Can Taoist meditation replace psychotherapy?

The answer for deeply troubled, emotionally unstable, and psychologically dysfunctional people is no. However, seeing a psychotherapist does not automatically preclude becoming involved with Taoist meditation. Many undergo psychotherapy for support, not for treatment of severe mental aberrations for which hospitalization or outpatient psychiatric care is required. Those tending toward mental instability, though, may not be able to handle meditation.

Should I be concerned about what I experience during meditation?

About 95 percent of the internal experiences that spiritual practice generates are no more than the natural releasing and cleansing of the "stuff" inside the human psyche. No more than 5 percent of those internal experiences have significant implications for the practitioner. Good meditation teachers can help their students to avoid traps, maximize practice time, and make use of spontaneously arising positive opportunities, as well as keep a watchful eye out for those in their tutelage who may fall victim to spiritual drift or lethargy.

How often do I have to keep meditating before it really works?

This is similar to two virtually unanswerable questions commonly posed by neophyte meditators, namely: "how long will it take me to become spiritual?" And "how long will it take me to become enlightened?" Any individual's ability to progress in any form of meditation depends strongly on your particular karmic makeup and on the kind and quantity of internal obstacles present. Progress in meditation is not linked directly to time spent in practice. What can be said is that if some work is not done on your internal obstacles, they will remain.

Is it best to do the dissolving process of Taoist meditation sitting, standing, moving or lying down?

The five modes of dissolving include all the situations life will put you in: that is, standing, moving, sitting, lying down, and during interpersonal practices such as sex or Tai Chi Push Hands. Whether one part of life is more advantageous, is better or worse, than another is a matter of personal philosophy. What can be said is that some modalities are easier than others for learning the Dissolving process. The outer dissolving process is most easily learned standing. The inner dissolving process is most easily learned sitting. The most difficult way to learn both inner and outer dissolving is lying down.

How do I stop myself falling asleep during seated meditation?

This is a major problem for meditators. If you are sleep deprived, it is probably best to get some rest or actual sleep before you meditate. The state of meditation is akin to that experienced right before actually dozing off in real life. The mind slows, so it is important to realize that you must do things to stay awake just as you would if you were falling asleep but needed to keep alert to complete a task. Maintaining proper body alignments can help a great deal to prevent you from falling asleep.

Does the ability to do Taoist Water Method meditation diminish with age?

No. Usually the ability to practice the inner Dissolving process of Taoist meditation increases with experience. In Taoism, the dissolving process is taken up quite actively by people fifty or sixty or older.

Can I do Water Method meditation while listening to music?

Not really. In the beginning especially, your undivided attention is absolutely required. Once you become adept at it, you should be equally able to dissolve in the middle of the most horrific or pleasurable situation or noise. Of course, many forms of music are relaxing and emotionally uplifting. Music can take you out of yourself and the incessant problems of life. If you want to go deeper inside yourself and find consciousness, however, silence is a better complement to meditation than music. Although both music and meditation can tend to put you into a more satisfying emotional space, meditation will eventually enable you to get directly to the heart space without any external vehicles, such as music, art, or other people.

Can you practice Water Method meditation while on recreational drugs?

Taoists believe that recreational drugs dull clarity of mind and thereby retard or completely block progress toward the deeper levels of meditation. Taoists in Southwestern and Western China have always been familiar with all forms of cannabis, as they have lived and live now in regions bordered by Laos, Vietnam, and Pakistan. They found that these substances damage the kidneys and liver and lodge resin residues in the bones of the forehead, residues that slowly leach into the brain, with undesirable results. These side effects distort the energy of the body, slowing the energetic interactions of body, chi, and spirit, which are essential to the Taoist meditation process.

Can the Taoist Water Method of meditation affect my dreams?

Possibly. There seem to be two basic types of dreams. The first continues or completes internal or external events that occur during the day. The second type involves premonitions of future events, which often but not always come to pass. When meditators practice the inner dissolving meditations, they may release memories deeply buried at the energetic level. In sleep, these memories frequently surface as dreams.