of one's emotions. Walking Qigong, while a healing form, is a walking meditation. By obtaining a state of meditation, one is not distracted by depressing thoughts or worries. The feeling of helplessness is lifted and a positive attitude emerges. Through relaxation, the body returns to a more normal state. A feeling of happiness and confidence helps to maintain a strong and vital spirit. This feeling of confidence is also achieved through group practice. One becomes more committed and willpower is strengthened. When the group has good results, all are encouraged and keep a positive outlook, which aids in the healing process.

 

In the beginning, Walking Qigong involves stepping and landing gently with the heel first, rocking forward and pushing off from the toes—heel, toe, rolling, when the leg goes forward, bend the knee. This works better than stepping forward with a flat foot or overstriding. There is also a method where you walk with a series of steps in snake-like moves to the left and then to the right like weaving in and out, as if your path would resemble the winding progress of a snake. There are many different walking patterns with many different arm postures. Most people are conditioned to focus on walking in a straight line forward; this pattern gives the brain a chance to work on left/right integration as you move forward. The movements first to the left and then the right will harmonize the two sides of the brain as well as help the mind and body become one. With each step, you breathe deeply in a natural way, while the arms can be down at your side or up in various Qi gathering and moving postures.

 

“Be aware of the contact between your feet and the Earth. Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet. Each step we take will create a cool breeze, refreshing our body and mind. Every step makes a flower bloom under our feet. We can do it only if we do not think of the future or the past, if we know that life can only be found in the present moment.” —Peace is Every Step: the Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh

Transformational Living - March 13, 2011

Energy flows through the body in specific pathways, which Qigong calls Meridians (which means 'channels'). The goal of Qigong is to have a smooth flow through these pathways. If not, blockages are caused which dam up the body, causing a feeling of congestion, tiredness, loss of vitality, aging, and more. Energy blockages are also experienced as pain and disease. Also, through trauma and attitudes, thoughts effect feelings, which in turn negatively effect the physical body. Energy blockages lead to stagnation, which leads to inflammation, which leads to infection, which leads to infestation (parasites). So, a downward spiral from subtle to dense occurs. 

  
Doing energy work (Qigong) is as vital to living healthy as is eating, sleeping, and exercising. Tension, stress, anxiety, and so on accumulate inside us all day, regardless of how calm we are. We cannot attack or escape from the irritations of bosses, bills, or traffic jams; this lack of discharge of pent up stress wears us out over time, leading us to exhaustion or even explosive anger. As people get more tense, they soon get more numb. This accumulation of negativity causes a gradual loss of awareness physically and emotionally. People become less able to know what feeling good actually feels like. They become accustomed to feeling weak, tired, bored, and numb.

Feeling energy is the first step towards taking control of your life. By increasing your awareness of subtle energy, you can start to unravel the layers of negativity. The fundamental movements of basic Qigong help to begin the process of coming back to being fully alive, rather than in a zombie like state. You become aware of not only the physical anatomy (organs, bones, muscles, tendons, ligament, nervous system, lymphatic system, blood vessels, spine, etc), but also the Energetic Anatomy, which consists of its own pathways, vibratory frequencies, and functionality. The Energetic Anatomy can be likened to wireless antennas and how they connect people to the source of a signal and to other people, creating wireless communication. This "wireless communication" allows for transformational living to be possible. Transformational living is the process of generating changes that remove stagnation and that increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your life.

Within Qigong, this process of transformational change is symbolized by the Yin-Yang image, which shows light coming in, shadow going out, and harmonic stillness unifying the two. The Yin-Yang moves the way that energy moves. Energy transforms in three phases: pulsing in, pulsing out, and stillness (rest). All the molecules within our body and within everything in the universe do this alternating between pulsing in and out and resting in between. Within the body, rhythmic pulsations move in a cycle from the extremities to the core.  All bodily systems follow this pattern of going in, going out, and stillness, from the blood to the breath to the nerves and so on.

