One time when I was in acupuncture school I was verbally accosted, with homophobic slurs, by another student after a Qi Gong class. YES, some people that go to acupuncture school are douche bags.
Anyway...I don't think I had felt that threatened since I was bullied on the playground in elementary school.
Being the victim of any type of physical or verbal assault, can leave you with an intense feeling of fear and vulnerability. This can be even more pronounced if you feel safe at the time and are not expecting it - like being in your home, walking in your neighborhood, or in my case, just finishing an hour of Qi Gong.
Luckily, I had a number of classmates who were there to support me and my amazing Qi Gong teacher at the time, Suzanne Friedman, shared this boundary meditation, so that I would be prepared if it ever happened again.
Being the victim of any type of physical or verbal assault, can leave you with an intense feeling of fear and vulnerability. This can be even more pronounced if you feel safe at the time and are not expecting it - like being in your home, walking in your neighborhood, or in my case, just finishing an hour of Qi Gong.
Luckily, I had a number of classmates who were there to support me and my amazing Qi Gong teacher at the time, Suzanne Friedman, shared this boundary meditation, so that I would be prepared if it ever happened again.
This meditation, used a lot by acupuncturist and other healers, is intended to help strengthen a person’s energetic barriers. It helps to protect us from taking on other people's crap. This can be done standing in Wuji posture (see below), while seated, or laying down.
For those of you who have never done Qi Gong, no worries. Just keep it simple and focus on the imagery. And I highly recommend checking out a Qi Gong class. Its pretty amazing.
The goal here is to really visualize the images surrounding you with an energetic force field. And once you get solid with the visuals, you can call on this force field whenever you need it - at work, walking down the street, at your in-laws, wherever. Enjoy!
For those of you who have never done Qi Gong, no worries. Just keep it simple and focus on the imagery. And I highly recommend checking out a Qi Gong class. Its pretty amazing.
The goal here is to really visualize the images surrounding you with an energetic force field. And once you get solid with the visuals, you can call on this force field whenever you need it - at work, walking down the street, at your in-laws, wherever. Enjoy!
Nei Jing Boundary Meditation
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| wuji posture |
- Stand in Wuji posture (or sit comfortably). Allow your breathing to help you release all tension or stress. Visualize all that tension melting down your body and sinking into the earth with each exhalation.
- Place your attention on your Liver (under your ribs on the right side of the torso). Imagine green light flowing out of your Liver towards the left side of your body. This light becomes a green dragon protecting you on your left.
- Now place your attention on your Lungs. Imagine white light flowing out of the Lungs towards the right side of your body. This light becomes a white tiger protecting you on your right.
- Place your attention on your Heart. Imagine red light flowing out of your Heart in front of you. This light becomes a fiery red Phoenix guarding the space in front of you.
- Now place your attention on your Kidneys. Imagine dark blue light flowing out of the Kidneys towards the space behind you. This light becomes a a dark water turtle, who’s shell protects the space behind you.
- Place your attention on your Spleen (under your ribs on the left side of the torso). Imagine yellow light flowing out of the Spleen down the center of the body and into the Earth. Visualize this yellow light becoming roots grounding your body and mind to the Earth - guarding you from the center.
- Now imagine light from the sun, moon, and stars pouring down into the top of your head, protecting you from above.
- Stay in the position until you can clearly visualize and feel all five animals forming a protective barrier or energetic bubble around you.
This meditation is adapted from The Yijing Medical Qi Gong System: A Daoist Medical I-Ching Approach to Healing by Suzanne B. Friedman, LAc, DMQ (China), but was originally found in the Su Wen: Yi Pian Ci Fa Lun of the Nei Jing.
