Allowing
The more I practice, the more I recognize that our gestures are “remembering” gestures - movements that support our visualization and understanding of Qi flow and remind us of the pervasive presence of Qi in and around us. The idea of allowing things to be as they are, not forcing, not striving, but allowing each moment to unfold in its beauty, aware of the present moment, letting go of those things we cannot control and allowing our best and highest selve to “be” rather than “do”.
One of my favorite Lao Tse poems is number 4 which includes the following:
Blunt the sharpness,
Soften the glare,
Untie the knot,
Return to dust (stardust!)
For me it is accepting the fact that we are only 99.99 % empty space, as explained in this article from Sciencealert.com. We are mainly the space between the stuff- the energy, the magic, the stardust, the Qi. I love that Qi State, where all boundaries between skin and air and energy seem to dissolve, and your energies are simply in tune with those surrounding you, vibrating in concert, singing that one song, as part of the Uni-versal choir. I take comfort in knowing that all that has ever existed, that exists and that will exist share this song with me. I take comfort in knowing that all who have ever existed, who do exist and who will exist share this song with me.
Once I allow myself to recognize myself as a human “being” and not a human “doing,” accumulation of wealth and material things becomes less important, and I find my joyful presence through the four qualities of my mind (perspective, humility, humor, acceptance) and the four qualities of my heart (forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, generosity). This allows me to be unattached to physical life, as I recognize that it is not WHAT I do or do not accomplish in this life that is important, but it is the WAY I am while I am on the journey. None of these qualities are material like money or a house or an inheritance - they are the energy, the Qi, the stardust, that eternal aspect of ourself that never dies. Qigong and Tai Chi have helped me to not be attached to this life, to accept the inevitability of physical death and to know the comfort of the fact that energy / Qi continues. In practicing, it is comforting to feel the energetic embrace of all who have physically died, but who are energetically present. To think of it in scientific terms:
The first law of thermodynamics doesn't actually specify that matter can neither be created nor destroyed, but instead that the total amount of energy in a closed system cannot be created nor destroyed (though it can be changed from one form to another). (Physics Central)
As my teacher Dr. Roger Jahnke once said, “ Do not be concerned with why it works, but allow yourself to explore the fact that it does!”
Allowing for me is also getting out of my own way, letting things unfold as they do naturally, without pushing or striving. This is all really hard for an overachiever such as myself. I have my own little rule: I need to do something for my family, something for the house, something for my work, something for my community and something for myself each day. I think of life as being too short to do all that there is to do, and I enjoy being busy. My to do list has always been big, and I tend toward wanting to complete things quickly and move on to the next thing. I tend to do lots of good things, with little regard for my own need for sleep or down time. Sound familiar at all?
Allowing this to be as they flow naturally has a great deal to do with acceptance. Much like the Serenity prayer “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”
We cannot succeed by denying what exists. As you grow in your spiritual life, you are able to accept anything that happens to you. “Everything’s wonderful”. Our responsibility is to pursue the goal with all the dedication we can muster, do the best we can but not become fixated on a preconceived notion of a result. Quite often, our efforts lead to an unexpected outcome that might be even better than what we originally had in mind.
How have I managed to make the transformation from busily doing to gently allowing? It has been a journey and continues to be one. Here is the process that worked for me.
Qi cultivation is a journey, one that constantly requires us to explore different roads, some of which lead us in circles or to dead ends, or back towards our point of departure, some of which lead us closer to the end point, only to require a detour which delays our arrival.
The beauty is that each road is different than the others, offering many experiences and lessons that nourish our higher self and support our growth as interconnected beings. If we allow things to happen, rather than force them, we open ourselves to possibilities that we never would have experienced.
(To be continued. In the meantime, enjoy these photos and this practice which will help you discover qi.)
PRACTICE: Gathering Earth and Heaven
· Begin by standing in an easy “horse stance” with the arms crossed in front of your chest, palms toward the body.
· Open the arms out to the 45 degree angle, palms facing toward each other.
· As you bend the knees, and slowly release the arms so that the palms are facing upward.
· Float gradually down and sink down to gather the Yin energy of Earth. It is important to be careful of the back and knees so only sink as far as is comfortable. Gather the Yin energy of Earth in your arms.
· Rise up, carrying the Yin Earth energy upward and return to the position with the arms crossed in front of your heart.
· Gradually begin to open the arms, slowly reaching up into the Heaven. Look upward between your hands.
· Gather the Yang resources of Heaven and carry them downward until your palms are facing each other, holding a small Qi ball) are as high as your chin. Repeat as desired.
The more I practice, the more I recognize that our gestures are “remembering” gestures - movements that support our visualization and understanding of Qi flow and remind us of the pervasive presence of Qi in and around us. The idea of allowing things to be as they are, not forcing, not striving, but allowing each moment to unfold in its beauty, aware of the present moment, letting go of those things we cannot control and allowing our best and highest selve to “be” rather than “do”.
One of my favorite Lao Tse poems is number 4 which includes the following:
Blunt the sharpness,
Soften the glare,
Untie the knot,
Return to dust (stardust!)