The expansions and contraction that occur during Qigong clear out blockages and stagnation in a way that can be immediately felt. This newly unbridled energy can then be used by you to fight germs, heal injuries, process disturbed emotions, develops creative solutions to problems, and much more. By doing Qigong, you learn to tune in to the innate intelligence possessed within this unblocked energy flow.

Once aware, you can assist it in its natural healing or transformational work. This awareness is what Buddhism calls "mindfulness". You become sensitive to what you feel and thus to who you are. You learn to listen to your self. By being fully able to feel your body's functions, you can more clearly feel your body's boundaries. Then, when you shift your awareness from your body to YOU, you can realize that YOU do not have any boundaries, that you are infinite. Thus, you also learn that your body is within YOU, not the other way around.

“When a door is always in use, the hinges will never rust” – Chinese saying - March 6. 2011

Qigong is the oldest scientific tradition on earth, and its ideas match quantum physics & molecular biology. The types of Qigong can be divided by its purpose, whether that's creating health, healing others, spiritual development, or martial arts. Qigong uses a very large number of techniques to enhance energy production and flow in your body, including all kinds of massage, breathing methods, movements, and more.  First and foremost, Qigong is about increasing awareness and focusing attention to create intention. Taoist Longevity solutions reverse the aging process, boost vitality, and transform the self physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Through the practice of Qigong techniques, you can master the use of mental attention to connect directly with any part of your body. This focused attention, which is cultivating awareness, unites mind and body and spirit. By observing, you can change your physical properties: electrical activity, electrical resistance, and molecular structure. The positive results increase energy and boost vitality, increase blood circulation, enhance oxygen circulation, and relieves aches and pains. Eventually, you will feel like you can breath into the bones as you focus all your mental attention on the tips of your fingers and continue breathing, feel something like air or energy entering your finger tips as you inhale and exiting your finger tips as you exhale. This feeling spreads through the whole body and eventually you can direct it anywhere you want it to go, both inside and outside your body.

Within a short amount of time and daily effort, Qigong will 
- fix your posture,
- strengthen your muscles, tendons and fasciae,
- take your joints through their total range of motion,
- correct your breathing,
- compress energy into your fasciae, muscles, organs, body cavities and bones,
- renew your blood and oxygenate your cells,
- and give your central nervous system and your energy circulation system a total make-over.

 

Qigong gives the BENEFITS of jogging while using relaxed stillness within movements:
1) Improves motion of blood circulation and increases levels of neurotransmitters in blood.
2) Stimulates appetite, sexual functions, assimilation of nutrients, aid digestion/elimination.
3) Accelerates metabolism, weight regulation, and sleep regulation.
4) Boosts immunity, and reduces stress induced cortisol.
5) Develops dexterity, reflexes, and prevents osteoporosis; opens joints, stretch muscles, and enhances balance.
6) Allows greater brain-based microcirculation, stimulating bioelectric currents.
7) Enhances mental sharpness, focus, and concentration.
8) Restorative healing, calming effect brings peace of mind – cerebral cortex calms down.
9) Harnesses Universal Source Energy, improves healing, and helps spiritual growth.

Wai Dan Qigong Methods: by focusing on the meridian “water pipes” help keep energy flowing smoothly through the body for health, stress relief, and well-being. They use the limbs to encourage smooth qi flow through the meridians. As qi builds up in the limbs during practice, it will eventually flow back through the meridians to the internal organs to nourish them. Any excess of qi in the meridians will be “siphoned”; off into the vessel “reservoirs”; for storage.

Nai Dan Qigong Methods: by focusing on the vessel “reservoirs” help develop abundant energy for the entire body. They use primarily torso movements, especially in the major joints such as the shoulders or hip sockets, and/or mental concentration to generate and store qi in the reservoirs. As abundant qi becomes available, it will “overflow”; the reservoirs into the meridians, helping to clear out obstructions and smooth out qi flow.

Neigong Methods: to maintain the integrity of your energy, Qigong always emphasizes proper body mechanics. Vitality is lowered by non-articulation of body, from all of these you get increased vulnerability to disease from a weakened immune system (degenerative diseases and pathogens). Diet & nutrition follows proper body mechanics. Now matter how much healthy food your eat and supplements you take, they are nothing if you do not have a body that works efficiently and effectively.

