Buddhist Monks practice vibration drills

[sin_goodfellow]

Knuckledraggers,

I recently returned from a 3 day buddhist retreat at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Ukiah, Ca.

Having read Coach Sonnon's recent articles about vibration drills, it was a curious and enlightening experience(among many)to see monks practicing a form of vibration drill. Before meditation, the monks led us in some relaxation/stretching exercises. After a bent over stretch of the legs, we were instructed to reach down and lightly slap the backs of our legs up and down for a few minutes.

We also palpitated the smalls of our back after a back stretch. It definitely seemed to have a beneficial effect. We were also instructed to make some kick movements to wake up our legs/feet if they fell asleep and so on. Since I assume Full Lotus position in meditation and my feet have a tendency to fall into a deep sleep, vibrating them quickly awake was much preferred to a slow pin/needle awakening.

I am not a Buddhist and this was my first interaction with Buddhist Monks/Nuns so I cannot say if all of them practice this, but I thought it was an interesting insight.

Jesse Wells

[James Boelter]

FWIW, one of the most important things I learned from Stuart Olson was the massage/tapping work associated with the Seated Eight Brocades. This isn't 'officially' part of the Eight Brocades, but is usually included in the practice as a warmup. It has made a major difference in my ability to 'settle down' and practice 'tranquil sitting'. Essentially, before you begin your meditation period proper (whatever your method), you rub and tap (and sometimes hold) various 'subtle' meridian points along the Du and Ren channels (the ones going up and down your front and back). The obvious ones, of course, are the top of your skull, the 'soft spot'/crown in back of that, the jade pillow at the base of the skull, the prominent vertebrae (C7/T1) at the base of your neck, the small of your back, your solar plexus, your tan tien etc. Feel free to add any areas that your intuition points you to - I benefit a great deal from rubbing and tapping the area over my heart, for instance, since I keep a lot of tension there.

Rub each spot 36 circles in one direction with all four fingers of your left hand (while keeping the right hand closed in a fist to seal off the meridian), then 36 times in the other direction with the four fingers of your right hand while keeping the right hand closed in a fist; then tap the area 48 times with alternating left and right fingers. For some areas (between the eyes, crown of skull) you also warm your hands by rubbing, and then warm the area with the left hand while holding the tan tien with
the right while taking 9 'cleansing breaths'.

See Olson's outstanding book 'QiGong Teachings of a Taoist Immortal' for a very lucid and helpful discussion and explanation of the role of Eight Brocades in a meditation practice, and in the Microcosmic Orbit. I realize that this is a Taoist practice, not a Buddhist one, but many Buddhist teachers include Eight Brocades in their practice as a way of safely processing the large amounts of energy that get generated by their practice.

[sin_goodfellow]

James,

Wow, that is some deep information. I understand the references to chi and meridians, but the name Seated Eight Brocades is unfamiliar. It is nice to hear from someone who has delved into Meditation as you have.
The next time I meditate, I will certainly try the rub/taps you have described. I think I was meant for meditation since I was able to sit in Full Lotus fairly early in my meditative attempts. Granted, I cannot hold it for very long without my feet and lower legs falling asleep.

Jesse

[Ski]

Hello Mr. Wells,

I am glad to see other folks on the forum practicing the Dharma. I have found many correlations between the little I know of ROSS and what I've discovered in Buddhism. The improvement of the self to benifit others.

I would be glad to hear from anyone on the comparison between these two philosophies.

--Ski

[JClayton]

The eight brocades (or eight section brocade) is an eight-part qigong exercise designed to open the major various energy meridians. There are both standing and sitting versions. I actually learned a standing version from my teacher in China, who is a Buddhist monk there, so at least in that tradition, it does cross over. There are many books and videos available that teach the eight section brocade exercise.

Regards,

[Ski]

I have been quite remiss in my meditation practices. One thing I know for sure is that while working with the Pittsburgh ROSS study group, I noticed a much better meditation period after the gatherings and in my own biomechanical workouts at home. Breathing was less mechanical and more natural. I am hoping the Clubbells I just ordered today :D and my starting in on the Circular Strength Training will help me get some of the same benefits. I have not been practicing much over the last 2 years,(or is it 3 already :( ) and am looking forward to beginning again. When I started in ROSS, I wrote Coach Sonnon a few times and told him that one of the most thrilling aspects of this training is the "epiphany moments" that happen when your body and mind connect and you start doing the movements and Kinetic Chains almost effortlessly.

Thanks for listening to me rattle on.