Daoist Winter practices

[Jessup2]

So far, the only timed surges of change I know of, are menstrual cycles, which would match the jieqi fluctuations. These appear to be moon related, which is then also tidal. Showing a push pull system on a large scale that deals with gravity...

 

[Jessup2]

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/tides/tides06_variations.html

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/tides/tides03_gravity.html

https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tidetables/2016/wctt2016book.pdf

 

[Jessup2]

https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/

 

http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/about-us/41-our-solar-system/the-earth/orbit/80-how-can-i-find-the-distance-to-the-sun-on-any-given-day-advanced

 

[thelerner]

On 12/18/2017 at 5:01 PM, Miroku said:

Sorry for spoiling the fun, but I must advise you against sharing or practicing tummo or other vajrayana teachings without empowerment, explanation and permition from a qualified lama. Without it it won't work and if it does there is quite a possibility of hurting yourself or fucking up in some other way.

Respectfully, there's truth to this.. yet in the case of a breathing pattern done in horse stance.. I don't think there's much danger.  It may not work well without the 'secret' ingredient; I'll call it 'juice', and if a person is generating much heat, be careful, slow down or get proper instruction.  These things should not be forced or over done. 

 

Yet, when we're facing the cold if there's a simple breath pattern that can provide some warmth, it seems fine to share. 

Edited December 21, 2017 by thelerner

[Miroku]

17 hours ago, thelerner said:

Respectfully, there's truth to this.. yet in the case of a breathing pattern done in horse stance.. I don't think there's much danger.  It may not work well without the 'secret' ingredient; I'll call it 'juice', and if a person is generating much heat, be careful, slow down or get proper instruction.  These things should not be forced or over done. 

 

Yet, when we're facing the cold if there's a simple breath pattern that can provide some warmth, it seems fine to share. 

I wasn't talking about breathing exercises. I meant sharing texts that advise you how to work with tummo and other.  Otherwise if something helps and can be easily applied it is a good idea to share and try. For example the wim hof method seems interesting. 

[thelerner]

Fascination with tummo was one of the things that drew me to Wim Hof method.  I'd had some light tummo training through the KAP program and with an old member who had an elemental system where the Fire element was with deep horse stance, slow breathing, visualizing and sanskrit chanting- seemed pretty old school.   Wim Hof is not traditional tummo at all.  It takes another route. 

[DaoKeeper]

I usually change my diet when I do feel the winter is coming.
That means focus more on the food which gives you more warmth.

Second point is to change the clothes. If you feel chilly - just take warm clothes on and you are in the balance again.
Dao is always simple.

These two are the most basic things to do for me 

Edited December 21, 2017 by DaoKeeper

[Rara]

On 30/11/2017 at 5:24 PM, rainbowvein said:

Wake later and go to sleep earlier, I heard. Since the sun is shining less.

 

Maybe adding cocooning meditations under the blankets with your head facing north!  

 

I'm totally down with this!

[Rara]

11 hours ago, DaoKeeper said:

I usually change my diet when I do feel the winter is coming.
That means focus more on the food which gives you more warmth.

Second point is to change the clothes. If you feel chilly - just take warm clothes on and you are in the balance again.
Dao is always simple.

These two are the most basic things to do for me 

 

We're practicing "get fat for winter" over here. Lots more meats, fats and dare I say it, sugars! Berries for fruit, and no shame in eating donut snacks. The latter, don't make a habit of

 

The desired teas are of the "black variety", although I'll drink green after heavy meals, especially after anything meaty.

 

Thick coats. Sometimes if it's particularly chilly, I'll begin Tai Chi in the coat. It's not long before my body heats up and it can be removed.

 

After experimenting, things like chin ups don't seem to be a good idea. I think the muscles are generally too cold for most of the day, so no warm up for a temporary exercise like this can fully warm the back muscles up sufficiently. I've had quite a stiff back this winter!

[DaoKeeper]

On 22.12.2017 at 0:10 PM, Rara said:

After experimenting, things like chin ups don't seem to be a good idea.

Thank you, Rara for sharing this experience.
I think several practicioners should have spent 1-3 years to finally realize the simplicity of the life.
Thumbs up for this.

Also I did write nothing about meat-eating because I'm sure there are vegans on this forum and I'm sure they also know what vegetables/beans/spices should they use to warmup in the Winter time.

[Pavel Karavaev]

For me, the most important thing in winter is to sleep more. I agree that is better to go to bed early and get up later.

Also it is important to keep warm, especially keeping  warm the feet and the kidney area.

Use warming food and products that strengthen the Qi of the kidneys.

In practice, should also be done accentuated work with the heating of energy channels.

Edited December 29, 2017 by Pavel Karavaev

[Rara]

On 29/12/2017 at 10:19 AM, Pavel Karavaev said:

Also it is important to keep warm, especially keeping  warm the feet and the kidney area.

 

I've become a frequent hot water bottle user! Prone to back ache (possibly too much driving, and shivering!) I find this to be just as necessary as layering up.

 

Bottle on the back, moved to feet on a rotation, gets me by. I live in a stone house so wall insulation is non-existant and with that, I find the floor is always cold. Treading on a cold floor for long periods of time is supposedly bad for the kidneys!

[Pavel Karavaev]

On 03.01.2018 at 8:22 PM, Rara said:

Bottle on the back, moved to feet on a rotation, gets me by. I live in a stone house so wall insulation is non-existant and with that, I find the floor is always cold. Treading on a cold floor for long periods of time is supposedly bad for the kidneys!

