Every emotion we have is accompanied by a posture of some sort and assuming that position will make us feel that emotion. Therefore if we assume a neutral posture, which will be balanced and relaxed with sensitive even breathing, we can neutralize the emotion.
Perfect posture is perfect relaxation. Any tension pulls the body out of its natural position, and so constant relaxing is necessary to allow it to re-align itself. The present is a state that needs to be entered into repetitively throughout the day to stop tension, to stop the mind, to regroup, to centre and utilize the best that we are. We need to keep checking our getting wrapped up in it. When we check, we enter the present, and stop the past and the future. This is how we have composure.
When we enter the present from a non-present state we enter it with the muscles being tight because they have not been relaxed after doing something, and the mind is not quiet because it is still running searches from a situation which may have already been resolved. The present therefore is a collecting place, one where we stop the mind from doing its previous things of past and future, and relax our physical state because its activities are paused.
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For the past 30 years I have been a recluse following a strategy of trusting nature, believing that it will guide me to my best life. But there are a number of instances in my life where I have become aware that following a natural way is not necessarily always the best thing to do.
Being told to stand up straight and walk in a certain way etc. was anathema to me as a child. I am a natural being, and this being must know what it should do by nature's own guidance. I should not need to correct what naturally happens, it must be meant to be this way, surely?
Unfortunately, this doesn't always fit. One of my first realisations of this was when I was about 6 or so, while at a beach resort with the family. I was being dragged along by the hand as usual, when through the crowd I saw a young girl of about my age. She too was being dragged along by her parents, all hunched and stooping and protesting (the girl, not the parents!). I suddenly saw that that was me too, that was what I looked like; and it didn't look good. It was a shock and I suddenly realised that you can't just let it all happen naturally, you have to control some of it, otherwise you'll just end up as a heap on the floor. After this I paid a little more attention to parental guidance concerning positioning of feet and head etc in posture, and fifty years later I am still trying to master it.
This effectively is ego building: using the observation of others to mould ourselves away from what we deem to be undesirable for our position in society.
Some years earlier than this, I remember liking getting carried away in the moment, when everything would sort of disappear in a haze of excitement. Those frenzied moments were accompanied by extremely high pitched screaming, the action of which effectively rendered oneself unconscious but still able to run around (a bit like a headless chicken). I remember the feeling quite distinctly and I think it is linked to why people like being frightened (horror movies, roller-coaster rides etc). It is also a tactic employed by baby rabbits as I discovered one evening as it ran around the room emitting such a piercing scream, that my two young cats who had brought it in, were so bewildered by the noise that they were effectively stunned and unable to decide what to do with it. Obviously an effective survival technique.
As I grew older I became greatly annoyed by other children doing this screaming because of the ear piercing uncomfortableness of the sound (invariably directly into my ear), and became aware of when I was doing it, and stopped myself from doing it. The stopping of this is the ego mechanism at work, always at the heart of social conformity, trying to appease the opinions of others so that they won't think of me like how I think of them! How we restrain ourselves, even from the things we most enjoy. We are straitjacketed from unleashing our true feelings to the point of catatonia. How I wish I could scream like that again! Or, perhaps not.
But I digress...
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Tensegrity
The integrity of our myofascial structure comes from the equilibrium of the tensional forces of muscles counterbalanced either side of bones. The rigid structure of the bones and the elastic nature of the myofascia which surround them and keep them in place, produces what is called tensegrity (tensional integrity). This principal of construction penetrates fractally throughout our structure, even to the cellular level and the construction of those cells themselves.
The tensegrity nature of our bodies causes lines of confluence to flow within the collagenous matrix of our construction. It is these continuities that are the meridians of Chinese Medicine. They are not the silly 'join the dots' diagrams you usually see. They are much broader, and generally lie within the muscle groups which constitute the physical construction which creates this tensegrity structure, while the manipulation points lie within the myofascial area
they define.
The meridian and acupuncture point system is a mish mash of at least 3 different systems, which over hundreds if not thousands of years of eclectic meanderings and mergers has arrived at a peer pressured and indoctrinated academic system which is possibly in an impossible state of being able to be disambiguated.
But it still works! All these practitioners are so much more skilled than I am, with a fantastic depth of knowledge and expertise, but that does not disqualify what I have just said. Every academy produces ego's which will not allow denigration of their founding alumni or the mention of any fallibility, or mistake in interpretation or operation.
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The experience of Qi comes from the focusing of awareness into a particular area which will cause a form of relaxation to occur there, and allow a greater functioning of the vascular and collagenous structure at that point, producing a better flow of essential particles and efficacy of mechanotransduction, with the inevitable result of the creation of ionic channels and the consequent stimulation of the neural system with which conscious recognition of the event occurs.
Qi is a concept of the effect caused by this myofascial tensegrity structure. The electro-magnetic current produced within the lines of tension by the piezoelectric effect from the myofascial tensegrity structure of the body, is Qi. It is not a thing in itself, but an observation of our working. Energy = en ergo = in working.
