Can we practice/meditate/do significant energy work while working on other things?

[Brother_Thelonious]

Hello various internet entities,

 

I have long browsed these forum and recently found myself returning to them for the value of the discusssion. And today I specifically created this account to ask one question that I have been challenging myself with answering.

 

Can we practice/meditate/do significant energy work while working on other things?

 

I think to myself about how much time I spend each day seriously meditating (usually a half hour to a hour), and think but what about when I am doing other things? Does that count?

 

I ask myself, and answer, sometimes. I at most do fusion of the five elements, open my third eye point, do some chi kung, or ground myself by connecting deep into the earth. And in many ways I think this is helpful, but it is going to help me achieve enlightenment as I define it in my Taoist practice?

 

I answer, I am not sure. I don't think that everything I do energetically/meditatively needs to be towards that specific end, but I think it might be anyway.

 

What do you think?

[Chang]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I am sure that you will receive more detailed answers to your question but I would reply yes - you can practice/meditate/do significant energy work whilst working on other things. Of old this was known as "the way of the householder."

 

You will be able to post freely now but before getting started please take the time to read the two posts pinned at the top of the forum and take a look at the forum terms and rules http://thetaobums.com/topic/19575-forum-terms-rules/ This covers all that you need be aware of.

 

Good luck and best wishes to you Brother Thelonious,

 

Chang.

[GrandmasterP]

Welcome to TTB Brother Thelonius.

Excellent topic to start with.

For all I read about meditation being something I should be doing all the time during everyday activities, that's a tough call .

Never managed it too well at all especially during working hours.

Fair enough, after work; sitting enjoying garden, that can be meditative but for formal sitting I need a formal space and time for meditation.

Others will be different.

 

Here's a quote.

The secret to happiness is happiness itself. Wherever we are, any time, we have the capacity to enjoy the sunshine, the presence of each other, the wonder of our breathing. We don't have to travel anywhere else to do so. We can be in touch with these things right now.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Edited April 23, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

Hello and welcome to the forum. I am sure that you will receive more detailed answers to your question but I would reply yes - you can practice/meditate/do significant energy work whilst working on other things. Of old this was known as "the way of the householder."

 

It is an Honourable Way.

 

I simply learnt the Kung Fu of the House Husband.

 

And ate of the Fruits of my Meditations.

 

I have In Deed been very Fortunate in my Life.

 

Whilst the children were at school, I would meditate and do energy work and exercises whilst doing the housework.

 

xxx

...

Edited April 24, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[MooNiNite]

eventually you will be able to feel yourself power up. if u can feel that, then stay powered up while doing stuff.

[deci belle]

Absolutely. The best way is to start doing it at all. Eventually, depending on your presence of mind, the idea of "other things" will cease to exist, and you will simply be awake.

 

Then one needn't practice in leu of presence, continuous presence of mind. So then to meditate or do energy-work, much less other things too, will be a concern of someone else …someone who never existed.

[Brian]

The answer to the OP's question is "Yes."

 

[GrandmasterP]

Meditation can be as complicated as you want to make it, but here's a move in the other direction:

1. Pay attention to whatever you notice (inside or outside yourself, it doesn't matter) without thinking it's good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, wise or stupid, worthy or unworthy.

Actually there's only one step. That's it.

Sometimes the word curiosity will help you.

You can start anywhere, even in the midst of a judgement: this sucks!

Well, what's it like? how does it feel?

Explore it, its color, texture, emotion, sensation.

What images come to mind?

What is the interpretive dance that would describe it? If it were an animal, what would it be?

Just keep yourself company.

You can't do it wrong.

When you notice you're back to judging your experience, putting it away in a box, just notice that. You can start again.

You can start anywhere.

Really.

There's a koan (any koan is helpful because a koan never makes things wrong or right) that goes like this:

 

What is it?

 

 

That's it.

Edited April 24, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[iradie]

Can we practice/meditate/do significant energy work while working on other things?

 

 

 

I have observed that it is possible .

 

doing qi gong and getting into a meditative state.

doing physical work and putting qi gong practice in it

so why not getting in a meditative state while doing work ?

 

To do some kind of inspired work, meditation is even needed.

And in a certain way what taoist meditation exercices teaches isn't it to be totally "on the way" to melt into, to be part of what we meet in our everyday life but on an other level of perception and comprehention ? So yes, in a certain way meditation should be part of the everyday life,. Perhaps a certain kind of meditation, a way of gliding into on other level of perception when it is needed for our work or social relationships ?

Edited April 24, 2014 by iradie

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

To do some kind of inspired work, meditation is even needed.

 

You cannot do Good Work without being able to meditate whilst doing it.

