Interesting idea to do Small Universe without the tape. This makes it possible to do Small Universe without a tape player when waiting for an appointment, for example.
Correct! You can do it ANYWHERE...
Question about the Master's sounds. It was my understanding that these sounds empowered the Small Universe meditation. Is that still true? Or is my understanding wrong?
Yes, your understanding is correct, the Master's sounds are their for your benefit. However, they are also used as learning aids and can be transcended when you have become proficient. Somewhere in Level 1, Chunyi mentions that the meditation (with the sounds) can be gone beyond, once you have a firm grasp on it's function.
This is one of the reasons there is a 'music' track, without the sounds--so you can go even deeper into meditation without 'outside' assistance. You don't have to 'think' "breathe here, push here" etc, you just 'do it' because you've trained your mind to automatically move the energy to the next spot. Also, everybody breathes at a slightly different rate.
As for me, the intervals between the sounds is too which the sounds is too short (meaning it goes 'too fast' for me). In my case, I would play the 'music' version for preference of doing it at a rate it can enjoy rather than rushing it. For some others, it may not be fast enough, so they opt for the music version so they can do it faster. It all comes down to what is comfortable.
Like I said in my above response to Darko's question, the Master's sounds, themselves can be 'visualized' as you do the meditation without them. This is also done in a few of the Level 2 Active Exercises, (you first learn them by making the OM sounds, but later on 'visualize' you are)
It is true, that in the classic or 'older' QiGong systems, you did not want to change (even slightly) the style--even if your energy system did not agree with it. Altering styles, then was forbidden, and many practitioners were shunned, some even disowned from their families for doing so. Yet, Chunyi's style is Created for simplicity. Once the levels are understood, the techniques can be changed, as long as it remains under the basic guideline of Chunyi's original foundation: In that it remains simple and works smoothly for you. Love, Forgiveness, and Kindness are also important factors that cannot be left out.
I don't imply nor suggest 'changing SFQ' then going out and telling your friends you've learned all of this from some guru in Tibet, that would be deceitful. Give credit where credit is due. Yet, if you feel like you should make a slight 'alteration' for yourself, because you feel that it might further help your practice--and as a result, you become more in tune and more loving,...then the logical response would be 'go for it!'
~Z
