I once attended a free introductory seminar to a meditation technique. The speaker described the meditation you’ve all heard of where you stare at a candle flame. “This is not meditation,” he said. He went on to describe the approach to meditation he had been taught.
Really? That’s not meditation?
A separate encounter I had with a professor.
“You practice meditation?”
“Yes.”
“Which meditation have you found to be the best?”
Both of these situations illustrate a common misunderstanding regarding meditation.
They both have, as an assumption, that there is a single optimum meditation that is “the one,” all others being pale imitations of the real thing…
This is not how it works.
Think of meditation like physical exercise. Which exercise is “the one?” Which one gives you the optimum benefits?
Good luck picking just one.
Just like exercises, different meditations offer you different benefits. The reality is that in order to have a well rounded set of benefits, you’ll need several different meditations.
The best answer for my professor’s question would be (and was) “It depends on what you want to develop.”
Are you trying to build energy? Develop a soft flexible mind? Train your mind intent into a laser that you aim at your opponent (like in Xing Yi)? Build sensitivity to another person’s mind intent (like in Tai Chi)?
Try picking one single meditation that will simultaneously and equally build all qualities (and all other benefits you might gain from other meditations). As far as we know, it doesn’t exist.
So, similar to when you exercise, keep in mind that different meditations will give you different benefits and qualities. Try to notice the overall benefits for each one. This helps you fine tune and accelerate your training, to be in control of your progress.
Clear Tai Chi Online course contains a multitude of meditations, both still and moving with a Tai Chi set, that will help you develop a variety of abilities and perceptions like the ones listed above.
These meditations will help you build energetic power (Nei Gung meditations), a calm perceptive mind (Be Here Now), and the ability to listen inside another person’s body (Ting Jing).
Best of all?
Clear, concise explanation and instruction for each meditation.
If you’re interested in checking out this online program, the first 14 days is only $5. This gives you a chance to explore the curriculum and get an idea for just how much material is contained in the online course (there’s a lot).
https://www.clearmartialarts.com/clears-tai-chi-online/
Stay safe,
Jared Voelker
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