Beginner's Guide to Walking Meditation

Aloha Everyone,

Walking is something we do without thinking about it.  Most of us take it for granted our ability to walk.  We usually get up in the morning, get out of our bed and we walk.  It may be just around the house or to our car to drive somewhere but for some of us we go for a walk for sheer enjoyment and as a part of our daily exercise routine. 

There are four body postures of meditation including standing, walking, sitting and

lying on the side  Today we will concentrate on Walking and Lying Meditation.

WALKING MEDITATION

Walking Meditation is often done concurrently with sitting meditation, for example, every 30 minutes interval, you can take a 5 minutes break to walk to stretch the legs and loosen your body.

Walking Meditation may be practiced indoors or outdoors.

Best time of the day – early morning before sun rise as the sky is beginning to get light or about an hour before the sun sets.

Pace – once you set your speed, try to maintain the same pace throughout your walk.

Movement – heel, toe, heel toe.  For additional benefit of balancing, walk slowly so that your weight is on one foot then the other.  Try to keep your head steady at a same plane as if you are gliding.

Eyes – keep them open, head lifted, eyes looking on the ground about 10 to 12 feet ahead of you.

If done in indoors, walk in a circle or pace back and forth

Method

-              Your body is relaxed, arms and hands relax by your side, hold your head up,  elongate your spine and begin walking, heel toe, heel toe

-             Pay attention to the sensation on the soles of your feet as it contact the ground

-              Now pay attention to your surrounding with your eyes.  Observe them closely and imagine how 3 years old would view them as if the child is seeing them for the first time in his or her young life.

-              Now also pay attention to the sounds you hear.  Do not come up with your opinions whether it is a pleasant sound or disturbing sound.  Just listen without judgment or trying to figure out its source.

-             Now also pay attention to the sensations on your skin, on the soles of your feet.

If it’s sunny, feel the heat from the sun.  If it’s raining, feel the wetness on your skin.  On windy day, just enjoy the wind’s energy.

-                  Now add smell to your observation.  Do not come up with your opinions whether it is a pleasant or unpleasant smell.  Just notice without judgment or trying to figure out its source.

-                  Remember to be fully aware of your body, and be mindful of your surroundings; empty your mind of thoughts and you will get a full benefit of the walking meditation.

Benefits:

Helps generate a lot of mental energy to help concentration.

Helps your body heal of physical injuries such as back, neck shoulder and knee.

Reduce anxiety and stress.

Lying on the side Meditation

You might have seen small carved statue or painting of the Buddha meditating on his side.  This meditation pose is practiced by Buddhist monks and mentioned in Dao Yin training.

As in any meditation practice, set aside a quiet, designated place to practice.  Turn off your cell phone and be sure that you allocate at least 20 minutes for each practice.  Have mattress or cushion under the whole body.

Method:

-             Lie on your right side with left arm resting on top of the body.

-             Rest your right elbow on the floor with the hand supporting the head.

If the right hand begins to feel discomfort, slight shifting of position may help.

-             May tuck a cushion under your right armpit or place it upper chest to relieve some of your body weight

-             Both knees are bent slightly but the left knee is little more bent then the right to alleviate any pressure.

Caution:         Do not over do.  If you begin to feel pain, stop, stretch and resume your pose.

Not recommended if you have neck problems.         

Benefits:

You will experience peace and tranquility.

Helps generate mental clarity, improves brain function.

Helps relieve stress and heal your body.

Don’t expect to master meditation techniques over night.  Master Yogi and Meditation Guru Anmol Mehta teach us that it takes dedication and years of practice to master meditation. So don’t look for immediate results. Enjoy these simple but powerful meditation techniques and be healthy and live a joyful and compassionate life!

Namaste -- Cathi

Dao Yin Exercises

Aloha Everyone,

How many times to repeat and how gently or forcefully to do individual exercises are up to how you are feeling at the time you start.  As in any exercises, do not over do it.  Listen to your body.  You should not be feeling pain when you do any of the exercises we do in our class.

