Questions remaining. Need some orientation.

[Rbn]

Hello everyone, 

 

there are questions that remain in my head every time I think about meditation. 

I wonder if I can get your opinion or some lead to get further materials in order for me to understand. 

 

After some practice I try to do Lower Dan Tian breathing. However, it creates issue with my bladder, I couldn't control the need. So I stopped and after some time it went away. 

I certainly did a wrong  breathing method but since then it creates a blockage. Every time I try to breath the same way, I feel like a problem would arise or simply the need. 

 

(Maybe you will need more information about how I breathed so I will try to be precise. All the process was through the nose and tongue touching the mouth' roof. I inhaled with chest rising and stomach going in, trying to concentrate to gather energy with all my body inside my chest. Then I make it go down under my nostril or at the same level, and finally I exhale with stomach expanding and abs contracting and chest going in. I didn't necessarily try to gather all the time, some session I try to make it pass through my body.)

 

Also, if I may add one more thing. I used to picture water in my mind everytime I practiced. A drop forming on top, flowing down to a lake or some that helped me to concentrate and relax.

Maybe it has a relation with the bladder issue... I wonder.

Also, I read that energy is sometime represented by lightning or water. If I may add one more interrogation about picture of water.

 Is it common thing? Is there some practice that require such thing? Is it benefit or require a higher level of understanding? Or is it just fantasy that could bring more trouble ? 

 

Thank you for your consideration thank you for reading me.

[Aletheia]

I can tell you a couple of things from my own personal experience.

 

Firstly, I found it easier to practice the breathing while I wasn't trying to meditate. So while you're using the computer or reading a book is even better because your mind is elsewhere.

 

Secondly, don't breath from your nose, throat or chest. Breathe through the belly button i.e. no movement or initiation of breathing from anywhere in the upper body allowed!

 

Then when you do try and meditate put yourself in a dream reality where the fabric of spacetime frays and drop your consciousness from your head and into your body, then unchain the soul from the confides of bodily existence and take flight.

 

What I've been doing with my standing exercise is picturing a small rocky waterfall in a forest clearing and seeing glints of sunlight striking the falling water with cool sprays of rainbow halos, then feeling that energy cascade and wash the bodily organs as trillions of particles which then gather in field-beam of lighted plasma -

 

 

It's a very powerful standing exercise, then at the end I make huge qi balls -- put your palms facing each other about a foot or so apart then breathe in and pull your hands away then when you breath out push your hands together and you'll feel it's like holding something very tangible!

 

Also don't picture the waterfall in your mind, see it from the distance of the edge of the stream, then let the distance fade while the exterior of the body dissolves and actually be the water, smell the freshness of air, hear the sounds of the forest and feel the energy collecting in the beam of light.

[Jeff]

4 hours ago, Rbn said:

Hello everyone, 

 

there are questions that remain in my head every time I think about meditation. 

I wonder if I can get your opinion or some lead to get further materials in order for me to understand. 

 

After some practice I try to do Lower Dan Tian breathing. However, it creates issue with my bladder, I couldn't control the need. So I stopped and after some time it went away. 

I certainly did a wrong  breathing method but since then it creates a blockage. Every time I try to breath the same way, I feel like a problem would arise or simply the need. 

 

(Maybe you will need more information about how I breathed so I will try to be precise. All the process was through the nose and tongue touching the mouth' roof. I inhaled with chest rising and stomach going in, trying to concentrate to gather energy with all my body inside my chest. Then I make it go down under my nostril or at the same level, and finally I exhale with stomach expanding and abs contracting and chest going in. I didn't necessarily try to gather all the time, some session I try to make it pass through my body.)

 

Also, if I may add one more thing. I used to picture water in my mind everytime I practiced. A drop forming on top, flowing down to a lake or some that helped me to concentrate and relax.

Maybe it has a relation with the bladder issue... I wonder.

