Meditation is or can be "steady or close meditative reflection: continued application of the mind." Or, " a private devotion or spiritual exercise consisting in deep continued reflection on a religious theme." Or, a "spoken or written discourse treated in a contemplative manner and intended to express its author's reflections or to guide others in contemplation." (Webster's Third New International Dictionary).
What are we trying to achieve through meditation and how can we make such achievements? Normally there is some kind of ritual involved, before, during and after meditation; is this an essential element and if so why? Some people say (so it must be true - for them) that Tai Chi Chuan is "moving meditation". But Tai Chi Chuan can be static as well as moving. Before looking at specific links between Tai Chi Chuan and meditation, let's look at the mechanics of meditation.
Where should we do our meditation ? The first choice is outside or inside. If we are meditating outside then the time of day is relevant. It is common to practice Tai Chi forms in the early morning because that is when trees and plants give out oxygen, also there are fewer people around at that time. In many parts of China the summer months are hot and humid, making it unpleasant to practice during the day, so dawn or to a lesser degree, dusk are preferred times. If you are practicing a traditional Tai Chi long form outdoors in the morning, it is best to start off facing West; thus the sun will be in your face for a minimal amount of time. Many people in the Far East still prefer to do such practice on nearby hills and mountains. On a few occasions in the mid-1970s, when walking in the hills around Hong Kong with my master, we would come upon open areas in the hills which were quite clearly being used for martial arts practice.
If we are practicing a more static form of meditation, we are more prone to be disturbed by the wind, sun and other elements and even by birds and animals. That is why many Taoists and hermits such as Chang San-feng on Wudang Mountain and in Bao Ji and Bodhidharma on Songshan are reputed to have practiced in mountain caves. Then too, because caves were common dwelling places of wild animals, they were seen as places with very powerful Qi.
Why was meditation in Chinese society particularly linked with religious communities ? Of course some temples and monasteries were deliberately located in remote areas such as mountains and internally were specifically designed for meditation and contemplation.
Since the birth of Taoist and Buddhist religion, much meditation came to be practiced indoors, in monasteries and temples. A temple or monastery such as the White Cloud Taoist Temple in Beijing could be a very large place containing many buildings and courtyards. Even though it is situated in the heart of a huge city, you feel that you are in a secluded and tranquil place. Not surprisingly, the temple has long been associated with meditation and Tai Chi Chuan.
Meditation could either be done in individual cells or in communal meditation halls. Communal meals, work and other activities with like-minded individuals made it easier to go about meditating in an enclosed and disciplined community isolated from the temptations of the world of flesh outside.
Lao Tzu, in the Tao Te Ching, talks about the five colours making the eyes blind, the five notes making the ears deaf and the five tastes injuring the mouth. Thus the room should be clean, and not too bright, so that it is easier to concentrate. The door should be closed to prevent interruptions, with windows partially open to let in fresh air, but not to allow distractions. Clothing should be loose with belts and fastenings undone. Diet is important too and often in Taoistic communities, abstinence from meat, alcohol and strong flavours was observed, although it was believed certain drugs, whether vegetable or mineral, could purify the body and lead to serenity as a preparation for meditation.
Many Taoist communities such as the Complete Reality school in its earlier stages advocated celibacy, although others, while accepting the need to control sexuality, considered that complete celibacy was undesirable as it caused anxiety, making meditation difficult.
Let us move sideways now and consider synaesthesia, i.e. a so-called concomitant sensation; there is a sensation or an image of a sense other than the sense being stimulated. For example, chromesthesia is synaesthesia where colour is seen in response to non-chromatic stimulation (e.g. words or numbers). Phonism is likewise a synaesthetic auditory sensation while photism is a synaesthetic visual sensation.
