From the Editor
Welcome to the November issue of Yang Sheng! The theme for this issue is painted with broad brush strokes and encompasses all of the Yang-Sheng, nurturing life practices.
Kevin W Chen, Ph.D. MPH. shares main points from the theories of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and medical Qigong in our featured article, Adaption in Mind-Body Integration Practice: Understanding Variations of Qigong Exercises from TCM Theories. In Healing and Transformation, Martin Brofman, Ph.D. relates his journey of healing from terminal cancer and in Heart/Mind Qigong: Gateway through the Mysterious Pass, Roger Jahnke, OMD explains that when we purposefully access the Heart-Mind and cultivate the Heart-Mind Elixir it will nourish our peace of mind and emotional healing.
In Training Tips for Going Deeper into Tranquility by Yang Yang, Ph.D. we learn that Taiji insights sometimes come from the most unexpected places. Dan Kleiman explains why a movement practice alone cannot take us to the deepest levels in Standing Meditation and in The Benefits of Getting More Alpha Waves! Narij Naik, M.Pharm. shows that when we experience alpha brain wave states tension disappears, thought processes calm down, and more. This issue also presents exciting information on Mind-Body research in articles by Matthew Komelski, Ph.D., Don E. Brown II, MSIS, and Martin Eisen, Ph.D.
Transforming Sexual Energy with Water-and-Fire Alchemy by Michael Winn explores what many Daoists, since ancient times, have sought to tap into; the power of sexuality to heal the body, deepen love relationships, and achieve elevated states of enlightenment. In Seasonal Harmony Ellasara Kling reminds us that how we eat is as important as what we eat, and offers some basic guidelines as well as seasonal foods and recipes for Winter.
Every Breath a Prayer by Solala Towler tells us that in Daoist meditation and qigong the breath anchors our practice and is the doorway between realms. The breath keeps us grounded, connected to our inner core and in deep meditation, the breath breathes us. Yet, another way we can use the breath is in prayer. By turning each breath into a prayer, we can become human prayer wheels. We become the prayer; we become the benediction we send out into the world.
Yang-Sheng is an E-magazine and network, which promotes a philosophy that represents a new direction for health care. It is run by the non-profit, World Institute for Self Healing, Inc., WISH, a 501(c)(3) organization. However, we are young and our resources are very limited, especially in light of our dreams and vision. All of our writers, editors and contributors are volunteers since we do not currently have stable financial support. To help Yang-Sheng survive your generous contribution is urgently needed. If you enjoy the material we present, please become a sponsor or make a tax deductible contribution.
This month’s cover features the Chess Pavilion on Hua Shan in a photo I took on one of my tours. Hua Shan, a Daoist sacred mountain with soaring peaks of pure white granite, towers over the Shaanxi plains. Legend goes that in the Song Dynasty the Daoist master Chen Tuan and the Emperor of China played a played a famous chess game. The fate of Hua Shan hung in the balance! The Emperor wanted Hua Shan for a military garrison and Chen Tuan wanted it to remain a sacred mountain. The Emperor was famous for his skill at chess, yet Chen Tuan, the Daoist master, anticipated the Emperor’s every move and easily won the game. Hua Shan was saved! The Chess Pavilion is a monument to the contest, and also a reminder of the subtle benefits that arise from the authentic cultivation of one’s personal practice.
As we approach Winter, the most Yin time of the year, the energetic expression is contraction. It is a season that naturally supports our going within and withdrawing from the outer world and its outer business. I invite you to give yourself the gift of spending more time going within, more time exploring and cultivating your own inner world and cultivating your own Yang-Sheng, (Life Nurturing) practice.
Just do the practice…and expect miracles!
Rebecca Kali, Editor-in-Chief
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