Developing a Loving Kindness Practice

A few months ago I finished a book I had been reading by His Holiness the Dalai Lama: How to Expand Love.  Since reading the book a year ago, I have been working on developing a personal or loving-kindness practice. My goal is to being to feel loving-kindness towards all living beings. A lofty goal to achieve, I have taken the first step at the beginning.

A loving-kindness meditation I was recently taught begins with thinking of a loved one and feeling the loving-kindness one feels towards that being: wishing this being love, peace, happiness, security and freedom from suffering, pain, and harm. The idea is to experience the depth and feeling of loving-kindness. Next one moves to a teacher or master, someone one respects, and again feeling the loving-kindness one feels for this person, wishing this person love, peace, happiness, security and that s/he will be free from suffering, pain, and harm. Again experiencing the depth and feeling of loving-kindness one feels for this respected person.


Next one moves to oneself, wishing this feeling of loving-kindness for oneself. That I will enjoy love, peace, happiness, security and be free from suffering, pain, and harm. Experience the feelings of loving-kindness, the wish of peace, happiness and security and desire to be free of pain, suffering and harm.


Lastly, one expands these feelings outward. If one is meditating in a group, wishing that everyone in the room will enjoy happiness and and the causes of happiness, be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. Alternatively one can work outward in the four directions, wishing peace and happiness for everyone in front of oneself, then in back, then to the sides: to the right, to the left.


Then one continues to cycle through the four phases, noticing what comes up during the practice. Initially I noticed a deep desire for peace and happiness, and freedom from pain and suffering. I saw that all living beings share this same longing, and that I wish all other beings freedom from pain and suffering, out of the same desire that I wished it for myself.

After one practices the meditation for some time, one will be ready to begin expanding it ever outward, first to neutrals: the supermarket cashier, the call center person, the bank teller and so on. People you interact with but don't have feelings for: either of love or anger.

Then one begins the harder work: wishing those towards whom one harbors feelings of anger or resentment peace, happiness and freedom of pain and suffering. Next one works with those one has deeper feelings of anger and mistrust, those one might consider enemies. This group is difficult, but worthwhile to master. 


His Holiness the Dalai Lama explains the steps of this practice in his book, How to Expand Love. It is an interesting practice of self-exploration, to be sure. Of course the ultimate goal is to take the practice off the cushion and into one's daily life. One could practice emanating feelings of loving-kindness outward in the four directions while sitting in traffic or at the grocery store line.


Recently while practicing I realized that all beings suffer, just like I, many suffer 1,000 times more. I try to remember this especially when interacting with those with whom there is a history of anger, resentment and mistrust. Just like me these people suffer. Remembering that those who have been a source of hurt or harm are also suffering helps one develop compassion towards those with whom relationships are difficult. I believe this is one of the steps towards forgiveness. I have found remembering this takes some of the edge off the sharpness of the negative emotions one feels.


I recently noticed myself harboring and fueling negative thoughts towards a party who has hurt me deeply. I saw that this destructive path was only causing further suffering for myself. The solution I found is to not allow the mind to go down this rabbit hole of misery. When I caught my mind going down the path of negativity, I stopped it and reminded myself that this path does not lead to enlightenment. It only leads to the hell realm, and I was only causing myself pain by traveling down it. To provide a healthier alternative for my active mind, I did the loving-kindness meditation. When found my mind wandering down the familiar path, I again reminded myself that this path only leads to more suffering. 


One morning when practicing the loving-kindness meditation I realized that the warm, peace of loving-kindness is where I would like to reside. That this oasis from the misery of the negative emotions: anger, resentment and ill will is where I wish to dwell. This desire increases my motivation to continue the loving-kindness practice. It is simply a more pleasant place to be. The payoff of harboring negative emotions is misery for oneself. Though fueling these emotions can sometimes be seductive, the place that path leads is pain and suffering. Practicing loving-kindness is the way to peace and happiness, for all sentient beings.                                        KB


Photo: acaben, flickr Creative Commons 2.0

Stress & Anxiety is Caused by the Drive to Avoid Suffering

The first of the Four Noble Truths given by Sakyamuni Buddha is that life involves suffering. it is our wish, our strong desire, our struggle to avoid suffering that is the root cause of stress and anxiety. Buddhism fundamentally teaches to accept suffering as part of the condition of living. if we can accept the truth of suffering as part of living, then the struggle to prevent suffering diminishes.

of course we have goals in life and we do what we can to achieve them. the struggle against obstructions in our path to achieve our goals causes stress and anxiety due to fear of the suffering involved in not achieving our goals. if we can accept that suffering is part of life, then the stress and anxiety involved in the struggle to prevent this suffering from occurring diminishes.

