The Principle of Natural Cycles

The Principle of Natural Cycles
Maturation of the Teaching
"It is necessary to let time do its work"

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"It is necessary to let the time do its work", this could summarize the principle of the natural cycles. Even though you work twelve hours every day on your personal practice, even though you are very gifted and that you have the best professor in the world - you need time. You can understand a concept or exercise very well, but that will not be truly yours after a short time. Acceptance of maturation, the realization that even when one thinks he has understood, he will always have understood better after some time. It is only within a length of time that one can integrate his practice completely.

The Chi Kung of Five Elements is bound directly to the natural cycles. Every primary element of the Chinese cosmology corresponds to an internal organ, emotion, season and exercise of Chi Kung. Therefore, five exercises that eventually come together exist, to balance but also understand each of these concepts better. The Chi Kung of Five Elements begins a little like a gymnastic exercise, then becomes a meditation to prove at the end to be a complex Chi Kung, one that answers most needs of churchgoers. Three levels of understanding of the practice exist here; each level being only taught at the time where the previous level is perfectly acquired. The different levels are: the physical, the energizing and the spiritual.

In direct relation to the Chi Kung of Five Elements is the meditation on the fusion of emotions. That is a very important practice. After having succeeded in putting in report the breathing and movement, one is going to start, by these practices, to control the emotions. Every negative emotion corresponds to a positive one; the emotions can be stimulated by physical, energizing and spiritual exercises. The meditation on fusion of emotions is very important so that we are able to live without being a victim of our emotions. We will learn to live with the emotions without them posing any problems. It will be possible to use the energy saved by the regulation of negative emotions and redirecting that energy to feed the intention. In Taoism, one speaks of two shapes of will: the emotional will, which is compared to a young stubborn monkey and the purposeful will - helping in focusing one's attention. The reason that emotions are compared to a young monkey is that one cannot force nor control them and surely not ever foresee what is going to happen. As an attempt to tame the young monkey, the only way to control these emotions is through the art of understanding and suggesting, not in the way of domination or control. By loosening up and relaxing one will be able to understand the emotional side of our spirit (spirit emotionnell) and to redirect the energy to nourish the intention. However, the practice is more important than theories, again a proof that the Taoist art is a teaching of action more than of theory.

The idea of becoming aware of the need to take time, permits to revitalize one's will to success in the practice. Understanding that of all ways, it is the time that will permit to integrate one's practice, it is useless to hurry. One recovers here the oriental circular vision of the world:

"The important is not the place where one rests but the journey to get there ". It is a period where one learns patience, since one already worked for some time. One also learns that he doesn't necessarily get to see any immediate results. On the contrary, one observes many results - that is the moment to say that all that is not very important. All changes quickly and if we can foresee the next change, then it is sufficient to appreciate the journey without worrying about the final destination. To become aware of the natural cycles with respect to the fact that everything that creates itself can destroy itself, but also that everything that destroys itself can be recreated. Destruction is a renewal and to live in these changes it is necessary to adjust. The faculty of adaptation is an important component in the regulation of emotions.

Our place in the world is in the center of this awareness. It is the Man who must integrate in the seasons and rhythm of Nature and not the other way round. He must respect his condition, the food and air that he breathes. A great number of worries and seasonal discomforts can be avoided by following the natural laws of energy. Knowing how to adjust to the principles of Nature is a part of the Taoist teaching.