So how can we produce a synaesthetic experience and why would we want to do so ? One way of doing it would be through ingesting certain vegetables or minerals to produce visions; another method would be to enter a trance as is common today in the Sun Da rituals practiced by certain hard styles of Chinese martial arts. In Sun Da incense is often used to stimulate the sense of smell so that is all you can smell, drums and music stimulate the sense of sound while blocking out other sounds, strong alcohol mixed with drugs and ashes stimulates the sense of taste so that is all you taste, while self-flagellation and piercing stimulate the sense of touch, so that is all you can feel. All this can make the adept believe that he is now a famous warrior such as Chang Fei or even a mythical character such as the Monkey King from the novel "Journey to The West".
Partially linked to this is the concept of kinaesthesis - which is a kind of sixth sense or feeling where you are in relation to your body and to external people and objects, whether you or they are static or moving. You can test this ability in various ways. For example, close the eyes and try to touch the nose with the index finger. Or time yourself standing on one foot with the eyes open then do the same thing with the eyes shut. In martial arts and in sport we can use kinaesthetic ability when we instantaneously judge our timing, distance and position in relation to a stimulus such as an attack or a ball being hit towards us.
I talked recently with Dr. Alan Peatfield of University College Dublin one of the leading scholars of Minoan religion and civilisation. He told me that he and his wife, Christine, had recently conducted experiments based around clay Minoan figures in ritual postures. They and some colleagues had gone to peak sanctuaries on Crete (as with many cultures including the Chinese, the ancient Minoans had the idea that the peaks of mountains were closer to heaven and thus to the gods.) and performed various of the postures while music was produced from rattles (the ancient Minoans used rattles and drums). One such posture involved arching the spine while standing with fists clenched, palms facing the chest with arms bent. Such a posture puts a lot of pressure on the spine and therefore on the central nervous system and brain and evokes the Tai Chi Chuan and Qi Gong idea of opening and closing.
Some members of the party felt the presence of warriors, others felt as though they were drinking water or hearing things. The point is that the different postures produced different effects of a synaesthetic nature on different people. I will try to relate these concepts to Tai Chi Chuan practice in Part 2 of this article.
In Tai Chi Chuan we have the Classics which are mnemonic in nature, i.e. designed to be chanted during Nei Kung practice. They are contemplative, they express their author's reflections and they are guides to others in contemplation of how better to perform Tai Chi Chuan. We can also practice the Nei Kung as a kind of private devotion (though not on a religious theme) and we can in such practice, as well as in other aspects of the art, use steady or close meditative reflection: continued application of the mind.
Many people when they hear the term "meditation" think of it as sitting in a lotus position contemplating your navel. Certainly this can be meditation, but Tai Chi Chuan comes from Taoism and there are many different methods of Taoist meditation just as there are many different aspects of and ways of practicing Tai Chi Chuan.
Beyond this it a matter of choosing the method.
Tai Chi Chuan firstly involves training the body in movement by learning postures, exercises, forms and drills; through this we learn to focus the mind or to put it another way, to develop intent. Focusing is necessary for effective practice of most aspects of the art. Next is the coordination of the externality of the postures and movements with the internal to develop and control Qi, Jing and Shen or in Western terms, respiration and circulation, vitality and spirit. It is also necessary to develop internal force or Nei Jin. Finally there is the ultimate Taoist and therefore Tai Chi Chuan goal of becoming empty, i.e. free of ego and delusion so that one can merge with the Tao; this can also be considered to be the attainment of No Mind (Wu Xin).
Taoists saw meditation as a way of cultivating health and longevity as well as a means of clearing the mind in order to attain the highest level of spiritual development, union with the Tao. There was a closing of the exterior world of the senses and of the interior world of emotion and thought connected to it, simultaneously there was an opening to the universe and to the spiritual world. I'd now like to look at specific meditation methods and to examine their relevance to Tai Chi Chuan concepts and training.
