Opening..

[thaddeus]

What does opening mean to you..as in 'opening the orbit' or opening the dantian?

Thaddeus

[hagar]

Opening in Norway usually relates to opening someone's skull saturday night. (Norse party etiquette)

 

Seriously, Opening means fundamentally to letting go of closeness to that which is "other", foreing, alien, not integrated.

 

Opening means opening to the fear of intimacy to that otherness, which basically means opening to the realization that you are going to die.

 

Opening is opening to this fear, which is fear of community. Everytime I resist opening, I resist to partake in this community. The Great Community

 

Opening confronts the ego to it's own annihilation...

 

Anyone else?

 

h

[sean]

Wow. Cool question. It's those simple phrases we use all the time that can be the real stumpers when you inquire further.

 

I take "opening" the orbit or tan tien to mean that your awareness of that area is expanding and you can pass your awareness easily through all the details and subtle textures of that area without skipping over, stirring up, grasping or averting any pain, pleasure, trauma or even bliss that arises. As a part of you "opens" deeply, be your orbit, tan tiens, spinal channel, deep center, etc. your consciousness can easily rest in the full silent bliss of that area without getting agitated or jumping around and stirring up more gunk. The gunk that gets stirred up is a huge part of the process of opening though. Actually the gunk might even be considered the only reason these areas are not open and in bliss to begin with.

[thaddeus]

Wow. Cool question. It's those simple phrases we use all the time that can be the real stumpers when you inquire further.

 

I take "opening" the orbit or tan tien to mean that your awareness of that area is expanding and you can pass your awareness easily through all the details and subtle textures of that area without skipping over, stirring up, grasping or averting any pain, pleasure, trauma or even bliss that arises. As a part of you "opens" deeply, be your orbit,  tan tiens, spinal channel, deep center, etc. your consciousness can easily rest in the full silent bliss of that area without getting agitated or jumping around and stirring up more gunk. The gunk that gets stirred up is a huge part of the process of opening though. Actually the gunk might even be considered the only reason these areas are not open and in bliss to begin with.

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I'm wondering if there is a fascia element at play. For example to open the orbit means there are no fascial restrictions along that path. This is accomplished through proper posture and whole body breathing that in effect 'stretches' the orbits and produces electricity through the piezoelectric mechanism. Produces the same effect as acupuncture (if you believe in the needle as antennae theory). Fascial restrictions can be caused by emotional closing so that's why I think the spiritual cleansing/meditating/etc. can 'open' things.

?

thaddeus

[sean]

I'm wondering if there is a fascia element at play. ... Fascial restrictions can be caused by emotional closing so that's why I think the spiritual cleansing/meditating/etc. can 'open' things.

Thaddeus, I've heard this stated before but it never clicked like it has now. You are pointing to a very interesting interrelationship between body-mind-emotion. IMO it relates to the limitations of approaching "opening" from a purely physical means ... for example, the fact that even after rolfing many clients sink back into their old habits, because they haven't addressed the emotional issues that contract them into their habitual patterns. And it also relates to the limitations of purely "inside-out" approaches, ie: meditation, that could use a well-deserved kickstart with some yoga, warrior wellness, tai chi, clubbells, deep tissue massage, etc. etc.

[RedFox]

@#$*&@# excellent question, thaddeus, esp. as I begin to crawl back into orbit practice after a 4-5 month hiatus.

 

Thaddeus, I've heard this stated before but it never clicked like it has now. You are pointing to a very interesting interrelationship between body-mind-emotion. IMO it relates to the limitations of approaching "opening" from a purely physical means ... for example, the fact that even after rolfing many clients sink back into their old habits, because they haven't addressed the emotional issues that contract them into their habitual patterns.  And it also relates to the limitations of purely "inside-out" approaches, ie: meditation, that could use a well-deserved kickstart with some yoga, warrior wellness, tai chi, clubbells, deep tissue massage, etc. etc.

 

Thank you for bringing that up, Sean, and I'm not sure what I can truly add except "I agree on both counts."

 

The former I had experienced in my massage/bodyworking practice. THe only thing I'd add to that is that I observed something I didn't understand then. As I learned and applied techniques for releasing fascial restrictions in increasingly short periods of time, I saw that sometimes, the client's body could also reject those changes in a timeframe that could be noticed and reported, sometimes re-stiffening with significant accompanying pain, before the day was out.

