Meditation for Beginners: Meditations for Peace, Power, and Martial Arts
May 7, 2009
The term Meditation is one of the most misused and misconstrued words in the English language. It’s applied to images of solitary monks quietly sitting or chanting cross-legged on a mountain peak, to catholic monks who are contemplating scripture or deep esoteric truths of their faith, to those trying to transcend experience into a larger metaphysical reality, and finally, those looking to escape from reality.
To those who practice meditation, each of these practices couldn’t be more dissimilar. And while outwardly they may bear the mark of solitude or aloneness, inwardly these practices are distinct enough as to require a reconsideration of how liberally we apply the term meditation itself. The focus of this article is to introduce, in broad strokes, some of the leading practices under the term meditation, as well as their intended goals, purposes, and consequences.
Meditation, in the broadest sense of the term, means awareness. Specific meditative techniques will determine whether this awareness is directed internally, or weather it is undetermined and directionless. These two categories can again be broadly labeled as either mindfulness meditation, or concentration meditation. And while these two forms of meditation may lead to the same spiritual end, they are quite different in practice.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation, which I consider to be the only truly meditative practice, is the practice of training the mind to envelop the entirety of ones experience, rather than select subjective elements of experience. More simply put, mindfulness meditation is awareness marked by sensitivity, empathy, and acceptance. Most of us go through our daily routines noticing only those things that are right in front of us, and we tune out everything else that isn’t of immediate personal use.
When we sit down to breakfast how often do we taste our food? Most people are watching TV, reading the paper, or thinking about their day to come. They don’t taste their food. Food is eaten, but it isn’t tasted, smelled, felt. It isn’t tasted because we ‘know’ it. We have relegated the experience of breakfast to an ordinary compulsory task of survival. And while that food will nourish our bodies, our minds are trapped in relative schizophrenia.
As we grow up, we construct ourselves through conscious and unconscious associations with names, places, people, objects, and ideas. We like this, we dislike that. We think that’s bad, we like the taste of that fruit, we hate that football team. All of these judgments are meaningless when we remove them from the context of our experiences and our identities. But these judgments have become ‘us’, and without them we’re lost. In truth, these values, tastes, and judgments are dead thoughts based on past experience. And they are selfish in so far as they emanate from the ego. So from one moment to the next we see the world as if looking into a mirror. We never see what’s in front of us. We see only ourselves.
Mindfulness meditation is a method of deconstructing our identities. If our identities are the route cause of selfishness, and selfishness is the route cause of suffering, loneliness, and discontent, then mindfulness meditation is the selfless perception of reality in the here and now. It isn’t escape from reality, but a return to it. It is tasting your breakfast. It is hearing your partner in a conversation and not simply waiting for your turn to speak. It is feeling the pain of a broken heart, and it is sitting quietly and observing ones breath and thought while remaining open to external sensations. It is becoming truly alive.
Meditation in this sense is not a skill to be acquired or a means to an end. It is both the means and the end. Undertaking mindfulness meditation with the goal of reaching ‘enlightenment’ or happiness is self deception. The perception of happiness itself is a manifestation of the ego. Seeking happiness is simply reinforcing your own identity. Happiness however is a natural consequence of living in the now. Living in the present, listening, tasting, feeling, and observing our thoughts as they are, without judgment, is selfless. And in this relationship to the present love can flourish.
I haven’t yet spoken of ‘how to meditate’, and for good reason. Adhering to methods is another form of selfish ambition and a reflection of personal values. Mindfulness meditation is not formulaic. It is personal. It is about your experience of the present. That said, there are some basic principles conducive to mindfulness meditation. In general, being alone in a quiet natural setting is beneficial for cultivating internal stillness. Good posture promotes proper breathing and organ function. Relaxed arms and legs increase sensitivity to energy flow. And removing distractions allows you to meditate without concern for time, and without treating meditation like ‘a thing’ that helps you.
In Buddhist temples, breathing, eating, and walking are all treated with equal reverence, and each is a vehicle for reuniting with the present. If performed slowly and conscientiously, eating, walking, and virtually every other activity can be a meditative activity. The beginner however is advised to start by observing his breath from a comfortable seated position. In, out, in, out, breathing deeply into the lower abdomen and remaining sensitive to thoughts and external sounds without judgment. Once sensitivity improves, meditation becomes a natural part of life in virtually any activity.
Our minds naturally wander, and this shouldn’t be judged or suppressed. It should be observed with the same innocence and curiosity with which we observe our breathing. When you observe your thoughts as mentioned you’ll find they very quickly come to an end. At this time come back to your breath and be mindful of the subtle movement of energy circulating in and around you. Be mindful of the sights, sounds, smells, and personal thoughts. The fullness of life in the present will eliminate conflict and result in peace and tranquility.
Concentration Meditation and Energy Work
Mindfulness meditation is the expansion of perception to encompass the entirety of ones present experience and the fullness of life. Concentration meditations are contrary to this. They tend to narrow ones perception to a focal point for purposes of increasing mental focus or growing and manipulating internal energy. Although I personally do not believe the term meditation should be applied to this type of exercise, it is commonly accepted as such and we’ll leave it for the sake of clarity.
