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  • #31
    Dear Sigung
    Thank you for your answer and clarification.

    with Shaolin salute o\
    Bernhard
    "No matter what you do, you must be clear in your conscience." - Sitaigung Ho
    A single light can eliminate the darkness of millenia.
    Every moment is precious.

    Comment


    • #32
      Question 9 on Wuji Stance or Standing Meditation

      Question 9

      I remember Sifu saying many years ago that he stopped doing sitting meditation as he felt his mind was getting too powerful (I hope this is correct and my apologies if not). I then remember Sifu saying more recently that he felt that our standing meditation at the end of our Chi Kung training, that we do for a few minutes, is now more powerful than sitting meditation. Sifu can you explain what you mean when you say "standing meditation is more powerful than sitting meditation” and why do you think so?

      Sifu Mark Hartnett


      Answer

      The immediate reason why I didn’t teach sitting meditation in a lotus or semi-lotus position was because from practicing sitting meditation I found my mind had become too powerful. I recorded the actual experience in my autobiography, “The Way of the Master”. You can also read about it in Answer 13 of Questions on Wudang Kungfu, Taijiquan and Zhang San Feng.

      I knew I would never abuse it; it would just be damn silly to do so. But I did not want those I taught to have the possibility of this burden.

      The other reason why I didn’t teach sitting meditation in a lotus or semi-lotus position was because I found that the results of our standing meditation were those practicing sitting meditation hoped to achieve.

      Benefits of meditation range from the basic of relaxation to the supreme of merging with the Great Void, with countless other benefits in between. We could achieve all these benefits in standing meditation which is safer and faster.

      Why do we practice meditation? It is due to the benefits it gives. We do not practice meditation to show others that we practice meditation, which unfortunately is an object or aim of some people. If practitioners, like in my Merging with the Cosmos courses, can do so in 3 hours, it is unnecessary, in fact just silly, to practice sitting meditation for 30 years.

      There is no doubt at all why we diligently practice our arts. It is to have good health, vitality, longevity, mental clarity and spiritual joys. It is certainly not that we want to show others that we know meditation, kungfu or chi kung.

      As we still live in our phenomenal world, it is not necessary to merge with the Great Void. But to have a glimpse of the Great Void, then return to our phenomenal world, is wonderful. It gives cosmic wisdom. It also overcomes the greatest fear that any human has, i.e. the fear of physical death.

      I did not actually say that standing meditation is more powerful than sitting meditation. But I do say that for us standing meditation can give us benefits that sitting meditation can give, and in a faster and safer way.

      Why do I say so? When we do standing meditation, we can be relaxed. When we do standing meditation, we can develop mental clarity and internal force, which contribute to peak performance. When we do standing meditation, we can merge with the Great Void, but we return to our phenomenal world where we work and live.

      To be relaxed, to have peak performance, and to merge with the Great Void are the three categories of benefits of meditation, or spiritual training. Most people cannot relax. Most people do not perform at their best. Very, very, very few people can merge with the Great Void.
      Daniel Pérez
      http://www.shaolinbcn.es

      Comment


      • #33
        Dear Sifu:

        Thank you very much for your response, it has been very complete for me. It also resulted from my usefulness and interest, since I had never considered standing meditation as an independent practice, even though it is always part of my training at the beginning and in the end. I will take into consideration and I will be aware of your advice and recommendations about the practice of it.
        I appreciate very much the information.

        Daniel: Thank you very much once more for opening this opportunity to ask. I would love to take this course.
        See you in Barcelona!

        Thanks to everyone else for their excellent questions that give rise to excellent answers that are always of great benefit and interest.

        Best wishes,

        Paz

        Comment


        • #34
          This is a treasure trove of wisdom, even more than usual, I think. Thank you to Sifu for sharing these wonderful gems.

          Comment


          • #35
            Question 10 of Wuji Stance or Standing Meditation

            More gems from Sifu:

            Question 10


            Does meditation lead to positive thoughts and why/why not?

            Bernhard


            Answer


            Yes, meditation, which is spiritual cultivation, leads to positive thoughts.

            Meditation cultivates the spirit, which in some cultures, like in Buddhism, refers to the mind, and in Chinese culture it refers to the “heart”.

            Cultivation of the mind or the heart includes physical, emotional and mental cultivation. In other words, when a practitioner cultivates his spirit, mind or heart, he also improves his physical, emotional and mental aspects.

            Reversely, if a person has a low spirit, his physical, emotional and mental aspects are affected. This can be obviously seen in everyday situations. When a person’s spirit is low, for example, his physical, emotional and mental conditions deteriorate. He may be sick, his emotions are low, and his thinking is unfavorably affected.

