Slow to No Progress in Concentration/Visualization

[Rocco]

I am training according to the UHT System of Mantak Chia for seven months now and I'm doing the Inner Smile, Six Healing Sounds and the Microcosmic Orbit once to twice every day. 

One of the most remakable results for me is that I've become a much happier person and the depressive feelings I often had in the past have almost vanished.

 

But what I miss ia a noticeable improvement of my abilities to visualize and to concentrate.

Am I too impatient?

Imho these meditations come across like being a litte bit too hectic - instead of concentrating on one point for a longer time, one chages the focus continuously.

 

So, that's why I am thinking about integrating additional meditations into my dayli routine to improve concentration and visualization (I'm very poor at both) and I am drawing IIH from F. Bardon and "Concentration" from Mouni Sadhu into my consideration. But since these systems are not taoistic, they feel a litte bit "alien" to me. To me it doesn't feel like these systems fit well to my taoist training.

 

Has anybody similare experiences and do you know some taoist alternatives to enhance concentration and visualization effectively?

 

(Sorry for the typo in the headline - can't edit it)

Edited June 29, 2015 by Rocco

[Seeker of Wisdom]

I don't know how Taoists train concentration or visualisation, but I would recommend kasina practice to work on both at once.

[soaring crane]

(Sorry for the typo in the headline - can't edit it)

 

What typo? :-)

 

Visualizing isn't important and are you referring to your ability to concentrate on things outside of your mediations, or during the practice? I read it as though you expect to become more attentive in your daily life but that isn't working out so far. Is that right?

 

One thing that those three techniques you mention shouldn't be, is hectic. But it's a lot of material, too much, in fact, and you touch on the flaw in the presentation. So, for example, for the next two to four weeks, do only one of the sounds, but do it for the full length of the standard meditation. And concentrate on only the lower dantian, not on the entire MCO.

 

This is only an example suggestion for you. There are ample approaches possible without having to bring in even more techniques from outside.

[Rocco]

What typo? :-)

 

Visualizing isn't important and are you referring to your ability to concentrate on things outside of your mediations, or during the practice? I read it as though you expect to become more attentive in your daily life but that isn't working out so far. Is that right?

 

One thing that those three techniques you mention shouldn't be, is hectic. But it's a lot of material, too much, in fact, and you touch on the flaw in the presentation. So, for example, for the next two to four weeks, do only one of the sounds, but do it for the full length of the standard meditation. And concentrate on only the lower dantian, not on the entire MCO.

 

This is only an example suggestion for you. There are ample approaches possible without having to bring in even more techniques from outside.

 

Thank you :-)

 

Both. I feel the need for an enhanced concentration during my work at the office and during my meditations. I often loose the golden thread. My monkey mind is still too active.

 

For every meditation session I need about one hour and I'm still a beginner. So, principally the question arises to me how to handle the plenty of material additionally arriving, when developing further on (Iron Shirt, Fusion Five, Tendon Nei Kung, Cosmic Orbit, Kan & Li ...)?

 

I'll try that.

[doc benway]

I am training according to the UHT System of Mantak Chia for seven months now and I'm doing the Inner Smile, Six Healing Sounds and the Microcosmic Orbit once to twice every day. 

One of the most remakable results for me is that I've become a much happier person and the depressive feelings I often had in the past have almost vanished.

 

But what I miss ia a noticeable improvement of my abilities to visualize and to concentrate.

Am I too impatient?

Imho these meditations come across like being a litte bit too hectic - instead of concentrating on one point for a longer time, one chages the focus continuously.

 

So, that's why I am thinking about integrating additional meditations into my dayli routine to improve concentration and visualization (I'm very poor at both) and I am drawing IIH from F. Bardon and "Concentration" from Mouni Sadhu into my consideration. But since these systems are not taoistic, they feel a litte bit "alien" to me. To me it doesn't feel like these systems fit well to my taoist training.

 

Has anybody similare experiences and do you know some taoist alternatives to enhance concentration and visualization effectively?

 

(Sorry for the typo in the headline - can't edit it)

In the Daoist tradition I trained in, the MCO was practiced VERY slowly. As slowly, finely, and accurately as possible. And we spent a great deal of time feeling, resting in, and investigating each point, as well as the spaces between. My ability to focus internally was greatly enhanced by this type of practice but it is very painstaking and requires a lot of patience. If you feel like the material is moving too fast for you then it is. I think material that is properly presented in Daoist methods should feel just the opposite. Good luck!

[thelerner]

Since you're into Hermetics, I'd suggest you look at Rawn Clark's site abardoncompanion.com .  He's got some very good (& free) practices there.  I like the Archaeous series,  his YHVH series- lots of interesting visualizations along w/ the chant/canicle, and  his Center of Stillness Meditation- that has some difficult visualizations but if you can get them, they're very interesting, ie after separating each of your various senses away from you (& in orbit) you're put above your normal consciousness which is visualized as mutli layer web, and put into the Center of the Universe.  Its pretty cool. 

 

All available for free as mp3's along with written notes on them.   Great stuff.

[Spotless]

Visualization is actually very helpful overall but it does depend on what you mean by it.

 

If it is the ability to imagine / see something it is an ability not to hard to foster and it is required in a sense as is a good mind and other assets.

 

Play with a few of the following and you will begin to get some footing - they are very easy and effective.

 

Imagine your favorite things - your favorite food - your favorite car - your favorite camping area or mountainside, you may even smell it.

 

Count from 100 to 0 and 0 to 100 simultaneously. You will find it much easier to see the 100 and 0 , 99 and 1 , 98 and 2 in front of you than to keep track verbally in your mind though it is possible to overlay your verbal tracking as well and say two things simultaneously which is another interesting practice.

 

On a side note, one of the most adept at seeing that I have met was unable to "see" anything - as he said "all I see is black" but he could know with great certainty and that is how he "saw". From this standpoint one can see that it is also not important to "see".

Edited June 29, 2015 by Spotless

[CloudHands]

great posts

[exorcist_1699]

Most people follow the ways of visualization  ( visualize  a qi-ball,  some form of light  or  others  )or concentration ( focus on their  dantian , breathing or places where their illness arise..) , but there are some other ways which make you   leap from the  jing , qi stage to Shen stage easier  ,one of  them  I call it  'Consolidation' ('凝神')   or more precisely  'Consolidating to  Oneness' ('守一') 

 

Many people understand   what Taoist  jing- to- qi  transformation means, however, when talking about  qi's  jump to Shen , not too many people know what it is or how ; it is mainly due to the influence of their   dissipated senses and daily fluctuating  minds , so consolidating them into a spiritual  Oneness is always  important ;  maybe you can view it as an initial step  of entering the gateway of a much deeper , bigger spiritual world. It is even said that : " Capable of consolidating a spiritual Oneness means  all our  troubles and sufferings will be gone" ('守得一, 萬事畢')  .

 

But how ?  the answer is   you do it by forgetting or ignoring ; or doing it by not -doing; it is in this process, you start  to understand the ' skill' of ' Wuwei'...

 

Remember that famous formula  :  

 

"Forget the  form/body to nourish qi  , forget  qi  to nourish Shen , forget  Shen to nourish Emptiness"

Edited July 5, 2015 by exorcist_1699