Sakyamuni Buddha taught that the acceptance of suffering as a noble truth of the condition of living is fundamental to the path of enlightenment. if we can accept that life involves suffering, then when we are confronted with suffering in our lives our inner struggle against it diminishes. we still do what we can to achieve peace and happiness and freedom from suffering for all living beings (which includes ourselves) but we are able to accept the suffering that arises in our lives as a natural course of life. this acceptance of suffering as a natural condition of living decreases stress and anxiety.

the Dalai Lama emphasizes in the book "The Art of Happiness" that adversity is necessary for spiritual development. Mark Howard, MD, elaborates (p181) that if we continually stay in the cocoon of infancy: being coddled, fed soft food and so on, there is no impetus for spiritual growth. the Dalia Lama asserts that the adversity, negative emotions such as anger, hatred, resentment and so on provides the shenpa or the hook. in recognizing shenpa while it is occurring, we are thankful for the opportunity presented for emotional and spiritual growth. (pp178-9) the struggle with avoiding suffering provides the motivation for spiritual growth to occur. emotional and spiritual growth is essential in order to transcend suffering.
so, the Dalai Lama says, we should thank our enemies and the suffering that arises in our lives for the opportunity that comes with it for emotional and spiritual growth. without the shenpa, we will stay wrapped up in our cozy cocoon. while that seems warm, pleasurable and inviting, there we are in a place of emotional and spiritual stagnation. no transformation can occur in that place.

so by accepting that suffering is part of the condition of living, when we are confronted with situations having the potential to cause suffering, we acknowledge that we are going to face suffering in our lives, and this may be one of those instances. that acceptance diminishes the inherent struggle against suffering, thereby decreasing stress and anxiety in our mind. we still try to chart a different course, but with the necessity of avoidance of suffering negated, we preform our actions with the peace of mind that we are getting by as best we can. that suffering may occur. we cannot prevent all suffering from occurring in our lives, and that suffering is necessary for emotional and spiritual growth. thereby we accept our situation with grace, dignity and peace. KB

Inspiration for Overcoming Depression & Adversity

Depression is not an easy emotion to manage, as the millions of Prozac, Wellbutrin and other household-word drugs attest. It is as individual a disease as the person experiencing the painful mind-state, hence a myriad of treatments, some effective, some not so.

Chinese medicine is effective in treating depression. I have helped many patients find there way to happy thoughts and feelings using acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas which calm the mind and treat the TCM patterns (Traditional Chinese Medicine) causing the imbalance in the body & mind.

Today I'd like to discuss how to shape your frame of mind to see the upside of your life rather than focusing on the negatives. And i do not mean to over-simplify or diminish true problems that may be arising. the point i wish to make here is that regardless of how real or difficult our life problems may be, it is our out look about them that causes us to fall into depression, a state of emotional pain and inactivity, or to focus on the positives of our situation so that we prevent ourselves from falling into the downward spiral.

The technique i am going to outline has worked effectively for me for a number of years. I have begun sharing it with patients who are grappling with difficult life issues and i'm being told that this inspiration is helpful.

This technique involves seeking the positives in any situation. that does not mean pretending a challenge is not difficult. rather, it means finding an upside so that one doesn't wallow in self-pity and victim hood.

I first began using this technique after seeing the movie "Water" at the Blue Ridge Film Festival. What struck me most about this deeply moving piece was the plight of the oppressed women. The movie is set in 1938, the time of Mahatma Gandhi in India. As the movie opens, a young female child is be woken and told that her husband ("Do you remember your wedding?") is dead and you are now a widow. Because the family cannot afford to take care of her, and they are now losing the income from her 'husband' to support themselves, she is being sent off to a 'widows home', where she will live her life in abject poverty. Gold bracelets are broken from her pump wrists, all trapping of wealth removed, her head is shaved. She is deposited at the widows home, where the widows sleep on grass mats on concrete floors in stark, desperate rooms with no furniture, and eat a small portion of bread and gruel for meals. The are ostracized from Indian society: treat as lepers and bad omens. Under these intolerable conditions they live out their lives.

As a woman, i was deeply affected by the images i saw. I felt that by some slim grace of divine intervention i escaped this fate by the luck of a birthright. What if i had been born some years earlier in India? might i have borne this unfortunate circumstance, rather than being a free, educated woman with many opportunities in 21st century America?

The images in the film disturbed me, and i found myself contemplating the circumstances of my life juxtaposed with those of the women represented in this film. Especially when I got low, feeling bad about something that may have happened my life, I would think of these women and look around at where and how i was living. immediately my outlook changed as i realized how fortunate i truly am, and whatever the trouble affecting me, it is minor compared to how difficult life could be.

I found this to be a reliable way of gaining perspective on my situation, and pulling me out of gloomy moods. I began consciously developing the technique as a practice. I would remember trips to mexico and the abject poverty i witnessed there, and added that to the images i would conjure up to remember how fortunate i am to be living here, in this country at this time. In time i found myself becoming happier. I didn't allow myself to go into self pity about an undesirable or 'unfair' circumstance. I began taking adversity in greater stride, realizing how difficult my life could be, and how fortunate i am.

