Chinese Meditation Techniques

Meditation can be a particularly effective stress-relieving practice. There are various forms of meditation exercises, ranging from simply taking deep breaths to repeating motions and sounds several hundred times. The Chinese are accredited with many different techniques, all with roots in spirituality and finding balance. This article will explore some of the Chinese meditation styles.

Tai chi translated from Mandarin means "supreme ultimate fist." Although generally seen in slow, sweeping movements, practicing tai chi does include martial arts elements that would give credence to its name. Modern tai chi's meditation technique involves pushing hands in sequences similar to hand-to-hand combat maneuvers, while concentrating on abdominal breathing and keeping a straight spine.

Qi gong is a recognized medical technique in China, becoming part of that country's National Health plan in 1996. Qi gong meditation teaches people how to breathe from the diaphragm, utilizing exercises derived from four different styles: Yi Jin Jing, Wu Qin Xi, Liu Zi Jue, and Ba Duan Jin. These styles are rooted in the spiritual and naturist aspects of qi gong, which sometimes teach that humanity and nature are coexisting spirits. Some qi gong leaders claim that people can bring about superhuman abilities through this meditative practice.

Taoism meditation techniques are divided into two groups: jing and ding. Jing represents stillness and calm in meditation, while ding is representative of concentration and focus. Both are designed to cause a person to exclude all external sensory inputs and bring attention to the mental and physical inner being. Taoist masters suggest that the hardest part about beginning Tao meditation is allowing the mind to accept the spiritual aspects, claiming that the ego will provide great resistance. Attempting to keep your mind within the meditative state is referred to as "Catching the Monkey."

Buddhist meditation teaches practitioners tranquility, insight, mindfulness and concentration. With Buddhism, meditation is such a part of the religion that today's techniques come directly from the foundational Buddhist writings, such as the Pali Canon. Included are instructions for the Buddha's four foundations for mindfulness: body, feelings, mind states and mental objects.

Western medicine may or may not have fully embraced Chinese meditative techniques, but westerners use them as part of stress management in everyday settings. Many senior centers utilize tai chi as a group activity. Western Buddhists utilize Kamalashila's five basic methods in temples across Europe and America.