 

The latter is something I had *just* started to become aware of very recently, so to see you writing about it is quite reassuring. I've taken a lot of classes with Winn, and heard his take on qigong forms being generally better for westerners in the beginning than seated meditation practices that keep them locked in their heads. I did the forms but they just didn't seem to have the kick that seated or even standing work did, so my focus never really changed. But I got to a point this summer where I couldn't sit still anymore, it was driving me nuts to sit and meditate.

 

I took some time off to work furey's combat conditioning, but that didn't seem to help much in that regard (in fact, I had a hard time keeping up stretching out the increasing tightness in my body from that training) So I got the warrior wellness material (with resounding Taobums approval as I recall!) With that as my primary practice, and having the opportunity to work through the things it brought up, I found a couple days ago that I can again actually sit for a while again and not be going nuts.

 

But what's even more interesting is that the qigong forms now seem to make more sense from a kinesthetic point of view. I still don't feel energy running thru channels or anything like that. But I can start to see how certain movements would work to reduce/remove fascial restrictions to allow bio/piezoelectricity (to thaddeus' point) cerebro-spinal fluid, synovial fluid, cellular nutrition, you name it, to flow with less resistance and create a situation for improved or optimal health.

 

I've also noticed to someone else's point that I can rest my awareness in the lower tantien and not be nearly as uncomfortable as I once was. Its as if warrior wellness, or perhaps more generally, a balanced physical practice, has cleared out many things that I was unable to do with meditation alone.

 

I realize I still haven't added much to the discussion of the original question, but I'm not currently sure what I can add to it yet. Going to let it summer some more.

[thaddeus]

All great thoughts to ponder further. I'm also reminded now of, say using yoga for example, practitioners are urged to follow a 'good life'. If you think about it, if you lie, steal and do other 'bad' things, you can't really relax and stretch and loosen your fascia. I'm reminded of a guy I work with who everybody knew as extremely 'jumpy'. After getting to know him, I realized he was one sneaky bastard who was lying and cheating everyone around him. He'll never relax, in fact, he walks like he's made of wood. Actually I don't believe it's the actions per se, but what you believe about them. If you believe stealing is bad and you do it, it's got to have adverse effects on your body.

I wonder if buddha's 'middle path' worked for him because he actually experienced both extremes. Maybe middle path means nothing to a rank beginner. Middle must be relative..anyway, I digress a bit.

I'm wondering if when these masters speak of love, it's not necessarily for altruistic or spiritual reasons, but perhaps a more basic physical way to open the body...

anyway, cool stuff to think about..keep the insights coming..

thaddeus

[Ian]

Opening in Norway usually relates to opening someone's skull saturday night. (Norse party etiquette)

 

Seriously, Opening means fundamentally to letting go of closeness to that which is "other", foreing, alien, not integrated.

 

Opening means opening to the fear of intimacy to that otherness, which basically means opening to the realization that you are going to die.

 

Opening is opening to this fear, which is fear of community. Everytime I resist opening, I resist to partake in this community. The Great Community

 

Opening confronts the ego to it's own annihilation...

 

Anyone else?

 

h

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Thank you. I think that about covers it !!

 

On a very small scale I have recently noticed in my sitting practice that being open to my immediate environment, like just two yards or so around in every direction, makes a big difference. I'm able to be more open to whatever happens next.

 

Feel a bit daft for not having noticed before how physical and spiritual openness go hand in hand.

 

But hey, humility is endless, as the man said.

 

Cheers,

I

[sean]

I've also noticed to someone else's point that I can rest my awareness in the lower tantien and not be nearly as uncomfortable as I once was. Its as if warrior wellness, or perhaps more generally, a balanced physical practice, has cleared out many things that I was unable to do with meditation alone.

