Nei Gung Meditation
I learned this meditation from Justin Stone, one of my t’ai chi teachers. I practiced it every night before going to sleep for many months. After several rounds of repeating the phrases, I would fall asleep and sleep very peacefully. Then, one night, I decided I wasn’t going to simply fall asleep while repeating the phrases. I was going to keep repeating them over and over again, all night if necessary, until something happened—until I had an experience of something other than falling asleep.
I don’t remember how many repetitions it took (somewhere between 11 and 20) but at one point, the repetitions stopped and every cell of my body filled with this delicious, vibrating energy. I could feel this energy vibrating in every cell. It was wonderful. And my sense of hearing was heightened. I could hear sounds that were heretofore inaudible from other parts of the house and outside. I was in awe and though I tried to hold on to this incredible awareness, I drifted to sleep. And I’ve never had a problem falling asleep since. Once my head contacts the pillow and I repeat Om Namah Shivaya a few times, I’m asleep. Since this night, I’ve only used this meditation on a few occasions when I’ve really felt like something was stuck in my life.
Before going right into the meditation, here’s a brief history of its origin.
In the 1700’s, Zen Master Hakuin’s emotional and physical health had seriously deteriorated to the point where he said:
“Activity and non activity had become entirely out of harmony. My heart began to make me dizzy, my lungs became dry, both my legs felt as cold as if they were immersed in ice . . . My ears were filled with a ringing as of the rushing waters of a swift river in a deep canyon. My liver felt weak and, in my behavior, I experienced many fears. My spirit was distressed and weary and, whether sleeping or waking, I always became lost in wild fancies. Both armpits were perpetually bathed in sweat and my eyes were continually filled with tears.”
Having heard rumors of a wise man who possessed the secret of health and long life, Hakuin sought the assistance of the legendary sage Hakuyu. Hakuyu, seeing that not even the most famous physician would be able to cure Hakuin, gave him the secret Nei Gung meditation. Contemplate these words from Hakuin’s diary after he practiced this meditation with great diligence for three years and imagine what it may do for you.
“At first, my main object in carrying out this method was the simple one of health preservation. But . . . I discovered that my power of understanding was enlightened by it . . . The illness, which had till that time been practically incurable, now began to melt away like frost or snow in the morning sunlight. Poisonously hard problems, difficulties of faith, difficulties preventing me from penetrating through to the truth, . . . and difficulties which hindered the beginning periods of meditation . . . –all of them, without exception, were softened and alleviated together with my bodily sickness and they melted away like ice. And now, when I have passed the average length of man’s life, I have ten times as much vitality as I used to have when I was only thirty or forty years of age. Now my body and soul are both healthy and strong.”
With your legs pressed together, either lying down or sitting in a chair, mentally repeat the following affirmations, over and over, until sleep intervenes or your mind has become peaceful and your body filled with energy. Your attention should be just under your navel or at the soles of your feet. Contemplate what they mean.
1. This Energy Sea, this Tanden, from below the navel to the soles of the feet, full of my Original Face; where are the nostrils on that Face?
2. This Energy Sea, this Tanden, from below the navel to the soles of the feet, full of my True Home; what need of a message from that Home?
3. This Energy Sea, this Tanden, from below the navel to the soles of the feet, full of the Pure Land of Consciousness only; what need of outer pomp has this Pure Land?
4. This Energy Sea, this Tanden, from below the navel to the soles of the feet, full of the Amidha Buddha of heart and body; what sermon would this Amidha be preaching?
If you would like to purchase a mediation CD with this and another guided imagery meditation, please see the Product section. Both meditations are 29 minutes long.