"Internal Observation" (Nei Guan) dates from the Tang dynasty (618-906 AD). Practitioners first try to observe and be aware of the existence and effects of thoughts, emotions and feelings. From this familiarity with the patterns of occurrence of their thoughts, adepts could anticipate them and therefore stop them arising. This would result in a clear and still mind, radiant with the inner Tao. Mantras, visualisation and focus were not used in this method and there were no specific postures. It was often practiced in a half or full lotus position, though it was sometimes done sitting or even standing or walking. It was one of the simplest methods and so required minimal supervision once it had been learned from a master. This method is not of any real relevance to Tai Chi Chuan practitioners.
"Focusing on The Centre" was an attempt to shun the sights, sounds and events of the outer world and withdraw to a fixed centre such as the Tan Tian or a metaphoric centre created by harmony with the Tao. This was a simple method with no postures. This concept has something in common with the Tai Chi ideas of internally hoarding Shen (the Spirit) and of stillness in the midst of movement (in the form of external distractions.
The Shang Qing (Highest Purity) sect practiced "Embracing The One", i.e. the Tao within. This originally involved visualizing images or manifestations of the Tao such as Lao Tzu to keep the deity/spirit within oneself. In Embracing the One, the adept tries to achieve oneness by dissolving the duality of himself and the world. In the early stages, one first filled the mind and body so no thoughts, emotions or sensations could arise. Then, once stillness had been attained, one could reach the path to immortality (i.e. the Tao) through the mind where all things can be seen as one. Although this method emphasised stillness of body and mind during practice because movement destroys the experience of oneness, there are no specific postures. This is, however, a more physically demanding method than Internal Observation and Focusing on the Centre, because adepts might hold one position for several hours. This obviously meant that the skeletal structure and especially the spine had to be strong.
Embracing the One is a direct quotation from Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching and is the exact name of one of the static postures of Tai Chi Nei Kung which might be held initially for a few minutes and later for up to half an hour with the eyes shut.
"Stopping Thoughts and Emptying The Mind" is similar in method to Zen meditation, requiring silent sitting with a mind empty of thoughts, desires and emotions. There was therefore no visualisation, or mantras or even passive observation. This was the method used by the Northern Complete Reality (Quan Zhen) school and the Prior to Heaven (Xian Tian) sects in their early spiritual training to attain stillness of the mind, after which other methods would be used to lead the adept through Internal Alchemy training. This method again does not quite accord with Tai Chi Chuan practice. Although Tai Chi Chuan founder, Chang San-feng, was a member of the Complete Reality School.
"Recovering The Real Mind" to the Complete Reality school is a real or original mind which can spontaneously comprehend the nature of the Tao after the mind has been emptied of thoughts and freed from analysing. In daily life the adept is not affected by events and does not wish any stimulation of the senses or arousal of his mind. The method was often used by those who wanted to improve their health or develop mental clarity, but didn't have the time or inclination for more demanding training. There were no specific postures, but the full or half lotus were often used or sometimes it was done seated on a chair and it is suitable for all. In Tai Chi Chuan Nei Kung we do use the half lotus, but otherwise this method is not relevant to our practice.
These first five methods of Taoist meditation mentioned, i.e. Internal Observation, Focusing on The Centre, Holding The One, Stopping Thoughts and Emptying The Mind, and Recovering The Real Mind can be learned fairly easily and are safe to practice after formal instruction.
The Way and Ways
Normally the term "Tao" is translated as The Way, so Taoists are followers of The Way, but there are many Ways and therefore many types of Taoism and not every Way is equally suitable and efficacious for everybody. One concept common to many types of Taoism and to some degree important in Tai Chi Chuan is that of Nei Dan, or Internal Alchemy.
