February | 2018 | A Glimpse of Heaven: The Philosophy of True Health

This is a form of mindfulness meditation guided imagery/visualization chi kung.

Herein, this guided imagery will be set forth for a standing position, but it can also be done in a sitting position – sitting on a chair/stool, or in a lotus sitting posture.

Ancillary preparatory exercise: titled as a question – How Much Gratitude Does One Need to be Healthy?

Stand with one’s feet almost together (called a ‘humble stance’), and bend one’s knees comfortably. Put one’s tongue against the roof of one’s mouth (connecting the Governing and Central Vessels – congruent with acupuncture theory). Relax one’s face, shoulders, hands, and feet – it’s said, “if they’re relaxed, you’re relaxed.”

Realize that relaxation is a true skill – there is always room for improvement. Realize, we ALWAYS have some stress, no matter how relaxed we are. Be so relaxed that one is barely standing – in what we coin as a Swaying Willow demeanor. Gently roll the spine above the waist, forward and backward. This demeanor is much like a willow tree swaying in a gentle wind. Breathe in, all the way forward and backward, and breathe out in between. Constantly adjust one’s eyes so that one is always looking slightly above straight ahead, without focusing or staring (though it is done both with the eyes open and closed – begin with the eyes open).

Get the ‘engine’ of the (advance vs. reverse) diaphragmatic/abdominal breathing going. Breathe in, push one’s abdomen out, breathe out, pull one’s abdomen in. Pretend that one’s lungs are in one’s abdomen. One of the greatest gifts one can allow oneself, is all-of-the-time diaphragmatic breathing – there is nothing more healthful. If one practices this breathing for five minutes twice daily, in 30 to 60 days most people will realize all-of-the-time diaphragmatic breathing. It greatly enhances circulation, and promotes the secretion of relaxing, pain killing hormones (empirically substantiated).

Be in a spirit of gratitude and true appreciation. Be all in the moment. A true appreciation of the miracle of the moment. Ask oneself, “How much gratitude does one need to be healthy?”

Try not to think, just witness one’s breathing, relaxation, and subtle movement. Endeavor to play the part of a less and less blemished witness. If a thought comes to one’s mind, embrace it, see it for what it is, don’t hang on to it, just let it go – put all of one’s attention in just what one is doing.

Mindfulness meditation is putting ALL of one’s attention into just one, two, or three aspects of what one is doing at any given time. It is next to impossible to be upset, anxious, worried, depressed, sad, or frustrated, if one is not thinking such thoughts. This is a primary purpose of mindfulness meditation – it is the sword that cuts out internal dialogue and/or cyclical thinking – ideally all thought…BEING ‘light’. Thoughts are often ‘heavy’.

Five Gates Guided Imagery

As coined, the five gates are: one on each foot, one on each hand, and a single gate just behind the very top of the head.

Continue in the humble stance with the gentle Swaying Willow chi kung. In all forms of chi kung, be as relaxed as one can be while still standing (or like earlier, this can be done sitting, but without the Swaying Willow mien). Keep one’s tongue against the roof of one’s mouth. Keep the engine of the diaphragmatic breathing going.

The Foot Gates:

Initially one side versus both, focus all of one’s attention at kidney acupoint #1, also known as Bubbling Wells, e.g., on the bottom of one’s foot along the centerline, just behind the ball of the foot.

Imagine one can breathe in through that point or bring fresh energy in, like a light, warmth, sparkling cursor, up one’s leg, into the hip, and over across and behind one’s navel and hold (holding one’s breath and attention at that point for a moment). Then reverse the flow along the same pathway, sending the stagnant, used-up, even ill energy down and out the point on the foot in time with the breath breathing out.

If one has a discomfort, malady, or any such in this area of the body, then during the breath in, imagine one can take a little detour with the cursor/attention to the problem area, wash, soothe, and heal it, and continue on along the main pathway, placing one’s attention behind the navel. Then reverse the flow, sending the stagnant energy out.

One then can switch to the other side and do the exercise. Eventually when one becomes more skilled, one can perform the visualization at both sides at once.

The Hand Gates:

Initially one side versus both, e.g., at the center of one’s palm, imagine one can breathe in through that point or bring fresh energy in, like a light, warmth, sparkling cursor, up one’s arm, into the shoulder, and down across behind and one’s navel and hold (holding one’s breath and attention there for a moment). Then reverse the flow along the same pathway, sending the stagnant, used-up, even ill energy out the point on the hand in time with the breath breathing out.

Again, if one has a discomfort, malady, or any such in this area of the body, then during the breath in, imagine one can take a little detour with the cursor/attention to the problem area, wash, soothe, and heal it, and continue on along the main pathway, placing one’s attention behind the navel. Then reverse the flow, sending the stagnant energy out.

One then can switch to the other side and do the exercise. Eventually when one becomes more skilled, one can perform the visualization at both sides at once.

The Head Gate:

Moving on to the head gate, e.g., governing vessel acupoint #20, the slight concavity/depression just behind the crown of one’s head on the centerline, imagine one can breathe in through that point or bring fresh energy in, like a light, warmth, sparkling cursor, down through one’s head, and down one’s spine or down through the center of one’s torso, and on behind one’s navel and hold (holding one’s breath and attention at that point). Then reverse the flow along the same pathway, sending the stagnant, used-up, even ill energy out the point on the head in time with the breath breathing out.

*According to acupuncture theory, governing vessel acupoint #20, when stimulated by acupuncture/pressure, is a significant relaxation point, promoting the secretion of relaxing, pain-reducing hormones. When one uses one’s imagination to breathe in through that point or bring fresh energy in, imagine that this visualization stimulates that point, much like acupuncture stimulation.

**This is an ages-old form of guided imagery – even so, it has been empirically researched and found to be of significant benefit in assisting practitioners in abbreviating pain and promoting relevant healing.

***According to acupuncture theory, illnesses of various types are forms of stagnancy, hindering the healthful flow of blood, lymph, and energy.