            It is helpful to know that here spiritual cultivation, or cultivation of the mind or heart, is different from mental cultivation. Spiritual cultivation deals with the spirit, whereas mental cultivation deals with the intellect.

            Spiritual cultivation includes mental cultivation. When a practitioner has cultivated his spirit, his intellect will also improve. But an improvement of the intellect does not necessary improve a person’s spirit.

            It is also helpful to know that in Buddhist and in Chinese cultures, the spirit includes the emotions. The Buddhists talk about the spirit and the body, and the Chinese talk about the heart and the body. When a person has high spiritual or heart cultivation, his emotions are well balanced. A highly spiritual person, or a person highly cultivated in the heart, is peaceful and happy, which in Western terms refer to the emotions.
            Daniel Pérez
            http://www.shaolinbcn.es

            Comment


            • #36
              Dear Sigung and dear Daniel Sipak thank you very much for the answer and the thread.

              o\
              Bernhard
              "No matter what you do, you must be clear in your conscience." - Sitaigung Ho
              A single light can eliminate the darkness of millenia.
              Every moment is precious.

              Comment


              • #37
                Question 11 on Wuji Stance or Standing Meditation -- Part 1

                Question 11

                Could Sigung share with us what is the best way to focus the mind, relax physically, emotionally and spiritually?

                Karol


                Answer

                The best way to focus the mind, and to relax physically, emotionally and spiritually, depends much on the developmental stage of the individuals.

                Before answering, I would like to add “relax mentally” to the question. “Physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually” are four aspects in Western concept. In the Chinese concept, which mirrors many Easter cultures, there are only two aspects, namely the body and the heart.

                The “heart” includes the emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions. Hence, in the Chinese concept when one talks of the body and the heart, he includes the four aspects of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of Western concept.

                It is worthwhile to mention that the mental aspect is different from the spiritual aspect. The mental aspect deals with the intellect, whereas the spiritual aspect deals with the spirit. When one reasons or philosophizes, he involves the intellectual aspect. When he is peaceful and happy, he involves the spiritual aspect.

                There are actually two stages in the question – one, to focus the mind, and two, to relax physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. It is easier to reverse the two stages, i.e. firstly to relax physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, then to focus the mind.

                There are many developmental stages, but all these developmental stages may be classified into three levels, namely the elementary, the intermediate and the advanced.

                At the elementary level, the best way to relax physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually is just to relax, without caring about whether the relaxation is physical, emotional, mental or spiritual.

                Most people would say that it is easier said than done. It is easy to say, “Just relax,” but difficult to actually relax. But in our school, Shaolin Wahnam, interestingly, it is easier done than said. Just relax, i.e. actually doing the relaxing, is easier than finding words to describe.

                Relaxing is natural. Walking, which we do everyday, is not naturally. You took about 9 months to a year to learn how to walk.

                To relax, all you need to do is not to tense your muscles. Not tensing your muscles is actually easier than tensing your muscles. Not doing anything is easier than doing something.

                But most people are tensed habitually, usually without their realizing. So, you need some time to relax successfully, but certainly it can be done. Just relax. You can relax in any comfortable position, whether standing, sitting, lying down or moving about.

                Once you can relax, you can proceed to the next step of focusing your mind on whatever you are doing. If you are not doing anything, just do some simple things, like picking up a pencil and putting it down, then picking it again and putting it down. Just focus on what you are doing, but you must do so in a relaxed manner.

                Initially, just focus on doing something in a relaxed manner for a very short time, like a minute or two. Gradually you can increase the time.

                (Part 2 follows)
                Daniel Pérez
                http://www.shaolinbcn.es

                Comment


                • #38
                  Question 11 on Wuji Stance or Standing Meditation -- Part 2

                  (Continued from Part 1)

                  When you have attained the elementary level of focusing the mind in a relaxed manner, you can proceed to the intermediated level.

                  First we learn how to relax physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, then we focus the mind. Standing meditation at the Wuji Stance is excellent. First we just relax, instead of in any comfortable position we adopt the Wuji Stance. Then we relax physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, perform one aspect at a time, then all the four aspects at once. Those who have practiced Cosmic Shower will have no difficulty.

                  When we can relax physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually all at once, we can proceed to focusing the mind. An excellent exercise is Lifting the Sky. The main purpose is not to generate an energy flow, or to develop internal force or any skill, but to focus the mind.

                  We can choose to focus on the movement or on the breathing, but not both at the same time. Choose either one. When you life your hands, or when you breathe in, just be gently aware that you life your hands or breathe in. When you lower your hands, or breathe out, just be gently aware that you lower your hands or breathe out.