The next seven methods of meditation all concern Internal Alchemy and can lead to the highest Taoist spirituality. They are:- Focusing on the Cavities, Visualizing The Valley Spirit, Emptying The Mind and Filling The Belly, Uniting Intention with Breath, Gathering and Circulating The Light of The Spirit, Drawing The Light Inward, and Returning to Earlier Heaven. All seven are usually done with techniques that strengthen the skeletal system and regulate the internal physiology which is precisely the function of the Tai Chi Chuan hand form and of Tai Chi Nei Kung. As is the case with Tai Chi Nei Kung, these seven methods are usually only taught after a disciple has undergone ritual initiation with a master and then require constant supervision.
"Focusing on The Cavities" ignored the external and focused the awareness and intent on a certain body cavity to calm the emotions, prevent stray thoughts and minimize sensations, or in advanced practice focused on directing the Qi to an area to break a blockage or to gather it in a Dan Tian to be refined and transformed. Different cavities were chosen according to health needs and to the level of spiritual development. The early emphasis was on the Ming Men or Life Gate and as the adept became more advanced, the focus went to each Dan Tian in turn. This method is especially popular with sects involved in Internal Alchemy and so frequent instruction and supervision are necessary to provide the correct physical and mental foundations including a relaxed body, strong spine, articulated joints, softened tendons and a mind empty of thought and desire. The postures are demanding, needing to be held for long periods to complete the alchemical process and so they are not suitable for beginners.
In Tai Chi Chuan there is a similar emphasis on relaxing the body, because if the body is relaxed, the mind is tranquil, likewise in Tai Chi Nei Kung certain static postures are specifically designed to strengthen the spine, while certain moving postures are specifically designed to manipulate the joints and tendons, while the martial nature of certain techniques trains focus and the intent, preventing the mind from wandering.
"Visualising The Valley Spirit Method" requires the adept to visualize an image and to merge with it. So energy could be sent through the spinal column if the Kun Lun Mountains were visualized or Qi could be gathered and transformed in the middle Dan Tian if the Yellow Palace was visualized or Jing in the lower Dan Tian, if Sea of Energy was visualized or, at the highest stage, Shen in the upper Dan Tian, if the Valley Spirit was visualized. Sometimes we can use visualisation when practicing Tai Chi Chuan form or when practicing with the eyes shut, or when practicing certain static Nei Kung techniques, but this is not quite the same as the type of visualisation used here.
"Emptying The Mind and Filling The Belly" was another Inner Alchemy method of meditation. It involved sinking the fires of desire and filling the belly with energy at the lower Dan Tian by controlling the breath and drawing the essences from sexual partners, from the sun, moon and stars etc. This method requires proper instruction and supervision. In Tai Chi Chuan practice we also have this idea of abdominal breathing - the Tai Chi Chuan Classics specifically tell us to let the Qi sink to the Dan Tian, we also have the concept of the Spirit being internally hoarded, of using a partner's or opponent's force against him and to practice outdoors to draw energy from nature.
"Uniting Intention and Breath" focuses on the movement and counting of breaths in order to focus the mind. After the mind is detached from the outside world, the breathing pattern changes. The mind becomes still, making the breathing slower, softer and deeper like a foetus. Next, the mind changes from stillness to movement, i.e. to the True Intention to stimulate the circulation of internal energy. When the intention is still, this energy is gathered and stored. At a more advanced level, the duality of the adept and the universal energy of the Tao is dissolved, so that there is no separation of external and internal and so there is only one breath, the breath of Tao which is the source of life. The whole body is one breath as opposed to breathing only with the nostrils, lungs etc.
Unlike Qi Gong which works with tangibles like the breath and internal energy, Uniting Intention and Breath works with the formless and there is no active manipulation of the breath. Instead the breathing pattern changes with the state of mind, using meditation to transform the breath and internal energy. This is a difficult distinction to make so constant supervision such as exists in a monastic situation is necessary.
In Tai Chi Chuan practice correct breathing does not involve conscious thought and the concentration is not on the breath, but on relaxation and correct posture. The breathing pattern is dictated by the speed and the nature of the techniques or postures. We also have the idea of using the intention for gathering then releasing force.
