Favorite neglected practices?

[Yoda]

Just been pondering the "Five Tibetans" yoga system--one of the strongest yoga systems that I've done in the past. I love it, but I've systematically neglected doing them for over 10 years and it doesn't look like there's much of a chance I'll be bringing em back, either.

 

I'm wondering if other taobums have favorite yet chronically neglected practices?

 

For me, quiet sitting and the keysound are two other stellar practices lost in the shuffle somewhere.

 

I've come to peace with the fact that I won't be seeing these puppies any time soon, and I keep my eye open to how I might be able to incorporate aspects of them into a practice that I'll find fun enough to actually incorporate. I'm hoping that the Warrior Wellness system plus maybe spinning might fill the 5 Tibetan niche, and my standing meditation practice will address some of the sitting benefits, etc.

 

-Yoda

[Munch]

May I recommend that the best way to avoid neglecting a practice is to not learn any new ones?

 

How many do you need?

 

Either divide this way: one sitting practice, one moving practice, one "while you do life" practice, total three, or....

 

Make sure your practice embraces physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

 

Either way you covered.

 

imnsho, a leading cause of "not getting anwhere" is that if i have too many options my resistance can navigate me away from something that was just about to work. And i don't notice because i'm doing something "even better"

 

Obviously, a degree of exploration is valid, but sometime you gotta bite the biscuit and say right, this for five years...

 

What do you think?

[Yoda]

Having strong focus is a huge advantage. Second best is to do something daily. I'm more in the second camp, but that's good stuff too. I'm enjoying the questing aspect of it.

 

-Yoda

[sean]

Interesting topic. I had to think about it and it made me remember how much I used to love the forms on Winn's CKF 1-4, particularly the form in #2. I used to get so high from doing it, I would just do the form all afternoon before work, and late into the evening afterwards. Eventually it kind of lost it's buzz somehow and I started feeling like I was just standing there flapping my arms around. Funny how things shift like that. And it didn't seem like just sticking it out was helping much either so I mostly dropped them from daily practice.

 

Munch, I agree about having focus. It's likely the ideal ... Right now I feel like I am at the "Taoist Kindergarten" stage where I get to run around having fun with the various practices, trying to figure out what does and doesn't work for me.

 

 

Sean.

[GrandTrinity]

I have soooo many practices these days, my favorite is still 4 dimensional meridian qi gong. However, I keep getting sidetracked from that so I can try and pick up tips from other forms. But when all of that searching is done I will come back to the 4 Dim. chi kung and keep it real every day.

[monucka]

May I recommend that the best way to avoid neglecting a practice is to not learn any new ones?

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I think that's right on. Ditto for your suggestions for a balanced approach: one really comprehensive practice, or one sitting, one moving, one in daily life. That's an awesome way to describe a good practice set!

 

I think that there are some practices that are thorough and deep enough in themselves to stand alone, and then there are other practices that are auxiliary at best, wastes of time at worst. Some practices use a number of auxiliary methods (taiji uses numerous qigong techniques as corollaries to learning the inner dynamics) while keeping the central 'work' very clear. Other practices are more mishymashy and don't have a unified basis. - j

[spyrelx]

OK, probably an ignorant question, but what exactly is the "5 tibetans yoga system"? Is there a website or diagrams you can direct me to?

 

Thanks.

[sean]

OK, probably an ignorant question, but what exactly is the "5 tibetans yoga system"?  Is there a website or diagrams you can direct me to?

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Not ignorant at all. I think they are not well known. I'd never heard of them either until I ran across the Steve Barnes video through Sonnon.

 

Here's some links:

http://www.lifeevents.org/5-tibetans-energ...n-exercises.htm

http://www.shapeshift.net/5tibetans/

 

 

Sean.

[Munch]

I have soooo many practices these days, my favorite is still 4 dimensional meridian qi gong. ..... But when all of that searching is done I will come back to the 4 Dim. chi kung and keep it real every day.

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Good choice. It is a great set. One of my only two moving practices. I especially love some of the spleen, kidney and triple burner moves. But that probably just reflects my weaknesses.

 

Going to do some stuff with Dirk in a month or so. Really looking forward to it.

[GrandTrinity]

Whats your other best moving practice? Yes I love the kidney move, sometimes I do that one and I feel like a huuuuuge wave just woke me up or something. How will you be working with Dirk? At his first year training? Or? You went to the intro course?

[spyrelx]

Not ignorant at all. I think they are not well known. I'd never heard of them either until I ran across the Steve Barnes video through Sonnon.

 

Here's some links:

http://www.lifeevents.org/5-tibetans-energ...n-exercises.htm

http://www.shapeshift.net/5tibetans/

Sean.

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Thanks Sean.

[GrandTrinity]

My other negelcted practice is Sheng Zhen...thats some dope qigonging!

[neimad]

I'm wondering if other taobums have favorite yet chronically neglected practices?

 

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inner smile.

 

quite a few times when i was beginning my foray into meditation and spirituality i experienced something fantastic while doing this meditation.

however as time went on my laziness caught up with me, and it was only a few times i experienced anything fantastic... the rest of the time was quite boring. especially mantak chia's 3 lines smile, the winn one is much nicer and spontaneous... so the practice eventually dropped out completely.

 

but my current meditation beats it hands down anyways and there is hardly a time when i dont stand up after meditating and not feel fantastic.

 

i have been intending to bring the inner smile back into play by doing it in bed in the morning when i wake up.... but i forget every single morning!

[GrandTrinity]

How is Winn's inner smile different? What is so much better about your meditations? What do you think about exactly?

 

I like to play with the inner smile, front, middle back, back middle front, etc...mix it up. I noticed from not smoking mary jane in the past few days my quality of meditation has really improved...

[neimad]

How is Winn's inner smile different? What is so much better about your meditations? What do you think about exactly?

 

I like to play with the inner smile, front, middle back, back middle front, etc...mix it up. I noticed from not smoking mary jane in the past few days my quality of meditation has really improved...

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winn's inner smile... the one in his free e-book, goes into every part of the body... into the bones, muscles, cells, blood, into the hair, etc.

letting the smile really pervade you until you becoming one just vibrating smiling blob.

 

really cool i enjoyed that.

 

while mantak chia's seems to be a bit more of a 'quick i gotta get this smile done rapidly'. maybe it was just my approach.

 

also i used to practice winns lying down, and chia's sitting up. might have had a difference too.

 

the meditation i do now is better for me, i'm not saying it's better. i think the inner smile can definately be profound, as can all meditations.

i guess it's better for me because it's so simple and not complicated. i used to have a lot of trouble with some of the taoist meditations because you had to think so much, had to try and do all kinds of things with your mind, etc.

 

so what do i think about?

well..... i don't think.

the meditation i do has a kind of multi-effect.

firstly i concentrate on a particular chakra point (belly, heart or third-eye) and just leave my concentration there allowing energy to flow in, while at the same time stilling my mind and allowing words to slip away.

i listen to music to distract the monkey mind. it's suprising how effective this is.

 

about 25 minutes, twice a day. sometimes a little longer when i feel like it.

 

but everytime i get up from the meditation feeling great. feeling warm/cool (it's kinda warm but also kinda cool) currents going through my shoulders arms and chest. the buzz usually lasts a couple of hours too.

also had some very interesting experiences while meditating.

 

i never miss a day, and never want to miss a day.

 

i also notice when i don't smoke weed that i actually manage to dream again.