Qi meridians would be electric pathways (ion channels) like ley lines along the elastic nature of the body. The tensegrity effect on the cells produce the piezo-electric effect which create the ion channels.
Every time we use the word Qi, we imply it is something; it isn't a thing, it is the result or effect of our working, our energy; an inevitable consequence of efficient functioning. Any muscles that are tense when they are not being used and any thoughts which are causing tension, is interfering with this Qi.
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Whatever is experienced mostly, is the way it will stay. If an agonist muscle is predominantly in a state of flexion or tension, then it is becoming conditioned to being in that state and will naturally prefer it as its default position. The antagonist muscle in a state of usual extension or stretch, will lengthen to be in accord with the state that it is being asked of it. To return to the correct state will take time to re-train these muscles to their proper length and function. As other muscles will inevitably have been affected as well within the tensegrity matrix, these also will need righting. After many years of habituated poor posture, all this will result in the need for a body wide restructuring by massage, stretching and rehabilitated posture, and may take many years in order to overcome the poor state of being that may have occurred.
Even fear, as an emotion, is banish-able by posture. The emotion is associated with physical positioning which if replaced with a better posture will stop that motion. Emotion = a repeating of something that has happened (e = out of, motion = motion/happening).
Whatever happens, it will more likely happen again and so become more and more like that, like water running down a hill will form into stream-lets. So the emotion, whether it be fear or another emotion, will manifest itself within the myofascial structure somewhere within the body as a repeated condition of tension, probably in conjunction with gravity. You can stop the 'motion' by correcting your posture, which then releases the emotional mode due to lack of familiarity/association with that posture.
As posture will have collapsed into that ever present force — gravity, so too will have the breathing style. When this is corrected along with the posture (simply by being conscious of the breath, and making it slow and regular), our natural state is resumed. With correct posture no negative emotion can be sustained, as there are no hooks for it to latch on to. The mental focus into achieving correct posture (the feeling of spine alignment, head and shoulder positioning etc), will also derail the thoughts that are creating the negative emotion.
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Fill your space
Imagine a shape sized you, as a space or hole in the universe, of your perfect physical projection which is how you are supposed to be. A space that is reserved for you; that is yours to claim. Any tension will be pulling you out of this shape, and so all you need to do to enter this divine space which is made for you in the universe, is to relax and let the natural shape that you truly are, be released from the distorted moorings of resistance, and so slot into this perfect space and be what you were always meant to be. Once within this perfect jigsaw fit, you are immune to any perturbation; you are cocooned and protected within the divine grace of being.
A tensegrity structure with a perfectly balanced muscular matrix producing a form that easily counters the gravity field that it is within. Fill this space. Be the proper shape that the universe intended you to be. Your proper shape allowing proper functioning of the organs and body. This is a manifestation of love.
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It's all posturing. Every emotion we have is accompanied by a posture and assuming that position will make us feel that emotion. Therefore all we need to do is assume a neutral posture, which will be balanced and relaxed with sensitive even breathing. Without any promptings, the mind will then also relax into this neutral state and we have meditation! You don't need to close your eyes, but it helps. You don't need to be sitting in any position, anytime, anywhere, anyhow; just whenever, wherever. Just breathe deeply and slowly and rise with the relaxation, feeling your body unfold, whether your sitting, lying or standing.
It's all just posture. Confidence is just a posture; any ego construct of part of your character, like social elegance, attractiveness, capableness and even well being.
Your belief in yourself will be shown to others through a subconscious betrayal of posture and behaviour. It is an emotion: a previous circumstance replaying itself. We can create better previous circumstances by practicing good posture.
Any lack of relaxation will be the resistance to the universe's way and also create the reduction in energy experienced, as you perpetually fight against it. Some things require the prerequisite of a more fuller relaxation, without which they cannot be achieved or even seem to be possible.
Smiling is a posture; perhaps the best one of all :)
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First Feet
Standing upon the balls of the feet with your heels off the ground, does not lower your centre of gravity to be level with the socket joint of your legs in your pelvis, but this is the visualisation and feeling to be acquired. The trocanters of the femurs become the pivot point for your whole body while in this position. Also, I have found that the arms do not hang straight down unless standing upon the balls of the feet; they will have a slight forward bend which straightens as you raise your heels off the floor.
A baby learns to walk on its First Feet due to the fact that at this age the foot has not developed to be able to put the heel onto the floor during walking. These are therefore your first feet, and in most mammals it is the default configuration. Our heel has come from a very different purpose in locomotion.
Putting the heel down first is a very specific mobility action peculiar to humans. The walking and jogging that this is applied to, allows a very economic method of travelling. We have become so used to using the heel first while moving, that we use it all the time even though its usage is designed for ergonomic efficiency for travelling large distances.
Walking with the toes first makes us feel like a cat. After becoming used to using our First Feet as our normal mode of operation, standing with our heels on the ground feels like sitting down — and it is in a way. Our normal standing is what we would call “sitting on our haunches” in the mammalian world.