"Gathering and Circulating The Light of The Spirit" is a high spiritual level of meditation practiced by the Complete Reality School. The light of the "Original Spirit" or "Immortal Foetus" (an advanced concept of Internal Alchemy) must be born and developed before it can be gathered and circulated. However, it is first essential to tame the mischievous, scheming, analytical "Knowledge Spirit" which is attached to worldly things and emotions. To prepare for the conception of the Immortal Foetus and simultaneous birth of the Original Spirit, we also need to strengthen and soften the bones, to build up and transform Qi, Jing and Shen. The Light of the Original Spirit is dim at first but becomes brighter through the actions of Qi, Jing and Shen, until when fully developed it bathes the practitioner in a Golden Light, which circulates and is diffused inside and around the practitioner.
The concepts of Qi, Jing and Shen are familiar to us as Tai Chi Chuan practitioners, there is also the concept referred to in the Tai Chi Chuan Classics of the Qi entering the bones and medical research has shown that bone mass density can be maintained amongst older people by regular exercise, making the bones softer and less brittle. Though there is no concept of an Immortal Foetus or a Golden Light.
"Drawing The Light Inward" is another advanced meditation practiced after a foundation in Internal Alchemy and is a synthesis of the practices of the Complete Reality and Highest Purity schools. The Light is gathered into three spots, the eyes and the mysterious cavity or third eye. Thus the lights of the sun, moon and stars were united with the light inside, dissolving the barrier between the internal universe of the adept and the external universe of the cosmos, nourishing his body and making it weightless and the mind clear and empty. In the ecstatic state thus produced, practitioners merge with the primordial energy of the Tao. This method requires formal instruction and frequent supervision and a long term commitment.
There is no concept of Drawing the Light Inward in Tai Chi Chuan or of a third eye, though the ulitmate aim of merging with the Tao is similar.
"Returning to Earlier Heaven " was only practiced by the The Way of Earlier Heaven sect (Xian Tian Tao). There are seven stages, each involving focusing on and transforming a cavity. First is the lower cavity, the centre of the lower Tan Tian, about two and a half inches below the navel. Second is the front cavity, the Sea of Chi about one inch below the navel. Third is the back cavity, the Life Gate (Ming Men), a point on the spinal column between the kidneys. Fourth is the middle cavity, the centre of the middle Dan Tian at the solar plexus, also known as the Central Palace or Yellow Palace. Fifth is the upper cavity, at the upper Dan Tian, between the eyes, which is called the Bright Hall. These first five cavities open the Microcosmic Orbit. The sixth and lowest cavity is the Bubbling Spring cavity at the sole of the foot and when this stage is complete, the Macrocosmic Orbit opens. The final cavity is the original cavity, also known as the Mysterious Gate, Earlier Heaven Gate, Wu Chi (No Ultimate) and only materialises when the original spirit is conceived and it is the gate to union with the Tao.
The first six stages involve form and action in focusing on specific cavities and is called After Heaven (Hou Tian) Meditation because it acts on the body and mind after the separation of Heaven and Earth. In stage seven there is no form or action because the Original Cavity cannot be localised and focused on and it is called Earlier Heaven Meditation because it works on a body and mind connected with the Tao. Returning to Earlier Heaven requires specific postures and sitting cross legged in a half or full lotus. The postures are rigorous because equal importance is placed on cultivating the body and the mind. The hand positions include sitting with the hands on the knees and holding them together to form a Tai Chi symbol, or supporting the body on the knuckles while in a full lotus.
In Tai Chi Chuan meditation we also sit for a short time with the hands on the knees and hold the cupped hands together, as if holding a Tai Chi symbol or lotus. Also in Tai Chi Chuan we practice hand stands on the knuckles. Though there is no focus on the cavities as such, certain Nei Kung exercises involve opening and closing of cavities, while in Xian Jia Baduanjin Qi Gong (Immortal Family Eight Pieces of Brocade ) there is stimulation of cavities, including the Bubbling Spring point.
