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Taoist Tantra, Health, and Longevity

October 6, 2010 on 6:47 pm | In TCM, Massage and Dietary therapy, Tantra and Dzogchen | No Comments

Taoist Tantra, Health, and Longevity.

People constantly ask me how it is that a 38 year old guy looks like a 25 year old. Well there is a reason for it and I’ll share my secret.
It all started when I was 18 (yes! 20 years ago) and in my first year of college. I was told there was a guy who taught martial arts in the park on Saturday morning,
At the time, I was reading books on Yoga, Zen, Taoism, and eastern religions. When I went to the park and the teacher taught Tai Chi, Qigong, and other eastern martial arts that involve moving meditation, breathing, and relaxing. I was soon on my way to finding bliss in moving meditation and learning on Taoist health exercises and the importance of discipline and longevity.

At that time, my teacher suggest I read more books on the subject. One book in particular, “Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy” captivated me since the topic discussed human sexuality explained by Taoist through several thousand years of research and meditation. In the book, the author Mantak Chia discusses the importance of the man to not lose his seed through ejaculation by means of masturbation, wet dreams, and being over sexed in mind and body. This causes a weakness in the body and “chi” energy and drains the body of its vital essence called “jing” or hormones that cells need to maintain balance. The book describes breathing exercises and meditations to conduct to prevent the release the essence energy during sexual intercourse which in turn helps strengthen the “chi” energy. Lastly the “jing” and “chi” mix to assist the brain and nervous system’s “Shen” or mind/spirit energy. Shen is described as ability to be resilient in the mind, strong memory, clear thinking, with better control of emotional and wisdom mind. Taoist call Jing, Chi, and Shen the “3 treasures”. So basically guys- don’t spill your seed, doesn’t the Bible talk about that?

Mantak Chia’s wife wrote a similar book on practices for Women. This book is called “Healing Love through the Tao: Cultivating Female Sexual Energy” . These practices were originally handed down from monks and nuns who studied these mediation arts and the alchemy of the body to obtain immortality and enlightenment. The practices help the adept to control urges during vows of celibacy. Some phenomenon in these nuns was the complete cessation of the menstrual period.

Along with the book readings, my teacher also taught about diet and how this affects the CHI energy. There are food that damage the CHI and food and herbs that nourish the CHI. Water is an important factor in the health of your skin. Daily exercise is important in the elimination of toxins in the body. Tai Chi, the most practiced healing marital art in the world, practiced by millions in parks in the morning in Asia, is practiced daily to promote the circulation of jing, chi, and blood in the body. Pain is the result of broken and interrupted flow of chi in the passage ways called meridian. The Chi in the meridians can be positively affected by acupuncture, massage, qigong, Tai Chi, meditation, herbs, and mind. Side note: Tai Chi however has nearly lost it martial arts prowess. Early generation Tai Chi fighters used it successfully in challenges, later generations after the gun, taught it mostly for health, though some still can use it for fighting. Today you will find many Tai Chi practitioners that can’t throw a punch, a rare few will show up and fight in San Shou competitions with it.

A stress combating lifestyle will keep you young and fit. Massage, herbs, acupuncture, meditation, diet, and exercise help promote the preservation of youth. Understanding the body energies and building sensitivity to your Chi energy is only the beginning. How CHI reacts to emotions, foods, weather, and other external stimulus and finding balance to that stimulus by maintaining the discipline of CHI awareness is up to you. As my Chinese doctor would often say, “Chi is the most important thing.”

Post workout meditation anyone?

March 9, 2010 on 7:50 pm | In Yoga and Meditations:Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Tibetan, | No Comments

In the old Taoist monastery’s I heard there was a method that a abbot might teach where the monk might do tai chi and then meditate for a few hours on microcosmic orbit taoist yoga.

what are some of the post training meditation or contemplative work you have been taught? was it Taoist, Buddhist, other? I will attempt to break down some traditional meditative disciples here. i hope you will share some techniques, methods, and experiences.

Taoist:
-Taoist yoga
-microcosmic orbit
-6 healing sounds
-wuji
-breath counting, visualization.
-other?

India-
-pranayama and breath of fire work
-hatha yoga
- sun or candle gazing
-kundalini yoga or sahaja yoga
-raja yoga
- TM or Transcendental yoga.
- other?