Often people absorb tension into their bodies and it gets stored in the joints, causing joint pain and inflammation. Also, stress gets stored in the organs causing blockages and illness. Traditional exercises work from the outside in and can overtax the muscles, causing more stress and tension. Working from the inside out instead entails lengthening and strengthening the ligaments and tendons. The job of the ligaments is to connect bone to bone and they provide joint stability. The job of the tendons is to connect bone to muscle and they store and transmit energy.

Often people work out for hours at a time in the gym and get little results to show for it. Now matter how much time or effort they put in, they don’t get the results that they are looking for. The bodies still lack tone and they don’t feel any stronger. Other people either can’t to go to a gym or physically aren’t able to exercise because of an injury, aging issues, or illness. Both groups can benefit from learning ‘Neigong’ inner energy and strength training to develop their bodies from the inside out. Since ancient times, the Chinese Qigong system has contained inner core building methods called Neigong, which literally means “inner work”. The simple and easy to learn techniques of Neigong involve standing in place or walking while doing special movements so that the body is aligned and the joints and ligaments are strengthened. The techniques do not require weight lifting or pumping the muscles. Neigong also provides much energy to the body, enhancing one’s vitality, rejuvenating and de-aging the body.

According to renowned Qigong master Ken Cohen, "Qigong is one of the most cost-effective selfhealing methods in the world. The only investment needed is time, a half-hour to an hour each day; the dividends of better health, increased vitality, and peaceful alertness accrue daily and are cumulative."

"Embrace the Invisible - Being in the State of Grace" - February 20, 2011

(IMPORTANT NOTE: All the previous blog postings I have made so far about Qigong all lead and evolve to this particular posting! Re-read them as necessary.)

 

Qi in Chinese means not only "Breathe / Energy / Life Generating" but also VERY importantly "to issue forth". Gong means "Techniques/Methods/Ways/Skills" literally. Qigong as a term not only means "Breath/Energy/Life Generating Methods", but also "Breath/Energy/Life in Motion". In the science of physics, 'energy in motion' means energy transforming; since the science of Physics has discovered that everything is made of vibrating patterns of energy that come from one issuing forth point that came from Nothing and that this energy is always transforming from one state to another. Also, this Energy ultimately is composed of photons, which is moving Light.

 
Thus, the whole universe, everything that exists, is made of something that is INVISIBLE. Furthermore, the science of Molecular Biology has discovered that our bodies not only are made of this invisible original source vibrating energy on a molecular level, but also are composed of a rich variety of minerals, 70% water, and mostly empty space, all of which compose a crystalline being. You are an energy ʻsoupʼ filled with countless energetic frequencies and patterns.

 

 Both sciences have discovered that all molecules are composed of particles within waves of light and that the components of these molecules PULSE in and out of view. So, 50% of the time you exist and 50% of the time you and everything else is again INVISIBLE! Where are you when you are invisible? You and everything that exists returns to the Source, the state of nothingness where all vibrational waves stop moving, where all comes from and all is possible. Thus, you and everything that exists are ONE thing, of ONE source. The pulsing IS life transforming from one state to another, which in Qigong is the life generating concept of 'yin & yang'. Thus, it can be realized that Qigong in general and Jindao Qigong in particular is about Life Transformation because of all these points.

 

 When applying the Qi generating methods, Life Transformation is the end result of a process where the body/mind/spirit is coordinated into one healthy being and inner peace & joy arises as one connects to this Source. The Source is also known as The Tao/Dao (The Way), The Divine, Spirit, God, Goddess, and so on. So far in the previous posts, we have been talking about reaching and staying in this Source. Thus, Jindao Life Transformation Qigong is ultimately about being present in what many and varied spiritual traditions call "A State of Grace" - being under Divine INFLUENCE. This Influence (spiritual self realization) allows us to transcend our base humanity and 'Embrace the Invisible', the Divinity that creates and empowers us. From the Divine Source (and thus you and everything) all that was, is, and could be arises from and gives forth from; from here there is only unconditional giving issuing forth, which is another way of saying "Unconditional love". Also, we have been talking about how you don't have to do anything to receive this unconditional love, you just have to be there and accept it. So, it's not a Doing, it's a Being. You just have to sit still and know (pure awareness), let go, breathe, and be here now.

