STANDING MEDITATION AND SITTING MEDITATION
Standing Meditation
Question 12
In our daily practice, Shaolin Cosmos Qigong focuses on standing meditation to experience Zen. Where and when does sitting meditation come into the practice?
HB Yeang
Answer
In my early years of teaching, like at the Shaolin Wahnam Association in Sungai Petani in the 1980s. I taught sitting meditation as part of the Shaolin Kungfu syllabus. At that time, we practiced six nights a week, and every night we concluded our training session with sitting meditation.
But over the years, my teaching methodology has improved beyond recognition. Shaolin Wahnam students today (2012) will be glad to know that they can benefit from my teaching in a few days what my early students would need a year! It is hard to believe but it is true.
This does not mean that modern students are as accomplished in a few days as my early students were in one year. This is a different issue. But it means that, for example, in a few days modern students not only have learnt the techniques to be physically and mentally relaxed as well as to attain a one-pointed mind but also have acquired the skills to do so on their own, whereas my early students would take a year.
As another example, modern students attending my intensive courses, can generate a chi flow within half an hour, but my early students at the Shaolin Wahnam Association would need more than a year.
Being relaxed, attaining a one-pointed mind and generating a chi flow are basic skills. To overcome pain and illness, or develop internal force and combat efficiency, modern students still have to practice like my early students did. But with an excellent start, and if all other things were equal, modern students should attain desired results sooner than early students.
Nevertheless, there is at least one factor that is different. Early students practiced six times a week in my presence. Modern students practice on their own, with periodical supervision from me or our certified instructors.
Returning to your question, the reason we do not teach sitting meditation in our school now is because we can achieve the intended results in a much shorter time and in a more pleasant and less risky manner using standing meditation than using sitting meditation.
We are very clear about our philosophy. We practice for practical benefits, not to impress others. If we can get benefits in a shorter time and in a more pleasant and less risky manner using standing meditation, it would be a mockery of our philosophy to attempt sitting meditation.
The hallmark of sitting meditation is achieving the highest attainment any being can attain, i.e. attaining Enlightenment or returning to God the Holy Spirit. It is pertinent for us to remember that ours is a chi kung and kungfu school, dedicated to bringing good health, vitality, longevity, mental freshness and spiritual joys, as well as combat efficiency for those who practice kungfu, to deserving students irrespective of race, culture and religion. Ours is not a temple or spiritual institution intended to train aspirants to attain Enlightenment or return to God the Holy Spirit.
It is true that many of our students have spiritual experiences, like expanding into the Cosmos, richer than those who specially cultivate in temples or other spiritual institutions, but this is our bonus, not a stated aim.
There is another important reason why I do not teach sitting meditation as part of our regular syllabus. Years ago when I practiced sitting meditation regularly, I attained such miraculous powers that although I was sure I would not abuse them, I was wise enough to abandon the practice so as not to burden myself with the risk of possible abuse no matter how small the probability could be. To teach sitting meditation to students exposing them to such risk would be irresponsible.
Nevertheless, things may change in future. At first I did not intend to teach Zen, but now, due to expedient needs, I am conducting Zen courses occasionally. In these Zen courses I sometimes teach sitting meditation, not the one in lotus position you have in mind, but in sitting upright on a seat, which is of a much lower level. In future, as things change I may teach sitting meditation in a lotus position if the need arises.
Sitting Meditation
The above is reproduced from the thread 10 Questions to the Grandmaster about Zen in the Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum
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