Meditation after physical workouts

[dwai]

One of my kungfu brothers asked me to try this and I’ve been practicing this for several months now. 
 

After a strong physical workout (which for me involves cardio and strength training), I sit down and let the mind settle. Just stay in the present moment, the stillness and depth of silence entered is very restorative, and brings about a profound equanimity. 
 

Some days if I feel the energy is very agitated after the workout or feel too stuck inside the body, I will expand the center above the crown, raising the energy through central channel, and then let the mind rest on that center — releasing every perturbation into the vast space that center is the doorway to. 

 

Thought I’d share, and if anyone has thoughts to share, please feel free to comment, add your own insights and experiences. 
 

 

[EmeraldHead]

You're essentially weak practicing your 6 senses doing that.

[dwai]

1 hour ago, EmeraldHead said:

You're essentially weak practicing your 6 senses doing that.

I didn’t understand what you meant. Would you care to elaborate?  

[Nungali]

Mokuso , its called in Japanese martial arts

 

 

Also with this exercise ;  sitting in the above position  (person on the right )  breathe in expanding stomach , then chest, then lifting shoulders up  and slowly lean forward expelling the air  so  when you are at the  lowest point leaning forward  with your chest on your legs the body movement stops as the last bit of breath is expelled .   Pause ,   rise  back up slowly   to the sitting position slowly breathing in and come to rest as the lungs  fill to the last bit . Pause .  Each cycle is slower and longer  and the pauses between breaths get longer  each time .

 

Unless you are adept at it .   I have  seen seniors  begin  this  panting from exertion and in one or two breaths  bring the breath cycle down to near suspended animation .  Its  good practice for lowering the heart rate consciously   However , that is a breath exercise ,  to go along with  meditation,  'mokuso'  proper is usually done sitting up in seiza  and not moving .

[EmeraldHead]

2 hours ago, dwai said:

I didn’t understand what you meant. Would you care to elaborate?  

the buddhist classification of 6 senses.

.. when you rest and neither chase anything nor try to practice dzogchen type stuff...you 'rest'. Electricity doesn't rest. The sense streams however, do. Settling, experience is deepened. If you work on your inner senses, later on you can see the 6 senses like an actual organ, especially the mind sense. They're separate from the physical or subtle bodies.

Edited September 4, 2020 by EmeraldHead

[freeform]

I think it’s very useful to do some quiet sitting after intense work.

 

I personally wouldn’t count that as meditative practice though - for me that’s just an extension of your prior practice - just the more consolidating and still phase.

 

I wouldn’t do any guiding, but just let my body and mind settle of their own accord.
 

The effects of your workout will be coursing through your body and mind - and they need to find stillness.
 

If I would overlay an actual practice on top (manipulating my awareness in some specific way for example) - then I’d be creating a new amalgamation of practices which would likely be either unnecessary or very problematic for me long-term.

[Gerard]

Do the method that works for you best. More Yin or more Yang or better a combo of both.
 

Obviously this Metal Rat year is somehow conflicting with your own animal sign, you are a Fire Snake, right? So you are swaying towards a more Yang approach to balance the stagnating nature of a Metal Rat year.

 

Keep going with the flow of every animal. Next year it will be a different energy buy still Metal in nature, which is good in our modern world and it's excessive mental activity (Wood) since Metal controls this Force.

 

Note: Ultimately we humans are animals on this physical plane, each with their own according to their year of birth (12 animals in total). So adapt your own animal to each year in order to practice good hygiene and avoid misfortune/bad luck. Carrying a charm is very helpful if there is a clash between your own sign and the ruling animal.

Edited September 5, 2020 by Gerard

[dwai]

2 hours ago, Gerard said:

Do the method that works for you best. More Yin or more Yang or better a combo of both.
 

Obviously this Metal Rat year is somehow conflicting with your own animal sign, you are a Fire Snake, right? So you are swaying towards a more Yang approach to balance the stagnating nature of a Metal Rat year.

I’m a wood rabbit. 