A couple of years ago, I read the autobiography "Infidel" about a muslim woman in africa who suffered much mistreatment, including genital mutilation and being forced by her family into an arranged marriage on another continent. She describes the plight of muslim women as little more than indentured servants, beaten, uneducated and unable to leave their families and survive as individuals on their own. She escapes to Holland, gets freed from this prison of a tortured life, writing movingly about her experience. Her story was an eye opener for me. I was not aware of the pitiful life that muslim women in under-developed countries are forced to lead. Since i have found programs through Global Giving to help these women who are a forgotten percentage of the worlds population. These programs help these women escape abuse, become educated and live independently, an ability western women take for granted.

I added the plight of these Muslim women to my contemplative practice. As i have been cultivating this practice for many years now, i can now draw upon it reliably when times get rough. I think of how much worse my life could be. I draw upon the suffering of the earthquake victims and people of Haiti, the poorest nation on earth, and what it would be like to be in their situation. I think of the flood victims in Pakistan. Recently there was an article in the NY Times about a man who lost everything, home and jet ski business when a decaying dam broke during a summer flood in Iowa. He had no flood insurance, due to the expense of the policy. thinking of these people, i remember that i have a lovely and comfortable home, i have a livelihood that gives me great gratification. When difficulties arise, i remember that others have problems that are exponentially worse, and i can overcome the adversity i face.

No matter how real and difficult problems may be that arise in my life, they pale in comparison to circumstances like these. Though i may feel scared, stressed and blue, i do pull out of it quickly when i call forth these images.

You don't need to use my images, you can cull through your own life experiences to remember those who are suffering. When you think of those who are abused, hungry and truly have nothing, you will be able to put your life problems in perspective. This is a practice one must cultivate to see results. meaning, contemplate the lives of those less fortunate on a regular basis. then, when troubles appears on your doorstep, you'll have a foundation practice to work with to fend them off.

may you find these words useful to help you deal with adversity and difficulties. KB

Words to Live By

Abstain from all that is evil.
Perform all that is good.
Purify your thoughts.
This is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Mahatma Gandhi Kitcharee: Rice & Grain Dish Works Well for Poor Appetite

In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) we often prescribe a rice porridge called congee for those with poor appetite or difficult digestion, esp. for chronic illness, cancer or chemotherapy. Congees are traditionally made with rice, although any grain can be uses. They are cooked with lots of water (8:1 water: rice) and cooked for a long time (4-8hr: a crock pot is often used). Herbs, meats, dried fruits, sweeteners and nuts are added for flavor and medicinal effect. A respected teacher of mine gave accounts of bedridden patients with cancer brought back from the precipice through the use of congee.

In India, they make a traditional dish called kitcharee, which is similar to the medicinal effect of congee, but less water and cooking time is involved. Kitcharee works well for those who can eat solid foods, but have poor appetite. It's an Indian comfort food. I also think it's a spiritual food, being merely rice and dal (lentils), which may explain why Gandhi enjoyed this simple, nourishing dish.

2:1 rice to dal (yellow lentils)

Any long-cooking rice can be used: basmati, jasmine. I suggest long-grained rice. Being as this is an Indian dish, traditionally basmati rice is used. With loose stools use white rice, with hard or difficult stools use brown.

1: 1 1/2 rice & dal (pre-soaked): water/stock. I suggest soaking the rice for 24h in advance to make it more digestible. According to Paul Pitchford, author of "Healing With Whole Foods" soaking grains for 24h helps to prevent fatigue.

1:2 - 2 1/2 rice/grain: water/stock Use this proportion when using unsoaked grains.

I suggest using 50/50 water & stock (vegetable, beef or chicken). For vegetarians & meditators use vegetable stock. I believe eating a meatless diet aids the transcendence to the spiritual realms. You'll find many spiritual peoples - Buddhists, hindis - eat a vegetarian diet.

Example: 1C long-grain rice: 1/2C dal (yellow lentils). 1 1/2C rice (soaked)/dal: 2 1/4C water/stock or 1 1/2C rice (unsoaked)/dal: 3 - 3 3/4C water/stock.

+ salt (1/2t) I suggest sea salt because it is high in valuable trace minerals. I like to add a few sprigs of fresh parsley.

Pressure cook 15min (low pressure) with soaked rice, longer (30-40min) unsoaked grain. If you are not using a pressure cooker, cook it longer: 40m-1h, until lentils are soft and all the water is absorbed. (First bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook).

Here's the special favor enhancer:

As soon as the grain has finished cooking heat some high heat oil (1T - olive, sunflower) in a small frying pan on medium heat. As soon as the oil is hot (just a few minutes on a gas stove) add cumin seeds (1/2t) and let them fry for 10 seconds until the aroma arrives and they are foaming. Immediately lift the lid on the grains and pour in the fried cumin seeds, and quickly replace the lid. Let them sit in the pot for 1 minute or so. Then stir and serve. I like to garnish with fresh, chopped parsley or pesto.

