The Three Intentful Corrections

[Rishi Das]

The Three Intentful Corrections:

- Adjust and regulate the body posture or movement

- Adjust and regulate the breath

- Adjust and regulate consciousness

 

In his book, The Healing Promise of Qi, Roger Jahnke presents the reader with these three intentful corrections, laid before him by his masters, their masters and so on till possibly the beginning of Qigong. While these three corrections may seem like no brainers to those of you who have indulged in the practice of Qigong, Taiji, or any other martial art for that matter, I seem to find them quite intriguing and very important no matter where you may be in your practice.

 

My reasoning for writing this post is to ask all of you a couple questions.

1) Are you familiar with these three intentful corrections?

2) How have these three corrections changed your practice?

3) In what way were these three corrections presented to you?

 

Answering my first question, I was quite surprised to find these "Three Intentful Corrections" laid out so beautifully in this book. While I have never seen them presented in this manner, I believe that by acknowledging and becoming aware of these three corrections within myself I was able to find my way to the practice of Qigong; so yes I seem to be familiar with these concepts.

 

Moving along to my second question, I found that by having a grasp of these concepts I was able to apply them; while I am just beginning my practice of Qigong, I feel that by acknowledging and keeping these three corrections in my awareness I was/am able to better get started in learning about what the practice really has to offer.

 

For myself these three corrections were all presented at completely different times, and what seems to be in chronological order; coincidence...I think not. I was first introduced to "adjust and regulate the body posture or movement" through a friend who had just started his journey in "body work." One day while over at his house, he walked up to me, gently placed one hand on my back, one hand on my hips, and then proceeded to assist me in getting into proper alignment. At that exact moment, I remember something inside me stirred; an intuition that told me that this was something that would change my life forever, something that I needed to pay attention to and keep close to heart. From that moment on, posture and movement became a passion that continues to live on today, something that has completely changed my body structure, something that has become a part of me. Being that body posture and movement became such a part of my life I knew I needed to find something that would help assist me in this process; what better then yoga right? Well it just so happened that right down the street from my house there was a little yoga studio that taught Bikram yoga, hence my introduction to "adjust and regulate the breath." For those of you unfamiliar with Bikram yoga, it is a splendid but very demanding practice that consists of 26 postures performed twice in a room heated to 105*F, the practice takes 90 minutes to complete; a major component, like all yoga, is the breath. Well my first time in that room I struggled and I struggled hard; the postures all require attention, but doing them in a room heated to that temperature is grueling and demands deep inhalations and exhalations through the nose, or panic is bound to set in...and panic is exactly what I did. During that first 90 minute class something again inside me stirred and I knew that like posture, awareness would need to be placed on my breath in all aspects of life; from that moment on attention to the breath has been a major focus for me. After many months of great change through these two corrections I was again presented with a moment of enlightenment that would change my life. Through a friend of a friend I was introduced to the mushroom; while having had some experience with this substance before I had never dosed in the higher range and always thought it was just "another drug" that could be enjoyed...boy was I wrong. The guy who gave me the mushrooms was very "new agey" and really impressed upon there ability to allow people to connect with the spiritual realms; being caught up in the "new age" hype myself I was inclined to try. Eating quite a large amount I was completely beside myself, having no control I was absolutely terrified and yet totally "blissed" out at the same time. Like my previous encounters with the two intentful corrections, something inside me stirred and I was again told to pay attention, consciousness was all that there was and it was something that I needed to be aware of, "adjust and regulate consciousness." While the experience changed my life for the better I am not an advocate of taking these substances, one time was enough for me. I have made a conscious decision to go about "adjust and regulate consciousness" from a totally abstinent and natural point of view but am always grateful for the opportunity that was presented to me.

 

 

Becoming aware of these three aspects was so fulfilling and continues to be something that I keep in awareness at all times. I have come to find that these three intentful corrections can be used in all aspects of life. Whether you are a newbie like myself, or someone who has been practicing for many years I believe it is always important to stop and become aware of these three simple things; if you have not become aware of these things it is my hope that this post may stir something within you so that you too may make these things a big part of who you are. I appreciate you taking the time to read this. Any comments or answers to my questions above are greatly appreciated.