2 hours ago, Gerard said:

Keep going with the flow of every animal. Next year it will be a different energy buy still Metal in nature, which is good in our modern world and it's excessive mental activity (Wood) since Metal controls this Force.

 

Note: Ultimately we humans are animals on this physical plane, each with their own according to their year of birth (12 animals in total). So adapt your own animal to each year in order to practice good hygiene and avoid misfortune/bad luck. Carrying a charm is very helpful if there is a clash between your own sign and the ruling animal.

Thanks  

[dwai]

4 hours ago, freeform said:

I think it’s very useful to do some quiet sitting after intense work.

 

I personally wouldn’t count that as meditative practice though - for me that’s just an extension of your prior practice - just the more consolidating and still phase.

 

I wouldn’t do any guiding, but just let my body and mind settle of their own accord.
 

The effects of your workout will be coursing through your body and mind - and they need to find stillness.
 

If I would overlay an actual practice on top (manipulating my awareness in some specific way for example) - then I’d be creating a new amalgamation of practices which would likely be either unnecessary or very problematic for me long-term.

 

My practice is pretty much the same (specifics are focused on based on season). 
 

The reason I mentioned this post workout meditation is because it hits deep stillness for me. It neutralizes the mental activity a physical workout generates. 
 

In the hindu/yogic energetic system we call such physical activity as rajas. The result of rajasic activity is to cause rajas in the mind. By allowing stillness to descend this is converted into satva. 

[mYogi]

@dwai

 

On the positive side, a strong physical workout often removes tensions from the body. Also, after a certain period, there is a natural tendency of the body and mind to rest, relax, and recuperate.

On the negative side, depending on the intensity of exercise, the sympathetic nervous system is activated and the hormones like adrenalin and cortisol are released, not only endorphins.
These hormones take some time to leave the body depending on the intensity of the workout, 10-30 minutes usually. So it would be best perhaps to wait 30 minutes after the workout to do that type of meditation and allow the system to cool off.

 

It’s good that you noticed the level of agitation during the workout.
Another thing to do would be to reduce the level of intensity of the exercise so that cortisol is not released, which would allow an easier transition towards relaxation if it doesn’t compromise the workout.

Of course, we should remember Hakuin’s words: “Meditation in the midst of activity is a thousand times superior to meditation in stillness.”

[dwai]

14 minutes ago, mYogi said:

@dwai

 

On the positive side, a strong physical workout often removes tensions from the body. Also, after a certain period, there is a natural tendency of the body and mind to rest, relax, and recuperate.

On the negative side, depending on the intensity of exercise, the sympathetic nervous system is activated and the hormones like adrenalin and cortisol are released, not only endorphins.
These hormones take some time to leave the body depending on the intensity of the workout, 10-30 minutes usually. So it would be best perhaps to wait 30 minutes after the workout to do that type of meditation and allow the system to cool off.

Based on my experience, the meditation seems to “cool the system” faster with the meditation. 

14 minutes ago, mYogi said:

 

It’s good that you noticed the level of agitation during the workout.
Another thing to do would be to reduce the level of intensity of the exercise so that cortisol is not released, which would allow an easier transition towards relaxation if it doesn’t compromise the workout.

The workouts are meant to improve the cardiovascular function, help improve metabolic rate. Especially in these days of quarantines and self-sequestration, it becomes imperative to workout vigorously within reasonable limits  

14 minutes ago, mYogi said:

Of course, we should remember Hakuin’s words: “Meditation in the midst of activity is a thousand times superior to meditation in stillness.”

Of course! Yes certainly that is the case. 

[Gerard]

9 hours ago, dwai said:

I’m a wood rabbit. 

Yes the Metal is in conflict with not only your animal but also your year of birth, Wood. You need a lot of Yang to bring harmony back. 
 

Also move more, like hiking or cycling for long distances.

[z00se]

I rekon if i stretch all over but especially the spine in each direction, it makes it easier and deeper, the calm which you are mentioning at the end