Taoist meditation is part of long-life techniques originating in ancient China. Masters such as Lao Tzu and Chang San Feng had identified the secrets of the force that flows in all things, the origin of life itself: Qi. In our organism, this energy flows in the form of two entities, Yin and Yang, along imaginary channels, called meridians.
The correct flow of qi allows health, well-being, and longevity; on the contrary, it can give rise to illnesses, mental disorders, and emotional problems. Taoist meditation focuses on the subject’s internal energy, abandoning any reference to what surrounds us, instead of focusing on the Tao, that is, what originates and embraces everything. Meditating thus becomes the art of non-intervention, of no action, of observation on tiptoe. It means acting trying not to upset the spontaneous flow of events.
Taoist meditation has profound differences compared to similar practices developed by other systems of inner development, in that it is characterized by the focus on internal energy and its cultivation. After the basis for the cultivation of internal energy has been laid through the practice of Qi Gong and Tai Chi, the practitioner will be able to approach the practice of Taoist meditation. Today’s studies focusing on the effects of these techniques demonstrate the action on the general state of the organism, through the involvement of the central and vegetative nervous systems.
Taoist meditation beneficial qualities
The ancient Taoists developed some meditation techniques aimed at attenuating and canceling the effect that negative emotions such as fear, hatred, sadness, and anger could have on the energy structure, as a cause of losses of qi and accumulations of negative energy. Through Taoist meditation, one can obtain several benefits attributable to the approach to personal life, considered with greater depth.
You will learn to transform negative emotions into positive feelings and virtues, to refine and dispense raw sexual energy, to manage the fundamental moments of your existence, to be present in dreams, to feel the dynamism of your body and to remedy it and to get in touch with the energies around us. Through Taoist meditation, the practitioner will learn how to constantly produce creative energy, raising the person’s level of consciousness.
Description of the technique
Taoist meditation is divided into two categories – Ru Jing and Cun Si. Ru Jing means entering into tranquility and involves a simple contemplation, devoid of concentration, training the mind to be consciously silent. It is what the Taoists call the fast of mind. The practitioner sits on the edge of the river and listens to the current, experiencing reality directly, without any thought filter.
It is not easy to sit and listen, without allowing the mind to fantasize with thought. Observing our breath or a natural element like a tree, like clouds in the sky or the movement of the sea, makes our mind calm centered, and silent. A silent mind can more easily sense the imbalances and messages of the body, becoming adept at moving and directing qi.
The Cun Si provides visualizations for therapeutic purposes and concentration. By visualizations, we mean images created consciously by the mind in a completely intentional way. Belief causes physical changes that are evident in the production of neurotransmitters and hormones.
The practice of Cun Si is taught to replace negative images and emotions with positive ones, transforming and recycling the energy that stagnates. Instead of thinking of the body as sick, closed, insensitive, cold, or polluted, one imagines it as the home of powerful and pure forces. The imagination thus conceived is not the only factor in health, but plays a decisive role. Taoist meditation, therefore, does not represent an escape from reality, but an instrument for living, adapting, and knowing reality.
Taoist meditation where it is practiced
This practice can be learned by attending special Taoist meditation courses, or qi gong courses, or tai chi chuan courses, as practical bases for meditating. There are many oriental cultural institutes in the area that offer courses and seminars of this type. There is also a range of gyms open to these disciplines. The search for a true living teacher is now impossible, but there are numerous Taoist teachers and tai chi chuan masters who can direct you to the cultivation of your psychophysical energy.