 

xxx

...

Edited April 24, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[Brother_Thelonious]

I hear you all, and thank you for the fantastic responses. It is good to hear that others can do this, and some suggestions how.

The truth is that I already follow "the sacred path of the house husband" in my daily household work. I practice then, or during any kind of physical work. But when working on the computer, talking with most people, or driving and walking through the “normal” urban world I do seem to lose touch with myself. Until some later point when I notice I am tensed up, less sensitive, and usually exhausted.

 

During that time I can't really say I have been meditating or practicing in any significant way..

 

Although perhaps having that point of reference everyday is useful. I exist in both worlds, and the practice of switching between meditation and the outside working world is a good one to take on.

Thanks for the warm welcome, it is appreciated!

[KenBrace]

I don't believe it's possible to train and do other things all at once. You can't meditate and cook spaghetti at the same time.

Edited May 5, 2014 by KenBrace

[GrandmasterP]

I don't think that most men can multi-task as well as most women can.

[thelerner]

I don't believe it's possible to train and do other things all at once. You can't meditate and cook spaghetti at the same time.

Sure you can, you just have to turn off the noodle when its time. It may not be a deep meditation, but advanced practitioner can meditate doing the mundane. They may not choose to, but they can.

 

back to the OP. No guarantees. Its important to walk along a fruitful path, but its best enjoyed for its own sake, not for the reward of enlightenment or goodie basket.

And who knows, maybe on our death beds, our last 2 words will be: I Got IT. .

[KenBrace]

Sure you can, you just have to turn off the noodle when its time. It may not be a deep meditation, but advanced practitioner can meditate doing the mundane. They may not choose to, but they can.

 

back to the OP. No guarantees. Its important to walk along a fruitful path, but its best enjoyed for its own sake, not for the reward of enlightenment or goodie basket.

And who knows, maybe on our death beds, our last 2 words will be: I Got IT. .

I don't really think so. Better to just cook when it's time to cook, eat when it's time to eat, work when it's time to work, and train when it's time to train. 5 minutes of training here and there is really just a waste of time and a distraction to the task at hand imo.

Edited May 7, 2014 by KenBrace

[Seeker of Wisdom]

Everything can and should be woven into cultivation, but, if you want to go deep, you do need periods to just practice without anything else going on at the same time. Especially when it comes to things like training concentration.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Seeker of Tao

[thelerner]

I don't see it as a this or that situation.

 

Its good, critically important really to 'go deep'. Yet, its also important not to separate meditation from the rest of our lives. You'll do things better if you approach them in a meditative state of mind. There are some activities that are not conducive, but others like cooking and often in private work, you can actually perform in a meditative state.

 

It is a different kind of meditation, but vitally important. I've always thought we sit quietly in meditation because its hard to do it in motion while doing other things. Hard, shouldn't be a no. If we can't bring meditative states into the rest of our lives (at times) then we're trying to polish rocks into mirrors.

[KenBrace]

I don't see it as a this or that situation.

 

Its good, critically important really to 'go deep'. Yet, its also important not to separate meditation from the rest of our lives. You'll do things better if you approach them in a meditative state of mind. There are some activities that are not conducive, but others like cooking and often in private work, you can actually perform in a meditative state.

 

It is a different kind of meditation, but vitally important. I've always thought we sit quietly in meditation because its hard to do it in motion while doing other things. Hard, shouldn't be a no. If we can't bring meditative states into the rest of our lives (at times) then we're trying to polish rocks into mirrors.

 

You can't do any real training or meditation unless you are in a deep state of meditation and really focussed. That is unless you are deluding yourself into thinking that you are manipulating chi and advancing while stirring a pot of stew.

[Seeker of Wisdom]

...I've always thought we sit quietly in meditation because its hard to do it in motion while doing other things. Hard, shouldn't be a no...

Well, that depends what you mean by 'meditation'.

 

For basic levels of concentration/mindfulness, for vipashyana, for energy work, for cultivating virtues like compassion - I agree with you. These can be practiced while walking, cooking, whatever.

 

For shamatha, cultivating samadhi, the aim is to enter states where your psyche dissolves into the substrate consciousness. The senses completely shut down, no extraneous thoughts or emotions... even just taking a step requires a subconscious and conscious mind for volition, coordination of muscles and sensory input. Practising shamatha while walking may be useful at times, but it's ultimately antithetical to the practice.

 

Shamatha is intrinsically a practice for set periods with nothing else, but I completely agree with the importance of not separating cultivation from the rest of life.

[thelerner]

Well, that depends what you mean by 'meditation'.