 

 Meditation, which is quieting the mind to experience peace, is one tool to generate more awareness. Through meditation, you are able to 'stop the world' and connect directly to the Source. At the Source, where there is the pure awareness that experiences the Nothing from which all thoughts emerge, there arises a transformational state of grace where there is first stillness, then quiet, then peace, then joy, then bliss. During this state of grace, you can go even further into ecstasy and beyond even that to where not only your mind/body/spirit unite but you feel at one with Nature, at one with all creation itself. Here, you can not only 'know yourself', but also "know the Divine".  When communing with the Divine, you instantly know that all that you that you knew was insignificant, that all the answers you thought you had, all the conclusions to you thought you had, were finite and small next to the vast infinity of the Divine. Here, you realize that you have only questions for the Divine, that the more that you are in its presence, the more questions you have and the more you wish to receive from the Divine.

 

 Many spiritual traditions from India, China, and elsewhere focus on inquiry as a means of quieting the mind and remaining in the energy of curiosity, rather than conclusion. If the question is correct, the answer will obviously follow. This idea has been the deepest level of awareness and hidden understanding of Spirituality for thousands of years: from shamanism 5,000 years ago, to Taoism, to Tantra, to Buddhism, to Zen, to Kabbalism, to Judaism, to Christianity, to Hawaiian Kahuna-ism, and forward into modern times with Neville Goddard's Power of Awareness, to Ekhart Tolle's Living in the Now, to Dr. Robert Anthony's Deliberate Creation, to Paul Bauer's Effortless Manifesting. to Kam Yuan's Yuan Method, to Richard Bartlett's Matrix Energetics, to Frank Kinslow's Quantum Entrainment, to Gary Douglas' Access Consciousness, and so on. The common thread in all true Spiritualities is the concept of "The answer is in the question". Asking questions means being open to all possibilities, open to the giving nature of the Source. Thus,"To Question is to Receive".

 

Telling the Source your answer blocks your receiving of what could be best for you. Questioning frees you from the bondage of what you think you see before you. Presumed preconceived notions (that is: answers, judgments, and conclusions), stop the flow of energy in your life. More than that, just about all your conclusions were developed under the influence of others (parents, school teachers, peers, friends, enemies, society, nation, culture, and so on) as you were growing up. These conclusions influence your world view, your attitude, your feelings towards yourself and all that you do, your point of view (what you observe on the wave). These conclusions that you draw (from others) create all the limitations in your life. Your point of view creates your reality, rather than your reality creates your point of view. Thus, you can ask yourself, 'What if everything you think and everything you see actually creates everything you see in your experience of your life?'.  AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

 

 Asking the question, allows for there to be something different. Thus, you are living in the question. By 'Being the Question', you allow for possibilities. When you access The Source, by asking questions, it allows for all possibilities to occur because it creates a space for transformation to occur. The question creates more possibilities, while the "answer" (pre-conceived conclusion) limits possibilities. Having a specific point of view creates energetic limitations. If you resist or react, your are creating an energetic limitation. Resistance or reaction connects you to negativity. Allowance is never resisting or reacting against nor aligning or agreeing with. Being open to all possibilities means that The Source can Flow to you and bring you Divine influence. You need to 'Do Nothing' and just accept being in the Flow, you thus 'Choose Change' by being open to receive. In this way, life becomes unhindered, easy, and flowing. Being open to the Flow from The Source brings so much fulfillment that the result is always great joy, and with that there follows gratitude. By choosing change you choose a life of Joy and Gratitude. The questioning allows you to BE the energy for things to change, rather than to be the reaction to things that happen to you. The real truth is "Ask and you shall receive". To make life easy and joyous, you can change present reality by being open to the flow of all possibilities from the Source. To receive, you ask "what would it take to . . ."; "What else is possible?"; "What would it take for this to change?". To create a life transformation, ask "How does it get any better than this?", regardless of when things are "good" or "bad". 

