I’ve often said that meditation is the beginning and the end of Weightlessness, meaning it’s both the means (method) as well as the intended outcome (presence – the mediative mind).
But I rarely break that down, as it usually gets head nods and we move on.
So I said to myself today, I said… "Maybe don’t move on. Break it down for the nice folks."
In Weightlessness, the central meditation practice is standing meditation, which rides the line between mindful awareness and elementary qigong. It’s introduced very early on, but it isn’t easily mastered.
Meditation (the practice) is the beginning of Weightlessness because it cultivates in us the internal structures – alignment, symmetry, and effortless balance – that allow us to integrate mind and body in real, practical circumstances.
It’s the supreme transition tool, that which takes us from training into real life. It provides the ability to silence the monkey mind and to base perception in immediate sense experience. It allows us to self-regulate immediately when frustrated, triggered, or disconnected. It’s why we do the nutrition, the physical conditioning, the stretching – all of it, in order to be fully present, conscious, and alive.
And THAT would be the END of Weightlessness.
No enlightenment halo and infinite wisdom atop a mountain. No grand arrival.
Just you, connected. Right here. Right now.
The beginning – the practice.
The end – the experience.
Easier said than done. I know.
This won’t be for everyone, but for those who have never tried, or even had the thought to try, I’ve put together a guided standing meditation vid for you.
In The Weightlessness Process, our 3-month mind-body transformation program, we spend about four weeks just prepping the structural cues that allow for more rapid mind-body connection. But anyone can start at any time and will be better off than not for doing so.
So maybe that’s you?!?!
In this video:
I take about 7 minutes to break down a few key aspects of the practice before moving into a guided meditation session for the remainder:
- The structural cues - Focused on alignment and symmetry
- The principle of tensegrity – The body is combination of tension (soft tissue) and compression (bone) members that generate organic “lift” or lightness when they're allowed to. When this is hindered through poor posture and movement, physical tension arises to compensate, which inhibits natural healing processes and disconnects body from mind, through insensitivity.
- The anchored buoy – Through balancing tensional forces in the body, removing excess tension, and learning to relax, the body will both base, as if anchored, and at the same time elevate, as if by a buoy on the surface of a lake. This goes well beyond physical sensation, and triggers a global sense of power and… you guessed it – weightlessness.
One can see that these principles are reduced, if not eliminated, in seated meditation practice. It’s an easier practice for that reason. But I’d also argue it’s less impactful, making the transference of the meditative mind to daily activities harder to come by.
So, my dear friends. Stand. Breathe. Connect.
Be weightless!
Tom
Weightlessness | Mind Body Performance Coaching