Most schools of meditation include some kind of concentration meditation, where the mind is focused on an internal point of the body like the third eye, or on the circulation of energy itself along major meridian lines, or even on numbers, sounds, a candle flame, or internal light. This is called concentration meditation because the mind is consciously focusing on one thing to the exclusion of others. But I prefer to use the Chinese term Qigong, which means energy work, as I believe it more accurately describes various methods of concentration meditations, and if not the methods, the consequences.
Internal martial arts as well as eastern healing arts use these meditations to concentrate, grow, and control their internal energy. Historically in china, the best martial artists were also the best healers, not only because they have an acute knowledge of anatomy, but also because they have extraordinary internal power. This same energy can be harnessed and projected outside of ones body for hurting or for healing. But it requires a lifetime of dedication to develop the kind of energy control required for either one. Even today Traditional Chinese Medical doctors practice Qigong to develop a sensitivity of energy stagnation, accumulation or disconnect in the patients body.
Qigong and similar methods of energy work acknowledge an internal flow of energy. The aim of these systems is to first develop a sensitivity to its natural movement, and later, to control its flow with the mind. Early stages of Qigong training, whether they be from Buddhist, Daoist, or Hindu traditions, begin with stationary sitting or standing meditation. Movement of breath into the lower abdomen (breath cannot travel that deep, but one can feel the continuation of energy) is the foundation of energy work. A point about two inches below the belly button and an inch or two into the body there is the seat of energy. Mentally breathing into that point will collect and concentrate energy that can later be controlled.
Whether the practitioner is standing or seated there are a few key points to adhere to. Good posture is essential, and includes an erect spine (hips just slightly rolled forward, which straightens the spine fully but feels contrary to that at first), and relaxed limbs. One’s chin and line of vision should be downward slightly. One should feel suspended by the center and top of the head, an important location called the Crown Point. And the tongue should rest on the upper part of the mouth just behind the palate. This connects the two major meridian lines, the Conception and Governing vessels, on the front and rear of the body which travel from the mouth to the sphincter, and vise versa. The body should be relaxed and in a location without distractions.
Standing meditations like Golden Bell Qigong, where the arms our held out in front as if holding a giant ball, aim to develop a sensitivity to this energy throughout the body, especially in the arms through vibrations or temperature changes, and the lower abdomen in the form of heat or circular energy swirling. The manifestations of qi are vast and cannot be confined into these generic sensations, so one should not look for sensations or chase feelings. Seated meditation typically starts with the lower abdominal energy point alone until an awareness of heat, vibration, or other peculiar sensations manifest. A good instructor will be able to recognize and sense development in the student and it’s quite helpful at times to have a guide who knows where you are in the development stages.
We’ve all seen films or pictures depicting people in trancelike states of meditation. Their hands are in weird positions or their eyes are rolled back in their heads. Most nuances in hand posturing and leg posturing are in my opinion, insignificant. Chasing formality is a great way to set yourself up for failure. Understanding principles and applying them to the best of your ability is a safer method of practice. If you’re sitting in a chair, apply the principles above, and rest your hands in your lap or on your thighs comfortably. Do the same if sitting cross-legged, and the same if standing. It isn’t rocket science. You are creating a new relationship with yourself, and a large piece of the puzzle will be recognizing what makes you unique. For advanced energy work as mentioned below however, expansion in method may be necessary and finding a guide is recommended.
There are a myriad of breathing techniques and body postures which can enhance energy development and control. I won’t go into great detail here as they should be considered supplementary exercises to basic energy work from a seated or standing posture. But you needn’t put your mind in a box. Study and experiment and be very aware of the sensations and feelings that arise. If you feel uncomfortable or your health deteriorates, you’re probably doing something wrong. So make changes. But altering ones breathing to be deeper and longer, breathing into the upper chest, reverse abdominal breathing, holding one’s breath briefly while pressing air or tensing muscles, or moving the body as in Tai Qi, can aid in the awareness, development, and manipulation of energy.
The ability to accumulate energy in the lower abdomen is often times enough to ensure strong health and fast healing within the body. This energy, once potent enough will naturally begin to circulate and move from the lower abdomen down to the anis and up along the back to the crown point at the top of the head. Coordinating the oscillations of breath with this energy flow is the foundation of harnessing and controlling the energy. One can eventually move this energy through the Great Central Channel, the connected meridians of the Conception and Governing vessels, and take control of their body’s natural healing powers. Few people advance beyond this stage of energy work.
Stages of meditation beyond this point enter the stages of esoteric and mystic skills. I have met individuals with advanced qi development and energy skills but I can count them on a single hand. And I had to travel far and wide to meet them. Once the Great Central Channel is awakened, a practitioner has the ability to channel his energy throughout his body and into and through his limbs. This skill leads to advanced martial skills like the ability to make ones body light, heavy, immovable, hard, numb, fast and powerful beyond normal limits and even project this energy into another body or through open space. This is one of the consequences of internal development in systems like Tai Qi, Shaolin Qigong, and Aikido.