[Marblehead]

The Three Intentful Corrections:

- Adjust and regulate the body posture or movement

- Adjust and regulate the breath

- Adjust and regulate consciousness

 

Too many rules for me.

 

However, yes, I would say that there is great value in these three instructions if one is attempting to achieve a goal.

[Rishi Das]

However, yes, I would say that there is great value in these three instructions if one is attempting to achieve a goal.

 

When I first started learning about the Taoist Arts, I for some reason believed there was a goal to be achieved. After some reading and real practice I seem to have lost the thought of "goal" and come to the idea of life and all that it offers. I hope my original post did not come across as being "goal oriented;" I more or less was trying to imply that these three practices have brought about a change within myself that seems to have encouraged letting go and merely flowing with.

Edited November 17, 2011 by don_vedo

[Marblehead]

When I first started learning about the Taoist Arts, I for some reason believed there was a goal to be achieved. After some reading and real practice I seem to have lost the thought of "goal" and come to the idea of life and all that it offers. I hope my original post did not come across as being "goal oriented;" I more or less was trying to imply that these three practices have brought about a change within myself that seems to have encouraged letting go and merely flowing with.

 

No, I don't think I nisunderstood you.

 

And reading this I would say that the practice you undertook served you well.

 

I believe that there actually is an unlearning phase and then learning phase we must go through before we can really live our life 'naturally'.

[konchog uma]

those three regulations are prerequisites to regulating qi, as i have been taught.

 

so body, breath, and mind, also qi, and shen (spirit) are the five regulations, as taught by Yang Jwing Ming

 

they didn't really change my practice cause i learned them from the beginning, and as i understand, they are fundamental, or essential. Since they build off each other, one should not regulate their qi before they have regulated their mind to the point that it is regulated automatically and constantly, so in other words, meditation is a necessary prerequisite (or at least a concordant practice) with qigong.

[Rishi Das]

I believe that there actually is an unlearning phase and then learning phase we must go through before we can really live our life 'naturally'.

 

I really enjoy the way you put that. Such a simple concept until it is actually put into practice.

 

Since they build off each other, one should not regulate their qi before they have regulated their mind to the point that it is regulated automatically and constantly, so in other words, meditation is a necessary prerequisite (or at least a concordant practice) with qigong.

 

If you don't mind, could you give an example of what an automatically and constantly regulated mind might look like? Maybe in a situation such as driving a car or washing the dishes? Is the intent to focus upon what one is doing, or for clarity in all situations? For me sitting meditations are definitely not as easy as they seem; some people talk of being seated in meditation for hours at a time, I find it challenging to sit for an hour. I also understand that I have not been in practice for long, each day my mind seems to get a little more quite and a little less agitated as I acknowledge and let go of all the thoughts that arise.

[konchog uma]

If you don't mind, could you give an example of what an automatically and constantly regulated mind might look like? Maybe in a situation such as driving a car or washing the dishes? Is the intent to focus upon what one is doing, or for clarity in all situations? For me sitting meditations are definitely not as easy as they seem; some people talk of being seated in meditation for hours at a time, I find it challenging to sit for an hour. I also understand that I have not been in practice for long, each day my mind seems to get a little more quite and a little less agitated as I acknowledge and let go of all the thoughts that arise.

 

sure don vedo, i will do my best

 

regulating the mind, and talking about regulating the mind , is hard because the mind is very subtle and slippery. In the qigong model of the teacher i mentioned, there are two main components that generate thoughts, Yi and Xin. Yi is the mind of logic and intention (to keep it brief) and is called the horse mind because when you get it to be your friend it is calm and can work for you. Xin is the mind of non-logic and emotions (again keeping it brief) and is called the monkey mind because it is always in motion, being mischevious and generating thoughts and feelings that feed off each other endlessly. As Dr Yang says, the banana for the monkey mind is focusing on breath. So he is an advocate of the Yi and believes in sublimating the Xin, although there are many different ways to address those two aspects of mind. In short, when the horse mind is calm and working smoothly and the monkey mind is not jumping around everywhere, the mind can be said to be regulated.