The next thing to understand is that your willingness to receive is what opens or closes the receiving. There is the willingness to actually receive and the clearing of any energy that is in the way of receiving. At this point, you make space for Life Transformation by using tools to clear every past and present thought, feeling, pain, and so on.  Easier said than done? That is because we have lived blinded to what is really there around us, waiting and ready to be accepted. All that we have learned and experienced from childhood when we were ignorant of the Source has influenced us to be wary of pain in whatever form. Thus, we in essence create a gatekeeper between what happens in the outside world and what you allow inside. This gate keeper fears the unknown and clings to the familiar to keep safe. This condition creates instead more pain, stagnation, and blockages and divides us into body/mind/spirit. According to Dr. Robert Anthony, "The function of the Gatekeeper is very simple. It's basically to keep things the same. Its primary intention is to make your life easier by rejecting information that doesn't match the Subconscious Blueprint you already have inside. In this way, you don't have to keep making new decisions. So the Gatekeeper is designed to keep information out . . . it is useful to stop you from doing stupid things that hurt you . . . it's also very harmful when it keeps you stuck with a belief or habit that you don't want anymore. The Gatekeeper has some very powerful tools at its disposal, which include emotions like fear, doubt, worry and anger. These are psychological defense mechanisms that automatically reject new information. So the key is learning how to instantly bypass your inner gatekeeper and get directly to your subconscious mind -- when you learn to do that, you can change your inner blueprint in moments..."  Internal resistance by the Gate Keeper (the Ego) hinders the receiving.

Jindao Life Transforming Qigong uses various methods/skills/techniques/tools to dissolve these blockages and stagnation and to release the pain and fear so that one can Embrace the Invisible. We can live a life either enriched by it all, or in fear of it.

Doing Nothing - February 11, 2011

When one desires to meditate, one literally does nothing. First one breathes deep and slow and one either stands, sits, or lies down, with eyes closed. No actions are performed with the body. One becomes conscious of thoughts arising. These thoughts appear suddenly and randomly and are ignored until they slowly cease to occur. Soon enough, one is simply doing nothing other than just being there. A gap of nothingness is observed between thoughts. Within this gap, one observes there is Nothing and that all thoughts arise from this Nothing. During this state of meditation, one observes (becomes conscious of) a natural feeling that arises from this Nothing and develops further in intensity. First one feels stillness, then quiet, then peace, then joy, and then bliss (the sum of the other feelings). This feeling is unconditional, it does not depend on actions or outside events to stimulate it into existence. This unconditional feeling is not like the reactive and conditional feelings of happiness, anger, sadness, guilt, remorse, tread, worry, pride, and so on that must depend on something else (an event, idea, or thought) to stimulate their existence in the mind/body. 

This unconditional feeling allows one to realize that there something to observe. When there is something to observe, the Self exists from out of Nothing.  Furthermore, this Self exists regardless of any thoughts or reactive feelings.  In many traditions, when the self becomes aware of itself, it is called Knowing. One thus becomes aware of that which is unchanging, without beginning nor end, a True Source from which all arises. As consciousness automatically turns inward, the mind/body becomes aware of the Self and also of the Source of the unconditional feeling, which is Nothing. Once Self Aware, one realizes that the Self was always there in the background regardless of ages and events, always observing. One knows that everything comes from one Source, and that there is no movement really and that everything then is an illusion because all comes from Nothing. One knows that there is only now, the past, present, and future existing all at once. 

Once one knows that the Self is not separate from this True Source, the Self drops away merging with everything and nothing and one enters the meditative state that is called Pure Awareness. One realizes that there is no movement within the True Source, since it is Nothing, there is only Pure Awareness. Pure Awareness is discussed in many ancient traditions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Kaballism. Everything that exists, every created thing, is the unmoving, non-existent illusion of Pure Awareness. Pure Awareness is everywhere at once and is thus Pure Being. Thus, the Self manifests itself from out of Pure Awareness.