Terminology
Let us look now at some of the terms used for Taoist meditation. It was often referred to as "Shou Yi" meaning Holding or Keeping The One, or "De Yi", Acquiring The One. This "One" is again the ancient Taoist trinity of Heaven, Earth and Humanity united harmoniously together as one, the Tao itself. My teacher often referred to Tai Chi Chuan as a way to "Shou Tao" - Hold or Keep The Way. In Tai Chi Chuan there is also the concept of "Tian Di Ren He Yi" Heaven Earth and Humanity in harmony as one, where we as Humanity composed of Yin and Yang, are rooted (usually by our feet) to the Supreme Yin of Earth and with Shen (Spiritual Energy) rising to the headtop aspire to the Supreme Yang of Heaven.
Later, meditation was referred to as "Cun Si", Storing or Preserving Thoughts and as "Xiang Cun", Thinking on Preservation. This suggests more the type of visualization or focusing on words or mantras common to both Tai Chi Nei Kung practice and to certain types of Taoist and Zen meditation.
A common term used to this day is Xiu Xin, to repair or to cultivate the heart or mind. Li Guang-xuan, writing in the Sung period on Internal Alchemy said that you shouldn't worry about becoming an Immortal,but just try to perfect yourself by practicing the techniques, then you will be sure to attain Truth. With form and moving Nei Kung exercises, my teacher emphasised the need to know the application and purpose of the movements, but to go beyond this and to concentrate on refining and focusing the technique. In addition he emphasised the importance of balancing the more Yang aspects of training such as Tai Chi Shuai Jiao, punching with weights, hitting the heavy bag etc. with more Yin training such as the meditative exercises in the Tai Chi Nei Kung.
A final term is "Zuo Wang". Zuo means to sit, while the character for Wang is in two parts. The upper part means to lose or escape, while the lower means heart or mind, for the Chinese, the heart was the source of the emotions. Wang therefore means to forget or to escape the mind. Zuo Wang is closer to the common conception of seated meditation. This only appears in the final Tai Chi Nei Kung exercise, which I practice most days when I've had less than two bottles of whisky or six bottles of wine (otherwise I practice reclining meditation).
Going back to kinaesthesis and synaesthesis, certain pastimes / occupations require one or more senses to be particularly acute. For example wine appreciation tests our palate and the senses of smell and colour; appreciating classical music our sense of tone and pitch and Impressionist painting our sense of colour, swordmaking our vision and sense of touch. Of course it requires both training and experience to know what our senses should be searching for.
More than this, the senses can be used externally or internally. For example we can look at the external world or we can visualize mentally; we can hear ambient or internal sounds; externally we can touch, feel cold or hot, wet or dry while internally we can experience sensations, emotions, balance (the mechanism is in the inner ear) and body awareness.
Ting or listening is an interesting term used in Chinese martial arts and Tai Chi Chuan in particular to refer to the situation where whether in Tui Shou or San Shou we are in physical contact with the opponent and thus should be able to listen to (i.e. feel) his actions and reactions the next stage being either to influence or respond to them. The character for Ting is a complex one and its components are:- ten, eyes, heart (i.e. mind) disciple, ear; the meaning being rectification of a disciple's mind by the ten times use of his ears and eyes. It is well known also that when someone is talking to us their body language is often more important than what they have to say.
So in what, in a martial arts sense, is a truly kinaesthetic process, we are training the regular senses as well as the sixth sense. The eyes by seeing the opponent, the heart or emotions by feeling and the ears by hearing him (his breath at least) are all involved as well as the sense of touch (perhaps we can smell him as well, though mostly we don't want to taste him). By listening in a Tai Chi sense we truly sense him. We can even try to sharpen this "listening" by closing the eyes during Tui Shou, as the primary senses on which we are relying at close quarters are touch and sight, rather than sight.
