Healing

“凡 刺 之 法 先 必 本 于 神 – All treatments should be rooted in the spirit – Ling Shu”

A Misalignment with Spirit

Human life begins and ends with source itself. Born from Spirit, there is a gradual ‘densening’ of light to energy to matter that is the focus of many Eastern wisdom traditions. This is the manner in which human life descends to the material plane and understanding how to reverse this process formed the basis for most alchemical schools of thought. 

The root of Spirit exists at the core of our being and much of our physical and psychological well-being is a result of our level of alignment with this Spirit. To the Daoists, this was conceptualised within the model of harmonising Xing and Ming with one another. We can think of our connection to Spirit as being like the needle on the compass, if we align this needle correctly then the body is able to harmonise itself and move towards a place of ease.  If the needle is ‘off target’ then the body will begin to move into a dis-ease state as there is a kind of ‘spiritual friction’ produced between the way we align our spiritual and physical lives. 

There are countless ways in which these misalignments may manifest and these manifestations became the basis for the development of many healing traditions such as Chinese Medicine. 

Many people come along to an internal arts class with an over-focus upon the nature of their symtpoms when, often, a focus upon the nature of their level of inner-alignment would be a more poignant study. 

Passive vs Active Healing

We can divide the healing modalities of the Asian traditions into two main categories: Passive and Active methods. Passive methods are those methods whereby the person becomes a ‘patient’ and receives treatment from a therapist. The second method would be an active method whereby the person becomes a ‘practitioner’ or ‘cultivator’ as opposed to a ‘patient’. The difference between these two would depend upon the level of engagement that the person has in their own healing process. In short, we can list some passive methods of healing to be:

  • Acupuncture
  • Tui Na and Bodywork
  • Herbal Treatment
  • Qi Emission Therapy
  • Cupping, Moxa and Gua Sha 

These are the passive methods taught within the Lotus Nei Gong International School. In Chinese medical treatments of this kind, a patient is given a thorough diagnosis to ascertain the expression of the imbalance. Here, the skill of the therapist is paramount is assiting the patient to move towards a place of healing.

Active method include all of the practices taught within the school such as Nei Gong, Taiji and Meditation training. In these modalities, it is wisest to put the speicific manifestation of the imbalance aside for the timebeing and instead use these practices to increase the efficiency of the bodys functioning and bring the Qi and Spirit of the person into a place of alignment. This is where access to the deepest healing responses is to be found.

The Subtle Body

Each tradition had its own model for the workings of the astral or energy body. The Chinese developed a highly complex model of the interactions between Yin and Yang whereas the Indian models involve the movements of solar and lunar energy. Though there are striking similarities, the traditions focused upon different regions and aspects of the energetic matrix. What was shared was that there was an enigmatic series of substances that move through the body system and these can be governed in certain ways in order to harmonise the mind/body system.

We can think of Qi or Prana sitting at the place where the mind meets the body. If we understand this relationship between the poles of consciousness and manifestation, then we may begin to understand the various interplays and evolutions that this energy goes through over the course of our life. Developing an intimate knowledge of these processes also enables us to access and treat the body on a profound level.  

We can really put the nature of the subtle body into three key stages of development:  

  1. The underdeveloped stage
  2. The stage of full potential
  3. The stage of realised potential

At the first stage, depletion, imbalance and disease has exhausted the energy of the body resulting in the root of disharmony. At the second stage, a person has activated the various energetic centres of the body and reached their ‘birth potential’ with regards to energetic efficiency. At the third stage, the internal process has developed to a point whereby the Qi can be said to be at a miraculous level of attainment. Very few reach this stage of development in their current lifetime but, if you have access to the process, then this door may be opened for you.  

    The video on the right has a brief discussion of the subjects of Qi and Healing according to Qi Gong and Nei Gong. The nature of Yin and Yang within the realm of the energy body are discussed as well as the various stages of developing the internal system. 

    Qi is one of the most talked about terms within the world of the internal arts and yet, it is one of the most misunderstood apsects of the practice. Mastering Qi is a complex process that can take a lifetime of diligent study! Prior to mastery though, there is the possibility of harnessing your body’s Qi in order to assist in the healing process.

    千金难买一口气

    “A thousand pieces of gold cannot buy one breath of air”

    Re-Aligning

    In order for a person to move back into alignment with Spirit, there are a few ingredients required. The first is the ability to recognise the presence of misalignment, the second is the possibility of entering a particular ‘mental space’ that can enable a shift back towards centre. Different traditions led a person to this space in their own way but they each strive for union with the same consciousness-sphere.

    There is a non-judgemental, non-personalised connection to the space at the centre of mind which is generated through meditative and energetic training. When a person may enter this space, then a natural movement back to a state of alignment may begin to arise. Sometimes the movement is gradual and sometimes it is a sudden shift that comes with startling transformation to the mental and energetics body’s.

    There is an innate intelligence within each of us and through practice, we may access this intelligence and give it free reign to do its work. If only we may get out of our own way then positive alchemical transformation may take place. The main tool we use for this is Nei Gong training, though we may support the process with other tools.

    On our events, we approach this process with kindness and an atmosphere of humour. There is a great joy to be had through internal training and this is as much a part of the healing journey as the methods themselves!

    ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