As even Quantum Physics will attest, everything that exists in the universe came from one Source and before that source there was Nothing. Thus, from Nothing came everything. Nothing is not separate from all that is created from it. Thus, Nothing is not empty. It is the point at which all energy stops moving, where all waves cease to vibrate; but it is also a point where all things can potentially arise from and do. Physicists call this Nothing (this Source of all things), the "unlimited field of potentiality". Because everyting that exists comes from this Nothing, because the unconditional feeling (mentioned previously) comes from this Nothing, because all thoughts come from this Nothing, because the Self comes from this Nothing, because Pure Awareness comes from this Nothing, one is able to be one with Nothing and Everything at once. Here, all things are possible. 

To connect with the place where all things are possible, one simply has to "do" nothing. You already are there since your thoughts, unconditional feeling, and your Self arise from it. Breathing deep and slow is the trigger that puts one into a meditative state where one can observe the gap between thoughts. Here the Self transforms into Pure Awareness and merges with everything and the source from which everything arises, which is Nothing. The Self can let go of wants and needs since they are unnecessary blocks to peace and joy. One can instead state an intention of what one desires (become aware) and Pure Awareness will connect to the Source and all will come to you. Trust the Source to do what is best for the Self. Effort and control are contrary to bliss.

The Treasures that One Seeks in Life Can Only Be Found Within - January 30, 2011

During a Jindao Health Transforming Qigong session (aka: Healing), blocked or stagnant energy (be it physical, emotional, spiritual, or whatever) is released and there is a catharsis that leaves you feeling free and clear of your pains or illness. During a session, rather than focusing on the pain or illness, which gives greater power to it and causes it to grow bigger and stronger, the focus is on growing the remaining wellness until it blossoms forth. When the release occurs, there is often a sudden insight in the true cause of the pain or illness, bringing deeper understanding of what the body was trying to tell you.

In much the same way, when you face problems (situations that cause stress, tension, anxiety, and the inability to relax), if you think and ponder and continue to fight against them, things just get worse as this CONFLICTED state starts to spread out to other aspects of your life. The left side of the brain uses logic to "solve" problems and fights and struggles to force things to come out according to this logic. Being in a fearful state, your left side of the brain wants to be in charge and its insistence on using logic to force a solution becomes the very thing that prevents any solution from coming through. It says that 'you MUST DO something, you need more of this or more of that, you are not trying hard enough, you must measure up, and so on'. In this way, your mind actually creates the STRESS you feel! And, it stifles your creative insight to find a better way (not harder way).

Obviously, logic doesn't work here. In fact, the left side of the brain processes only 7 to 40 bits of information per minute while the right side of the brain processes MILLIONS of bits of information per minute! Logically (ha, ha!), I would trust my right side of my brain to work things out. The right side of the brain uses INSPIRATION, which activates INTUITION, which activates EMOTIONAL GUIDANCE (feelings), which activates INSPIRED ACTION to achieve results.

It is necessary to ask yourself, "Who is doing the driving?". In other words, where are my thoughts coming from that are responding in a negative way (stress, anxiety, tension, etc.)? More often that not these thoughts are HABITUAL unconscious beliefs that have been imposed on you. When problems arise, you have to remove yourself from this state of wanting and lacking and from unconscious beliefs that hold us back from finding a solution. There comes a point that you have to take personal responsibility for your habitual thoughts, your actions, and thus, the RESULTS that are showing in your life.

According to Paul Bauer, author of Effortless Manifesting, your mind has unconscious believes that say that "I’m bad with love, money, health, energy, recognition, self-esteem, confidence, whatever it might be. So if I can step back long enough, and let go of my mind’s ability to try and control it all, even if the mind fears letting go, that’s okay. And maybe I can have some peace in that moment. I can come back into the presence. I can live in the now for just a moment in time. That’s all you’ve got to do."