 

another way to look at it is simply your measure of calm. Calm abiding is like a skill that we practice in meditation and throughout the day. It speaks for itself so i don't need to go on at great length. Just abide in calmness instead of leaping to react, mentally speaking.

 

another way to look at it is that the mind is too subtle to really pay close attention to outside of meditation in the way you can watch it during meditation, but both meditating and going about your daily affairs, there is a model that i find helpful for regulating the mind. It is based on the wu xing, or five elements of chinese medicine. It deals with the elements in an energetic way, and with the concordant emotions of the energies. The emotions are like the surface tension of the mind, that we can feel and are tangible. They are like the gateway to measuring the health or regulation of the mind since we can feel them so readily. When the mind is regulated, the manifestation of the energy in question will be the virtue of that element, not the emotion. If there is the emotion, one needs to address it with healing practices (like meditation) to bring it to regulation.

 

element----------energy-------------emotion------------virtue

____________________________________________________________________

 

fire.............expanding..........joy/exitation......contentment

earth............dividing...........worry..............love/empathy

metal............contracting........sadness/grief......courage/conviction

water............sinking............fear/paranoia......clarity/insight

wood.............shooting...........anger..............patience

 

so to answer your question, i think that focusing on what one is doing brings clarity. But as you can see, clarity is considered the virtue of water in that model, so its only part of that picture. As to meditation for hours, just sit til your body or mind tell you you are done sitting. Listening to yourself and developing intuition are the goals, not holding a body mudra for hours on end. That comes naturally as you adapt to longer and longer sitting. Just listen to your self for when to quit sitting. Do it naturally, theres no right or wrong. Sitting just 5 minutes is better than not sitting by thousands of times.

 

If the mind is full of the emotions and not the virtues, then the qi might go down the wrong pathway because the mind is agitated, but still leads the qi. It might stagnate or do other undesirable things. These are the words of Yang Jwing Ming, i don't have experience with that. I practiced sitting for ten years before starting qigong, and took things in a nice order, and i haven't had much but smooth flow as a result.

 

I hope that was helpful and not confusing.

 

Anamatva

[Marblehead]

Hi Marblehead. Hope you're well. Just want to say that I resonate with you.

 

Thanks. I'm glad we get the opportunity to agree with each other now and again.

 

Yes, I am well, thanks. May you be well also.

[Rishi Das]

Thank you for your response Anamatva; I really appreciate you taking the time for me.

 

This really made a lot of sense, and I really enjoyed the nice lay out of the model based on on the wu xing.

sure don vedo, i will do my best

another way to look at it is simply your measure of calm. Calm abiding is like a skill that we practice in meditation and throughout the day. It speaks for itself so i don't need to go on at great length. Just abide in calmness instead of leaping to react, mentally speaking[...]

 

element----------energy-------------emotion------------virtue

____________________________________________________________________

 

fire.............expanding..........joy/exitation......contentment

earth............dividing...........worry..............love/empathy

metal............contracting........sadness/grief......courage/conviction

water............sinking............fear/paranoia......clarity/insight

wood.............shooting...........anger..............patience

 

I will definitely take to heart your suggestion on my practice of sitting meditation as well; I resonate strongly in the intuition aspect of it and believe that by going about it in that way, things will fall into place for me as they should.

 

Thank you Rainbow_Vein for piggy backing off Marblehead, I appreciate the emphasis on what he had to say.

[konchog uma]

Thank you for your response Anamatva; I really appreciate you taking the time for me.

 

This really made a lot of sense, and I really enjoyed the nice lay out of the model based on on the wu xing.

 

I will definitely take to heart your suggestion on my practice of sitting meditation as well; I resonate strongly in the intuition aspect of it and believe that by going about it in that way, things will fall into place for me as they should.

 

you're welcome!