Four Gardens of Taoist Cultivation

When discussing our abilities, we should not lose sight of the fact that we are a Unity that is beyond understanding. Any discussion is a fracturing of this whole. Our Qigong practice should be in the spirit of cultivation rather than an effort towards mastery. The educational model that most of us are ingrained with is a pattern of effort and accomplishment. Cultivation is a process that side steps the snare of culturally induced mental activities which use the ‘data processing’ aspects of the brain based on a linear pattern of interpreting experience through association with the past and future. Just as a gardener would ruin the crops by tugging at the sprouting seedlings to encourage them to hurry up and grow, we must find contentment and satisfaction in allowing nature to have her way. All things flower in their own time and season.

As qigong students we may not always feel our connection to the four areas discussed below. How does a bird learn to fly, or a fish learn to swim? We learn by doing, and by being reassured that we are fully capable; it is an inherent ability. Remember that the practice of qigong – the breathing, the movements and the stillness – contain within them a transmission of information. Regular practice can create a space where this information can build up to a level that becomes experiential or recognized. Every insight can lead to another experience. The dedicated practice of even one simple qigong exercise can provide a lifetime of new insights. By resting in the openness of the abiding natural way we allow our abilities and our unique purpose in Life to unfold, without any effort or coercion. As we cultivate our abilities, let’s look at four areas.

Creative – initiating within the laws of Creation. We all have creative energy which conforms to the natural laws. The gift of ‘free will’ allows us to explore infinite opportunities for creative expression. The most timeless, endearing and inspiring human accomplishments are creativity at its best. Unfortunately, there are many who teach ‘mind control’ as a way to create a more satisfying life – getting the best parking space, the dreamed of promotion, a loving spouse, conquering a disease, etc. As Buddhism teaches, all of life’s suffering is the result of desire, grasping and attachments. There will always be someone with a new and better way to fulfill all your desires; this creates a chain reaction generating more desires and more dissatisfactions as the objects of desire tarnish. Our creativity in Qigong practice is free of these desires and attachments. Creativity, in an open and spontaneous way, is a natural interaction with Life.

Seeing – visualizing. Human biological vision is amazing, providing rich colors, depth perception and discriminating focus. We also have a way of seeing without the use of our two eyes. Skill and confidence in this ‘inner’ vision can be cultivated. It is a basic ability, under-developed in most people, but not absent. The caution here is not to fantasize, but rather to see things as they really are. Use this phrase throughout the day –‘I see things as they really are’ – to remind yourself that what you ‘think’ you see may not be how it really is. Try to see without looking, without interpretation; embrace the wholeness, not just the discrete objects. Cultivate the experience of really seeing the subtle fields which may be more apparent to other sensory interpretations. We already can do it; it is just a case of turning on the recognition.

Sensing – kinesthetic awareness. This practice includes the rest of our sensory abilities: touching, tasting, smelling and hearing. Qigong cultivation in these areas is dominated by subtle feeling and touching, but all the senses come into play. Hands are quite remarkable; they can be the eyes for the blind and a voice for the mute. All our senses correspond with organs, glands and bones resonate to our environment, perhaps even to the pulse of distant galaxies, so kinesthetic sensitivity is a whole body process. Again, we just need to turn on the recognition of the information that our senses provide. In my experience, this information can be recognized instantly, compared with the slower processes of mental cognition based on comparative analysis. In fact, the information may be long gone before there is a mental interpretation. A common practice for developing kinesthetic awareness is to sit quietly and observe your breath, which leads into the next area.

Moving – rhythm / cadence. The axle or hub of a wheel remains still, even while the wheel turns around it as the cart is pulled along. The stillness of the axle is essential for the functionality of the wheels and cart. The profound Truth that all movement comes from stillness and that all movement returns to stillness is living information transmitted through our qigong practice. We can not discover movement without discovering stillness, and we can not discover stillness without discovering movement. It is said that seventy percent of all health problems are the consequence of stress. Stress is an expression of stuck or stagnant energy. We all recognize the unpleasant smell of stagnant water, or a stuffy room. Allowing water to flow and air to circulate creates a pleasant external environment. Where our intention leads, the qi follows. Qigong practice guides the circulation of qi throughout our bodies, resulting in a pleasant internal environment. Synchronizing qigong movement with the breath is a common practice, creating a powerful unification of energy. Slowing down any movement develops a much greater awareness of all the factors involved in movement. Like riding a bicycle, balance requires much more skill the slower you go. There is a story of a qigong practitioner who went to the park, faithfully, every day to practice the same set of qigong exercises. One day, another practitioner, who also was at the park each day, commented to the first one ‘Why do you practice the same qigong each day, all year long, in the heat of summer, in the rain, in the snow, in the wind? Why not practice rainy day qigong on a rainy day? Why not practice windy day qigong on a windy day?’ Explore the natural rhythms and cadence of your qigong practice, listen to, feel the rhythms around you and within you. Allow the stillness of the Tao to dance qigong through you, harmonizing with time and space.

As we practice qigong, allow the inner Wisdom to grow. Let go of the mental functions of effort and its fleeting sense of accomplishments. Allow the true Being to grow; we are not who we ‘think’ we are. We are the Tao, the Tao is us. The Tao does not strive to give birth to anything, yet all things are born from the Tao.

“All we are saying is give Tao a chance” - Johnny LaoTzu Lennon