External Meditation vs Internal Meditation

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Thoughts on External Meditation like Yoga/Tai Chi vs Internal Meditation, like Zen and Vipassana Meditation?

 

Thanks,

Leon

[Mattimo]

Thoughts on External Meditation like Yoga/Tai Chi vs Internal Meditation, like Zen and Vipassana Meditation?

 

Thanks,

Leon

 

In my opinion yoga and tai chi are more holistic in their approach in that the practices do not negate the body like zen and vipassana appear to. The effects of movement arts that involve the quality, refinement and coordination of physical action is more tangible than meditation alone.

[sifusufi]

My best would be...

 

External = Focus eyes open or partially on a crystal ball, candle, tree.

 

Internal = Taoist five colour alchemy where the Organs are focused on with their appropriate colour visualized.

 

Interesting!

 

Thanks for throwin' this out here

[Dainin]

Thoughts on External Meditation like Yoga/Tai Chi vs Internal Meditation, like Zen and Vipassana Meditation?

 

Thanks,

Leon

 

 

Why put them in opposition? Do both.

[zerostao]

absolutely do both.

@sifusufi, the crystal ball is supposed to be good for eye health, right?

i like the candle. many old tai chi books say it is necessary to do meditation to get the full benefits from tai chi.

[Lucky7Strikes]

IMO, people should practice both, but also put in more effort towards their weaker aspect, so someone who is withdrawn should practice more external meditation, and someone who is outgoing should turn their focus inwards.

[Maddie]

I like this topic as it is something I have pondered quite a bit as well. I do both, such as externally the 8 brocades, and internally work on the five organs, and MCO. Ideally I try to do both equally, though this does not always happen depending on what I feel my greatest needs are at the time. For example this week I have not done a whole lot of the brocades, but focused more on the inner smile/colors/elemetns for the organs as I feel that my greatest challenge has been more emotional. Yet another week for example I might feel pretty neutral emotionally, but physically feel very stiff, fidgety, ect... so I would put more emphasis on the brocades. Even then though, when I do the brocades I tend to combine them with the healing sounds to deepen their effect. I have experimented with doing the brocades when my cheif issue was emotional, and what my observation has been is that it does help to settle me emotionally, but in a more surface way, and that if I want to make deeper longer lasting progress internal meditation takes me further.

[Birch]

I dunno. I don't reckon practices that keep your current perspectives are really worth doing. Because you can have those anyway.

 

I reckon maybe practices that edge you slightly might be worth considering.

 

Ahum, but where IMO/IME it gets difficult

[DalTheJigsaw123]

not a bad idea lucky.

 

But what if one has a sitting meditation, wherein one is gathering energy from the universe, near and far? That's pretty darn external!

 

Interesting!

Would love to hear more!