For me it is accepting the fact that we are only 99.99 % empty space, as explained in this article from Sciencealert.com. We are mainly the space between the stuff- the energy, the magic, the stardust, the Qi. I love that Qi State, where all boundaries between skin and air and energy seem to dissolve, and your energies are simply in tune with those surrounding you, vibrating in concert, singing that one song, as part of the Uni-versal choir. I take comfort in knowing that all that has ever existed, that exists and that will exist share this song with me. I take comfort in knowing that all who have ever existed, who do exist and who will exist share this song with me.
Once I allow myself to recognize myself as a human “being” and not a human “doing,” accumulation of wealth and material things becomes less important, and I find my joyful presence through the four qualities of my mind (perspective, humility, humor, acceptance) and the four qualities of my heart (forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, generosity). This allows me to be unattached to physical life, as I recognize that it is not WHAT I do or do not accomplish in this life that is important, but it is the WAY I am while I am on the journey. None of these qualities are material like money or a house or an inheritance - they are the energy, the Qi, the stardust, that eternal aspect of ourself that never dies. Qigong and Tai Chi have helped me to not be attached to this life, to accept the inevitability of physical death and to know the comfort of the fact that energy / Qi continues. In practicing, it is comforting to feel the energetic embrace of all who have physically died, but who are energetically present. To think of it in scientific terms:
The first law of thermodynamics doesn't actually specify that matter can neither be created nor destroyed, but instead that the total amount of energy in a closed system cannot be created nor destroyed (though it can be changed from one form to another). (Physics Central)
As my teacher Dr. Roger Jahnke once said, “ Do not be concerned with why it works, but allow yourself to explore the fact that it does!”
Allowing for me is also getting out of my own way, letting things unfold as they do naturally, without pushing or striving. This is all really hard for an overachiever such as myself. I have my own little rule: I need to do something for my family, something for the house, something for my work, something for my community and something for myself each day. I think of life as being too short to do all that there is to do, and I enjoy being busy. My to do list has always been big, and I tend toward wanting to complete things quickly and move on to the next thing. I tend to do lots of good things, with little regard for my own need for sleep or down time. Sound familiar at all?
Allowing this to be as they flow naturally has a great deal to do with acceptance. Much like the Serenity prayer “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”
We cannot succeed by denying what exists. As you grow in your spiritual life, you are able to accept anything that happens to you. “Everything’s wonderful”. Our responsibility is to pursue the goal with all the dedication we can muster, do the best we can but not become fixated on a preconceived notion of a result. Quite often, our efforts lead to an unexpected outcome that might be even better than what we originally had in mind.
How have I managed to make the transformation from busily doing to gently allowing? It has been a journey and continues to be one. Here is the process that worked for me.
- I have learned to incorporate the Three Treasures/ Three Mindful Adjustments multiple times a day. There is a Chinese saying that “A person who makes wise use of the Three Mindful Adjustments a few times a day will resolve their pains, cure their diseases, and achieve longevity.”At first, when I noticed I was feeling stressed, or that my shoulders were tight, or that I was breathing shallowly, I took a few minutes to adjust my posture to one that allows for effective qi flow, deepened my breathing to completely fill my core, and let my mind focus on that breathing. Soon I was able to notice the qi flowing. Now, whenever I have a brief pause, before eating or drinking, when I sit down, before I start a conversation, I do the Three treasure/ Three Mindful Adjustments, and find that I am more relaxed and focused and able to allow rather than force things to happen.
- I taught a mindfulness class called “Holiday Presen(ts)se”. In preparing for this combination of yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong, I hunted down inspirational quotes about peace, love, hope, joy and wonder. Teaching this class, reading and integrating my own thoughts about these quotes as we practiced allowed me to truly start to think about those aspects of my own life. I try to come to situations with an open heart and a place of compassionate understanding. I look for moments of beauty and openly express my joy and wonder in finding them.
- I practice Tai Chi, Qigong, yoga, and bring what I learn about myself and my place in this world into my daily being. I carry the Three Treasures mentioned in number 1 above with me whether I am reading, working, knitting, playing the cello, skiing…. And then that generates more of the peace, love, hope, joy and wonder mentioned in number 2 above. Quite a simple process, but it works!
Qi cultivation is a journey, one that constantly requires us to explore different roads, some of which lead us in circles or to dead ends, or back towards our point of departure, some of which lead us closer to the end point, only to require a detour which delays our arrival.
The beauty is that each road is different than the others, offering many experiences and lessons that nourish our higher self and support our growth as interconnected beings. If we allow things to happen, rather than force them, we open ourselves to possibilities that we never would have experienced.
(To be continued. In the meantime, enjoy these photos and this practice which will help you discover qi.)
PRACTICE: Gathering Earth and Heaven
· Begin by standing in an easy “horse stance” with the arms crossed in front of your chest, palms toward the body.
· Open the arms out to the 45 degree angle, palms facing toward each other.
· As you bend the knees, and slowly release the arms so that the palms are facing upward.
· Float gradually down and sink down to gather the Yin energy of Earth. It is important to be careful of the back and knees so only sink as far as is comfortable. Gather the Yin energy of Earth in your arms.
· Rise up, carrying the Yin Earth energy upward and return to the position with the arms crossed in front of your heart.
· Gradually begin to open the arms, slowly reaching up into the Heaven. Look upward between your hands.
· Gather the Yang resources of Heaven and carry them downward until your palms are facing each other, holding a small Qi ball) are as high as your chin. Repeat as desired.