Sharing your practice with others
Play the 90-second video to see the visual essay of practice and to hear me reading a favorite paragraph from Dr. Roger Jahnke's book, Healer Within about personal practice and sharing practice with others. Music is by my friend, Eric Fischer. Thanks for listening and watching!
“Qi cultivation—Qigong—is easy if you let it be.” (p. 218—in Healing Promise of Qi by Dr. Roger Jahnke, doctor of Oriental Medicine)
“The secret to leading wonderful practice sessions: Sincerely do your own practice and describe it to others as you do it.” (p.88 Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi Teacher Training Manual)
These are the two golden pieces of encouragement and teaching advice of Dr. Roger Jahnke, founder of the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi, and author of classic books on Qigong and Tai Chi. Since its inception, the small but mighty Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi has trained thousands of teachers, facilitators and practice leaders. The teachers and practice leaders have created a wave of healing that has reached the lives of many more people who are seeking and finding greater health and wellbeing through health and wellness practices taught at the trainings. Personally, what I have found is that practicing breath exercises and movements with a clear mind focus has a profound effect on the individual (you feel your body and mind shifting into calm and peaceful states), and then there are bigger effects that you can think of as a field of well being that includes others. As you start to practice consciously with others, in class and outside of class, there is a feeling that this field of well being expands. This can be very healing for yourself and others.
It is a curious thing. Many people find Qigong and Tai Chi after having an injury or a time of ill health, and when they are motivated to seek healing. But when you seek healing for yourself, you are also healing situations and circumstances that you are part of. We are interconnected. So, as you begin to heal yourself, you may see your life more clearly and activate your ability to make conscious choices. The people you meet through work, family and friendship may benefit as a result. If you are coming into healing states regularly and sincerely, which can be few seconds throughout the day or once or twice a week, that means you are doing some form of personal practice and entering a healing field of benevolence that naturally includes others. You can bring some of these simple and compelling ideas into ordinary life. Life around you may change. Maybe there is less clutter in your living space. Maybe your personal preferences in food and entertainment change. Sometimes, friendships and associations fall away, and sometimes, relationships change and improve. New people may come into your life who seem to be an answer to a prayer.
You don’t have to lead practice or classes to share practice with others. But there is an element of practicing on your own—without the teacher—in sharing practice with others. This means it takes awareness and intention. Intention is the gold and the foundation of the power of these practices. There is something amazing happening in the person who simply remembers to pause and breathe and adjust posture or attitude in the moment, in an ordinary day. You can bring this intentional energy into interactions with others, which becomes a way of practicing with others. You How do you do that?
Practicing Without a Teacher
You start small. Yes, go to class and be with others, but also notice those spaces in between thoughts or activities when you can stretch your limbs or stretch your mind. It is a satisfying game to recognize practice opportunities in everyday life. Here are some ideas.
Mini-Practice Sessions in between classes and sessions
These are some ideas for practicing on your own for 30 seconds to 2 minutes at a time:
While going to another room at home or at work, you can take a breath and direct your awareness to the body and adjust posture.
In between bites during a meal, you can pause a little bit, put the fork or chopsticks down and look around. Breathe one or two full breaths, and then come back to eating.
While waiting for the water to boil for tea or coffee, you can stretch, move and maybe palm your eyes or massage your ears or hands.
When you return home from being out in the world, you can drink water, change clothes, and be quiet for 1 minute before doing anything else.
Stare out the window and sense light changing during the day. Good times to do this: dawn, high noon, dusk, and midnight.
Mini-Practice Sessions in between classes and sessions with others
Here are little practices you may do with and for others for 30 seconds to 2 minutes at a time:
While are sharing a meal or a beverage with someone, you might pause and comment on your experience and ask your companion to do the same. “This tea is delicious. I detect the sweetness of vanilla. How about you?”
Assume the posture of the person you are speaking with. If they are crossing their arms, cross your arms. If they smile, smile back. You can also do this by matching tones of voice. This is called mirroring. It is technique for communicating rapport and connection, and doing it consciously is a skill.
While waiting in line with people, wish them well in your mind. “All good wishes for the people ahead and people behind.”
Arrange your shoes neatly on the floor, in the closet, or by the door, so that the next time you or anyone else see them, you pause and notice the neatness and order. This is a teaching from my teacher’s teacher. Arranging your shoes is an act of mindfulness and conscious presence and even love.
Breathe and be patient in traffic, or as you walk in a crowd, so that notice the space between you and others.
Say hello and thank you to people who help you with groceries or other ordinary services online, over the phone and in person.
You can think of these things as ways to share practice with others and leading the way to creating a world that is special for you and for everyone you share this life with. There are endless opportunities.
Yes, you can train to do that at teacher training, and immerse yourself in using life circumstances and relationships as your training opportunities while also adopting exercises and practices that have been passed down through generations. What matters is your willingness and sincerity. You can share practice with others through ordinary things. Of course, if you are drawn to train to lead practice, recognize that it is a special thing to be called. The saying is that many are called, and very few people answer the call. It is a special thing that may call you again and again. The good ideas stay with you and keep returning.
When the time is right for you, you may answer the call to share with others!
Find out about an upcoming opportunity to join us for teacher training or to immerse yourself in practice and expand the energies of sharing the benevolent field of practice with others. Click here for details on the June 2024 training.