Shaolin Spirit summary

Breathing is as natural as life itself. Yet we often forget how essential this process is to our well-being and instead breathe on autopilot. The good news is that we have the power to control our breathing to boost our vitality. For example, when we breathe more deeply, we can release physical tension and remove energy blockages.

To get breathing correctly, why not do the following. Try taking a few conscious breaths in and out and feel your vitality. You can vary this rhythm in various ways. If you exhale longer than you inhale, you can calm your mind and body. If you exhale quickly and in bursts, and only inhale passively in between, you bring more energy into your system.

Body awareness is essential to the art of mindful living. Your energy – also known as qi – flows wherever your mind is focused, or to quote the famous saying, “Qi follows attention.”

So let’s show you a way of controlling your body's energy with the power of your mind.

Our modern lifestyle lacks a stable foundation. During the day, we sit on the couch, in the car, or in a desk chair; at night, we lie in bed. But like an oak tree, we must anchor our roots deep in the earth if we want to withstand life’s storms and continue to grow and develop.

According to Shaolin teachings, humans are a link between heaven and earth. Our bodies belong to the earth, but our minds look upward toward the boundless sky.

An important goal of Shaolin practice is to maintain a flexible and open mind. An open mind encounters the world like a child: every tree, every cloud in the sky, every emotion is simply present, without needing to be named or judged.

To achieve this open mind you need a body free of tension, and you can cultivate this state through self-massage.

Sometimes it’s hard to get rid of your bad habits for good ones. Often, we simply run out of steam. Shaolin teachings aim to help you develop courage and perseverance and see everything you set out to do through to the end.

A good exercise for building willpower is an exercise known as the horse stance: 

No matter how disciplined and persistent we are, it’s important to recognize when we’re clinging to things or people in vain. We must let go of what we no longer need. Imagine an empty basement, it’s a space full of possibilities. The mind, too, needs to be cleared of old worries and stresses.

Fortunately, letting go is something you can practice anywhere. This takes time, just as it takes time for the body to get used to doing the splits. That’s a weird analogy, isn’t it? But we used it for a reason: If you practice the splits from time to time, it can actually help you let go of your mind at the same time.

A restless mind swings back and forth between desire and rejection like a pendulum. But this back-and-forth creates unrest and clouds the clarity of our minds.

Shaolin teachings aim to show you a middle path that leads to inner calm and peace. A very effective exercise for finding your center time and again is the “Winding Dragon”:

With all the exercises you’ve learned in this Blink – from the energy shower and self-massage to the winding dragon – you’ve prepared your body and mind for the highest stage of the Eightfold Path: perfect meditation.

One particularly beautiful meditation exercise from the Shaolin method is called “the small celestial cycle.” It is based on the idea that humans are a small reflection of the cosmos and that the life energy Qi circulates within us like planets in the firmament.