                  It is sufficient if you can perform about 60% of the time. In other words, out of any 10 times when you lift or lower your hands, or breathe in or breathe out, you are gently aware of your lifting or lowering your hands, or breathing in or breathing out about 6 times.

                  Hence, you can focus your mind at a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level at the intermediate level. Start with a comfortable time, then gradually increase the time.

                  Then you can focus your mind in a physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually relaxed manner at the advanced level. Sit in a lotus position or semi-lotus position. Because of our advanced skills, members of Shaolin Wahnam can sit upright on a seat in a relaxed manner.

                  Clear the mind of all thoughts, then focus on just one thought to arrive at a one-pointed mind. You may think of your dan tian, or you may gently look at a real object, like a stone, a short distance in front of you, in which case you keep your eyes slightly open. Or you may gently count from 1 to 4 then repeat continuously. Or you may recite a short mantra or any non-sensible words. You will then have a crystal clear one-pointed mind at the advanced level.

                  It is important that the methods involve skills, and not just techniques. These methods are not recommended to be practiced on your own. You need to practice them under a master.
                  Daniel Pérez
                  http://www.shaolinbcn.es

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Question 7 on Wuji Stance or Standing Meditation (revised)

                    Hello all,

                    As there were some mistakes in answer number 7, here's the final one:

                    Question 7

                    If I remember correctly you somewhere mentioned the focus mode and the cosmos mode. Can Sigung explain to us what these modes are, if these are attainments of standing meditation and which benefits does standing meditation have on people who are ill physically and / or psychologically.

                    I think there are a few people in the west who think that meditation is a simple, direct and effective way to heal body and soul. Can Sigung please share with us his view about that with special emphasis on standing meditation?

                    How do Chi Flow and the hei sai spirits influence Standing Meditation?

                    Bernhard


                    Revised Answer


                    You did not remember correctly.

                    It was not the focus mode and the cosmos mode, but the correspondence mode and the expansion mode. It did not refer to the Wuji Stance or standing meditation; it referred to the Three-Body Stance.

                    I mentioned the correspondence mode and the expansion mode when performing the Three-Body Stance at a regional Xingyiquan course of the UK Summer Camp in July 2013.

                    The Three-Body Stance is called “San Ti Shi” in Romanized Chinese. It refers to three aspects of the body, namely the hands, the legs and the trunk. The Three-Body Stance is also called the Triangle Stance, and is similar to the Four-Six Stance and the Stream-Character Stance.

                    The Three-Body Stance is a fundamental stance to develop internal force in Xingyiquan. At first I wondered why the Three-Body Stance was used as it is not symmetrical, unlike the Horse-Riding Stance in Shaolin Kungfu or the Three-Circle Stance in Taijiquan.

                    When I read a Xingyiquan classic, I found the answer. The classic mentioned the correspondence mode and the expansion mode. In the correspondence mode, practitioners focus their chi at the corresponding hand and foot. If a practitioner is in the left Three-Body Stance, i.e. the left hand and the left foot in front, the focus is on the left hand and the right foot. If the practitioner is in the right Three-Body Stance, i.e. the right hand and the right foot in front, the focus is on the right hand and the left foot. In the expansion mode, practitioners expand their chi. These two modes overcome the asymmetrical structure of the Three-Body Stance.

                    The correspondence mode is not used in the Wuji Stance or standing meditation, but the expansion mode is used in the Wuji Stance. But the use of the expansion mode in the Wuji Stance is different from that in the Three-Body Stance. If the expansion mode in the Wuji Stance is used in the same way as in the Three-Body Stance, or vice versa, the two modes may be detrimental to the two stances.

                    The correspondence mode and the expansion mode in the Three-Body Stance as well as the expansion mode in the Wuji Stance are detrimental to people who are physically or psychologically ill. Ill people should practice exercises from the 18 Jewels, Five-Animal Play or self-manifested chi movement. These modes are too powerful. This is an important point many people may not realize.

                    Meditation, which is spiritual cultivation, is not suitable to heal the body and soul. Practitioners should practice meditation only when they are ready. They should at least be healthy. That was the reason why the great Bodhidharma taught the Eighteen Lohan Hands. He found the monks sick and weak. Eighteen Lohan Hands could strength them.

                    Most people do not practice any form of meditation, including standing meditation, correctly. They just stand upright, or think they are upright though they usually lean back. They are tensed and stressful.

                    The term “hei sai” in Cantonese was invented by me. Literally it means “energy-form”. “Hei sai” was very noticeable in all my sifus. When they performed kungfu, they demonstrated “hei sai”, which was an invisible but perceptible flow of energy or spirit that was pressing.