Just like physical pain in the body comes from emotional blockages and is trying to get your attention, likewise ("as above, so below; as within, so without") whatever stress you have in your life is literally trying to get your attention. Sometimes screaming for your attention! Says Paul Bauer, ". . . imagine the stress that comes up in your life is like a basketball and you’re in the water and you’re trying to push it in. You’re trying to push that basketball down and you notice it takes a little bit of energy to get that ball under the water. That ball represents the problem or the challenge or the stress that keeps surfacing. So let’s say that you push it down with one arm and then another ball comes up, which represents some other major stress in your life. Something about money, something about someone in your family is sick, a task that you’ve gotta get done or a series of tasks. All of a sudden now it’s a multiple set of balls and you’re trying to push those down with your arms. Now you’ve got your legs and all of a sudden you can’t control them any longer. So what if you let go?"

In order to let go, you first have to breathe correctly. Stress accumulates more and more in the body and causes you to tighten up and to breathe from the chest instead of the diaphragm. By breathing softly and gently from the diaphragm, your mind can get quieter so that you can calm down and let go. The more you feel that feeling, the more bottled up energy comes up and out your nervous system. Meditational breathing as practiced by Qigong allows you to "understand what the signals that are coming up and out of your nervous system really are, what that energy is, why it’s there in your body to begin with and what it’s trying to say".

According to Paul Bauer, "The point is to have the intent of having peace with that which doesn’t feel peaceful within you. What comes after that, what comes into your life when your mind is calm, when you don’t have a polarized mind in other words, one that says I want it. I don’t have it. If I could only have it, then things would get good. And that constant feeling of separation. That’s what I mean by polarized. It’s split into two. I don’t have it, if I only could, I’d feel better. And that’s the cause of our suffering. . . One of the biggest false premises [based on an unconscious belief] is that we’re separate from the very thing we want most. . . Intuitively, you know that you’re not separate from anything. You’re not separate from your Source, your God, your Creator, whatever you call God in your life. Despite the religious upbringing that you might have gone through, despite the systems that you’ve been through, whether it be the schools, the familial systems, the media that you watch, they all have done a great job trying to prove that you’re separate in some way from who you really are. Until you shift your intent along the way and you find someone, you find a mentor, you find a teacher, you find a friend, you find a book… something that helps you remember something in you and a light turns on. It kind of scares you sometimes at first or it just gives you pause. . . If what you want isn’t here right now, it’s because your mind thinks that it’s not here. And it keeps creating a field where you can’t see it, you can’t feel it, you can’t sense it. It’s when the mind lets go and there’s a greater force within you that turns things on for you. It’s not outside of you, that greater force, it’s within you right now.”

Continues Paul, "If you feel you are not getting what you want, you might ask yourself, 'How am I giving to others?' If you’re not getting what you want the signal you’re getting back is the way you’ve been doing it isn’t working for you. So it’s just sending you a signal back… okay, this way doesn’t work. You might want to consider another way. What could that other way be? Until you let go, you don’t know because your way, the way that the mind is thinking it needs to control it, may not be the way. You’ve got to find what the way is and I don’t mean it’s outside of you. I mean letting go of the mind. So since creation is always teaching us the simplest way of how to create, all you’ve got to do is listen. If you’re creating what you want with ease, then you are tuned in, you’re into it, into your intuition power. Because if you’re “off path”, that’s when you’re having stronger difficulties and friction and static and resistance in your life. The more you don’t think you have what you want, the more you think that you’ve got to go out and get it, the more you think that it’s not being given to you, etc. It creates that constant cycle of not enough and I have to continue to do something in order to get something. And all that while, it’s literally depleting energy from your vital organs, from your brain to your kidneys. The great myth is that we need to attract the stuff we want and “get it” in order for us to feel better."

