The 100 day Meditation Experiment

[The Way Is Virtue]

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Edited October 20, 2010 by The Way Is Virtue

[solman]

Welcome Solman!. Is this the practice you will be praticing?

http://www.zhinengqigong.org/Methods/sxpzz.htm

 

Exactly

Saludos

[The Observer]

Placing of the palms over the dantian area when you finish is just one way that is used to help direct excess qi back to the dantian area when you are closing. Some teachers teach the rotation of the palms, but just placing the palms over the dantian area seems to work well. Some do the the rotation and then place the palms over the dantian after. Other teachers may add other things as well.

 

Here is a link to a fairly elaborate qigong closing routine, in case you are interested,

The massaging of the face, head, neck, and shoulders and patting down the body is fairly common as well.

The head, neck, and shoulders can be an area where excess qi can remain and can cause things like headaches or other ill effects, so doing that massage is probably a good idea.

 

Here's a couple more examples:

Almost every teacher I have seen seems to do the closing a bit different.

 

BTW Observer, were you practicing any sort of closing steps after standing medition? Maybe you were already practicing some of this?

I've come across a few of the closing techniques before in different Taichi videos amongst other things.

As for me, I didn't use them the first day or 2, but I realized that it was important to center my qi and I used a few methods such as palms over belly, the light massaging of the legs and the arm to shoulder movements. The issue for me was getting feedback on whether what I was doing was even correct lol!

[The Way Is Virtue]

. The issue for me was getting feedback on whether what I was doing was even correct lol!

It sounds like you are doing well.

Edited October 20, 2010 by The Way Is Virtue

[The Way Is Virtue]

So how is everyone making out? Is everyone still managing to keep up their daily practice for the most part? Since it is hard to keep a thread like this really active all the time, I am going to request a personal practice log area for myself and log my personal experiences with my 100 days of wuji standing meditation over there. I will start a thread over there called the '100 day meditation experiment' and you guys are all welcome to post updates on your progress over there as well if you like, or you can post updates to this thread if you can still find it. I will post a link to the new thread once I get one set up.

 

I am enjoying the wuji standing meditation. In only this few days of regular practice so far I am already feeling somewhat higher qi levels overall and am feeling the qi active in various problem areas in my body (I seem to have a lot of those areas ), as well as the qi just being more active in general. A couple of days ago I could feel the qi trying to work its way through the back of my neck and at the base of my skull area. I have some neck and shoulder problems (mainly tightness) and the qi being active in this area was causing some discomfort with a dull aching feeling and also a fair bit of heat as well, which was making it a bit hard hard for me to concentrate at work, but this had all subsided by the next morning and my neck area is feeling somewhat better now. In this morning's practice I could feel the qi working more in my left shoulder and left arm where I also have had issues with some pain in my left shoulder and not so great circulation in my left arm. Will see how things progress over the 100 days, but so far the wuji standing meditation seesms to be showing a lot of potential. So, how is everyone else managing?

 

twiv

Edited October 21, 2010 by The Way Is Virtue

[f-man]

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Edited January 10 by f-man

[adept]

OK so far. Still 20 minutes of full lotus sitting every day (along with my other practices). Making the extra effort to get up early to practice.

[The Way Is Virtue]

Doing good, haven't missed a practice. Happy and inspired to continue.

I find standing meditation good, too, haven't really done it before. Seems to address to some problem areas better than sitting meditation, like perineum and neck. I got stubborn stagnations there, but overall my body is starting to feel very soft and supple.

I find time goes faster for me while standing, so I increased from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. Maybe increase with 5 more minutes later.

This was exactly what I needed.

Sounds good f-man! I have noticed that standing meditation does seem to work differently than sitting meditation as well. Seems to be very effective in getting right to work where we need it the most. Keep at it, It sounds like you are doing very well.

 

 

OK so far. Still 20 minutes of full lotus sitting every day (along with my other practices). Making the extra effort to get up early to practice.

You are keeping a fairly busy schedule with your other practices as well. Good for you adept! It does take some extra effort to keep up the practice regularly but it will no doubt be worth it!

Edited October 22, 2010 by The Way Is Virtue

[The Way Is Virtue]

I have my own space in the Personal Practice forum now so I will be keeping a detailed log of my personal experiences with the 100 day meditation experiment there, in this thread:

The 100 Day Meditation Experiment

You all are welcome to drop in and discuss your experiences or whatever there. I'll be watching this thread as well to see how everyone is doing with their 100 days of daily meditation.

 

If anyone else is also keeping a log of their personal experiences with the 100 days of meditation in the personal practice area, feel free to post a link to it here so the rest of us can check in on how you are doing.

