It is normal when one is immersed in a practice to ask questions ... but not normally useful.
The change that will start with daily exercises will multiply with an awareness of the depth of the Way.
The failure not to compare with other practitioners or the teacher will lead us into total confusion.
It is in this period of transition, sometimes confusing and even painful, to remember to practice: only the practice has value.
Engulfed in large sentiments, tied by excessive sentimentality or paralysed by his endless questions, we forget to practice.
He frames the citations of his teacher, read books which "give the truth" and trys to validate his progress with other practitioners, but does not practice much.
In this state of any latent power and probable realisation, we do nothing.
The new pain, a source of concern and questions, the connection changes to the body, which is most neglected, and this new capacity to not accept a certain form of stupidity we have a problem. So we sit down to digest this mass of information and we miss the training.
To keep things simple and use the first lines of Lu Bong Bin on its "hundred characters":
"Nourish the chi and guard the silence"
The practice gives the energy and intimacy which is the answer to all our questions.
Often, too often, we do not look, but we want to find. We want the result, but we do not spend enough time in the process of accessing it. Basically we would like to be accepted as the wisest and strongest in the world, but we would prefer not to have to work for it. Or "a little", since this does not change too many things in our lives.
Any change, even the happiest, is making its dose of "friction", pain or punishment, and in any case, it is necessary not to neglect the factor of "time".
We can not rely only on our direct experiences as it is the result of our practice. This practice is the way known by the an experienced teacher who may guide his student at every stage of his evolution.
The changes are the fruits of intelligent work on a serious way.
But we are talking about "work", not questioning.
There is an order that must be followed for evolution of the way that is reality and not an illusion nourished by bad expectation: we must regulate many aspects of our nature.
We must regulate the body and this is done in three complementary steps:
* The root (the connection with the Earth)
* Strengthening (balance function / structure that preserves health)
* The relaxation (in conjunction with co-ordination)
When the body is at the point of acquiring these three conditions through an integrated practice and we can spend work breathing. There are three stages in this part of training:
* Recognition of respiratory movement (with the breath)
* Transformation of respiratory flow (rhythms and games of the breath)
* Liberation of respiratory constraint (exempt from any "technique")
In this body and the respiratory movement free, we have the tools to understand the emotional mind and facilitate internal silence. This work on the emotions will also include three parts:
* Discover the nature of emotions ( real and body)
* Feel the internal changes (linked to emotions)
* Relax its reactivity to emotions ( "surfing" rather than "drowning")
Only from that moment can we start a real energy work: how to feel "energy" in a tired body, fed by superficial breathing and inhabited by an almost constant fear? The work of energy is the beginning of the way, but without real foundation based on real practice, its only the wind. How to move this energy if it does not exist?
We can not use as the mass of energy that is available, the excess. If we do not practice enough, if we are in a phase of intense learning, if one is sick or if it is too contracted, there is not enough energy available tfor movement.
The learning phase requires a large amount of energy for the movements themselves but also to "become" news. Sometimes it is paradoxical to see that all his "practice", and no energy, but we must not forget that at this stage of the course, we don't do, we are learning to practice ... it ' is very different.
Can be seen as learning to drive a car: we use a large amount of energy and tensions in learning when it is possible to relax ... this is the phase of learning.
Whoever is in the practice does not have the time to ask questions or surmise ... he's training.
But who can train without questioning the practice today?
The problem of this connection with the practice is a relationship of trust, commitment. It is important to choose his own path and become totally immersed. The problem of choice and the questioning must come before practice at the time of choice (or no choice) that leads to the encounter with tradition. In practice itself and in his learning, it is wiser to stop rather than to return to any question: there is no way out and no lasting change.
The questions are important, but they are not practice: they are a part "relating" of the practice of the intellectual satisfaction, the food of the mind. The questions to calm his mind by giving him a bone to gnaw.
Be careful not to confuse the letter, "one who can speak" and the practitioner, "one who knows: one can speak of the practice, one can guide you on the way. Intellectual knowledge can never be a source of evolution on the way it can only guide them in ways that go through "divide and wander."
But in a clear and invested practice, it's very interesting to learn also about the mental data, to "cultivate" and "fill" say the classics.
Again, the teacher who can guide the practitioner.
It is important to communicate with him and it is useful to listen to his answers, concerned about the multiple issues and have already convinced the answer, ask one question to receive one validation.
If the teacher responds, it is important to listen to ... if only not to ask the same question twenty times.
Do not compare with others, do not watch the other practicioners, do not watch movies or documentaries on the way, do nothing, asks nothing more than your practice, do not have more, don't forget anything you're taught, do not ask easy questions , do not forget to ask the hard questions ... but practice.
True connection to practice is an intimate personal relationship where one is alone. One can not practice and only for himself. The rest is the result of that practice.
Until this relationship is established within the discovery of the enthusiasm and "bitter", we are learning. The way is the result of a practice that stems from learning, but is also the source of training ...
voila.
