LIFE FORCE — QIGONG — MUDRAS — HEALING

I write this for myself as a reminder to refresh what I, at age 86+, have practiced for many years. These concepts and activities have been remarkably beneficial for me.

I have before spoken of Life Force, Chi, Qi, Prana, Holy Spirit, so this will be repetitive, which helps enrich the remembering.

Those unfamiliar with this profoundly important concept will likely be tempted to file it under woo woo b/s. Although the practice of consciously working with this concept originates in the far east, it is often unconsciously practiced in the west.

Any serious practice, whether or not done consciously, carriers surprising benefits. It is my experience that conscious practice, with mind fully engaged, produces the most consistent and remarkable results.

So, I write this first to reinvigorate my practice, and perhaps encourage others to at least give is a serious try. This reminds me of Yoda, “There is no try. Do or do not”. By “try” I mean to “experiment with”, and not to give a half hearted effort.

Serious experiments require serious effort. Although there is no risk of harm, half hearted efforts tend to dilute the process for any future effort. If not serious, do not “try”.

U-tube is full of directions and suggestions re approach’s toward this practice. Much, but not all of these presentations can be of benefit. If one approach does not help, try another. Trust your judgement.

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Life Force and Qigong:

Remember “Star Wars” magnificent introduction to “The Force”. There is much wisdom in that series of movies. Lucas was clearly well learned in the philosophies of the Far East, presenting them in entertaining, accessible form.

Review what Obe Wan told Luke about the nature of The Force. It is accurate. It is the animating force of all that is, producing all manifestation, creativity, destruction, and recreation.

It issues forth from The Source of All, often called God. It is accessible to all who seek it. Here I differ from Lucas who presented the presence of the Force in only those genetically destined to receive it.

Not so. ALL human beings have access to the Force, but few pursue it whole heartedly. For some of us who do pursue and access the Life Force, it becomes a way of life, enhancing us in every way, mentally, physically, spiritually.

Now I must remind you, and myself, THIS IS THE MOST REAL EXPERIENCE WE CAN HAVE. It is not woo woo, wishful fantasy. It is truly life enhancing.

Do not just take my word for it. Research it and come to your own conclusions. You will find over six thousand years of history.

Known by many different titles, Life Force consistently manifests as what it is. In the West, under the influence of the Judaic-Christian traditions, it is known as Holy Spirit, source of life, love, and truth.

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Apart from the philosophy, how is it dealt with? How do we access and interact with it?How do we make this a real physical thing in addition to mental?

Example: one day years ago on my porch in Rockport, Texas, overlooking Aransas Bay, I was practicing qigong. After some time I realized I was feeling “something” almost like being immersed in water. When I finally stopped, I was more refreshed than when I started one to two hours before.

Later I read Bruce Lee’s “Jet Kuhn Do”, the “form of no form”. He spoke of the reality of chi (qi) in his life. He likened it to “dry land swimming”. I knew what he meant.

You can actually feel it as you “swim” through it, and sense it is flowing through you. It is always present all around us, and in us, and we discover it IS us, and we are it.

The surest way to this experience for me is the thoughtful practice of qigong, slow and focused.

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Does anything happen? Does anything change some time after we have given this practice concentrated attention for a period of time?

Yes, definitely. In review, we find we are generally living a more healthy, peaceful life. When we experience physical set backs due to illness (which more rarely occurs) or injury, we recover more quickly.

Without fooling ourselves we often have others confirm our mental sharpness. We find our minds are working better. Our memory, both long and short term tends to improve. For me, perhaps the most notable change has been an enhanced capability to deal with math mentally.

Most importantly, we sense a greater appreciation for spiritual matters. We feel a “presence” with us. It is comforting and informative. We feel a greater unity with All, people and environment. The sense of oneness with the Universe is greatly enhanced.

Some of us also find a surprising comfort in increasingly recognizing the presence of departed spirits, clumsily referred to as “ghosts”.

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Mudras: The name and formal practice is slowly taking hold in the West. Some are surprised that we have been taught in church, “Every hand clasped, every head bowed.

As a child in a small Baptist church in Corsicana, Texas, I quietly refused to do what the preacher told me to do.

At age six, the rebel manifested. I even then did not want anyone telling me how to be “holy”. I was a “trouble maker” in Sunday School, asking tough questions.

What I only learned much latter was that the “clasping of hands” in a prayerful manner was the practice of a fundamental Eastern mudra. There is power in that positioning of hands, as in all other mudras.

We commonly see people in meditation with hands resting on their knees with thumbs and first fingers forming a circle, a classic mudra with meaning.

It has been known for thousands of years of yoga practice with an awakening of the chakra centers, and perhaps eventually the awakening of the kundalini force, that there truly are circuits through the body carrying life force.

Acupuncture is the most recognized use of these channels with which we in the West are familiar.

We have seen brain surgery performed in Eastern hospitals using only acupuncture as an anesthetic.

It works.

Viewing such a dramatic demonstration of conscious interaction with the energetic channels in the body known to Eastern healers informs and enhances our mental acceptance of the utility of mudra hand positions that enhance the flow of these energies.

Of course, we do not really know the results until we practice these efforts on a regular basis.

At some point, and perhaps regularly shortly after beginning these experiments, we question whether or not we are being “superstitious” or foolish. The Western mental programming does not give up easily.

Remember, these traditions have serviced people in the Far East for thousands of years. These traditions have lasted simply because they work.

They work for me, sometimes so dramatically that I do not tell the details here. It would sound too unbelievable.

I often remind myself, it is generally a mistake to attempt to share your synchronistic experience, or interaction with profound psychic or spiritual phenomena with others. Not being participants, it is difficult for third parties to accept these stories as valid.

Having your personal dramatic experiences rejected by others can diminish their power, even for those who have had the experience. I even occasionally find myself asking, “Did that REALLY happen?” I relive it, and thereby dig the course of profound experience a little deeper.

This is a good thing to do, but better to write down your experience right after it happens. This makes an objective record, a bit like keeping your dream journal. We need to treat our spiritual, psychic experiences respectfully, with gratitude.

Lastly, for the serious seeker of Truth, respect your intuitions, your internal guidance. Trust YOUR judgement. Be cautions in accepting the suggestions of another person, however well intended they may be, unless you can honestly say to yourself, “That feels right”.

When something “feels right”, you have not learned something new. You have been reminded of something you have always known, but let slip into the temporarily unremembered.

The Spirit of Truth dwells in each one of us by virtue of the gift of Life from The Source of All, our Divine Parent. Trust the Source and its gift of life.

Do so, and you will discover healing not just for you but for others through you. Love is the conveyor of healing, thus the admonition to “love others as you love yourself”. Often, as for me, the most difficult task in loving others is first to love ourselves.

I am still working on this. It remains quite difficult to look at myself in the mirror and honestly say, “Ah, man, I love you”. Not easy, but must be done. This requires forgiving ourselves for perceived errors and short comings of every sort.

Eventually we find that all fear is replaced by love for all, beginning with ourselves.