This skill, just as it can be used for hurting, can also be used for healing. This skill typically manifests in healing arts that involve the laying on of hands, including Qigong healers, Reiki healers, and in my opinion religious healers like Pentecostal Christians, Native American Medicine Men, and Eastern Mystic Healers. Many religious healers claim to be vessels of the divine or ubiquitous energy rather than the source. And that is a debate beyond the scope of this article. Nonetheless there are powerful secular healers that develop similar healing powers through personal and internal energy development that challenges the claims of divine intervention present in religious healings.
And rather than using this energy to work outside of the body, it can be kept inside and concentrated at various points to awaken dormant psychological powers. The infamous third eye is the seat of mental powers including telepathy and telekinesis. After the seat of energy in the lower abdomen is sufficiently developed, ones concentration can migrate to the third eye region with a simple change of focus. Mentally focusing on a part of the body will cause energy to concentrate in that region. This will feel like pressure in the forehead at first, but can later result in the opening of the third eye to light, knowledge, or visions, and the awakening of perception of the intangible.
Chasing these sensations and skills for selfish purposes or the accrual of power will result in a great deal of wasted time. There is an ineffable connection between advanced internal states and the innocence and selflessness that comes with living in the now. Meditating for the sake of meditating is truly difficult and rewarding, but most people find themselves meditating for a certain reason, result or purpose, and reap none of the rewards of honest efforts. A person can find whatever sensations they seek, but these tend to be artificial and contrived. A mind without ambition stands the best chances of perceiving the subtle movement of energy and using it for good.
Meditation and Martial Arts
One of my martial arts instructors once told me a Zen parable about a master painter who was asked by a novice how to paint perfectly. The master replied, “Become perfect, and paint naturally.” And this response is just as suitable for someone striving for mastery in the martial arts. Fighting skills are a small piece of the game. Anyone can punch and kick and bludgeon if absolutely necessary. But a true martial artist is concerned above all with self mastery. Their martial skill derives not only from their knowledge of the arts, but from a self knowledge that creates serene self control and perception. A true martial artist is without fear.
Fear is the natural result of constructing an identity. When there is an ego, a center of your consciousness, there exists a center of subjective value. Liking something causes the dislike of something else. If I like order, I dislike disorder. If I like democracy, I dislike communism. If I like Christianity, I dislike Islam. These are all benign concepts in their own right, but my perception of them, and the perceptions of others creates conflict and war. We embrace these concepts and construct our identities to create friends and allies and a world of psychological security. But as long as we live in a world of judgments, we’ll live in fear. As long as we have something, we have something to lose. And as long as we live in fear we’ll never be at peace or be able to contribute to world peace.
For a martial artist the transcendence of fear is one of the highest achievements. And it isn’t attained through countless battles but by the honest realization that the route of conflict and suffering is selfish desire. Desire and fear are corollaries. And the route of desire and fear is the ego, the unconscious association of ideas, likes and dislikes…beliefs. Mindfulness meditation is a path to peace. By living fully in the now the ego is marginalized and the ‘us’ with all of our likes, dislikes and values is put to rest. Seeing immediate truth is of the utmost importance for a martial artist because at the moment of truth in battle one needs accurate perception and right action, unclouded by conditioned responses or prior beliefs.
Mindfulness meditation allows the martial artist to become whole. Martial arts focus on developing tools of violence. This training does not govern the use of those tools, merely the development of them. It is a great deal of knowledge and power to wield, and ought not to be used indiscriminately. It ought to be balanced by mercy and compassion, two actions rarely found in selfish individuals. Meditation nurtures selflessness and honesty, and these states give rise to love, compassion, and mercy. When a martial artist is free from the fear that causes selfishness, his thoughts and actions are completely free. And freedom from compulsion in thought and action is self mastery.
Furthermore, an act of nonviolence by someone without the power to hurt is not an act of volition but an act of circumstance. An act of mercy by an individual with the power to cause the greatest suffering is truly meaningful. And this is the reason you find in China, Korea, and Thailand, Buddhist and Taoist monks who practice martial arts. These are not contradictions in terms, they are complimentary. Martial skill gives relevance and meaning to acts of kindness and mercy. It builds the body, strengthens the mind and develops profound physical and mental power. The pain and hardships of training contribute to the dissolution of ego by methodically deconstructing irrational fear. Once you’ve been hit, cut, hurt, and you heal and survive you begin to accept pain as a natural and transient part of life, and not as a personal affront or something to run from at all costs.
A martial artist should consider practicing both mindfulness meditation and concentration meditations (energy work, Qigong) not only in the pursuit of higher martial skill, but to become a better human being. These meditations are intrinsically valuable, and ends in themselves. Meditation reconnects us with the fullness of our present reality, as well as the fullness of our inner workings and internal potential. Advancement in the martial arts is a natural byproduct of becoming a better person, a person not confined by selfishness and egotism. So, for we martial artists, rather than compulsively pursue perfection of martial skill, perhaps we should work to become perfect, and fight naturally.
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