1.  Raise your arms – bring them down forcefully, exhale with your mouth uttering powerful “Ha” sounds

2.  Body Tap – start with your left arm, left hand up and down 3 times, then to right hand, right arm, up and down

3.  Tip toe – up and down

4.  Stomach grind – move from your Lower Dantien.  Start in one direction, then reverse

5.  Squat – up and down

6.  Interlace your fingers at the back of your lower back

7.  Gentle back bend

8.  Maintain interlaced fingers, gentle forward bend

9.  Wider stand – holding an imaginary ball, move the ball around, let the qui guide your hands

10.  Move your body from the lower Dantien to the left and to the right, let the arms follow the body’s movement naturally

11.  Move your hands to the shoulders, left to right, gentle taps, again your movement should be from the lower Dantien and the arms are moving according to the speed and the movement of your body

12.  Pushing one hand up to the heaven, the other hand down pressing the Earth, reverse

13.  Hug yourself with arms under arm pits – reverse

13.  Hug your nees – half lotus – both legs

14.  Knee circle, reverse then change leg

Namaste — Cathi

Dao Yin – Guiding and Stretching

Aloha Everyone,

Dao Yin written in Chinese character literally means Dao (guiding) and Yin (stretching).  Dao Yin is regarded as a traditional form of Chinese calisthenics focused on stretching and breathing. 

A series of Dao Yin exercises are usually gentle with  fluid movements done in standing, sitting or lying positions.  Dao Yin exercises are considered a precursor of qigong and it was practiced in Taoist monasteries in China for health and spiritual cultivation.

Dao Yin exercises create balance between internal and external energies.  By doing them in proper sequence, the spirit, mind and body are energized.  One develps flexibility in muscles and tendons, develops over all physical and emotional strength as well as balancing of body and mind.

If practiced regularly under a proper guidance, Dao Yin exercises will help maintain good physical and spritual health.  Clinical studies have shown that there are many health benefits of Dao Yin including improvement of your inner strength, you will gain better balance and flexibility, you will have more energy and gain better coordination.  Dao Yin exercises are used as preventative, curative as well as recupeerative in maintenance and restoration of one’s health and fitness.

Namaste — Cathi

Dao Yin Longevity Self Massage

Aloha Everyone,

Here is an outline of Dao Yin Longevity Self Massage we practiced this week.  The primary benefits are towards the kidney and the brain, but it also strengthens the body, bones, teeth, and knees

Sit in a chair or crossed legged on the floor

Exercise 1:

Warm up your hand – palms down on your thighs, massage the top, sides of your thighs – 18 times

Exercise 2:

Place your hands over your lower dantien (lower belly area), left hand over your right.  Rub back and forth side ways count back and forth cycle as one.  Visualize a yellow, glowing sun in your lower dantien.  Place both hands on your dantien and take a couple of long deep breaths.  Repeat 18 times.

Exercise 3:

Leave your left hand on your belly, bring the right hand behind on the base of your spinal column, massage clock-wise 18 times over your sacrum.  Keep both hands and take a few long deep breaths

Exercise 4:

Bring both hands to the kidney areas, using back of your hand, in and down, out and up, circular motion.  Massage 18 times.  When finished, press your hands firmly at the kidney areas for a few long deep breaths

Exercise 5:

Bring your hands up to the ears.  Cover your ears by cupping them gently.  Put your middle fingers over your index fingers then using these two fingers flick or tap on the base of your skull, your hand should be directly on your skin and not on your hair.  Repeat 18 times, you should hear echoing sound.  This releases any bottleneck of chi that is stuck at the base of the skull.

Exercise 6:

Left hand goes to the lap, cupped palms up.  Right hand to the top of your head, rub the top of your head with index and middle fingers still engaged in a circular motion.  Repeat 18 times.

Exercise 7:

Bring left hand over right hand, click your teeth (18 times).  Roll your eyes and tongue at the same time (behind your teeth) mouth maybe closed.  9 times in one direction then reverse direction 9 times.  Your eyes may be closed.  If you have saliva in the mouth, visualize this as moon light nectar; swallow down to join the bright yellow sun in the dantien.

Exercise 8:

Bring your knee up on your thigh.  Circular rub of knees and your feet to activate the kidney channel (18 times one direction, change direction and go 18 times).  Switch knees and repeat the same amount.  Visualize warm, sun-like chi circulating throughout your body.

Relax, enjoy the effect of the daoyin longevity self-massage.  For more advanced students, increase by each exercise in increments of 9.  For example, 9 times, 18 times, 27 times, 36 times, 45 times etc.

Namaste — Cathi