One could argue that all the great practices and art forms of Chinese culture either originated in Daoism or was greatly influenced but it. In the first chapter of the Dao de Jing it states that the Dao that is written is not the Dao. For those who live outside of a culture that practices the Dao that is primarily what we have, the reading, not the practice. For those who live in a modern culture, the ever-consuming practice of ‘instant gratification’ moves us further and further from the Dao, unless of course you practice Tai Ji Chuan, Gong Fu, Qigong, Feng Shui, I Jing or Chinese Medicine. Within anyone of these disciplines are enormous opportunities for personal transformation, be that physical, emotional, intellectual, of philosophical. Here in lie the challenges for every teacher and student of said disciplines.
As a practitioner of Chinese medicine (CM) and Qigong, I understand how difficult it is to grasp the nebulous and implement it. Regardless the benefits are available to anyone and the practices are as simple as observing nature. One does not need to grasp it in depth to implement it. Central to Daoist practice is the principle of following the natural way, following nature. At the core of this the practice of observing the changes and thus the seasons and the ever-mutable patterns; often obvious and often subtle.
In Chinese medicine it is recommended to consume warming foods in winter and cooling foods in summer; the logic is unmistakeable. At the heart of CM is the art of conserving qi and acquiring qi. By not wasting it you naturally conserve it. This is following the natural way.
Simple actions like
- WINTER or COLD DAYS
avoid getting cold
o avoid bare feet on cold surface, appropriate clothing in cold or windy weather
o avoid drafts, iced drinks, chilled food
o after training, avoid walking into the cold wind without protective covering
SUMMER. or HOT DAYS
- avoid becoming over-heated
o keep hydrated, drink before you exercise or expose yourself to hot weather
o avoid excess hot spices, alcohol, exertion in hot weather
- avoid becoming exerted in hot weather or train in the cooler part of the days
CONSERVING QI
o avoid skipping meals especially breakfast
o avoid relying on caffeine, alcohol, sugar
o pace yourself, have timely breaks
- develop healthy routines that maintain and support your qi.
o early to bed and early to rise,
o regular meals, meditation (qigong) and exercise.
Eating good quality food and breathing from the abdomen is acquiring qi. Qigong is probably one of the greatest art forms for acquiring qi. The reason I have such deep respect to Gong fu and Tai Ji is because it is based on the internal practices of qi; they are active Qigong forms
Don't over extend yourself, leave space in your life to manage change and stress, space to be creative spontaneous and insightful. This space can be called boredom, but when applied properly can be the moment we enter the Dao, gather insights and manifest the change required to transform our lives. Boredom = BY DOING NOTHING, NOTHING IS LEFT UNDONE.
Within every individual there is an environment that has its own seasons. They can be interpreted as aging, are we in the spring or autumn of our lives. It can be determined by our level of qi, is it in decline or developing. On a more subtle level it can be our personalities and destinies, each with its own needs and ability to guide the individual to a truer more fulfilling life.
Living a natural life requires a quieted mind. Shui zi qi zou, ‘listen to your qi’, is a most informative and insightful saying. Most of us are familiar with the saying ‘go with the flow’, which I believe is a misunderstanding or mistranslation of the saying shui zi qi zou. The true meaning is ‘listen to your qi’. If you go with the flow you will be influenced by culture, trends, strong personalities, emotions, the ego, the intellect and wishful thinking. Instead the natural way is to use your qi to access the situation in relation to your needs, often going against the flow. To apply the concept, one only need ask yourself, ‘what do I feel like?’ A good time to ask is after qigong, meditation, when first waking in the morning, after Gongfu or Taiji training. The still quiet mind has a better chance of being heard. Spend time in nature, follow the moon and its cycles, observe the influence on the tides, go for walks to see what the trees in your neighbourhood are up too, are they losing their leaves, in full bud or fruiting.
To order to fully appreciate how significant this simple practice is, I think it is important to understand the concept of Qi.
When we listen to our qi, what are we listening to?
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