Edited October 22, 2010 by The Way Is Virtue

[The Way Is Virtue]

Welcome Solman!. Is this the practice you will be praticing?

http://www.zhinengqigong.org/Methods/sxpzz.htm

 

Exactly

Saludos

 

How are you making out with the San Xing Ping Zhan Zhuang Solmon? It looks like that stance will require some time to build up the leg strength to stand longer?

[solman]

How are you making out with the San Xing Ping Zhan Zhuang Solmon? It looks like that stance will require some time to build up the leg strength to stand longer?

 

My legs hurt a lot. But in a good way I guess.

[solman]

How are you making out with the San Xing Ping Zhan Zhuang Solmon? It looks like that stance will require some time to build up the leg strength to stand longer?

And my name is Saul by the way.

[Jetsun]

I have changed to only doing the standing Water Method every day which I feel is really good, I feel I can go deeper every day. I don't know how how you do the celibacy thing though, doing Qigong and moving all that energy makes you horny as hell

[The Way Is Virtue]

My legs hurt a lot. But in a good way I guess.

Ha ha! Have you been doing zhineng qigong long?

 

 

I have changed to only doing the standing Water Method every day which I feel is really good, I feel I can go deeper every day. I don't know how how you do the celibacy thing though, doing Qigong and moving all that energy makes you horny as hell

Hi jetsun. Can you describe the standing water method a bit, or do you have a link to a description? To do the abstinence thing one really has to keep one's mind off anything that is sexually stimulating. Also practicing meditation regularly helps to transform the sexual energy into a different form of energy, which helps prevent too much sexual energy from building up.

Edited October 24, 2010 by The Way Is Virtue

[Jetsun]

Hi jetsun. Can you describe the standing water method a bit, or do you have a link to a description? To do the abstinence thing one really has to keep one's mind off anything that is sexually stimulating. Also practicing meditation regularly helps to transform the sexual energy into a different form of energy, which helps prevent too much sexual energy from building up.

 

You adopt the same standing stance as Zhan Zhuang but instead of doing nothing with your mind you scan your body starting at the top of your head down your body letting go of any tension, strength, blocks or any vague sensations you find along the way to the bottom of your feet. So far I have found the lighter you use your attention the better it works and I seem to resolve some tensions every time I dissolve them, or at least my tension patterns seem to change for every session. BK Frantzis books give a better description.

[The Way Is Virtue]

You adopt the same standing stance as Zhan Zhuang but instead of doing nothing with your mind you scan your body starting at the top of your head down your body letting go of any tension, strength, blocks or any vague sensations you find along the way to the bottom of your feet. So far I have found the lighter you use your attention the better it works and I seem to resolve some tensions every time I dissolve them, or at least my tension patterns seem to change for every session. BK Frantzis books give a better description.

Ok, sounds like a good approach. There are various approaches out there so I guess a person just has to go with what feels right, and what seems to work for them. I personally don't do well with any meditation techniques that involve visualization. I've tried a few techniques that use visualization and it just distracts me, and seems to be too much effort. I guess I am not a visually oriented person. Does the water method involve using any visualization?

Edited October 24, 2010 by The Way Is Virtue

[Jetsun]

Ok, sounds like a good approach. There are various approaches out there so I guess a person just has to go with what feels right, and what seems to work for them. I personally don't do well with any meditation techniques that involve visualization. I've tried a few techniques that use visualization and it just distracts me, and seems to be too much effort. I guess I am not a visually oriented person. Does the water method involve using any visualization?

 

There aren't any visualization involved with the water method, I don't really believe in them either to be honest, I think the idea is that by placing your light attention on blocks in your body your attention melts the block and the downward movement of energy helps to release the stuck energy to the earth, the downward flushing helps to ground you which is important for healing. Im quite liking this method at the moment but I have ordered the book about the stillness movement method which people have mentioned on this site to see what thats like, although I should really just stick to one practice for a while really.

[Friend]

Edited November 16, 2011 by Friend

[The Way Is Virtue]

There aren't any visualization involved with the water method, I don't really believe in them either to be honest, I think the idea is that by placing your light attention on blocks in your body your attention melts the block and the downward movement of energy helps to release the stuck energy to the earth, the downward flushing helps to ground you which is important for healing. Im quite liking this method at the moment but I have ordered the book about the stillness movement method which people have mentioned on this site to see what thats like, although I should really just stick to one practice for a while really.

 

Ok, sounds good. Ok on the Stillness Movement book. I think the Stillness Movement system involves attending a workshop as there are energy attunements or transmissions given by the teacher Michael Lomax (Ya Mu), from what I understand. I haven't read the book however.

 

Yes, it is probably a good idea to stick to one method at least for some period of time to give the method a fair chance to see if it is suitable, and how effective it is. It probably doesn't hurt to look into other systems though to know what is out there and what the different approaches are, and that sort of thing. The problem seems to be that some people are fairly impatient these days and are always looking for quick results so they switch from system to system looking for quick results and end up not really giving any particular practice proper time and effort to have much chance of making progress. It does help to find a practice that we like though, so we may still have to go through some trial and error till we find something we really like.