Kitcharee can be eaten for any meal - breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can make up a larger quantity and reheat it at meal time. It travels well for brown bagging. KB

Maintaining Inner Peace to Provide Certainty During Uncertain Times

I noticed this piece, What You Don't Know Makes You Nervous, on the cause of anxiety in the Op/Ed of the NY Times this morning. In it, Daniel Gilbert shows that people are happier with certainty, and that uncertainty is the cause unhappiness. To make his point, Gilbert cites studies showing that faced with the certainty verses the uncertainty of an unfortunate circumstance, such as a chronic disease condition, those with certainty of the unfortunate event were less nervous than those for whom the predictability of the event is uncertain. In other words, it is the the 'not knowing' that causes mental unrest, not the actual event.

Gilbert relates this information to the uncertain economic times we live in. People have a lot of fear about their economic future, their job security and so forth, which is causing an upswing in the incidence of depression, anxiety and insomnia. According to Gilbert, it is the uncertainty about the future that is causing the mental angst, not the actual outcome. If people were certain about the outcome, even a negative one, such as job loss, they would have more mental stability. Certainty gives one a course to chart, rather than aimless drifting which is difficult for the mind to deal with.

This is where one's spiritual convictions come to play. Knowing that one is in this (physical) world, but not of it (of the spiritual realm) helps one to avoid the pitfall of getting tossed around by the drama of the day. Knowing that we are mere players on this stage, but that our real place is in another dimension allows us to step out of the set, and gain perspective on the scene being played out.

I will cop to a panic weekend last November, when the markets had crashed and the economy had plummeted. I credit my meditation practice with getting me through the emotional crisis. In meditation one connects to our true nature (spirit, soul . . .) and gets out of the ego-driven mind. Our true nature is our connection to the divine (tao, universal consciousness . . .). Operating from this place we are able to navigate the trouble waters, whatever they may be. Maintaining this soul-connection we have the knowledge and strength to weather the storms of life. The real challenge is in maintaining this connection to our core being. If we are able to do that the rest falls away, allowing the underlying peace and stillness of our true nature to emerge.

For this reason, I advocate developing and maintaining a daily meditation practice to calm the mind, to foster this connection, and to stay plugged in.

One of the keys to getting through this recession intact is to take care of oneself. Due to the increased stress of economic uncertainty, now more than ever it is of vital importance to maintain one's physical and mental health. In doing so, you send a firm message to yourself that you are taking care of yourself. Knowing that you are able to take care and provide for your needs, and are doing so, works to develop peace of mind and eliminate the uncertainty of the future. It is certain that you will take are of your needs because you are doing just that. Taking care of yourself means developing and maintaining a regular exercise program, eating regular nutritious, satisfying meals in a relaxed space, incorporating stress reduction activities, such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, walking in nature . . . , and treating any health conditions as they arise. By taking care of yourself you reinforce that regardless of the external circumstances you are providing for your well being. In doing so you gain peace of mind in knowing that you are providing for your physical, mental and spiritual needs and maintaining inner harmony. KB

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Daniel Gilbert is professor of psychology at Harvard University and author of “Stumbling on Happiness.” More of his writing and videos of his appearances can be found at his Web site.

Insomnia Trick

Lately I have been listening to Deepak Chopak's Life After Death: The Burden of Proof on audio. It's a fascinating read (listen?) and intellectual journey. Chopak describes alternate realities as detailed by the Hindu risha's and vedics, using modern theories of quantum mechanics and cutting edge physics to back-up the ancient claims.

It it, he briefly discusses karmic law. Early on he talks about the near death experience (NDE: about which he seems to have done quite a bit of research) and the common experience NDE's describe about the life review. Karmically, the life review goes backward beginning with the most recent event and working back to birth. He mentions an exercise that he preforms as part of his nightly routine whereas one reviews the past days activities and events, working backward from the most recent to waking in the morning. Apparently this exercises helps to release karmas that have been aquired while participating in the day's events.

I've implemented this practice, and have found an added benefit: that it induces a quick and deep slumber. I combine it with a qi gong breathing technique as follows: [I do the qi gong breathing morning and evening upon waking and retiring].

