Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong the emptiness

I feel very conflicted by Master Lin's instructions to "go into the emptiness" where sensory connections to the body fade - and "use your consciousness" to influence the flow of qi. My body is full of stress and tension - I'm not sure if I should focus on specific areas to try to release the tension - or let my mind go elsewhere. I've tried both but with limited success. Sometimes during the active exercises or meditation I'm able to release some of the tension but it quickly returns. I feel that that my whole being is tense - my mind as well as my physical body resulting in constant mind chatter, obsessive thought patterns and chronic muscle and back pain. It's as if my body and mind are "locked".
- Just wondering if anyone has a suggestion?
Thanks

Hello Etoile,
I had this problem of invasive thoughts when I started and still sometimes get them. I find it best not to worry unduly but to imagine a vast black velvet cloth in front of my vision. If any thoughts try to creep in and onto the cloth I tell them it is not appropriate and please go away. This works pretty well for me.
Hope it helps
Love & light
Faune

Hi Faune - Thanks for your reply. If I just let myself go into the emptiness and realease all thoughts, what about Master Lin's instructions to use the consciousness to direct the flow of qi? I'm not sure that I understand how the two can be done at the same time. I feel as if I need to have a huge "release" of emotion/muscle tension. I'm wondering if sometimes with qigong you reach a crisis state before being able to move beyond the blockage. Whatever is the cause of this state, it's really wearing me down.

Etoile, there are other threads that discuss the emptiness and quieting the mind. It might be helpfull to use the search feature and read some of these.

I would like to add that going into the emptiness has different layers (depths). When Master Lin says to think of nothing it is to help you go into the emptiness and "connect with the universal energy". Then, not while, you use your conscious mind to direct qi. Connecting with the universal energy before directing qi amplifies your ability to work with the qi; as does calling on your master's energy.

I just wanted to add that information, since I perceived some confusion.

Also have a relaxed, positive attitude about how your meditations are going. Be Kind to yourself, Forgive yourself for not being perfect, Love yourself and the experience exactly as it is. It IS exactly what it needs to be. You should not judge or label the experience, just do the meditations and be in the experience. They will progress without your trying, just simply by doing.

If you would like, you could review Master Lin's six keys to success and see if any give you direction.

You are perfection.
Iam2

Hi

quote:

---

Originally posted by Etoile:
I feel very conflicted by Master Lin's instructions to "go into the emptiness" where sensory connections to the body fade - and "use your consciousness" to influence the flow of qi.

---

At the initial stage, most people have trouble going into the emptiness, with their minds running about. The Level I and II exercises help you to quiet your mind and direct your consciousness to direct qi in beneficial ways. As you enter the emptiness, though, even the calm direction of energy will seem to fade. That is quite all right. In fact, Master Lin said that the meditation will do itself. The most important thing is to just enter that state of absolute quietness and emptiness. So, if you can enter the emptiness, don't worry about the rest of it.

KWLee

It is so helpful to read all the suggestions for going into the emptiness.
I often find myself sliding into emptiness. For example, when my mind is hard to shut down, I will play the Level I DVD or videotape and just watching Master Lin quietens me rather quickly and soon I am in a bit of a trance with minimal effort on my part. Also when I finish meditation, I just want to sit there longer - the mind is so peaceful and empty. I experience the same during the healing meditations on Saturdays.
I find it easy or easier to enter the emptiness when I am about to retire - I will often see myself slowly descending a stairs for a count of ten (a form of hypnosis) or I will have just finished some SFQ exercise and I am peaceful with nothing in the mind.
Of course, nature is greatly conducive to entering the emptiness. I think we all enter the emptiness more often than we realize because we maybe try to be too conscious/rational about it! "Oh, am I in the emptiness?" "What is this darn emptiness?"

Thank you everyone for your help. It really is helpful to read everyone else's interpretation of Master Lin's instructions. Iam2, your comment about the different layers is making sense to me - to go into the emptiness and connect to the universal energy first and then use the mind to direct the energy. KWLee, I have sometimes had the feeling that you described, that "the meditation will do itself", but wondered at the time if I had just lost focus - but then again, maybe the point is not to focus?? Maura, I think you have described part of my problem, that I'm trying to be too rational about this. I think what everyone is saying is to "relax" with all of this - something that I find difficult and probably one of the reasons why I decided to try qigong. Since it's impossible to "make" yourself relax, I guess it just takes practice.
I'm still wondering if others have found that they "struggled" before they were about to move forward or clear a major blockage?

Thanks again for all of your help. I'll do my best to follow your suggestions.

Etoile

quote:

---

Originally posted by Etoile:
KWLee, I have sometimes had the feeling that you described, that "the meditation will do itself", but wondered at the time if I had just lost focus - but then again, maybe the point is not to focus??

---

The point is to let your awareness rest in the emptiness, the source of all there is. If you are worried about losing the meditation, set an intention/agreement with yourself that the meditation will do itself. Your vast inner resources will take care of that.

KWLee