- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Hi:
I have two questions.
First, when I do standing practice, I feel like the weight of my body seems to be more heavily “injected” into my left foot than my right. Its almost as if I am leaning very slightly into my left side. Except that I am not doing that. I make sure that my body weight is evenly distributed between both sides.
I am just wondering if this is normal experience? Or am I doing something wrong?
Second question. Can I be listening to Bruce’s Tao Te Ching meditation or Taoist meditation circle materials while doing standing practices? Or is it better to not listen to anything at all?
Pls let me know your thoughts. Thank you
Hi Charlie
I experience the exact same problem. I think it is an imbalance that works itself out with practice. I’ve already begun to notice this balancing itself out in me.
Bruce says you can practice the meditation circle standing in the instructions several times. As for the Tao Te Ching, why not? Taoists do meditation while sitting, standing, lying down, moving, and interacting with others.
Cody
……some thoughts, first perception and what is actually happening may not be the same thing. Have you had anyone look at you to assess your weight distribution from you body’ visible symmetry? Also is the perceived preferential flow every time you practice?
……..further thoughts. What you listen to, or whether you listen to anything could depend upon the purpose of your practice. Audio signals can enhance or distract depending upon one’s aims. I stand and listen if I’m seeking to learn and be instructed, sometimes Songs of the Tao enhance meditative practice, other times silence seems best.
Hi Charlie,
From someone also learning again :
I have found similar experience with my right foot, feeling heavier, hotter, ‘stronger’, tighter than the other, making me think I was imbalanced. I guess it is probably just normal as you try to sink and become aware of and eventually release blockages. I find it improves bit by bit from session to session as I just let my awareness settle on the more difficult feeling in the right foot and let my mind sink through the area t. I think it will resolve in time with the 70% approach.
Other than checking the usual things of alignment & weight distribution and the width apart of feet, I think it is probably all normal as you try and practice sinking.
Bruces’s two beginner videos on foot alignments in the week two releases I think are really relevant, excellent and useful for your question….(The intermediate section also addresses legs. No harm I think in listening, even if not fully ready to incorporate the points on the leg It just gives some context on sinking through the legs).
On the second question, Personally I much prefer to listen to the tapes separately to my standing practice sessions, just because I can be more aware of what is happening to me (good and bad) with silence. But I think anything that helps someone be there is good, listening or not….it can change over the and from day to day, and I believe there are no absolute rules.
Best,
Nick
Chen Ting Kao, I noticed similar thing going on with me, but instead of one foot, its a part of one foot one time (like my heel) or part of another foot another time. For me shifting my sacrum/pelvic area around while monitoring my feet seem to work the best to find that sweet point/balance. For me the good equal feeling of standing is when I feel equal weight on all the edges of my feet and then I relax the middles into the floor as I breath. I use this technique even when I wash dishes or massage my clients and noticed that my feet and low back don’t get sore even after prolonged standing. I hope this helps.
Congratulations! You’re feeling a blockage. Keep bringing your mind and presence into your body. It will work itself out, or the reason for the feeling will become apparent.
It is much better to not listen to music, meditations, other materials while doing standing practices. The whole purpose of this way of standing is to bring your awareness into your body. External materials that engage your mind – and they all will – mostly serve to distract from this purpose. The boredom of just standing actually will help you focus better.
pa’ gozar
Peter
This is an archived forum (read only). Go to our active forum where you can post and discuss in real time.