Better than full lotus

[ngtest]

It seems more like a case of no good blood circulation to me :S

 

I'm not a master, but I wouldn't advise leaving your legs numb for an hour or so, seems silly to me

 

It depends on whether you are meditating really. If you sit enough in full lotus without meditating and don't get numb and then when you meditate you get numb it is easy to know that the numbness is not harmful but is simply a reaction of chi.

 

The numbness eventually goes away, but if you are afraid advance slowly.

Edited September 10, 2009 by ngtest

[Gerard]

 

This one, who obviously has some tension in the lower abdominal muscles and thighs..I would assume it would be much less comfortable to hold this position for 2 hours plus..

 

I see a lot of tension elsewhere...mind (expressed in his face).

 

No good.

[Chen]

I 've been told,that the purpose of "foul lotus "is relative and depended on the specific mudra.

In the past when I had achieved a target practicing foul lotus, I was suprised, when for the next level that was more demanded, the stance was half lotus.

I had the idea that the foul lotus was the ultimate stance,so when I had asked, If it was permitted to practice the next level in foul lotus, for better results ,the answer was "NO".

Of -cource, because I am more clever than my Si-Fu , I practiced in foul Lotus and then I understood. He knew more than me.I passed away.

[Machin Shin]

Captain Ginyu! I'm Lovin It.

 

The comment on mudra is essential. The lock lotus asana (hands held behind back and grabbing toes) is a powerful tool of a Yogi/ni. Once the Yogi/ni in union with that which is required to be bound and the knot is tied what will the Yogi/ni do?

Edited September 10, 2009 by Machin Shin

[gendao]

Well I've taken bathroom breaks -- otherwise I've been in full-lotus since about 10:30 -- that makes 5 hours. Time flys when you're having fun -- and yes I've had several "O at a Ds" -- which means that electromagnetic energy is sucked out of my pineal gland into people around me who need it while I suck in their disharmonized extra energy -- electrochemical energy -- up through my lower body. This happens through the vagus nerve and then as the heart chakra opens up the energy flows more through the central channel.

F***, you're a beast Drew! Like 5K's for running, they should have 5Hrs for meditating, lol...

 

So, did you ever have to do stretches to work up to full lotus?

[Dainin]

Would touching the finger tips and the toe tips together in this pose create an energetic circuit? I remember one of my teachers saying there were "ting points" at these locations...not sure if a transfer would occur if they are brought together.

[ngtest]

Also Chunyi Lin says on his audio tape of Level Two that if you can sit in Full Lotus for 2 hours that you will fell like current is running through your legs and opens up the channels in the legs... has maybe someone here experienced something like that?

 

I want to clarify something. It is not actually a current running. It is basically very short currents accompanied by pain, because the channels are not yet open.

 

When you open the channels as Master Nan Huai Chin says:

 

"you will have a strong internal orgasm from your feet and legs upward to your waist and back, and even throughout your entire body. Rest assured."

[ngtest]

Dear members,

 

I want to ask something those who may know. Does it make any difference if you practice full lotus with the right leg on top versus with the left leg on top? Some teachers in yoga teach left leg on top, but the usual in Buddhism and maybe Taoism is right leg on top.

 

Thank you.

[Chen]

In the system that I used to be practiced,as it concerns "Full Lotus", never mentioned at my level.

If this detail is importand in higher levels, I think that there is a possibility for this, to be emphasized in senior students.

In "half lotus" that I was practising ,yes.According the mudra the involved leg was "locked" or "unlocked",and the reason had been explained to me.

These small details, in my beleive, are essential.It is the difference between "meditating" or "loosing my time".

The other issue is that your question is very general.

I mean that you are asking in general about "full lotus" in Buddhism or in Taoism.

I think that there is always a reason, but I dont beleive that everyone can explain it, either because the knowledge behind the stance has been lost or it is the secret of the system or sect or clan.

[Luca]

I want to clarify something. It is not actually a current running. It is basically very short currents accompanied by pain, because the channels are not yet open.

 

When you open the channels as Master Nan Huai Chin says:

 

"you will have a strong internal orgasm from your feet and legs upward to your waist and back, and even throughout your entire body. Rest assured."

 

 

 

Thank you very much, thats what i wanted to know and i am also wondering if it does make any difference if the left leg or right leg is on top, but i personally dont think so.

 

Oh and can you tell me from which book of Master Nan Huai Chin you have the statement about the "full body orgasm"?

[Eviander]

Well, that dude is also sitting on a rock, and you can even see the rock digging into his shin. What ridiculous things people will do for a cool photo op, lol. Bet he couldn't hold that actual pose there for more than 2 minutes...

 

Anyhow, if your hamstrings and hip sockets are tight, it will be hard to keep your lower back vertical - and it will take ab tension to do so.

