The time is coming to test our choices, beliefs, principles, practices, our place in the world. It was easy for us not to worry when the human madness happened far away from us. It was easy for us to think that it would never happen to us. Now we are facing a new situation. Now we are faced with the crowning madness of civilization – war. Today it’s a war across the border. Tomorrow? Many of the things we considered important so far have already lost their importance. Many more will follow. Each of us is in a different life situation, in different circumstances. Each of us has to do what we have to do. However, especially now, it is important how we treat the world around us, how we treat the people around us, and how we treat ourselves. May we be able to appreciate the moment that is given to us, people that are close to us that we still have, and our place in the world. May we be able to express this gratitude through our relationship to others, our treatment of others, those who are close to us, and those who are strangers. May we not lose what is, thinking about what was or what could have been if … Let us remember that everything changes but what we do, and how we do it during and between these changes has a measurable impact on them. May the peace of the wilderness be with you always. You can also lookup – THE PRACTICE OF KAN ...
The practice of KAN
One of the practices in Primal Tao (Tao of Nature) training is working on our daily attitude towards ourselves, our surroundings, and towards others. We call it the practice of KAN – Kindness, Appreciation and Now. Frequently, we do not realise how much of our perception of the world comes from our own thinking and acting in this world. We do not realise that everything we think, say and do has as much of an impact on others as it does on our own selves. Therefore, when we treat others with Kindness, automatically we create an inner and outer environment ripe with opportunities for joy, happiness, gratitude, compassion etc. It simply makes us feel good about ourselves and the world around us. Anyone who’s ever done a small favour to another human being, knows that feeling and its wonderful consequences. There are reasons to believe that we used to experience it much more frequently and it is only the modern pace of life and the stress that it creates that seem to cause the disappearance of this great habit. The cultivation of Appreciation is another delightful strategy of influencing our own mood and changing the mood of others. Just like there are always many challenges that our life comes with, there are also wonderful things that we can and should remember to be grateful for. No matter how small, it is of the utmost importance to acknowledge to ourselves all our little achievements, accomplishments of others, the daily comforts, relationships and opportunities that we are blessed with. Understanding and feeling thankful for the “good” things in our life is one of the most powerful tools to find peace and contentment with what is. When practiced regularly it creates an effortless ability to find simple enjoyment and pleasure of living in whatever circumstances we happen to live in. When we remember to focus more on the present moment, when we manage to stop thinking for a second about what happened yesterday and what will happen tomorrow – this very moment is the only time when we experience life as it is. This is the only time when we have a chance to fully enjoy our body, our mind and our surroundings because usually, most of the time we are “somewhere else” – not here and now. Many physical and mental activities that cause unusual focus of attention (like extreme sports or engagement in creating art) can be very addictive because the feeling of being present and fully alive is second to none. Practicing Now helps us to create a habit of remembering to concentrate on this moment and using it as well as we can. Both Kindness and Appreciation tend to require a measure of being present Now and using them together gives the most significant results. ...
Tao of the Four Empties – the Empty Mind
How many times do we hear the story of never-ending to-do-lists, things to take care of, projects to complete, deadlines to meet, unfinished errands, etc? How many times our head is overflowing with never-ending streams of thoughts, plans, worries – an incessant noise and activity. We can easily notice an interesting phenomenon nowadays – overstimulation of the mind and under-stimulation of the body. The simplest solution would, of course, be a reversal of these proportions – activating the body and quieting the mind. The practice of the Empty Mind aims to achieve just that: a quiet, focused mind. How do we empty our minds? How to realize a focused, relaxed, flexible and quiet mind? Obviously, it is not easy. Many aspects of contemporary life stand in our way. The pace of life in the cities, work ethics of most companies, the focus on the instant results in today’s business world, changes in our immediate surroundings, lack of access to Nature for some, 24/7 exposure to marketing and mind-manipulation, high expectations towards ourselves and others, and even the impact of stimulating foods and beverages. While it is very difficult for us to be unaffected by all of these daily occurrences, it is possible to develop simple thought habits, mental hygiene of sorts, an attitude of looking at tasks at hand from a bit distanced perspective. In many Taoist practices, we frequently distinguish two opposite but complementary poles, two aspects of the same – Yin and Yang. In the practice of the Empty Mind, we also address this duality. We practice controlling our thoughts by the conscious development of certain habits of mental attitudes – that would be an active Yang approach. We can also utilize a more passive, Yin technique – letting go and focusing more on the meditative aspects of the practice. They are complementary and equally important and both can utilize the use of