Buddhism-
-hinyana and theravada: vipassana
-mahayana: yantra yoga, mantrayana, yidam yoga, Chan or Zen.
-vajrayana and dzogchen: tantra, mahamudra, contemplative/guru yoga.

In my case I learned Taoist sitting and tan tien breathing, 6 healing sounds. my Chinese doctor taught TM as well.

In college i learned vajrayana methods from a Tibetan buddhist monk. He taught pranayama, contemplative yoga (sitting with eyes open), some gentle (non forceful)breath work using the channels similar kundalini, and dzogchen exercises to concentrate mind.

I feel that the Buddhist techniques are much stronger in post meditative effects. The Taoist methods might make me feel more ‘chi’ but the Buddhist methods seem to really clear the mind from a lot of thought.

As for Yoga..I dont do very much, I might go to Bikrim yoga on occasion or do some Hatha on my own.

Yoga postures for martial arts I do are:
Ardha Matsyendrasana- seated twist
Dhanurasana- Bow
Halasana- plow.
Matsyasana (fish)
Hanumanasana- split
Janu Sirsasana- head to knee
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana- revolved side angle
Parivrtta Trikonasana- revolved side
Parsvottonasana- pyramid
Supta Matsyendrasana- supine spine twist
Supta Padangusthasana- recline big toe pull
Upavistha Konasana- seated wide leg straddle
Urdhva Dhanurasana- wheel pose
Utthita Parsvakonasana – variations
Virabhadrasana I- warrior 1
Virabhadrasana III- scale (warrior 3)
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana- updog
Uttanasana standing forward bend (also sitting)

alot of them I have come across in Boxing, Taiji, and bagua training.

Sahaja Yoga

December 17, 2009 on 5:40 pm | In Yoga and Meditations:Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Tibetan, | No Comments

Sahaja Yoga is a sitting practice much different than Hatha, Pilates, or Bikrim yoga where the body is stretched and held in postures to circulate energy. Yoga means harnessing the mind. This practice involves quiet sitting and some basic concentration exercises to allow the mind to begin to understand a thoughtless state of pure awareness. Sahaja yoga uses the subtle system of channels and chakras associated with the endocrine and nerve plexuses in the body. These include- pituitary gland, pineal gland in head, thyroid and para-thyroid in the throat, cervical nerve plexus, thalamus in the chest cavity, adrenal glands, spleen, and pancreases in the abdominal cavity, and lastly the ovaries and testes along with the sacral plexus.

3 channels- Left – Ida, right- Pingala and Central sushumna.

Ida- Left represents emotion, subconscious, the past, wind (internal energy), carbohydrates, moon, yin, feminine.
The left rises from the mooladhara (earth chakra) up descending colon, through stomach/spleen- left lung and heart, crosses 3rd eye to right brain.

Pingala- Right- represents aggression, supra conscious/ego, future, bile production, protein, sun, yang, masculine. Rises from Swadisthan (sex chakra) up the ascending colon through the gall bladder and liver, through the right lung, up to 3rd eye and crosses to the left brain.

Sushumna- Central channel- it represents the present moment, phlegm production. It arises from the sacrum the kundalini passes through up the spine and center of body to top of head (Brahma’s aperture- baby’s soft spot) awakening the spirit and conscious awareness.

To balance the channels- the method of alternate nostril breathing is applied. In yoga this is called Pranayama. You inhale through left nostril, close left nostril and exhale out the right nostril. Then reverse: inhale through the right nostril, close the right nostril and then exhale out the left. This should be done 3 times for each nostril. It will clear out negative energies in the channels, stale air and toxins from the lungs. The central channel is cleanes by breathing through both nostril and bending forward in a bowing motion and forcefully exhaling at the last 3rd section of the breath. Do this 3 times. You can add the visualization of dark colored smoke leaving the Brahma’s aperture at the top of the skull making the central channel a pure blue color.

Raise the Kundalini exercise by rolling the hand up the front of body to over your head 3 x. see video.

Do Bhanda- that is 7 times making a half circle arch with your right hand from the left side palm, over your head and to right side. Say the name of each chakra for each arch you make over your head. This will seal and protect your energy. See video.

Chakra Meditation-
Sit cross legged on ground, in a chair with feet touching floor, or standing.
Lower both hands to face the earth and take a few breaths to allow your mind to clear.

