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Yaming
Switzerland
112 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 30 2011 : 11:40:02 PM
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Hi everyone,
I have been practicing embryonic breathing for about 1.5 years. Since I don't feel like I have made much progress I started to look for a different meditation and I stumbled over this site here. I am a martial artist and embryonic breathing (EB) is the root to the internal side of it. That means I don't want to fully drop it but I want to try out the DM of AYP (actually I already started. One week in). Besides that it was mentioned here that most breath-focused meditation sooner or later need to have a an addon because they can't go beyond suspending the breath.
Could anyone recommend how I should combine those together?
Also I have a huge problem for sepperating my breath from the mantra or the mantra from my heartbeat. I practiced embryonic breathing on a regular base (6 days per week) and I took some longer breaks from it. However, the habit of focusing on my breath and inhaling into my lower abdomen with coordination of my perineum has become a habit. I tried to play with the mantra and let it go against my breath extending it or just break up the pattern once I realized that I'm coordinating with my breath. But somehow it never happens that I am fully on my mantra without paying attention to the breathing. Of course I am very new to the meditation and I don't expect that I get it from the beginning but maybe someone has some suggestions how I can deal with the problem without dropping EB totally? Of course if anyone knows a better meditation that applies into martial arts I'm very open to it.
For now I have been doing 20 min DM and added another 35 EB to it and then I just went to the normal recovery routine I have when I'm done with EB. Don't really know if that routine is smart or good. Before I was practicing 45 min EB. Besides that I add another 20 min DM in the evening because it is recommended here to do it 2 a day. I don't practice EB 2 a day.
have a nice day Yaming |
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JDH
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2011 : 10:17:31 PM
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Hi Yaming,
AYP recognizes that there are many types of pranayama, and although the AYP spinal breathing is recommended - you can use any type, with varying results. The keys are to make it a daily practice, do it just before meditation, and to 'self-pace' the whole practice routine. Another option would be to do the embryonic breathing, then spinal breathing, then meditation each practice session.
Spinal breathing is recommended because the spinal cord is the central nerve. Purifying this main channel also purifies the rest by proxy. |
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Yaming
Switzerland
112 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2011 : 11:57:49 PM
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Hi JDH thanks for your response!
Embryonic Breathing is a meditation. If you would like to know more about it you can read this article: http://ymaa.com/articles/qigong-med...ic-breathing
Basically it is a meditation where your mind focuses on your lower dantian and brings the Qi/prana there to store it. This is the foundation for all the other practices like Muscle/Tendons Changing Brain Marrow washing small circulation etc etc. So there is quite a bit that can be done once you get to a profound level.
However, I feel like I am not really progressing too much that's why I am looking for an additional meditation and the DM from AYP seems like a good fit. Besides that it seems to me that it takes a very long time to get to a decent level in those fields, so maybe the DM will satisfy some of my bhakti till I reach a deeper level in the other field.
Any suggestions?
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JDH
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2011 : 12:48:59 AM
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Ah. I've meditated on that dantian sometimes, very pleasant. Taoism has the 'microcosmic orbit' which can be turned into a pranayama by making one breathing cycle correspond to one M.O. cycle.
There is a thread about that here at the top of this same forum, if you're interested in trying that out.
I think if you put 1.5 years into AYP practices you could be very pleased with the changes in that time. You have a lot of devotion and bhakti to do EB for that long, so you will probably progress quickly with so much fuel in the tank. The purification you've been doing at the lower dantian will help too.
If you do continue the EB, I'd change my opinion from before - and recommend doing it either just before spinal breathing (now that I know what it is). Or at a separate practice session from the AYP practices.
Don't worry too much about the breath and heartbeat being linked to the mantra like you mentioned above. Just keep gently favoring the mantra, it will break loose in a little while. |
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Yaming
Switzerland
112 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2011 : 4:17:08 PM
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M.O. is also called small circulation and the EB is the foundation of that. At least according to Dr. Yang.
"...can be turned into a pranayama by making one breathing cycle correspond to one M.O. cycle.)
I don't quite get what you mean by that.
Thanks for helping me!
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JDH
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2011 : 9:00:58 PM
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| I meant that if you're already familiar with the microcosmic orbit as a breathing exercise, you could use it before deep meditation if you prefer it to the AYP spinal breathing. Perhaps I'm jumping too far ahead with the suggestion. Better to just try out the DM for now, and see about adding in the breathing practices later. |
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JDH
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2011 : 9:01:15 PM
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| And, glad to help - welcome to the forums! |
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Yaming
Switzerland
112 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2011 : 10:56:52 PM
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Oh I see. Well I have read ahead in the lessons and in my opinion the MO is not a substitute for the SBP. The SBP is working with a nerv in the spine while MO is not going through the spine but outside the spine. In the taoist concept the spine is the thrusting vessel, and the one that is used for MO is the governing and conceptionel vessel. The thrusting vessel is especially used in practices that shoot for enlightement (lead the Qi up to norish the brain). But MO is used to strengthen the physical body by circulating the Qi through the two vessels mentioned above. In the end MO is a preparation for enlightement (but still not the same as SPB).
Well that's just what I've learned so far.
I will stick to the DM for a while and then add the SBP. It doesn't run away, so no hurry with it. Thanks for the welcome! Glad to have found this place ^^ |
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combining AYP with embryonic breathing