breath and self-observation. It is very difficult if not impossible to make any changes without the ability to take note of the present situation here and now. It is only when we are aware of the fact that our mind is overstimulated, too emotional or stuck in a negative sphere, that any steps towards changing this situation can be made. In order to do that we need to develop a habit of paying attention to what and how we tend to think. Just like everything else, at first it seems very difficult but with time it will get easier and easier. There are many simple exercises that can help us control the flow of our thoughts. We can start by noticing and writing down the feelings or emotions we would like to get rid of like anger, anxiety or the need to complain, and then pay attention and note every occurrence during the day. You will notice that at first, it requires a great deal of self-discipline but it will soon become very natural. The very fact that you notice it will give you a measure of satisfaction and increase the level of control you have over this particular habit. The next step is finding a feature directly opposite to the one you’re trying to get rid of. For example: for anger, it would be: composure, patience, mental balance. For anxiety – calmness. For the habit of complaining – noting the positive side, praise, etc. These are the characteristics you want to introduce, strengthen, and master. The habits that deserve your energy and effort. Features of your mind that you want to cultivate. The more we do it the easier it becomes. The more we pay attention to something, the more we will see it all around us. Paying attention (which is a form of energy allocation) to the positive aspects of the situations we are in will strengthen these aspects, deepen our ability to find them, create a habit of guiding our minds in the more desirable directions and not just automatically reacting to the circumstances. This is how we can manifest the kind of understanding, create an inner perspective that is the most conducive to maintaining serenity, optimism, joy, and contentment. With practice, it will become completely natural, subconscious, and effortless. In Yin practice, a more passive mind practice, we will concentrate on influencing and calming down our minds with the use of meditative techniques, working with our breath and awareness. We try to create habits of letting go of mental noise, habits of finding moments of quiet contemplation in different situations throughout our day. These can be pre-arranged meditation times (like before or after work) or, in a more informal way, brief moments of remembering and awareness of our breath, posture, our body or emotional state. Focusing attention on one’s breath, lengthening of the exhale, a conscious relaxation of the entire body and letting go of accumulated tension – they can all be an integral part of our how we “go with the flow” of our day’s events. We can find these little meditations in many unexpected places. For some of us, it could be a moment of silence and stillness waiting in the queue. For others – a short break for a cup of tea. Sometimes it happens while we take our pet for a walk, make our bed, clean the dishes or fill up our car’s gas tank. The possibilities are infinite. What are your “informal” meditations? When do you find the time to let go? ...
Qigong – Tai Chi – Yoga (and many other modalities) – why is it worth practicing?
When somebody asked me some twenty years ago: “What is Qigong or Tai Chi? – without any doubt, in just a few minutes I could precisely explain the goals and characteristics of these practices. Since I had “already” been a devoted practitioner for a couple of years, I was convinced that I knew everything there was to be known about the subject. A few years later I was asked the question again. This time I think I managed to make my unsuspecting victim bored to death by describing different styles, forms, and approaches in Tai Chi and Qigong. I think I could talk about it indefinitely. Fast forward another 10 years or so… and my answers have become shorter and more and more enigmatic. The more I practice the more I realize that I know very little and that our individual goals, perspectives, and interpretations can be vastly unique. At the same time, we have a lot in common when we ask ourselves the same questions and struggle with similar challenges that our daily life can generously provide. We can find many benefits of practices such as Qigong or Yoga. With time, both our understanding and our goals of practice can evolve and change. For me personally, my practice helps me find and cultivate the qualities that are difficult to manifest in a vortex of the everyday pace of life, work, and responsibilities. It is important for me however, to focus at least a little bit of energy on creating some peace of mind, health, and joy in my daily life. How to find my place in this world, in Nature? How to be comfortable in my own body and mind? What is my life’s work? How to accept and like my own self, others, and the rest of the world? These are some of the many questions that my training is helping me to find the answers for. For me, to practice Qigong/TaiChi/Yoga/Meditation means to continuously cultivate the qualities I seek. It means to engage in a process of self-discovery and self-observation. It means to create a quality of being. We don’t need to practice, let’s say: an hour a day. We can practice all the time. Your practice can be your being here and now. Constant awareness and conscious choice of the way you think, talk and act. Noting your posture, your breath, and your tension level. Paying attention to others, paying attention to your own reactions and to your surroundings. Continuous effort to establish an inner and outer balance. It is a practice of transforming the ordinary into the unusual, boring into interesting. It is a way to discover the magic of everyday life! ...
Life as a continuous act of cultivation.
