Harder than it sounds

[Xue Sheng]

I just came back from a Qigong class and I am not going to delve deep into what or all that was done, but there is one thing that was taught from a Taoist sitting mediation that I found to be rather difficult to do, even though it sounds like the simplest thing in the world.

“With your eyes open, focus on a point 6 feet in front of you”

Now that sounds simple, but there is nothing there to focus on but air.

Just thought I would through that out there.

 

[Carol]

That sounds excruciatingly difficult.

How are you supposed to focus on a point 6 feet in front of you when you have no point of refernce to show where "a point 6 feet in front of you is" ?

 

[tshadowchaser]

interesting idea
I'll try it tomorow when I get outside and then at my school
Background might make a big difference in the ability to do this for beginners

 

[Martial Tucker]

Could they have meant: six feet in front of you, on the floor?

Obviously, if you're staring straight ahead into air/space, six feet looks the same as six miles.

 

[BlackCatBonz]

Could they have meant: six feet in front of you, on the floor?

Obviously, if you're staring straight ahead into air/space, six feet looks the same as six miles.

that's kind of the point, as it was explained to me one time.

 

[Martial Tucker]

that's kind of the point, as it was explained to me one time.

So, are you saying that you are supposed to essentially imagine a point six feet directly in front of you in space? I guess that doesn't seem that hard. You could envision a golf ball, or other small object with which you have a mental "size reference", as it would look if it were floating 6 feet directly in front of you. But of course the hard part would be keeping a focus on the imaginary point, which I would guess is the point of the exercise.

 

[Xue Sheng]

So, are you saying that you are supposed to essentially imagine a point six feet directly in front of you in space? I guess that doesn't seem that hard. You could envision a golf ball, or other small object with which you have a mental "size reference", as it would look if it were floating 6 feet directly in front of you. But of course the hard part would be keeping a focus on the imaginary point, which I would guess is the point of the exercise.

Envision a point 6 feet in front of you, directly in front of you, not on the floor.

After doing that for awhile 3 to 5, minutes as a beginner, which I am) you look at a point 6 feet in front of you at a 30 degree angle and then a 45 degree angle and then the floor between your feet, Do not move your head only your eyes.

You can try and focus on any thing you wish to imagine, but that would defeat the purpose of trying to calm the mind.

I ended up with a slightly dizzy feeling and seeing what looked like an illuminates capital 'O', and I do not know why. Couldn't honestly tell you if it was 6, 6 inches or 16 feet in front of me but I feel it was closer to 6 feet. I can say I was happy to look at the floor.

This was only part of a 30-minute exercise

 

[Xue Sheng]

That sounds excruciatingly difficult.

It was

How are you supposed to focus on a point 6 feet in front of you when you have no point of refernce to show where "a point 6 feet in front of you is" ?

I am generally a good judge of distance (to many surveying classes, as fillers, in college), so as soon as he said focus on a point 6 feet in front of you I immediately looked at the floor and found a point 6 feet in front of me and then tried to maintain that distance as I looked in front of me. Not sure I succeeded, but I think I was able to maintain that point for at least part of the training. It was difficult to maintain that point and move it down though.

This is going to take a lot of time.

 

[BlackCatBonz]

an exercise i was taught was breath counting.
while in seiza, you breathe deep and slow and recognize the movements of respiration.
the abdomen at rest, the rising of the abdomen, the apex, falling of the abdomen, and finally the abdomen at rest.
while doing this, you have to be aware of your breath passing through your nose, past the larynx, and into the lungs; and then the reverse upon exhalation.
No other thoughts should enter your mind during this time, or the counting starts over.
It was a real chore to get through 3 breaths for awhile.

 

[Xue Sheng]

an exercise i was taught was breath counting.
while in seiza, you breathe deep and slow and recognize the movements of respiration.
the abdomen at rest, the rising of the abdomen, the apex, falling of the abdomen, and finally the abdomen at rest.
while doing this, you have to be aware of your breath passing through your nose, past the larynx, and into the lungs; and then the reverse upon exhalation.
No other thoughts should enter your mind during this time, or the counting starts over.
It was a real chore to get through 3 breaths for awhile.

I use to do a sitting Qigong that was similar and it was not easy either. But this focusing on an imaginary point in space 6 feet in front of you stuff is quite taxing.

But the counting breaths was also hard, 1, 2, 3... did I leave the coffee pot on....DAMN! Ok calm the mind... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 WOW! I got to 5...DAMN another thought (repeat over and over again)...you know what I am talking about.

But if you achieve it time can go by and before you know it 30 or more minutes have passed.

 

[BlackCatBonz]

I use to do a sitting Qigong that was similar and it was not easy either. But this focusing on an imaginary point in space 6 feet in front of you stuff is quite taxing.

But the counting breaths was also hard, 1, 2, 3... did I leave the coffee pot on....DAMN! Ok calm the mind... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 WOW! I got to 5...DAMN another thought (repeat over and over again)...you know what I am talking about.

But if you achieve it time can go by and before you know it 30 or more minutes have passed.

yep, that is about right....lol

 

[Explorer]

It's a great exercise! My guess is the illuminated capital "O" was your collapsing field of vision (same as tunnel vision in adrenal stress response but with out the stress).