Qi Gong 3 Jiao Breathing Technique

I learned this qi gong breathing technique in 1997 from a qi gong master, FaXiang Huo, with whom my qi gong instructor in acupuncture college (PCOM) apprenticed. All Qi Gong methods include a version of this simple exercise. Presented here is Mst. Huo's take on it, passed down in his family. I do this lying down in bed, morning and evening; however, it was taught to me preformed in a standing position (horse stance). That may have been for demonstration purposes, and for abeiting beginner efforts at the practice. Mts. Huo directs that the excercise may be preformed standing, sitting or lying down.
In Chinese medicine (and Qi gong/Tai Qi/martial arts) the torso/abdomen is dividing into 3 regions or jiaos (in Chinese), referred to as upper, middle and lower. The upper jiao is the area above the diaphram, which includes the organs of the lungs and heart. The middle jiao is the area between the diaphram and the navel, which includes all of the digestive organs. The lower jiao is the area from the navel to the public, which incudes the kidneys, reproductive organs and organs of elimination of waste.
In Taoist thought, the Dantian, or Cinnabar Field (so named because of Cinnabar's red color to denote something precious) is located in the lower jiao, 1.3" below the navel, or midway btwn the navel and the pubis, approximately 1 1/2" deep. The dantian is where the precious essence of life, one's vital jing is store. Jing is a type of Qi (energy), decribed as being thicker and more rarified than qi. It is the primordial energy of life itself.
Actually each of the jiao's house the dantian: upper, middle and lower dantian, but the lower dantian is emphasized for preserving and cultivating jing qi. The middle dantian is located at the solar plexus, and is important for developing nutritive qi, the vital essence extracted from food. The upper dantian is said to be located in the brain's pineal gland, located on the intersection of lines drawn inward from the between the eyebrows and traveling deep to between the ears. The upper dantian is the center of spiritual and mental energy.
Mst. Huo describes the middle dantian as the area around the navel and says that it is the main energy storage area. He locates the upper dantian at the spiritual third eye, at the ctr of the forehead, above and btwn the eyes. He further identifies a 'Shanzhoung', located in the chest, btwn the nipples/breasts. He advises that when you concentrate on the shanzhoung, to focus on the chest in general, as if it were large and expansive, as the universe. [For more about taoist cultivation activities, reference "Scholar Warrior: An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life" by Deng Ming-Dao].

When I do this exercise, I have been beginning in the middle jiao, progressing upward to the upper jiao, and finishing in the lower dantian. I sometimes take a few final breathes into the the middle jiao to complete the circle. However, Mst. Huo teaches the exercise begining in the upper jiao, progressing to the lower jiao, and finishing in the center, or middle jiao. This may be because expanding the upper jiao is the easiest: the lower and middle jiao's are more challenging to isolate and expand without affecting the other areas. I will give the directions here as i have been doing the exercise of late, beginning in the middle jiao.
Initially, when I began doing the exercise, I liked to visualize the organs in the respective region i directed the breath to, visualizing their functions and bringing zhong qi (chest qi, as the qi of the air mixes with the qi of the body in the region of the lungs) to each of the vital organs. I eventually dropped that visualization practice, and currently focus on the breathing.

1. With eyes closed, begin by becoming quiet and noticing the body and breath. Relax the body, and begin noticing the breath coming in and out. Notice the breath becoming slower, more even and rhythmic. Keep the inhalations and the exhalations even as you preform this exercise, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. [This is Mst. Huo's instruction. When I practice the exercise, I inhale and exhale through the nose]. Mst. Huo cautions not to take big, loud or deep breaths while doing the exercise, and advises to push out the stale energy on the exhalation.
   
2. Direct the attention to the middle jiao, drawing the breath to this region. Working with the inhalations and exhalations, allow this area to expand as fully as possible, without affecting the other areas of the torso (keeping the upper and lower jiao's flat). Mst. Huo instructs during the exhalation to pull or suck in the middle jiao region as you push out the stale energy with the breath.
   
3. Direct the breathing to the upper jiao/chest region. Begin to fill this area fully and completely with clean, fresh qi, isolating the chest from the other areas of the torso. Expand the chest fully, the stomach may contract and become a bit concave while you do this. Exhale quietly, slowly and steadily, drawing out the stale energy as you contract the chest and lungs fully.
   
4. Now progress to the lower dantian, directing the breathing into the lower jiao. Expand the lower jiao as fully as possible, keeping the middle and upper jiao's flat. As you exhale fully and completely, the middle jiao may contract slightly as well.

Mst. Huo discussed the difference btwn formal and informal practice. In formal practice, one practices with eyes closed with deep concentration focused on one's location btwn heaven and earth. [This is a position rooted deep in chinese philosophy, with human's position lying in the middle with heaven, or sky above and the earth below one's feet]. Men practice 36 cycles of breathing, and women practice 24 (these are Taoist numbers).

I practice somewhat informally, meaning one can practice for any length of time. I work with each jiao until it feels that it is time to move to the next region. In this deep field of concentration i am aware of my body's inner dialogue and signals.

Informally, this exercise can be practiced at any time, while in line in the supermarket or bank, during a television commercial, while waiting at a traffic light, or during a work break: whenever you find a moment to do it.