Every day I cultivate my life experience. I like to think of the word “cultivate” as “do”. What I do is what I develop and strengthen. How I live every day influences the way I will live in the future. How I live every day determines how I feel about the past. What I do every day but more importantly how I do it, is a choice easy to forget that I have. Am I kind or rude? Talking or listening? Paying attention or absent-minded? Compassionate or indifferent? Tolerant or idealistic? Focused or scattered? Relaxed or tense? Calm or anxious? Happy or sad? Active or inert? By concentrating on certain aspects and attributes of our life and our being we can create habitual reactions that we would like to have. By making an effort to smile, to listen to others, to pay attention and notice the good side of things, it becomes infinitely easier to do it in a more natural, effortless way. Almost automatically. What is your choice? What do you cultivate? Life goes by very quickly. Be an artist and a co-creator of your daily experiences. ...
Minimalism – the incredible lightness of being.
The world around us, our schools, businesses, governments, parents, they all us teach us how we need to have more, achieve more, be more. Minimalism teaches us how to have enough. What is enough? It is a state of being when we feel contentment with what is, with what we have. In a way, it is not very different from the lofty ideas of enlightenment or happiness, ideas of being present and happy here and now. Minimalism is not anything new. The Greek philosophers, Japanese Zen masters, Chinese Taoist hermits, and many, many others have been practicing minimalism since the times forgotten. Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, they all understood the limitations of things. In the world of materialism and common mindless consumption, the idea of minimalism is a counterbalance to excess. To have enough or to be enough has been a goal pursued by many. In minimalism, contrary to other approaches, enough is sought by subtracting rather than adding. Letting go rather than accumulating. Appreciating the “haves” rather than craving the “have nots”. When we realize what we really need – we realize what is enough for us. When you realize that there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you – Lao Tzu Many types of Buddhist practices emphasize the importance of being present in the moment, aware and mindful of what we are doing. Minimalism shares the same desire to be more mindful of our real needs for possessions, achievements, and many more. When we simply react to the world around us, it is often an unconscious or undesirable reaction. A result of previous experiences, past conditioning or a formed habit. On the material plane, we happen to react to peer pressure or marketing suggestions and buy more things in hopes that they will bring us joy and happiness. While things can do that, it is not a very long lasting feeling. Because we want to experience the feeling again, we end up buying more and more. As a result, we get more conditioned, our reward system down-regulates and we need to do it even more often, feeling progressively less pleasure. Not to mention that our stuff quickly accumulates. It is a vicious circle that slowly burns out our joy of life. So, instead of investing our hopes for contentment in yet another toy we would like to have, why don’t we start the process of elimination to discover that we don’t really need much to feel satisfied with life. Re-discovering a long forgotten hobby, simple interactions with other people and nature can be as rewarding and much longer lasting means of finding the elusive happiness. Do YOU enjoy every day appreciating its gifts and remembering its transience? ...
Everyday cultivation of quality.
Every single day you wake up in some place, you wake up in some body, you wake up in some mind and you begin to tell yourself your own story from the beginning, again. You remember where you are. You remember who you are. You remember what you need to do. Remember. It is a nice word but do you realize that human memory is re-created over and over again every time we try to “remember” something?! We do not function like a computer storing memories of yesterday. Every reflection of the past is created anew every time we try to remember it. Amazing! A continuous creative process! Just like our everyday life. Every morning you wake up and create your life again. You put it all together the way you are used to, the way your environment had conditioned you, the way it is convenient or the only way you believe it is possible to do. But of course, you know that there are many, many ways. All it takes is changing your immediate surroundings, social circle, cultural environment, the place where you live or work and it becomes very clear how many different ways of doing things there are. Or.. you can change the way you think. Change the thinking and continuously use this new way, practice, utilize, cultivate it. This is the simplest and yet the most demanding change. It requires our own work, effort, willingness, time and patience. All the things we are constantly running short of. When you wake up – think of something nice, appreciate a good night’s sleep. Stretch and appreciate your body. Get up and appreciate your surroundings. Walk to the bathroom and appreciate the water you have. Go to the kitchen, prepare something healthy, tasty, nutritious and thank for the food you have. Go out, appreciate the world and yourself and do something good, do something nice! ...
Vipassana – again… (memories from the past)
Vipassana – again… This time my destiny led me to the birthplace of Buddha – the town of Lumbini in Nepal. A small place visited by Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world ( there are estimated 350 million Buddhists worldwide ). A relatively small area became a construction grounds for Buddhist monasteries representing different branches of Buddhism. From Japan and China to Sri Lanka, Thailand and Tibet. It was not the Buddha’s place of birth that was the main reason for my visit though. I came here to take part in yet another experience of Vipassana meditation. While many who had come here would enjoy the beautiful temples and monastery gardens, my journey will take me more “inside”, to the fertile gardens of my own mind. It was time to do some pruning and weeding! The fact that I would not be spending much time admiring what’s outside was readily reflected in the stark architecture of the Vipassana meditation center where I was to spend the next ten days. Actually, the place looked more like a prison than anything else.. The purpose of it being – not allowing the distractions of the outside world to weaken the focus on the world inside.. Vipassana – it is not an experience for everyone. Not everyone is inclined to test his or her body and mind with the severity of silence and intense inner work, meditating ten hours a day for ten days straight. The first few days are always difficult but the results of this tremendous effort can be as surprising as the intensity of the effort itself. Intensity that is difficult to compare to anything else. Ten days of absolute silence, nearly continuous meditation and observation of the many inner processes taking place in each and everyone of us, reveals the truths and realizations about ourselves that sometimes we wish we didn’t know. And all of this takes place in the company of twenty to hundred and twenty silent people who just like me, try to learn something about themselves, figure out why they are the way they are and why their life is unfolding the way it does. It is not very often that we have an opportunity to ask and answer ourselves questions like these. It is not very often that we have the time and environment to go this deep inside. Perhaps it is why many European Vipassana centers are booked full well in advance and every year new centers are built all over the world… ...
