Months 1 to 6 (Outline)

Month 1

Seated or standing meditation.
Count your breaths 1 to 10 using finger or beads. Relax the space between the inhales and exhales.
Focus on the head—crown, 3rd eye, eyebrows, eyes.
Feel the entire head at once but first separate the parts.

Month 2 (Part 1) Recognize the entire body at once after going through these body parts.
1. Neck and shoulders
2. Arms and chest
3. Belly
4. Hips and groin
5. Thighs and knee
6. Calves, ankles, and feet
7.Lower tantien

Month 2 (Part 2) Practice twice a day for twenty minute sessions if needed.
–How the body parts are connected to the lower tantien –How the concept of forgiveness (yourself and others) is important
1. Head, neck and shoulders (crown of head to floor as balance point)
2.All of the above plus top of torso, chest, arms, abdomen
3.Add diaphragm, lower belly
4. Lower tantien (how it connects to everything)
5.Lower tantien (how it will keep you in the present)

Month 3 (Part 1) focuses on the lower half of the body and its connection to the earth. Bruce wants us to spend time and notice this process:
–the countdown to distraction
–the complete going away
–reemergence
–getting back to stable
He explains that this process will repeat itself throughout our meditations.

Month 3 (Part 2)
We are scanning the front and sides of the body down to the feet and connecting the lower dantien to these parts.
Opening up collapsed parts with breath is the main focus of these two weeks. By breathing into the midriff, ribs, sides of neck and other areas we open them up.

Month 4
Goal: Whole Body Awareness
Month 4 (Part 1)
Focus on the Back of the Body.
1. The first few minutes-repeat everything you have previously done–front, side, (open up collapsed parts–connect to dantien)
2. Increase awareness and activate the nerves from Bottom to Top beginning with buttocks
3. Buttocks, Lower back, upper back, bottom of chest, back of neck, then the legs
4. Awareness of front, side, back–all together
5. Use a 2 part process–Recognize the part, breath into it and lift it.

Month 4 (Part 2)
Focus on the Whole body at once:
–Physical energy body
–Emotional energy body
–Mental energy body
–Psychic energy body
–Karmic energy body
–Essence energy body

Month 5
Month 5 begins Part 2 of the Taoist Meditation Circle.
Part 1 was all about returning and being present and aware and recognizing distraction.
Part 2 will give us the basics of Meditation. Breath is the link between our conscious and unconscious mind.
In month 5 we could use 30 minutes of meditation (20 min. seated and 10 min. standing). The goal is getting to know your diaphragm using 3 sets of 5 breaths (15 breaths). In part 2 these 3 sets of breaths will expand to between 5 and 10 breaths each.
Learn to feel the diaphragm clearly. If your diaphragm isn’t moving you are not breathing.

Month 6 (Part 1)
Relax, Drop, & Open your chest and shoulders and balance your head on your shoulders.
1. Review (what you have done the last 2 weeks.) (Use 3 sets of 6 breaths)
—Stabilize the diaphragm and belly breathing. Recognize the tone of your whole body’s emotional feeling and mental state.
—Relax and calm them down
2. Warm up–(Use 3 sets of 6 breaths)
—With belly breathing let your breath descend down the front of your body through hips and legs until you can feel your breath entering your feet and returning back up to your belly and diaphragm.
3. 3 sets of 7 (Notice how the chest feels)
—rub palms, place on chest, notice the feeling
—drop chest (tap, massage, then feel chest without touching–noticing each process and what you are feeling.
—massage belly (recognize what the chest does)
—pat the belly like you would a dog (recognizing the feeling)
4. Be aware of the entire front of your body

Month 6 (Part 2)
Goals:
–Get to know your midriff and sit better.
–Side breathing
–using your midriff and dropping your chest, raise your upper back and spine. Lifting the midriff also lifts the diaphragm and activates the body’s left and right channels of energy.
1. Review (3 sets of 7 breaths) Make sure the diaphragm stays lifted without collapsing. Drop your shoulders.
–Try 5 breaths without becoming distracted.
–Do this until your mind is calm and focused.
–Be aware of the front of the body (face to feet)
–With each breath release your anxiety and physical pain

2. Opening the Midriff (3 sets of 8 breaths)
–put your hands on your midriff (also known as your love handles)
–tap and massage midriff and chest
–Be aware of tight spots in midriff, chest, and neck
–Then use this awareness by breathing into the midriff.
–Rest and resume counting
–Midriff will rise with the inhale. Simultaneously feel the front of body, face, chest, belly, legs, and feet with each breath.
–Drop and release the shoulders
–Simple movements to feel the midriff:
V of forefinger and thumb
With back straight, bend forward using midriff to come back up. (one cycle of breaths)
Make circles or go side to side, body right and left, forward and back.

3. Raising The Spine
–The balance point for dropping the chest is raising the spine
–Both work like an elevator
–When the upper spine collapses so does your head and neck.
Lower and Mid Spine (from tailbone to just in back of your diaphragm.
–notice what the midriff does to influence the lower spine.
–Breathing into midriff and belly, feel the vertebrae and muscles that connect to them.
–Does focusing on your midriff and creating space in your lower back make you aware of any emotional tone?
Upper Spine
–Breathing into and raising the midriff also links the upper spine