Mooladhara- (Innocence)cleans the earth chakra by having left palm up rested on your knee, and right palm towards the earth. Say with sincerity 4 times- “Earth- please take away all my negative emotions and balance my energy”. Visualize negative energy such as emotions, anxiety, bad moods, and past karmas leaving the left side of body out of the right hand into the earth where it is neutralized by earth elements.
This is the charka of returning to innocence, simplicity, joy and purity. Its color is red and had 4 petals. Sexual excessiveness, black tantra, and greed damage this chakra.

Note: Kundalini- is the spiraling sexual energy between the Mooladhara and Swadisthan chakras at the Sacral Plexus. The purpose is to move the energy up into the body.

Swadisthan- root or sex chakra (Creativity). change the right hand to palm up and raise the left hand towards the sky. Say with sincerity 6 times, “Sky, please take away all these aggressive thoughts.” Visualize excessive aggression and angry energy from the right side of the body leaving the left hand and out into the sky where it is neutralized by the sun, sky and stars. All the future karma, stress, and anger leaves you. This is associated with the Fire element and creativity. It controls reproduction and our ability to concentrate. Alcohol, drugs, bad eating, and an ego centric life damages this chakra. This chakra is orange and has 6 petals.

Nabhi- Solar plexus (Peace). Place the left palm facing up on your left knee and right hand on your navel. Say 10 times to yourself with sincerity- “Please help me find pure self knowledge”. This is the chakra of water element, it has 10 petals and the color is yellow. It is associated with peace, morality, generosity and contentment. Dominating others, impatience, worry, alcohol and drugs damage this chakra.

Nabhi- Bhavsagra or Void- Void is the energy center that Surrounds the Nabhi and touches the Swadisthan. Place the right hand to the left of the navel and say to yourself with sincerity 10 times- “I am my own master, I am my own guru”. This is the energy center of stability, balance lifestyle and principle of mastery.
Belief in false masters, day dreaming, and laziness will damage this chakra.

Anand- Heart Chakra (Compassion and Love). Place the right hand over your heart and say with sincerity 12 times- ” Iam not this body, I am not this mind, I am the pure spirit.” The heart chakra is associated with the Air element, the color green, and has 12 petals. This is the chakra of love, confidence, and compassion. Insecurity, fear, and inconsiderate behavior damage this chakra. It controls the lungs and breathing and hearts ability to circulate blood.

Vishuddhi- Voice/Throat chakra (communication). Place the right hand on the left side of the neck and say 16 times with sincerity- “I am not guilty.” This chakra is associated with the ether element, it is blue, and has 16 petals. Self esteem, pure relationships, communication, and diplomacy are positive aspects of this chakra. Feelings of guilt, sarcasm, criticism damage the balance of this chakra. Our movement, speech, and facial expressions are are governed by this chakra.

Agnya or 3rd Eye (Forgiveness)- Place the right hand over your forehead and say with total sincerity 2 times- “I forgive everyone”. After you have done that place your right hand on the back of your head and say with total incerity 2 times- “Please forgive me for whatever mistakes I have done consciously and unconsciously.” The Agnya is associated with the Light element, it is 2 petals and color is Indigo. Forgiveness, humility, and egolessness is the positive aspect of this chakra. Self centeredness, hatred, harm to self and others will damage this chakra.

Special note: Please say “Hum shum” during meditation for sometime, it helps us to be thoughtless. “He, Christ, is placed in our Agnya in the centre where the optic nerve and optic thalamus cross; it’s a very subtle point. It creates two sounds, Hum and Shum. Hum on the right-hand side superego and Shum on the left-hand side ego. Hum and Shum create two kinds of vibrations. The Hum sound creates the vibration, I am, I am. Hum, this comes from our existence power, that we know we have to live in this world and we are not going to die. Any human being who tries to kill himself is considered not normal. Normally, every human being or animal tries to retain its life, that is through the power of Hum, I am, the superego on the right-hand side and ego on the left-hand side is Shum.”