Practicing Tai Chi form with the eyes closed is similarly a way of sharpening the other senses. We have to feel our foot positions on the floor and orient ourselves according to any ambient sounds or vibrations, while visualizing the performance of the form as we do it.
In meditation as in all aspects of Tai Chi Chuan it is necessary to go through all four stages of the learning pracess. The first stage is unconscious incompetence where we don't know we don't know how. The second stage is after we have started to learn and to become conscious of our incompetence, though I regret that many Tai Chi Chuan practitioners at least despite years of practice do not even reach this stage. Next is the conscious competence stage where we can do it, but only with great concentration. Finally we become unconsciously competent, able to do it without thinking. This is the road to mastery.
Sitting meditation
Meditation is best done in a quiet place where you are unlikely to be disturbed. For their sitting meditation, Taoists used soft thick cushions, but a futon or bed are also suitable. You should remove tight or restrictive clothing and belts should be undone. The back is normally straight and erect so that the spinal column is correctly aligned and the lungs can expand. After meditation the eyes should be opened slowly and the limbs should be massaged or flexed to relax them if you are coming out of a half lotus position.
Contrary to popular belief it is not necessary to go into a full lotus in order to meditate, a half lotus or even sitting on the edge of a chair or bed with the ankles crossed and the knees facing out to open up the crotch are also effective positions.
The hands are often placed palm down on the knees or placed on one another, palms up, close to the belly with the thumbs interlocked. The head and neck should be erect and facing ahead. The eyes should be lightly shut to avoid distractions, while the mouth was closed with the tongue touching the palate to make a bridge along which Qi moved from the nose to the throat or vice versa - as is the case with Tai Chi Chuan practice, we breathe in and out through the nose.
Practical Meditation
Next is when to meditate. Whether walking, sitting, standing or reclining you can pay attention to posture, actions, breathing and thought, so you can meditate. It is best to meditate early in the morning or late at night, but the ideal minimum requirement is once a day. I personally prefer to practice the 24th exercise of Tai Chi Nei Kung as a meditation late at night because it helps me to sleep and I practice Tai Chi form in the morning to prepare me for the day ahead.
In certain professions, sleep is a real problem. Many years ago one of my new students who had been practicing Yang style Tai Chi Chuan for some years told me that as a printer he worked irregular hours and he had to have expensive acupuncture treatment once every couple of weeks to help him sleep. I taught him only the first four Yin exercises of Tai Chi Nei Kung and he had no further problems. Shift workers including police officers whom I have taught have reported similar benefits.
It is a peculiar paradox that the idea of abstaining from all thought is itself a thought. This is referred to in Chapter 11 of the Huai Nan Zi (2nd century BC), where it is said that those who seek to be emptied cannot be emptied, while those who do not seek it achieve it spontaneously. Some beginners come to believe that before they started meditating, thoughts were few and became numerous after taking up meditation, in fact all that has happened is that they become more aware of their thoughts, the more they meditate. Through practice the number of thoughts will decrease. Though many positive results and health benefits can come from regular meditation, we should concentrate on the practice and not worry or try to force the results as this can reduce the effectiveness of our practice. The Taoist idea of Inner Observation was that if the eyes were closed they would look inwards, likewise the hearing was turned inwards which made it easier to refrain from hearing distracting sounds. In one regard meditation (and martial arts) is like religion; success depends upon faith and practice.
In Taoist meditation as in Tai Chi Chuan the breathing should be deep when we inhale and long when we exhale. It should be slow, continuous and almost imperceptible. This is also why many types of Taoist meditation are preceded by breathing exercises - as is the case with the final Tai Chi Nei Kung exercise. There is an emphasis on abdominal respiration so that the lungs expand more than usual thus taking in more oxygen which makes the circulation and purification of blood more effective. In turn a higher percentage of carbon dioxide is breathed out or methane gas emitted. This goes back to the enhancing of the development of our Three Treasuses of Qi, Jing and Shen. Qi vitalises the body, while Jing in the form of semen, saliva and bodily secretions irrigates it. Shen was developed by the Yin Yang method of closing or shutting out the exterior world of the senses and the interior world of thought and emotions (which of course are affected by the outer world), while opening ourselves to the spiritual world of the infinite.