So, at night i have found that the following meditation promotes a quick, deep and relaxing slumber. This is my own eclectic combination of yoga & qi gong relaxation and breathing with a karmic review finish:

Kath's Karmic An Mian Tang
or Meditation to Calm the Mind & Promote a Peaceful Slumber

1. Lie on your back, relax your body and begin to notice the rhythm of your breath. Allow your body to relax, letting go of any tension. Focus your attention to the rhythmic nature of the breath. Watch the breath without attempting to adjust or change it in any way.
2. Relax your eyes, allowing the eyes to drop back into the eye sockets. Relax the teeth, gums and jaw, releasing any stored tension here. Allow the tip of the tongue to rest on the upper palette (This is a mudra, or yogic seal). Relax the muscles of the faces, allowing the flesh to release and drop off the cheek bones. Relax the neck and throat, releasing any tension stored here. Allow all of the tension to leave the body. Let your arms and legs be like rivers, the tension through them out of the body. The body becomes limp, sinking into the floor (mattress). Bring your attention to the brain, allowing it to fall back against the pillow, as the mind relaxs fully.
   
3. Turn the attention back to the breath, noticing the even, rhythic nature. Direct the breath into the middle jiao, and begin the 3 Jiao Breathing Excercise.
4. After completing the 3 Jiao breathing cycle, let your attention remain on the breath for a few moments. Then begin the karmic review of the past days activities and events, beginning with the 3 Jiao breathing exercise, and working backward to the moment of awakening in the morning.

Copyright 2009 Kath Bartlett


I find that i often fall asleep before completing the karmic review. I sleep deeply and soundly. When I wake in the morning and come to consciousness, I begin the 3 Jiao Breathing Exercise before rising. Upon completion, I try to remember where I left off in the karmic review before falling asleep, and then I complete the review before rising. This practice, in combination with regular yoga and meditation allows me to remain in a rather calm and peaceful place. I especially notice the calm and peaceful nature of my mind in the morning, before the activities of the day take me into the physical realm.

If you find that you wake during the night and have difficulting falling back to sleep, do the relaxation exercise and the 3 Jiao Breathing Exercise. If your mind is busy, complete the karmic review, and then meditate on your breath.

I would appreciated hearing your comments about your experience with this exercise, and whether the practice aids your slumber and calms your mind. KB

Random Acts of Kindness Improve Health

I was just watching Dr. Wayne Dyer's Power of Intention on PBS this afternoon. He highlighted some interesting medical research on the health benefits of preforming acts of kindness. Apparently researchers have studied the effects of acts of kindness on both the giver, receiver and the witnesses and have concluded that preforming acts of kindness increases serotonin levels and strengthens immune function in both the giver, receiver and witnesses of acts of kindness.

Serotonin's are brain neurotransmitters, a type of endorphin. Increased levels in serotonin's are seen in happy people: increased endorphin levels are the brain chemicals responsible for the 'runners high'. Many of the anti-depressant drugs function to increase brain serotonin levels.

According to Dyer, researchers have found that witnessing, giving or receiving acts of kindness will increase these brain chemicals, in addition to strengthening immune function. It doesn't get more empowering than that! KB

The Spiritual Aspects of Pain

I was reviewing some notes this evening about the treatment of pain in Chinese medicine from a seminar taught by Jeffery Yuen. Jeffrey Yuen comes from two Daoist lineages – 88th generation of the Yu Qing Huang Lao Pai (Jade Purity School, Yellow Emperor/Lao Tzu Sect) and 26th generation of the Quan Zhen Long Men Pai (Complete Reality School, Dragon Gate Sect). As a Taoist priest, he has some interesting perspectives on healing and Chinese medicine.

With regards to treating pain, Jeffery discusses the spiritual implications of pain.

In Chinese medicine there is an oft repeated adage: tong zi bu tong, zi tong, bu tong. Tong means pain, and the adage translates thus: where there is pain there is stagnation [or lack of free flow - of qi and blood] where there is stagnation there is pain. In other words, when qi and blood do not move freely, pain results. (Qi broadly refers to life energy.) In Chinese medicine, the practitioner then must determine where the stagnation is located in the body (this would usually refer to the site of pain: one must determine which acupuncture meridians or channels are involved) and what has caused the qi and blood to stagnate. Generally we are looking for a physical cause of the stagnation, although emotions can also cause stagnation.

As a Daoist priest, Jeffery interprets pain as indicating that a person is emotionally, mentally or spiritually stuck. This mental/emotional/spiritual stoppage causes a physical stagnation in the body, manifesting as somatic pain. Here we are referring more to a long-term or chronic pain, rather than an acute injury. So those suffering from chronic pain might want to look at their inner life and well being to find blockages. This could be marital strife, job dissatisfaction, inability to reach one's life goals: any number of life issues where one is not moving forward in the desired direction.