Also, I read that energy is sometime represented by lightning or water. If I may add one more interrogation about picture of water.

 Is it common thing? Is there some practice that require such thing? Is it benefit or require a higher level of understanding? Or is it just fantasy that could bring more trouble ? 

 

Thank you for your consideration thank you for reading me.

 

Your issue is that you have reached the point where you are starting to energetically connect to your environment and people around you. The water imagery is probably your subconscious mind trying to translate that (outside) energy feeling into something you can consciously conceptualize. Also, the blather issue relates to the energy hitting (and maybe freaking you out) your sense of self based at the 3rd chakra.

 

It is all really good stuff, just need to accept it and get past some of the deeper fears you probably have around it. If you are up for it, as a quick experiment... try imagining me in front of you right now, and then stick your finger in my heart. Don't worry about complicated visualizations, just "feel" yourself doing it. See what you get...

 

Best, Jeff

[voidisyinyang]

It's said to not drink any water or fluids a half hour before practice - which means to have the bladder cleared out.

 

On breathing - there is an image in the free pdf that shows the proper breathing.

 

 

You can go through the pdf https://www.pdf-archive.com/2017/04/10/idiot-s-guide-to-taoist-alchemy/

 

or it is posted as a scribd or a blog post.

 

http://perceivebelieve.tumblr.com/post/159904989496/the-idiots-guide-to-taoist-alchemy-qigong

 

that will explain the different factors - the nerves in connection with breathing.

 

 

[Rbn]

Hello everyone,

 

First, I would like to apologize for the late reply, I am sorry.

 

Aletheia, thank you for your advice I will follow them. However, I am still trying to figure out what implies your 4th paragraph, I will ponder on it for some time, thank you!

As for the standing exercise,after doing it one time, it is really interesting and energizing, it got into my daily routine. Thank you very much for your words and advices!

 

Jeff, thank you for your opinion and I think your are hitting right into the problem. It is true that not so long ago, during my childhood, I had many issue aroung the bladder and it freaked me out(And I think it still freaks me out). I will certainly need to accept and get past my fears as you said. It will certainly take some time but, I got to do it!

Following your advice for the experiement, the first time I visualized this scenery(If i may call it like that) and I felt like something hitting inside my stomach and below, something really uncomfortable.

I couldn't really understand so I tried again in order to catch clearly what I got. As a result, i felt like my stomach became alike a pond of water where I just throw a rock and create some turbulence. Also, my heartbeat accelerates. But the sensation came more when I visualize blood flowing out down my finger and hand.

Really akward experiment, I still wonder what may be the conclusion of it, what would all say. I was a bit reluctant to do it at first but I still did. I think visualize you smilling while waiting for me was easier. Anyway, Thank you a lot for your words and advices!

 

Voidisyinyang, thank you for those informations. It helps me a lot, and gave me new matters to think about, I will read both the pdf during week-end. Thank you!

[Jeff]

Very cool on your results with the experiment. I can definitely understand why it would be a little scary/concerning to try such an experiment. Just remember that it is your subconscious mind that is translating the energy that you are feeling. I just sort of helped with a little more "space" so that you could consciously perceive it. Most likely the uncomfortable stomach thing was your obstruction/issue/fear, and the pond of water was probably energy trapped (or not freely flowing) as water often symbolizes energy.

 

Just let me know if you have any questions or I can help in any way.

 

Best, Jeff

[Rbn]

Thank you very much Jeff.

I feel like it will help me to develop further. However right now, I decide to start over and try to get a better "foundation".

Get a flexible and muscle body, especially my back in order to straighten it, training on my breathing without a lot of intent to not speed up things. At the same time, thank to you, I will "destroy" my fear, and even try to find a way to perceive any more issues. And keep gathering knowledge about where I am standing right now. 

 

If I have any questions I will ask you, thank you for your help, thank a lot.

 

Best,

Edited August 13, 2017 by Rbn
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