Some people say the longer the meditation the better, with a minimum of thirty minutes. I don't like to be so dogmatic. I have practiced Tai Chi Nei Kung for between fifteen minutes to three and a half hours most days for almost twenty five years, but when I practice Nei Kung sitting meditation, it is rarely for more than ten minutes. Maybe this is because of the large amount of Tai Chi Chuan practice that I do - indeed many forms of Taoist meditation are preceded by massage or stretching exercises which mentally and physically prepare the adept. I actually believe that long practice of sitting meditation can be bad for you, leading to drowsiness and lassitude as well as sometimes damaging the knees by cutting off the circulation.
Meditation as we have seen is not meant to be practiced in isolation, but as part of theYang Sheng (Nourishing of Life) practice referred to by Zhuang Zi in the 5th century BC. This term is interesting because the master / disciple relationship in Chinese culture is often referred to as one of father and son, because metaphorically, the master gives birth to (Sheng) and nourishes (Yang) the disciple Sickness arose from a lack, an excess or blockage of Jing or Qi, so many Taoists sought purification and tranquillity through ritual washing, fasting and withdrawal to the mountainous domain of the gods from a sceptical and impure world.
The Taoists saw meditation as a progress from movement to stillness and also from stillness to movement. We can see this when we practice Tai Chi Chuan hand form; we go from briefly holding the Wu Chi (No Ultimate) position (also known as Tai Chi at Rest) to holding briefly the Ready Style and then we commence the form. We finish the form by going from Tai Chi in Unity back to the to Wu Chi (No Ultimate) position (also known as the Completion Style). Sun Lu-tang, the master of Ba Gua, Xing Yi and Tai Chi Chuan wrote that before practicing internal martial arts, in the state of Wu Chi (No Ultimate), "No thought (and so) no intent; No form and so no shape." These formal and seemingly unimportant transitions are designed as triggers to induce the focus and concentration needed to do the form properly and likewise to unwind after the journey is complete.
The Tai Chi Nei Kung has similar in that there are ritual opening and closing sequences. Additionally after each exercise, except the last, we return to the Embracing The One position before commencing the next exercise. In the Nei Kung also, there are three levels for each exercise; for the beginner, for the adept and for the master. You can't suddenly attain enlightenment by going on a weekend meditation retreat.
In this series of articles I have referred to Nei Guan (Internal Observation), but there is also the term Ding Guan, meaning Fixed or Tranquil Observation. Ding refers to a Yin or earth like stability of fixed concentration, but this is only a kind of dull contentment, unless it is combined with a Yang or Heaven inspired intuitive wisdom produced by Guan. Likewise this intuitive wisdom, unless it is grounded in the stability of Ding spirals into a kind of holy madness.
This character Ding is important in Tai Chi Chuan, as Zhong Ding (Central Stability / Equilibrium) is one of the Thirteen Tactics and is identified with the element Earth. Just as the other elements are to be found in or on the earth, so going forward or back, left or right comes from Zhong Ding. Thus movement proceeds from and back to stillness.
So in this examination of Taoist meditation and its relationship to Tai Chi Chuan, it is clear that aspects of Tai Chi Chuan, and in particular the solo practice of forms and Nei Kung do have a meditative element although they are not solely meditative.
Lastly you will only benefit from Taoist meditation and from Tai Chi Chuan if you have the appropriate attitude and lifestyle and if you find a suitable teacher. In the words of Jacques Levi in his epic novel, "The Chinese Emperor", "An hour of study under a master is more rewarding than a lifetime of solitary meditation."