Taiji on Maui   Balance and Harmony for a Better Life

Most people attempting to learn meditation have had years of conditioning that have programmed them to fail at that attempt.

Ponder this definition:  Meditate, noun, 2.) Continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation.

Now this is not a failing of the language; because the word’s origin means: literally “to think.” Perhaps the Taoist method is not “meditation”.  By this I mean that, conscious thought is contrary to the prime objective of Taoist meditation, or rather just a basic starting point.  As to “thinking” the general premise is;  To ponder a concept of a “thing” in order to make a rational decision towards a situation etc. I am paraphrasing here because there are over twenty definitions of the word “think”.

Therefore, for our purposes we need to redefine meditation, in the Taoist perspective; meaning more or less the opposite of the classical definition. For even if we are contemplating energy it is preferred that there is no conscious “contemplating” going on and that for our purpose “energy“ is both “thing” and “non-thing.“

Seems to me that we do too much thinking already. Isn’t “thinking” one of the greatest sources of suffering in the human condition today?  Wouldn’t you love to be able to “not think” for just a moment?  Wouldn’t it be nice if that endless loop of thoughts would just “go away”?

To begin our practice we must form a new paradigm; most likely, almost everything you thought you understood about “meditating” is, in a word, wrong.  First, we need to learn a little about “Qigong” or energy cultivation as the Taoists of old called the practice. This art needs to be learned from a qualified teacher and that is beyond the scope of this article. I assume, if you are reading this, that you have a basic understanding of qigong.

These practices could be:
Moving or still
Internal (nei gong) or external (wei gong)
Sitting or standing
Physical or mental/emotional
Whatever the case may be, they are all manifestations of Yin/Yang.

The first step in learning the Taoist meditation methods that I have learned, is to open the body’s channels through some basic qigong movements.  It is possible to begin without first warming up this way but I would recommend doing so. Meditation practice can be standing or sitting but either way the basics are the same.

By opening up the energy pathways and dissolving our mind and body into one, the energy will spontaneously transmute into spirit.  After melting away the layers of body, mind and emotion, there is really only one place left for the energy to go into, the spirit. Sounds simple doesn’t it?  Keep in mind what Taoists call the “spirit” may be different that what you are thinking.

An ancient king once asked a famous Taoist sage, “What is your secret to longevity?”

The Sage replied, “My mind is merged with my body; my body is merged with my energy, my energy is merged with my spirit, and my spirit is merged with Tao.”

These concepts in Taoist Meditation Basics  Parts 1-3 lay the foundation for the practice of “Spiritual Alchemy.”  In the next 3 articles, on  “Taoist Meditation Practices”,  I will describe the actual process that is involved in performing the once closely guarded secret of “Spiritual Alchemy.”

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