I found this article in the Summer 2006 issue of body & brain magazine. I thought it was engaging and helpful. I hope you do too. It has great tips for Dahn Yoga Energy Meditation (also called Brain Vitality Meditation or Ji-gam).
Beginners to Dahn Yoga enjoy its strong physical aspect and relaxing breathing postures without thinking twice. However, when instructors introduce “energy meditation,” or Ji-gam exercise, new members often feel mystified and confused.This is the part of the class where we sit, usually in half lotus posture, and bring our hands in front of our chests, with our palms open and apart, to feel ki or “life energy.” Feeling energy is one of the great jewels of Dahn Yoga training and through it many people find a renewable source of inner peace.
Awakening our ability to feel this energy is important and allows Dahn practitioners to go deeper with their practice.But, sometimes, when attempting this exercise, both beginners and advanced students suddenly find their attention spans have become diminished. This is attributable to many factors, but the following guidelines should help to eliminate many of the roadblocks.
- It’s in the bend. Are your hands and body cold and tight? If so, then you need to exercise more intensely during class. Try simply bending your knees more deeply than usual for a big difference in energy circulation and perspiration. The lower you bend your thighs during standing postures, the warmer and looser your hip joints and lower abdomen will become, which, in turn, will circulate energy throughout your whole body. Try clapping your hands 10 times and, on the last clap, leave your hands together without pulling away; then hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 7 times, and finish by rubbing your hands.
- Don’t Slouch! A bent spine will make it difficult to comfortably focus the mind. Do your best to straighten your spine, using the wall, a chair, or a rolled up mat if necessary. Staighten it only as much as possible without straining your back. In the beginning you will experience a little discomfort in your upper and lower spine; this is inevitable and should not discourage you.
- Leave a space between your upper arms and armpits. In the beginning, this may make your shoulder and arm muscles sore, but it is essential. You cannot rest your upper arms on your chest because it blocks the flow of energy.
- Close the circuit. Place your tongue behind your front teeth, along the roof of your mouth, in order to close your energy circuit. This will allow you to focus better.
- Be aware. Feeling energy all comes down to awareness. Always start your meditation by gathering your awareness first. If you start moving your hands without actually focusing your awareness on them, you will not gain any feeling of energy.
- Connect to space. The word Ji-gam literally means “stop-thinking.” In order to stop thinking, the mind has to become empty; therefore, the reason Ji-gam exercise works is because the hands are connected to something that has an “empty mind”–the air around you. So all you have to do is connect each hand to the empty space around it. Instead of trying to feel the energy between your hands, simply focus on feeling each hand as individually connected to the air. The awareness of your hands will become stronger, and your mind will be able to empty more easily because you have opened it up doing so. As you become more advanced in your training, you will realize that it is not just the hands that connect to empty space, but the entire body.
- Practice moving your mind’s awareness into your hands and chest throughout the day. Just open your hands and let your palms feel the air. If you do this continually, you will find that your energy experiences will become significantly deeper.
- Hear but do not listen. Everyone complains about a wandering mind during meditation. The point is not to stop thinking altogether, but to hear and not listen. Just let your thoughts pass through your mind like clouds. Try experimenting by projecting thoughts such as “Send energy to my hands’ and “Hands, hands, hands” or “Let me feel energy on my hands.” If you say those words with an empty mind, you may have good results. Experiment with whatever mantra or sentence resonates most strongly in your brain.
Something to practice:Sitting in half lotus posture, rest your hands on your knees or in the middle of your legs with your palms facing upward. While keeping your back straight, slowly sway your upper torso very slightly, from left to right, in a rhythmic manner for five minutes. This will help gather your awareness and relax your hip joints. Focus your awareness on your arms and hands, relaxing them completely. Feel that they are connected to the empty space. If your back hurts too much, then slightly bounce your hands and knees up and down. Stop when you feel that your mind has emptied and that your body exists in space. Then raise your hands and let them connect more strongly with empty space.
By following these simply guidelines, you will most certainly feel energy in no time. For many, feeling energy is the best part of Dahn Yoga training and it can be a way to accelerate the body’s natural healing mechanism. Remember that feeling energy or connecting with empty space is easy and can be done anytime. As you practice, you will become more mindful of all aspects of your life.
When you are planning to undergo meditation practice, you should be able to get some ideas as to how you are going to start it. For those who have not experienced meditating yet must get to learn the basics in order to get started.
Yes, you’re right. Thank you for sharing
Dear Sir,
Greetings
Thank you very much for the information. I find difficult doing with out teacher. Advice me the same.
Thanks
Vijay
Thank you so much your information.
I still have my problems with slouching. It can really effect your ability to concentrate while meditating. This was a good article thanks for posting.