This means that YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU DESIRE ALREADY, but you aren't in the place within yourself yet to see it around you. Your stressing makes you not see it. Ask yourself “What if I could have this in my life right now, how would I feel right now? If this was real in my life right now.” Continues Paul Bauer with some VERY important points, "Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and tune into that feeling of what if this was real right now. Continue to breathe all the way to your belly. Feel that feeling. Just continue to breathe into that. Notice that. Notice the shift that just happened within you. That's the beginning of cultivating your sacred self. That’s the real you. Ask yourself “How often do I spend time here?”. “How often do I allow myself to be in this place, this feeling?” If the answer is not often, that’s the reason why you don’t have it yet. Because guess what? It is real right now. The only problem is the mind doesn’t notice it. The mind can’t create it for you. I don’t have to attract stuff. The reason why is because I am that which I intend. The moment I intended, it’s real. Just like that. Even if my mind can’t see it, can’t feel it, can’t taste or touch or smell it, yet I know it’s here right now. It’s noticing what’s going on inside you, noticing what those thoughts are that are feeling other than peace and tuning into them and shifting the intent from unconsciously saying I don’t have it to you know what? Thank you. It’s here right now even if my mind doesn’t yet see it or feel it, you can breathe into that. . . There’s a part of your mind that’s called a reticular activating system and it focuses on stuff and it filters stuff out. The reason why you think you don’t have what you want is that part of you has been told to keep it out. So the RAS is doing it’s job. It’s doing what it was told to do a long time ago. It’s almost like a prime directive. It’s protecting you. It’s a law within you and it says do not let her or him go there because if they do they’re going to get hurt again just like when you were a child. . . It was there the whole time but your mind was filtering it out. . . Whatever it means to you in your life whether it be money or recognition or health or love or radiant energy or confidence, whatever it is. If you don’t have it, there’s a part of you that’s intending for you not to and that’s the part of you that you haven’t yet made peace with, that you haven’t integrated, that you haven’t given the love that it wants most. That’s what it wants most dearly from you is your love. . . because the thing that I thought I wanted was the thing that I needed to give myself first. Whatever you feel denied of is the thing you deny yourself. Whatever you don't have is something that you're withholding from yourself."

Since we are created from the unconditional giving of The Source, we are made of this creative Source energy. Wanting creates more not having, but whatever you think about most you create in your life. So, letting go and accepting that you already have everything now allows you to tune in to your creation already being real. Connecting to The Source connects us to the power of pure intent. Intent is just pure energy. Intent is pure creation. Your deepest pain has a positive intent for you in some way. Continues Paul, "Maybe I’m going to begin to shift my intent from “this is a bad thing in my life” to “maybe it’s got positive intent and maybe it’s actually a good thing, but I haven’t yet noticed it with my mind”. So as I begin to cultivate that peace within me and its positive intent, I notice that this block turns into a “Go” sign, a green light. In fact, it will give me the very energy that I want the most because within the block lies incredible trapped energy and power in such vast amounts that it will blow you away. It will liberate you. It will free you. It will open your mind and it will give you a sense of ease in your body that maybe you’ve never imagined. So instead of treating it as a block, treat it as a gift. And you listen to its lesson."

Once calmed, you can ask yourself:  "WHAT is the lesson to be learned from this situation?" Asking open ended questions activates the right side of your brain, which engages the intuitive part of your mind. So, by stopping to ask yourself "what are the lessons that I am supposed to be learning here so I can transcend this situation now" or "what is the positive intent of this challenge", something inside you comes through to bring you insight. This insight brings self transformation as a sudden release occurs that explains what the lesson to be learned is. The "Aha!" moment happens, which brings great calm and clarity, just as "healing" brings cathartic release. Thus, the more you breathe when things are though, the more you can accept, the more peace you bring to yourself, and the more effortless results you will see in your life.

A final word from Paul Bauer: "Close your eyes, take a nice deep breath all the way down to your belly. (breathe in… and breathe out…) And feel your connection to Mother Earth. (breathe in… and breathe out…) And know that you are complete, that you’re loved, that you’re safe, and that you’re whole. You are enough. You are enough. Everything you could possibly imagine is within you. There’s no need to go outside of you to have it or to be it or to feel it. It’s here right now within you."