Appreciation
Every day I try to remember to appreciate every moment. Every day I try to remember how lucky I am. Every day I try to remember what a privilege it is to have food, water, roof over my head, shower, refrigerator, health, freedom, education, family, friends, time and much, much more! Every day I try to remember not to get irritated by the little inconveniences that life provides from time to time. Every day I try to remember not to complain and feel sorry for myself just because I forget that the little moment of unhappiness I happen to go through is not the center of the entire universe! I try and try, day after day, over and over again until it becomes a habit. Until it becomes something completely natural. Until I fully realize there is nothing missing. And when my expectations, ignorance, self pity and sense of entitlement are gone, all that is left is APPRECIATION. ...
Eustress and Distress – Yin and Yang of health cultivation.
There are many different aspects of our health and well-being. Mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social, environmental. Our cognitive and intellectual abilities. Our physical functionality. Our mental and emotional attitudes, patterns, habits, conditioning. Our social interactions and exchanges. Our environmental influences: the water we drink, the food we eat, the place we live in, the area we are surrounded by, attitudes and expectations around us. They all influence our physical and mental condition. We all have our strong and weak sides. Sometimes our strength is our mind, or memory or mental agility. Sometimes our weakness is our lack of physical stamina or flexibility or strength. Or the other way around. There is a vast number of possible combinations. Usually, we are inclined to do the things that are easy for us. Things that we’ve trained ourselves for in the past. Unfortunately doing only what we are already good at will only lead to further imbalances. Just like only doing the crossword puzzles will not be enough for the mind, a little bit of yoga or tai chi or weight lifting might not quite do it for the body. We need to address our whole being in a complex way. Develop our creativity, push our limits, and find new challenges. So, let’s start learning about ourselves. It is important to assess our predispositions, cultivate our strengths and really focus on improving our weak areas, achieving much more sustainable balance overall. It is often difficult to admit to ourselves that we are lacking in some areas of our lives. The first step is to acknowledge that there are aspects of our being that can use some work and improvement. In the physical realm, we are often tempted to prioritize activities we already feel comfortable with. For example, we’ve already achived a measure of coordination or flexibility and we tend to dismiss the need for some strength or speed work to be done, finding numerous reasons and explanations for not doing it. The same goes on in the mental sphere of our development. If we’re good at math we frequently like to excuse ourselves from being familiar with more abstract areas of knowledge. We often argue that we can not master everything and it is true as long as it doesn’t become just an excuse not to challenge and develop our adaptive capabilities. At this time and age, most people are familiar with the concept of stress and the negative consequences that can come with it. Unfortunately, very few of us have ever heard of Eustress – the positive stress which stimulates, motivates and generally contributes to the development and strengthening of our abilities to function in the most effective and optimal way. A well documented and researched example of Eustress is the influence the physical exercises have on our body development. Gradual and systematic training leads to a harmonious growth and development, improvement of many biological markers, and positive changes taking place on the mental and physical level. Regular mental training leads to a similar efficiency and an accelerated ability to absorb, process, interpret and utilize new data. All of these findings point out to the realization that we should not be avoiding challenges in our lives. Self-imposed challenges prepare us for the challenges that life will surely present us with sooner or later. By regular practice of things that are difficult for us we inevitably become better equipped for dealing with them at the time of need. It is obvious that if we experience difficulties with our joints, special attention needs to be directed in that direction. If we experience lower back pain issues, we should take an extra close look as to what the causes could be. If we feel overwhelmed by some mental tasks we need to face, this ought to be an area of a special interest for our training. As soon as we begin to practice this kind of perspective, we realize that the opportunities for work and improvement are very abundant in all aspects of our life. As soon as we begin to implement the knowledge of how beneficial the difficulties can be for us – a new realm of possibilities opens up! Do you notice the blessings that come with every challenge you face? Are you aware of the opportunities coming with every challenge? ...