Edited October 25, 2010 by The Way Is Virtue

[johndoe2012]

Regarding choosing practises: I normally ask I Ching whether I should proceed with something I think is interesting. The answers are sometimes cryptic but mostly helpful and clear.

[The Way Is Virtue]

Regarding choosing practises: I normally ask I Ching whether I should proceed with something I think is interesting. The answers are sometimes cryptic but mostly helpful and clear.

I tried something similar once and got back an interesting answer as well that seemed quite relevant to the question. Considering the way the I Ching is written I guess I have some doubts on whether tossing some coins to get the hexagram can really work, but I am open to the possibility that it really can work that way. I guess I should try using it more to get a better feel for the consistency of the answers. It's an interesting idea though for sure.

[The Way Is Virtue]

If I have been counting right we should be 51 days in. Anyone have any interesting experiences or comments after 50 days of daily practice? The daily practice seems to be helping with my overall energy levels so far.

[Jetsun]

Unfortunately I didn't stick with one practice during this time and experimented with Water Method, Standing, Stillness Movement and Kunlun Nei Gung. But right now I have given them all up as I am not sure I am in the right state to benefit from them. I will continue my reading of Gurdjieff and Buddhist Lojong training and pray for some sort of miracle.

[The Way Is Virtue]

Unfortunately I didn't stick with one practice during this time and experimented with Water Method, Standing, Stillness Movement and Kunlun Nei Gung. But right now I have given them all up as I am not sure I am in the right state to benefit from them. I will continue my reading of Gurdjieff and Buddhist Lojong training and pray for some sort of miracle.

 

Hi Jetsun. Thanks for the feedback. We all have to find something that seems suitable and we won't know what's suitable unless we try various different things sometimes. I have tried some other practices as well in the past. I am not familiar with Lojong training so I'll have to read up on it a bit. A quick check seemed to indicate it is a Tibetan practice? There is also 'sitting and forgetting practice' which is just sitting (or standing) while just relaxing the mind and not focusing on anything in particular. In my limited experience, it works to bring balance in a natural way with no interference from the mind at all. Don't know if that would be suitable at all to you or not though. It is basically what I practice with the exception that I hold a slight awareness of the lower dantian area when I first start practicing and then don't focus on anything in particular from that point on. Whatever occurs happens at its own natural rate and pace with no conscious interference from my mind. I'm only about 53 days into the daily practice of this though so I can't say what the long term benefits of daily practice will be yet though, but it seems to hold a lot of potential. I think both Buddhism and Taoism have traditions that practice meditation this way, if I am not mistaken. Likely not suitable for everyone though.

 

P.S. I will endeavour to send balancing and healing energy your way.

Edited December 9, 2010 by The Way Is Virtue

[Jetsun]

Hi Jetsun. Thanks for the feedback. We all have to find something that seems suitable and we won't know what's suitable unless we try various different things sometimes. I have tried some other practices as well in the past. I am not familiar with Lojong training so I'll have to read up on it a bit. A quick check seemed to indicate it is a Tibetan practice? There is also 'sitting and forgetting practice' which is just sitting (or standing) while just relaxing the mind and not focusing on anything in particular. In my limited experience, it works to bring balance in a natural way with no interference from the mind at all. Don't know if that would be suitable at all to you or not though. It is basically what I practice with the exception that I hold a slight awareness of the lower dantian area when I first start practicing and then don't focus on anything in particular from that point on. Whatever occurs happens at its own natural rate and pace with no conscious interference from my mind. I'm only about 53 days into the daily practice of this though so I can't say what the long term benefits of daily practice will be yet though, but it seems to hold a lot of potential. I think both Buddhism and Taoism have traditions that practice meditation this way, if I am not mistaken. Likely not suitable for everyone though.

 

P.S. I will endeavour to send balancing and healing energy your way.

 

53 days is a pretty good achievement if you ask me, perhaps I am just cynical but I expect most people to fail with this sort of thing and loose their dedication after a week or two, so keep going

 

Lojong is a form of Tibetan Buddhist mind training which begins with breathing in other peoples suffering with the in breath then letting go of all suffering with the out breath, this is about as far as I have got but there is a lot contained in that one exercise I think. But right now it is more of an academic study for me as the Dalai Lama's translator and some other Tibetan scholars have started to release some amazing books on the subject which amalgamates a lot of the most important Tibetan texts into one reliable place, the issue is that they are each about 1000 pages so they are a long read, but so far I have found them much easier to read than the more primary Buddhist texts.

 

I will perhaps give your just sitting meditation a go, will report back if anything happens, thanks.