Jeffery notes that the more one focuses on the pain, the more one enhances the illness: one focused on the terrible receives the terrible. This is the law of attraction: like attracts like. He further observes that it is painful to change our lives, and that it is painful to surrender.

He says pain likes to spread. Pain likes misery. Pain likes to refer (to other areas, such as sciatic pain that shoots down the leg or pain from a heart attack that presents as an achy sensation in the left arm). He says that pain does not like to be alone: it wants family to resolve the problem for you. He asks, " Can one resolve the pain [or the emotional/spiritual source of the pain] themselves?"

He discusses the significance of different qualities of pain:

1. Rigidity: Indicates withdrawal from life, moving away from life or the enthusiasm.
2. Cold (pain that is worse in cold weather, feels better with a hot pad, shower or bath): indicates retreat, apathy.

He goes on to say that healing requires hope and perseverance to bring meaning into one's life.

He says that it is not up to the practitioner to command change, but rather to be a catalyst to help the patient change.

You may have noticed the red Chinese character by my blog title: "Kath's Musings on Health, Chinese Medicine & Spirituality". This character is ying, which means guide. I chose it as a symbol of a couple of ideas that are relevant here:

1. In Chinese medicine we use the term guide, as in guide out stagnation, or guide out phlegm fluids. By this we mean that we are helping the stagnation or phlegm to move out, showing the way, in a physical sense.
2. In a more spiritual sense, the practitioner is guiding the patient on a course of healing, lighting the path out of the darkness.

These two ideas express how I see my role as a practitioner; both in treating the physical body and as an agent for emotional/spiritual growth, where ultimately all healing takes place. But it is not up to me to force it, my role is to point the way so that the body, mind and spirit can find it's course. KB

We're all Interconnected

Today during my morning meditation, the inner voice pointed out that we are all interconnected with each other and to all the elements of the world, universe, solar system. That would include the song birds and the green trees, the warm sunshine and the azure blue sky. And to one another. It became crystal clear to me at that moment this morning that it's not about us as individuals and our individual needs, it's about our part, or role in an inter-connected society of other beings. It's not about how events affect us individually, it's about how events affects others and the web of connectedness we share with one another. It's about working together in a spirit of cooperation with one another, both on an individual, societal and global levels.

It's not about the slow driver in front of us on the road, preventing us from getting where we want to go in a timely matter. That slow driver has wants and needs, too. Maybe that driver is old or infirm and cannot drive well. We are a community of drivers on the road, all trying to transport our bodies from point A to point B in order to fulfill our work and purpose in this life. It's not about our needs as individuals. It's about the our collective needs as a group, a society, and our individual part to play to fulfill the societal roles and goals.

The Dalai Lama's quote for Jan 12 discusses the issue that though a society may achieve a certain level of material wealth, it is the "mental development" that is important, "the internal attitude of the people that comprise it". (see The Path to Tranquility, Daily Wisdom).

I have long felt that our society is in its' decay, and that globally we are not developed enough as individuals to achieve lasting peace with one another or any hope of a Utopian society within the next several centuries. I remember becoming aware of this fact after watching "The Interpreter" several years ago. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interpreter)

For global peace to occur, each of us as individuals must find peace within ourselves and with our neighbors. The discord we have with one another in our daily lives is amplified on a global level to cause war and strife. War is nations unable to work out grievances with one another, just as individuals fight with one another. Global peace begins within each of us as individuals.

When we are not at peace, disease (dis-ease) occurs. Chinese medicine sees the 7 emotions as a cause of physical disease in the body. The 7 emotions cause qi stagnation & heat accumulation (anger, grief, sadness, worry), which then cause disease processes to occur in the body; eg., stress related disorders [hypertension] or fibromyalgia.

I have personally found that a regular meditation and yoga practice (or qi gong & tai qi) to be useful in achieving inner peace (i don't claim to be there all the time, but I have seen tangible progress). For me, 30 minutes daily of seated meditation keeps me well oiled and functioning at peak performance. I have often wondered what the world would be like if all of our global leaders meditated. hmm. What if the CEO's did, too? KB

Karin Stephan's Twelve Recipes for Health: Spiritual Tips for the New Year

The following steps for health come from a handout I received in an Iyengar yoga workshop in NYC in 1996. Karin Stephan is a certified Iyengar yoga instructor. I'm sure you'll find that incorporating these tips into your life will bring health and spiritual fulfillment: an auspicious start to the new year.

"The body is my temple, the asanas are my prayers" BKS Iyengar

"Beauty is where the self is not" Krishnamurti


I. Have a daily spiritual practice with a physical foundation:

Have a daily spiritual practice of some kind which makes you fell better physically. Some practices which directly affect the physical body are yoga, meditation, walking etc.