 

There may well be a connection between pain in the back and a cold floor. If the floor is cold, then it is better to use warm shoes for the winter time. Cooling in the legs can easily be overlooked, and the kidneys will suffer afterwards.

 

To warm up the body, I practice special qigong exercises wich heat up the leg channels, and it works quete well.  The heat penetrates the body with energy moving, and then kidneys get the strengthening.

[oak]

Was looking for something else and ended up finding this interesting passage in Sun Lutang's "A Study of Bagua Boxing". Thought it would may be useful to share:

 

 

 “As for the timing, within a year there are the two energies – dark and bright [meaning the six months of shorter days and the six months of longer days] – then the four seasons, eight sections [start of spring, vernal equinox, start of summer, summer solstice, start of autumn, autumnal equinox, start of winter, winter solstice], twenty-four periods [start of spring, first rains, “waking hibernators”, vernal equinox, “fresh and shining”, rain for crops, start of summer, “small fullness” (referring to crop growth), “bearded crop” (i.e. rich yield), summer solstice, small heat, big heat, start of autumn, lingering heat, fresh dew, autumnal equinox, cold dew, frost arrives, start of winter, small snow, big snow, winter solstice, small cold, big cold], and then each period is divided into three, totaling the “seventy-two events” [regular plant and animal phenomena in an approximately five-day rhythm]. When practicing on sunny days, begin with leftward circle walking. When practicing on cloudy days, begin with rightward circle walking. Generally speaking, adjust with each day, though there may be specific circumstances that cause adjustment with each hour. This is attention to the right time. The best environment to practice in is either a lush mountain forest, a solemn temple, or simply a clean room. This is attention to the right place.
     “With these principles of practice, you receive the divine energy of sky and ground, the illumination of sun and moon, the elegance of the five elements, and can become one with the universe. This training is at the highest level of spiritual transformation. The effects of it will be thus: your spirit will be cleansed, your essence will be sturdied, your appearance will be pure, smooth, and graceful, your body will move with ease, your mind will be quick-witted, and your techniques will be magical. Its theory is as deep as an abyss, deep beyond measuring. Its energy is as vast as the sky, vast beyond measuring. Practicing in this way, this boxing art is a subtle and profound means of spiritual transformation.
     “If you do not understand how to choose the right environment or work with the weather, you will only be training in terms of physical strength, and no matter how skilled and adaptable you may become after a long time, it will only be a physical achievement. With no awareness of weather or environment, your mind will be unable to grasp the beauty of Nature. All of the beautiful things in Nature are influenced by the sky and ground, nurtured by the sun and moon, and are thus able to be perfected [within their own niche]. This is in all ways true for boxing arts as well.
     “Compare this to the great sages, who cherished countless ideas in their minds, embraced countless phenomena in their bodies, and were one with the universe. With each thought, let your mind flow through Nature and express to the farthest reaches of existence, and discover that within every thing, there is everything. Then when your mind becomes still, its energy can withdraw so there is the stillness of a quiet and empty room, and you can become one with the universe.

 

 

for context: https://brennantranslation.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/the-bagua-manual-of-sun-lutang/

 

 

 

[thelerner]

This is common sense, even instinctive, when walking in the winter there's a strong connection between warmth and heart rate.   A higher heart beat, not racing, you don't want to sweat, just higher, creates much more warmth then a calmer one. 

[Taomeow]

I grew up in a pretty cold climate (you know Russia is famous for it, right?), and as a child/teenager, loved all winter sports and all kinds of winter fun.  Nearly all of my spare time in winter was spent outdoors, till bedtime in fact.  And in motion, vigorous motion.  Even though I was not particularly sturdy and in spring and autumn would often catch colds, sore throats, etc., winter cold was not conductive to these, and I don't remember any slowing-down, lethargic, stiffening-up, or hibernating tendencies until later in life when spending winter days outdoors in motion was no longer possible. 

 

Snow in my winter boots, for hours on end, toes in deep freeze (boy did they hurt when you come back home and take the boots and socks off and they start thawing out! -- well, I was willing to pay that price, every day!)  Fingers feeling as though an alligator is biting them off one by one.  Cheeks, you rub with snow from time to time to restore circulation.  I'm talking really violent frost, schools canceled even though the sun is shining and there's no wind and the blanket of snow lies calm, undisturbed by any new precipitation -- the kind of deep freeze that can kill you if you just stand there doing nothing.  But I was never doing nothing, so school canceled on account of too-low temperature meant skiing and skating and building snow fortresses and engaging in snowball wars, and so on.  Damn...  I miss those "winter practices..."    

 

 

[zanshin]

Veering off topic, but- cool things to outside subzero temperatures? Soap bubbles, boil a pan of water and throw it up in the air, made these rainbow icicles with my son one of those days when too cold for school to be in session. 

[Boundlesscostfairy]

Well if you want to get warm .. fire is the first sensation felt at the initiation of any muscle movement..so to work with these fast or slow twitch fibers.. produces electricity via friction.. which is how the cells interact with each other.. so you can see at the beginning of any movement the idea of heat.. and its actually going on in the body.. as a simple physic.. so as the medicine Buddha I commend you to understand this heat or Jinn energy.. 

 

Cajun energy.. and spice for example. Work well with the heated energy ratios..

 

Remember that cold is only a lower temperature than your used to..

 

Which means at zero temperature you would neither feel cold or heat..?