Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong Questions on technique

Master Lin speaks of visualizing energy in the meditations and exercises. I am much better at feeling energy rather than visualizing. Could I substitute feeling the energy?

Also, there are times when I want to close my eyes during exercises and meditation. Maybe I overlooked it in the book but I didn't see any mention of this.

Thank you.
Heartbeat

[This message has been edited by Heartbeat (edited October 08, 2003).]

Well last thing first. My eyes are closed for everything. They are closed for exercises and meditation. I only open my eyes during the seven steps exercise and the finishing exercises. I even keep my eyes closed doing the finishing exercises for meditation.

I always take visualize as an alternate for imagine. I believe that the more real you can make the exercise the more it will be real. I believe that including feelings is important. Visualize is the dominant sensory system (even for tactile, kineostetic, and auditory people) and probably has the strongest impact when directing chi. Remember that the mind leads and chi follows.

Okay, changing to a short answer. Feeling it is okay, but I would say to add it not replace it. I personally visualize / imagine and then experience it with my senses. I find that kinestetic sensing helps deepen the experience in the active exercises. I find that fully immersing myself in the visualization intensifies meditation. By full immersing I mean like a controlled or directed day dreaming. I feel I am what I want to be and am visualizing (day dreaming).

Kind of taking it from a 2D movie into a full sensory experience. A memory of a feeling can be just as powerful as the original experience. Dreams can effect you as deeply as reality. Imagined reality can create as much stress as real ones. Actually the probably produce more for most people.

Sorry, I should learn to keep it short. Yes, feel it. You are supposed to close your eyes.

You are perfection and are dancing along the path of glory.

Iam2

P.S. You like that kev.

Aloha Heartbeat,

As he prepares you for the active exercises he has you close your eyes. When he gets to the 7 steps on the audio tape/CD, he instructs you to open your eyes.

Much Love, Shawn

Heartbeat, one way that you can look this is... As you progress and learn you will be able to let go of more and more. Eventually the mechanical and external watching of movements is replaced by closing your eyes and going with the flow and getting more into the emptiness. If you feel comfortable then go for it when you can. In time you would be able to do the whole exercise with your eyes close.

If the meditation you are mentioning is the small universe then I would say definitely eyes close. The intention here is to focus you attention inward, closing the eyes will minimize outside visual distractions.

Visualizing may not come easily for some but with continued practice it gets better. Like anything else you do when focusing your intention magic happens. Use the feeling of the energy to help the imagination.

Try this the next time you are feeling the energy. For example when holding the energy ball just try imaging the following. While feeling warmth and the magnetic feel of the energy between your hands imagine that a glowing ball is hovering in the center. This ball is a pulsating mini sun. It looks like our sun but some how has a transparent look to it. It is bright and feels warm and you can feel the pressure of the energy emanating from its center. Or something along those lines. By the way if you followed that and had a picture in your mind of what I was saying you have,,, guess what just visualized.

Here is another example of the power of visualization. Picture this I grab a lemon which has a bright yellow look to it. I wash it and feel its texture with its little crevices on the outer skin. I then hold the lemon up to my nose and smell its freshness. I then cut the lemon in half and then cut a slice from one of the halves. This lemon is very juicy and as I cut it there is a misty spray and the aroma makes my mouth water. I then take the slice of lemon and put it into my mouth and bite and squeeze down on it as the juices explode from the pulp and my body reels from the tangy juicy flavor that takes over my mouths senses.

Wow the flood gates open, chances are you experienced a mouth watering result. All this is just from a little visualization that the mind connects with. Imagine what happens when we are focusing attention and intention on our bodies. Just as we don’t see the air we breathe or gravity that is all around us, we can surly expect it to have its amazing results.

Iam2 I like the perfection upgrade and that you we all are...

Hi:

I have read these posts twice and I love all your comments and suggestions. Thanks so much.

Peace to you all,

Heartbeat