I do yoga, meditation, and affirmations daily, morning or evening, regularly including pranayama, or yoga deep-breathing exercises. I begin my day, and often end it with qi gong breathing into the 3 Jiaos, or regions of the abdomen. This year I've begun reading "The Path to Tranquility" by the Dalai Lama daily. There is a contemplation for each day of the year. I have a yoga/meditation room in my home for spiritual practice. If you do not have a room to spare, find a corner in which to create a sacred space. You could screen off an area. KB


II. Eat only when hungry. Prepare the body to receive the food you prepare:

Eat only when you're hungry. Think that each meal should bring you pleasure. Visualize ahead of time what would satisfy and try to prepare that meal at least once a day.

Yogi's suggest eating only until you are 80% full to prevent overeating. KB


III. Visualize meals. Prepare them with the pleasure principle in mind:

As you're going through the day, visualize what dishes would give you the most satisfaction and then cook those foods with that image in mind.


IV. Seek pleasing environments for yourself:

Always search for the correct physical and aesthetic environment which gives you pleasure. Learn to recognize which activities and places give you the most pleasure, satisfying as many parts of your physical, psychological and emotional being as possible.

This might be a favorite walk or waterfall, and return there often. The buddists say these types of magical places are full of 'drala' energy. Dralas are spiritual beings, but not buddhas or bodhisattvas. Kind of spiritual fairies.

Make daily life an adventure. KB


V. Friends of like mind:

Seek the company of like mind. If you're a mental person and if you enjoy literary people in the arts, spend time with them. If you're a film or opera buff, find a friend to see movies or operas with. Mental and artistic activity is also a form of food.

Google for a "Meet-up" group of a special interest, such as hiking or dining out. Or go to the "Meet-up" site and start a "Meet-up" group of your interest. KB


VI. Recognize sources of negative behavior:

Learn to recognize sources of negative behavior and work on those sources. Do not just treat the symptoms. Find the root cause. "Seeing is acting" says Krishnamurti. Once you see it, you can modify it.


VII. Resolve internal conflict right away:

Seek resolution of internal conflict as soon as it arises either through self reflection, reading, working with a therapist, direct dialogue.

Or journaling. KB


VIII. Develop an inner sense of independence:

Develop an inner sense of independence not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. That way people around you are free to give or not to give, be with you or not be with you. Do not set up situations where people are dependent on you either.

IX. Develop gratitude:

Learn to develop gratitude for all that comes your way, even the tiniest gift form a tiny child.

I say my gratitudes daily, usually at meal time: expressing appreciation for the organic nutrititious and satisfying meal I'm about to eat, my home, my life in Asheville, my practice and so forth. When I fall into a wave of negativity or self pity, I quickly remind myself of all the blessings in my life, and all the people through out the world who have a much more difficult life than I do. This never fails to pull up my vibration and put events into a healthy perspective. KB

X. The body as a vessel for the well being of others:

Nourish and heal the body not as an end in itself but in order to bring health and happiness to those around.

This would be a buddhist perspective. I have found that I get a great deal of pleasure in helping others. Simply: doing deeds for others makes me happy. This is partly why years ago, when I did the soul searching, I decided to enroll in acupuncture college so to become an acupuncturist: I wanted to devote my life to the well being of others, as I determined that this pursuit would be emotionally and spiritually satisfying and nurturing. I find the pursuit of personal pleasure for its own sake to be too narcissistic to provide any kind of lasting or eternal happiness. KB


XI. Know that everything is constantly changing and that conflict is naturally seeking resolution, war, peace, confusion, order, bondage, freedom.

The buddhists emphasize that nothing is permanent (like this recession), and that the only thing we can depend on is change. Trying to maintain the status quo will only lead to unhappiness, because everything will eventually change. We can never fulfill a pursuit to maintain events on a permanent basis: the act of attempting to do so will inevitably be futile and will therefore lead to dissatisfaction and unhappiness. So if you are rich, trying to maintain that status will inevitably bring unhappiness because that state cannot be maintained because everything changes. However, when things are down, remember that that too is not a permanent situation, so it will change according to the natural law. The key is being able to maintain a sense of peace of mind no matter what the exterior events may bring. This is buddhahood. KB


XII. Seek your own freedom in this lifetime and free others in the process.

Everyone dances to the beat of a different drummer. Find your beat and allow others to dance to theirs. KB


*70. "Regard your body as a vessel
A mere boat for going here and there;
make of it a wish-fulfilling gem
To bring about the benefit of beings."

"We should use the body, which is made up of impure ingredients, to support our intention to help others. If we use it properly for our spiritual growth, combining wisdom and means, we shall be able to develop a new realization and attain the omniscient rupakaya of the Tathagatas, which is like a wish-fulfilling jewel."

71. "Thus with free, untrammeled mind,
Have an ever-smiling countenance.
Rid yourself of scowling, wrathful frowns;
And be a true, sincere friend to beings."

from "A Flash of Lightening in the Dark of Night, A Guide to A Bodhisattva's Way of Life".
The Dalai Lama

*from the Bodhicharyvatara