 

For basic levels of concentration/mindfulness, for vipashyana, for energy work, for cultivating virtues like compassion - I agree with you. These can be practiced while walking, cooking, whatever.

 

For shamatha, cultivating samadhi, the aim is to enter states where your psyche dissolves into the substrate consciousness. The senses completely shut down, no extraneous thoughts or emotions... even just taking a step requires a subconscious and conscious mind for volition, coordination of muscles and sensory input. Practising shamatha while walking may be useful at times, but it's ultimately antithetical to the practice.

I agree, perhaps my definition of meditation is more encompassing.

 

There are sensie's who teach with some depth walking meditation, tea meditation and such. Beyond mindfulness there are lessons in how to how to sit, proper posture, how to grasp a cup, how to smell. We often aren't taught these things and go through our lives doing them poorly.

 

A problem I have w/ KenB philosophy is the total dismissal, (& I suspect without much experience) of almost all methods and teachers, will keep them from opening up to learning techniques that'll improve there lives.

 

Can you cook in a meditative state, mind and senses open, cocooned in a state of emptiness? It ain't easy, but yes, it can be done. Not all meditation is aimed at Mo Pai's immortality or energy manipulation; to dismiss such things as deluded is silly, because you'll never open yourself up important lessons.

[KenBrace]

I agree, perhaps my definition of meditation is more encompassing.

 

There are sensie's who teach with some depth walking meditation, tea meditation and such. Beyond mindfulness there are lessons in how to how to sit, proper posture, how to grasp a cup, how to smell. We often aren't taught these things and go through our lives doing them poorly.

 

A problem I have w/ KenB philosophy is the total dismissal, (& I suspect without much experience) of almost all methods and teachers, will keep them from opening up to learning techniques that'll improve there lives.

 

Can you cook in a meditative state, mind and senses open, cocooned in a state of emptiness? It ain't easy, but yes, it can be done. Not all meditation is aimed at Mo Pai's immortality or energy manipulation; to dismiss such things as deluded is silly, because you'll never open yourself up important lessons.

In order to really work with chi and make progress you have to be completely focussed. You can't meditate and cultivate chi while doing other activities. It's like saying that you can practice kung fu forms while playing soccer. Focus on soccer when it's time to play soccer and focus on kung fu when it's time to practice kung fu. If you try doing both at the same time you're just going to waste your time.

Edited May 12, 2014 by KenBrace

[Jetsun]

You can't do any real training or meditation unless you are in a deep state of meditation and really focussed. That is unless you are deluding yourself into thinking that you are manipulating chi and advancing while stirring a pot of stew.

 

There are two approaches to meditation, either narrow your attention to a fine point and maintain it to block out everything else, or widen it to taken in the entire universe and include everything. The first often leads to mastery over things in life and powers and concentration. The second can lead to things like enlightenment, peace, openness.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

In order to really work with chi and make progress you have to be completely focussed. You can't meditate and cultivate chi while doing other activities. It's like saying that you can practice kung fu forms while playing soccer. Focus on soccer when it's time to play soccer and focus on kung fu when it's time to practice kung fu. If you try doing both at the same time you're just going to waste your time.

 

There are things that can be learned during meditation and chi gong that can be repeated spontaneously afterwards.

 

One big part of chi gong is clearing and drawing chi. Gong also means skill and practice. If you have the skill you can use it.

 

There's less likelyhood of having "breakthroughs" that meditation is conducive to, but one can certainly develop their meditative skills by simply not giving in to other people's stress, and focusing on the task at hand. This is a continuation of the connection you made during meditation.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Taiji and qigong also help you learn how to move, slowly and quickly, in ways that allow you to react quickly without losing your connection.

[thelerner]

In order to really work with chi and make progress you have to be completely focussed. You can't meditate and cultivate chi while doing other activities. It's like saying that you can practice kung fu forms while playing soccer. Focus on soccer when it's time to play soccer and focus on kung fu when it's time to practice kung fu. If you try doing both at the same time you're just going to waste your time.

I come from a Japanese arts background, and if your making art and you're not working with chi, then your doing it wrong. In a sport like soccer it might be hard, its distractive atmosphere, but for many things its possible. You can meditative and cultivate chi while doing them. Calligraphy, music are famous examples of arts conducive towards cultivation.

 

Again I think you have a very tight definition of what meditation and cultivation is. So tight, there may only be a single 'true' type and all others must be told loudly and often they're delusional. The problem there is you never get exposed to a whole world of other styles of cultivation and its easy to become lobsided.

 

There's a whole mind/body coordination, wisdom arts, awareness arts that you may be glossing over and disdaining because they're not directly energy manipulating and condensing.