                    Standing meditation focuses on training of mind or spirit. If chi flow occurs, depending on how vigorously the outward movements are, it changes to self-manifested chi movement, flowing water floating clouds, flowing breeze swaying willows, or flowingly still. Relatively, self-manifested chi movement is good for overcoming illness, flowing water floating clouds and flowing breeze swaying willows good for peak performance, and flowingly still good for spiritual cultivation.

                    When performing standing meditation, a practitioner’s “hei-sai” should not be pressing like when he performs kungfu movements, but should be peaceful and cheerful, which are the objectives of spiritual cultivation.
                    Daniel Pérez
                    http://www.shaolinbcn.es

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Dear Sigung,

                      Thank You so much for answering my question.

                      Kind regards
                      Karol

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Thank you Sifu, for these wonderful answers!

                        I'd like to remind all that Sifu will be teaching a special course on Standing Meditation in Barcelona.

                        Don't miss this chance, if you can!
                        Daniel Pérez
                        http://www.shaolinbcn.es

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Thank you Sigung for your answers and teaching shared so generously and Daniel Sihing for starting this thread.
                          I enjoyed reading this thread tremendously.

                          Andrea
                          Enjoy some Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan & Qi Gong!

                          Evening Classes in Zürich
                          Weekend Classes in other Swiss locations


                          Website: www.taichichuan-wahnam.ch
                          Facebook: www.facebook.com/Taichichuan.Wahnam.ch

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Thank you Sifu

                            Thank you Sifu for a wonderful set of answers to questions on standing meditation. A lot of golden nuggets in here.

                            Thanks Sifu Daniel for the thread and the questioners, which unfortunately didn't include me as I didn't see the thread in time.

                            Note to self: Be on the forum more. :-)
                            With love and Shaolin salute /o

                            "Your purpose in life is to find your purpose & give your whole heart and soul to it." - Buddha

                            Gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā.

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Wonderful thank you Sifu

                              Originally posted by Daniel View Post
                              Question 9

                              I remember Sifu saying many years ago that he stopped doing sitting meditation as he felt his mind was getting too powerful (I hope this is correct and my apologies if not). I then remember Sifu saying more recently that he felt that our standing meditation at the end of our Chi Kung training, that we do for a few minutes, is now more powerful than sitting meditation. Sifu can you explain what you mean when you say "standing meditation is more powerful than sitting meditation” and why do you think so?

                              Sifu Mark Hartnett


                              Answer

                              The immediate reason why I didn’t teach sitting meditation in a lotus or semi-lotus position was because from practicing sitting meditation I found my mind had become too powerful. I recorded the actual experience in my autobiography, “The Way of the Master”. You can also read about it in Answer 13 of Questions on Wudang Kungfu, Taijiquan and Zhang San Feng.

                              I knew I would never abuse it; it would just be damn silly to do so. But I did not want those I taught to have the possibility of this burden.

                              The other reason why I didn’t teach sitting meditation in a lotus or semi-lotus position was because I found that the results of our standing meditation were those practicing sitting meditation hoped to achieve.

                              Benefits of meditation range from the basic of relaxation to the supreme of merging with the Great Void, with countless other benefits in between. We could achieve all these benefits in standing meditation which is safer and faster.

                              Why do we practice meditation? It is due to the benefits it gives. We do not practice meditation to show others that we practice meditation, which unfortunately is an object or aim of some people. If practitioners, like in my Merging with the Cosmos courses, can do so in 3 hours, it is unnecessary, in fact just silly, to practice sitting meditation for 30 years.

                              There is no doubt at all why we diligently practice our arts. It is to have good health, vitality, longevity, mental clarity and spiritual joys. It is certainly not that we want to show others that we know meditation, kungfu or chi kung.

                              As we still live in our phenomenal world, it is not necessary to merge with the Great Void. But to have a glimpse of the Great Void, then return to our phenomenal world, is wonderful. It gives cosmic wisdom. It also overcomes the greatest fear that any human has, i.e. the fear of physical death.

                              I did not actually say that standing meditation is more powerful than sitting meditation. But I do say that for us standing meditation can give us benefits that sitting meditation can give, and in a faster and safer way.

                              Why do I say so? When we do standing meditation, we can be relaxed. When we do standing meditation, we can develop mental clarity and internal force, which contribute to peak performance. When we do standing meditation, we can merge with the Great Void, but we return to our phenomenal world where we work and live.

                              To be relaxed, to have peak performance, and to merge with the Great Void are the three categories of benefits of meditation, or spiritual training. Most people cannot relax. Most people do not perform at their best. Very, very, very few people can merge with the Great Void.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Thanks Sifu and thanks Siheng for this set of Q&A. Amazing

                                Best wishes
                                Mark

                                Comment

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