 

What you need to do is be able to rotate your legs "backwards" in your hip sockets. So, the best stretch for full lotus is probably the wide leg stretch.

(For our purposes, she should also be working on counter-rotating her toes back too.)

 

The closer you can get your torso flat to the ground, the less pressure will you have on your legs in full lotus. I've been doing this for a month & a half now, and it's made half lotus far more bearable now - taking a lot of pressure off my knees, thighs & ankles (where it doesn't belong). I can see it being a very comfortable, structurally-optimized pose, ONCE you get the hip & hamstring flexibility so there's little to no pressure...

 

That makes sense for sure. So in your experience..what seems to be helpfull for building up to lotus rather than slowlely moving your legs up to your thighs in a half assed lotus is to to do the splits..untill you can get them as wide as that image? For godsakes if this is the case..I have a year of painful stretching..

 

Another question about lotus and taichi..does taichi facilitate a practice in where lotus will come as one unlocks the chi through the slow dances..or do you have to do yoga..or painfull strecthing in order to make progress into lotus?

[gendao]

That makes sense for sure. So in your experience..what seems to be helpfull for building up to lotus rather than slowlely moving your legs up to your thighs in a half assed lotus is to to do the splits..untill you can get them as wide as that image? For godsakes if this is the case..I have a year of painful stretching..

IMO, yes. I think forcing lotus will only make progress realllly slow, and could even be damaging to your joints/circulation.

 

So, I think stretching is a much quicker and safer route to get there. However, the key here is not just doing the splits alone. Having your legs splayed out does help you rotate them in your sockets (as opposed to if they were together out in front of you - which would then only stretch your lower back & hamstrings). But doing the splits alone probably won't help you much - if you don't also bend forward. However, with this stretch, you can rotate your femurs in your hip sockets AND stretch out your lower back & hamstrings.

 

Again, the modifications I do are trying to point my toes back to maximize the femur rotation - and I'll also bring my hands to the inner edge of my feet to help push myself down further (and push my toes back) - instead of only holding them out in front.

 

If you can get your chin and a bit more to the floor, I think half lotus will become fairly comfortable for an hour.

Not sure how far down you have to get to make full lotus comfortable for an hour (chest to floor?)...but I'll let you know when I get there!

[voidisyinyang]

Thanks for this quote -- I had forgotten about it and no longer have his books.

 

I want to clarify something. It is not actually a current running. It is basically very short currents accompanied by pain, because the channels are not yet open.

 

When you open the channels as Master Nan Huai Chin says:

 

"you will have a strong internal orgasm from your feet and legs upward to your waist and back, and even throughout your entire body. Rest assured."

[Dainin]

A few years ago I went to qigong workshop in Miami with tai chi master Wei Lun Huang. He did a stretching segment, and he was able to do the full split with his chest on the ground. Another student in the class was able to do the same thing. I was impressed, they both had the flexibility of senior yoga teachers. During the break I asked the student if he practiced yoga, and he said no, just kung fu. So it appears that there are various methods to attain this level of flexibility.

 

I've read some good reviews of a book and dvd by Thomas Kurz in regard to achieving the splits. I think he uses weights in addition to stretching. There is also a booklet entitled "Becoming the Lotus" for sale on Amazon that has some routines that are supposed to lead up to full lotus. I forget the author's name...

[ngtest]

Oh and can you tell me from which book of Master Nan Huai Chin you have the statement about the "full body orgasm"?

 

Tao and Longevity translation by Wen Kuan Chu, original chinese was from Master Nan.

[voidisyinyang]

Have you listened to the new Mantak Chia interview over at http://martialdevelopment.com

 

His goal is everyone should learn the "microcosmic" orbit -- the Small Universe -- that's how to go into full-lotus -- open up the energy channels.

 

A few years ago I went to qigong workshop in Miami with tai chi master Wei Lun Huang. He did a stretching segment, and he was able to do the full split with his chest on the ground. Another student in the class was able to do the same thing. I was impressed, they both had the flexibility of senior yoga teachers. During the break I asked the student if he practiced yoga, and he said no, just kung fu. So it appears that there are various methods to attain this level of flexibility.

 

I've read some good reviews of a book and dvd by Thomas Kurz in regard to achieving the splits. I think he uses weights in addition to stretching. There is also a booklet entitled "Becoming the Lotus" for sale on Amazon that has some routines that are supposed to lead up to full lotus. I forget the author's name...

[ngtest]

If you sit more than 2:30 hours, around three hours continuous in full lotus, there comes a feeling of peace.

In the yoga schools of India, there is the term asana jaya which stands for the ability to sit motionless in one asana for three hours. Then it is said that you have conquered the asana. Of course, this can only happen with either good meditation or very much will power.