Redfox, really glad to hear WW is opening your practice so profoundly. Yoda told me that he read that Mantak Chia says if you can open your joints, the Chi will flow naturally through your body (something like that. Yoda you around?) Reading your post makes me realize what a great gift Scott has created ... I probably take it for granted sometimes because I just do it so often I forget how pivotal of a relationship it has to my success in meditation, Yoga and now Jujitsu. Are you jumping on the Intu-Flow bandwagon with us? Ships tommorow! *Rubbing paws together* I think Intu-Flow will be a nice bridge between my Warrior Wellness addiction and a Clubbell addiction ... I swing here and there but haven't gotten completely hooked yet. And I think Clubbells take the fascia opening to the next level.

 

I'm wondering if when these masters speak of love, it's not necessarily for altruistic or spiritual reasons, but perhaps a more basic physical way to open the body... anyway, cool stuff to think about..keep the insights coming..

Really cool concept thaddeus. Close to what I was striving for in my article "The Simplest Realization Ever" where I equate the heart of spiritual practice as being basically a sophisticated form of hedonism. Your statement grounds lovingkindness practice into the body more than I'd ever considered. Wholesome emotions as in inside-out practice to unbind the physiological restrictions hindering the flow of spiritual pleasure. Nice one.

 

On a very small scale I have recently noticed in my sitting practice that being open to my immediate environment, like just two yards or so around in every direction, makes a big difference. I'm able to be more open to whatever happens next.

I've found this same thing through not resisting an awareness of environmental sounds. Often when meditating it was subtle inward-and-quiet=good, outward-noise-distraction=bad. Lately, probably prompted by "Come to your Senses" I've been treating environmental sounds as part of the flow of meditation. Really simple little tip but it opens up my being to include the miles of physical space around me (car horns in the far distance, etc) ... my previously antagonistic inner vs. outer starts to blend pleasantly.

 

Sean

[RedFox]

Redfox, really glad to hear WW is opening your practice so profoundly. Yoda told me that he read that Mantak Chia says if you can open your joints, the Chi will flow naturally through your body (something like that. Yoda you around?) Reading your post makes me realize what a great gift Scott has created ... I probably take it for granted sometimes because I just do it so often I forget how pivotal of a relationship it has to my success in meditation, Yoga and now Jujitsu. Are you jumping on the Intu-Flow bandwagon with us? Ships tommorow! *Rubbing paws together* smile.gif I think Intu-Flow will be a nice bridge between my Warrior Wellness addiction and a Clubbell addiction ... I swing here and there but haven't gotten completely hooked yet. And I think Clubbells take the fascia opening to the next level.

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From what I remember, Winn's brief commentary from this summer on the joints is that they are the spark plugs of the body. At the time, I guess the car mechanics metaphor just didn't do anything for me. but when I think about it now, that really doesn't seem like a throwaway comment anymore. (when I teach someday, i really hope not to have to dump years of practice material in a weekend or 5 days. it's so tough to sort out from so much what is important!)

 

I wonder if in my case, the realization was so profound because I was significantly biased against the body and its freedom/restriction being part of the whole package.

 

As a matter of fact, I have rapidly turned into an RMAX geek for all the reasons you mentioned. I ordered intu-flow yesterday before the promotion ended, and a pair of 15# clubs (i have been using 10#) I also signed up for the Iota training class in WA several weeks ago. Funny thing was, i did that within hours of watching "Be Breathed" that I signed up. Just watching him talk effortlessly during and after the fast floor routine at the end got em thinking "whatever he's got, I don't care, I want it." So expect a review of that class on the board in early April.

[sean]

As a matter of fact, I have rapidly turned into an RMAX geek for all the reasons you mentioned.  I ordered intu-flow yesterday before the promotion ended, and a pair of 15# clubs (i have been using 10#)  I also signed up for the Iota training class in WA several weeks ago.  Funny thing was, i did that within hours of watching "Be Breathed" that I signed up.  Just watching him talk effortlessly during and after the fast floor routine at the end got em thinking "whatever he's got, I don't care, I want it."  So expect a review of that class on the board in early April. 

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I know exactly what you are talking about. It wouldn't have struck me as so impressive had I not been doing it along with him and thinking, my god he is talking! This great guy named Michael Gannon told me he got into Sonnon for basically the same reason. They were both at a Pavel intensive and Michael said everyone was huffing and puffing and this fairly unassuming guy Scott barely breaking a sweat just flowing through the whole routine that he'd never done before. Michael thought, "I want to know what that guy is doing". Pretty cool. I look forward to your review.