Sahasrara or Crown chakra (Integration)- it is also called the 1000 petal lotus. Place the right hand on the top of the skull and massage in a circle 7 times. With full sincerity say to your self, “Please help me attain self realization”. Raise the right hand over the skull a few inches and try to feel energy between the palm and crown of head. The energy may feel warm or cool. A cool feeling is what you are going for. This chakra is violet in color and is associated with integration. It integrates all other chakras, dimensions, our central nervous system, and thoughtless awareness. Doubts about self, reality, and our higher power will imbalance this chakra. This chakra is our link between consciousness and divinity.

Continue sitting with both palms face up on your knees and feel the result of practice. Remain in a state of thoughtless awareness. You can move your hand slowly over a chakras and feel the energy there. You can slowly move your hand in a circle 7 times to balance the energy there. Here you can listen to soft music and lectures of Shri Mataji. If you are sitting in a chair you can also do the practice with foot soaking in salt water. If you have excessive thoughts during practice you can put ice over your liver.

Close the meditation by doing the ‘Raising the kundalini’ exercise and ‘Bandha’ as mentioned in the beginning of the practice. Palms together in prayer- Dedicate your practice that all beings suffering in the universe may attain enlightenment.

“Meditation is the only way you can grow, because when you meditate, you are in Silence, you are in Thoughtless
Awareness. Then the growth of awareness takes place.”- HH Shri Mataji

Wudang Exercises for health

November 25, 2009 on 2:19 pm | In Health/Qigong/Healing, Yoga and Meditations:Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Tibetan, | No Comments

Warm ups-
shaking body/arms- front, sides, up
clasped hands wrist circles
wrist circles with palm to inside/outside
elbow circles with palm, hand to inside/outside
shoulder rolls with thumbs at L1
rotate arm- both directions left arm then right arm with hip turn
Swinging arms- hitting body
hitting shoulder and under opposite arm/lat with turning head
back bend forward bend- slow rising up.
rotate waist-both directions
rotate hips- both directions

Phoenix nods head-
1. Head/eyes and body move in spinal wave
2. Reverse spinal wave
3. Head/eyes move clockwise while body sways side to side
4. Reverse direction
rotate knees- both directions
rotate ankles- both directions

Patting massage/Self hitting- detailed: clap hands
1. Shoulder- front, top, around joint (left and right)
2. Arm- top, bottom, outside, inside
3. Kidneys
4. Lower back and bottom
5. Legs- back, front, outside, inside
6. Stomach
7. Face, scalp
8. Sternum
9. End with forceful heng sound
Ending: rub hands- eye/face/scalp.

Samples
- Raising hands (beginning Taiji qigong form)
- Raise hands and open arms (Taiji qigong)
-repulse monkey (from Taiji qigong)
- rotate waist and turning left and right: hold ball at tan tien, middle tan tien, upper tan tien.
- Tiger- rise and sink into ma bu with roar sound.
- Crane arms- 1. arms out 2. add kick
-rhino view the moon- twisted bow stance- arms press up and down.
-knee to inside leg stance drill.
-washing qi- heaven (bai hui) down to body- earth. breathing
-flicking off bad qi
-End- self massage- rub hands sequence each time before- eyes, face, scalp, shoulder/arms, kidneys, legs, feet, throat, chest, tan tien.

Xingyi 5 elements qigong- Pi, beng heng, tsuan, pao.

Pakua qigong:
- Snake- snake hand in horizontal circle both directions
- Turning tea cups- single and double palm changes
-1. Bear: curling fingers into fists: hands up front body and push down front of body
-2. Dragon: curling fingers into fists: hands up side of body and push down front of body
- add Liver sound SHUUUU to #1.
-Falcon: Cross hands and expel toxins with forceful HAAA sound

Hard Qigong-
Bow stance breathing-
1. inhale, clasp hands and fist press down shifting left and right
2. horse stance- chop and hit L1 point left and right
3. repeat #1
4. horse stance-extend arms out and then hit dan tien.
5. Repeat #1

Post standing – Embrace posture for 7 minutes

30 min. Sitting Meditation-
1. tan tien: hands at tan tien, sitting upright (visualize light seeking tan tien area)
2. sun and moon: visualize absorbing sun and moon light into tan tien and mixing in circle.
3. Self healing: visualize whirlpool cleansing from head to toe.
4. Closing/self massage: eyes, face, scalp, arms, kidneys, legs, tan tien.
5. Taoist yoga: teeth clasping, tongue along gums- swallow pearl 3x.