Wisdom Quarterly: pranayama

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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Chi (breath energy) explained

Howstuffworks.com

Chi [breath, spirit, spiritus, prana, qi] is a primal substance that animates the universe in Taoism, a mysterious force at the center of ancient Chinese myths and legends that also brought attention to Tai Chi and the Tao [sometimes defines simply as the way or the path of least resistance].

Chi is the force that sets the world and everything in it into motion. Chi is also the force that sustains all things once they are created. [In Buddhist Abhidharma, chi is the "air element," one of the four fundamental characteristics of matter. It is responsible for movement and does not refer to mere oxygen entering and exiting the body. It refers to a far more subtle energy that diffuses throughout the body just as wind does.]

The Idea of Chi

The Taoist concept of chi is not easily accepted by Westerners. It is not a concept that appears in our mainstream religions [except for Christian texts in Latin that speak of spiritus and the "holy spirit," where spirit means "breath"] or philosophies [except for the now defunct theory of the Four Elements]. More

Light Meditation (how to video)

Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Sathya Sai Speaks (Vol. X, pp. 348-350, Shivarathri, 1979); text edited by Wisdom Quarterly

There are many meditations and lots of different advice. This is a universal and usually effective form, a first step toward spiritual [= spirit = spiritus = breath] development.

It takes discipline but leads to joy. Practice before dawn when the body is refreshed after sleep before dealing with the day. Have a lamp or a candle before you with an open, steady, straight flame. Sit in front of the candle in the lotus posture or any other comfortable sitting position.

Mayo Clinic recommends this meditation

Look at the flame steadily for some time, closing eyes when the flame is firmly in the mind's eye. Let it slide down into the lotus of the heart, illuminating the path. When it enters the heart, imagine the petals open one by one, bathing every thought, sensation, and emotion in light removing darkness from them. There is no space for darkness to hide. The light of the flame becomes wider and brighter. Let it pervade all limbs.

Now those limbs will not indulge in dark, suspicious, or destructive activities; they have become instruments of light and love. As the light reaches the tongue, falsehoods vanish from it. Let it rise up to the eyes and ears and undo dark desires infesting them. The head is suffused with light dispelling dark thoughts. Imagine the light grows more and more intense. Let it shine all around and spread ever widening circles, encompassing loved ones, friends, companions, strangers, rivals, enemies, all living beings, the entire universe.

As the light daily illumines the senses, a time will soon come when one no longer relishes dark and disturbing sights and tales or crave for base, harmful, deadening toxic foods and drinks, demeaning things, places of ill-repute and injury, or frame harmful designs against anyone at any time. Stay with the thrill of everywhere witnessing the light [which may refer to the nimitta preceding jhana in serenity or Buddhist shamatha meditation].

If one adoring the good (for oneself, others, and both) in any form now, visualize that form in the all-pervasive light. Practice this meditation regularly every day. At other times rest the mind on the breath just under the nose like an uplifting fragrance.