Sitting, standing, laying down ... all postures provide something a little different.

Do they have you visualising colors in these still exercises?

 

[Carol]

It was



I am generally a good judge of distance (to many surveying classes, as fillers, in college), so as soon as he said focus on a point 6 feet in front of you I immediately looked at the floor and found a point 6 feet in front of me and then tried to maintain that distance as I looked in front of me. Not sure I succeeded, but I think I was able to maintain that point for at least part of the training. It was difficult to maintain that point and move it down though.

This is going to take a lot of time.

Do you think you will realize a benefit? I meditate myself but personally I find some forms of meditation painful and stressful. I don't think that would be something I could do without a paradoxical reaction.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Do you think you will realize a benefit? I meditate myself but personally I find some forms of meditation painful and stressful. I don't think that would be something I could do without a paradoxical reaction.

I am not sure if I will realize a benefit, if I achieve it I imagine it will certainly teach me laser focus and calm my mind. But I am an 8 and 12 pieces of brocade and standing meditation in 7 positions king of guy.

Staring at imaginary points is great if you are a Taoist with all the time in the world, but I do know if I have that type of time. What makes me nervous is that this is supposedly for beginners.

This was a class with the old Taoist's (the actual teacher's) senior student to see where I was, apparently my instincts are good so next I go to the Taoist. We will see what I have to do next.

 

[Xue Sheng]

It's a great exercise! My guess is the illuminated capital "O" was your collapsing field of vision (same as tunnel vision in adrenal stress response but with out the stress).

Sitting, standing, laying down ... all postures provide something a little different.

Do they have you visualising colors in these still exercises?

Nope, no colors just stare at a point 6 feet in front if you.

It was called "Taoist Meditation to Calm the Mind"

 

[Kensai]

I just came back from a Qigong class and I am not going to delve deep into what or all that was done, but there is one thing that was taught from a Taoist sitting mediation that I found to be rather difficult to do, even though it sounds like the simplest thing in the world.

“With your eyes open, focus on a point 6 feet in front of you”

Now that sounds simple, but there is nothing there to focus on but air.

Just thought I would through that out there.

Easy or difficult, ready or not, too long in terms of time (or not), this sounds very interesting. I've often considered doing Qigong, but with Aikido and Wing Chun, time is of a premium. Let us know what happens next though please. :asian:

 

[CuongNhuka]

The major point is to fortify your mind by focusing on that which is not there. It seem's weird, but it develops some serious focus and concentration. And if you do it for a while and are not used to it, you might feel light headed. Because you focus on one poit for so long, it derects most of your blood flow to your eyes and the part of your brain that processes visual info. So there is slighty less blood to the rest of your brain, and you feel slightly light headed, an uncomfortable sensation in your eyes is also common.
Remember most of this is partly from research and partly form my best geuss. So take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I just came back from a Qigong class and I am not going to delve deep into what or all that was done, but there is one thing that was taught from a Taoist sitting mediation that I found to be rather difficult to do, even though it sounds like the simplest thing in the world.

“With your eyes open, focus on a point 6 feet in front of you”

Now that sounds simple, but there is nothing there to focus on but air.

Just thought I would through that out there.

I relax my eyes and it looks like I am staring off into space. Although I can see the protien floating over my iris as a fuzzy, and then I can concentrate on the protien and bring it in to being sharper and then back out to being fuzzy, while still relaxing the mind and the body and also being aware of what is around you. Or at least that is how I approach it.

Good Luck

 

[Xue Sheng]

Easy or difficult, ready or not, too long in terms of time (or not), this sounds very interesting. I've often considered doing Qigong, but with Aikido and Wing Chun, time is of a premium. Let us know what happens next though please. :asian:

I will keep you posted, I do not meet with the Sifu until next month, DAMN my schedule... This work thing is cutting into my training way too much

 

[Xue Sheng]

The major point is to fortify your mind by focusing on that which is not there. It seem's weird, but it develops some serious focus and concentration. And if you do it for a while and are not used to it, you might feel light headed. Because you focus on one poit for so long, it derects most of your blood flow to your eyes and the part of your brain that processes visual info. So there is slighty less blood to the rest of your brain, and you feel slightly light headed, an uncomfortable sensation in your eyes is also common.
Remember most of this is partly from research and partly form my best geuss. So take it with a grain of salt.

Thank you

I relax my eyes and it looks like I am staring off into space. Although I can see the protien floating over my iris as a fuzzy, and then I can concentrate on the protien and bring it in to being sharper and then back out to being fuzzy, while still relaxing the mind and the body and also being aware of what is around you. Or at least that is how I approach it.

Good Luck

I see those little protein guys all the time, except when I do this staring at imaginary point stuff. I did not realize that before now. Thanks



I use to practice and train Qigong several years ago but stop do to circumstances beyond my control. However I never did this type of stuff before, it is interesting to work with. I am trying to fit it in before work (along with everything else). If this keeps up I will have to get up 2 hours before I go to bed just to fit everything in.