In standing and in locomotion, it is the pelvis that is the pivotal point, with the femur socket and the bottom of the spine creating a triangle that surrounds the centre of gravity. When we stand upon our First Feet we need to focus at the points of the bottom line of the triangle (below), where the locomotion of the legs join with the body, in line with the trochanters of the femur.
To attain an ever present grounding, it is the Pelvic Aster (illustrated below), that can help in producing a strong awareness within this area of centre of gravity. The mental tracing of this path while feeling it within the pelvis, aware of the trochanters of the femur at the pentagram's outer tips, and moving around while maintaining this visualisation, heightens your physical awareness and lowers your centre of gravity. No longer on our first feet, now the cat becomes a tiger.
A good method for helping to achieve focus in this area is Stirring the Sacral Aster: The Sacral Aster performed while your hand is synchronously also doing it in front of you, stirring it like a stick. This is a very strong grounding spell. The stance that it produces is very powerful and rooting.
The Aster is a 3 dimensional path encircling a sphere in a continuously repeating helix. Upon this star we can make the wish for a strong grounding with powerful physical stability. An alignment with Gaia in the earthing nature of the performance producing confidence and security and a banishment of fear.
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Proprioception
Feel the whole body fascia expanding synchronously with the breathing. Firstly the abdomen is pushed out by the action of the diaphragms, and secondly the chest expands as the lungs fill. Feel the fascia of the trunk of your body expand and move upwards with the expansion of the chest. As the ribs move with the chest's expansion the vertebrae swivel vertically, and in so doing they elongate the spine to which they are attached. Feel the spine concertina with the breathing. Feel your body pulsate with your breath. Become aware of cool air in the nose and passage ways which is caused by the intensity of the slow and even breathing, spreading through the body like white light, relaxing everywhere. This is the holy spirit.
When imagining the divine white light permeating throughout the body, it is not necessary to imagine any negative or darkness being expelled. When the light is turned on in a dark room, the darkness does not go anywhere; it does not escape out the door or window, it is obliterated instantly by the light. The same concept should be imagined with the healing aspect of white light within the body. It is so powerful that you are immediately cleansed. The continuation of the experience of the insight of pure light is because it is the nicest place to be, and the cultivation of this state so that it is the norm, leads to a life of bliss, free from worry and concern.
Observe, Relax and Breathe; silence the mind and trust. This is a state of love; the base state of love that is the universe's pure divine existence. Trust that this state of love is the best thing that can be achieved, and that by being in this state the best thing is being done.
Pretend that the bones in the arms and legs are elongating and feel the relaxation that this causes in the joints. Feel the heart beating, following it through the breath cycle. Become aware of the pulses throughout the body, until you can feel the whole body pulsating with blood.
Focus on the inside of the eyes at Bladder 1, and together with GV20 at the top of the head, and B10 at base of the back of the skull, pull the head up as you breathe in. This can be done in conjunction with the Cervical Aster. Relax the eyes, cheeks and jowls and continue relaxing down the front of the body and legs (the stomach meridian), as you breathe out.
This state of being relaxed does not mean a toned relaxed, it means a complete abandonment into tactile sensation, enough to induce a state of pleasure; enough to induce ecstasy. Soft and fluid would be the adjectives to use to describe the experience. Ultimately it is the base state of pleasure that is to be cultivated. The true wondrousness of being. This is your core. Realise that your body is liquid.
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Children are not attracted to the movements of T'ai Chi or yoga because they are in effect already doing it; it’s too easy for them. It is the very thing that a young child has recently been fixated upon as they learn to be in the physical world. The disciplines focus upon doing very basic movements involving sensitivity. But this is what we started doing when we were learning our bodies the first time round as children. The adults have forgotten and accumulated bad habits and insensitivity and need to relearn the basics. This is what is happening, but learning the individual movements is the most difficult way of learning and just provides a way to pretend to do it. The real doing is in the whole of it, the flow of it, the just doing it. To always be doing it is the point of practicing doing it, and then it is no big deal.
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Everything we do detracts from the core of ourselves — the First Self — as our attention is transferred from there to the thing we are doing. This becomes the default state, and a world is created by the repetitions. To continue concentrating on the core while looking in a mirror, shows how much we become absorbed in the cognition. The distraction has become the only way you see yourself. Seeing yourself in the mirror while concentrating on the core produces a very different experience. You do not identify with the image in the same way. We can all experience this just by not letting go of the sensation of being. This is why dogs and cats are not interested in their reflection in the mirror; it is not that they do not recognise themselves, but that the reflection is just unimportant — it isn't them. Their awareness of themselves is in the sensation of themselves, and this is not reflected.
The distraction that we experience when we see ourselves in the mirror, is what is happening all the time with everything that we see. We are sucked into the world and behave and respond with the conditioning that makes it become the reality that we think it is. To disengage this mode of operation is to see the world with very different eyes, which then seems unreal in this empty state of perception from the divine.
