Class 6: Shape Shifting: Cross-cultural Views and Practices to “Trance-form”and find your Way Home

Description

You’ll learn about how the ideas and practices of various cross-cultural traditions views on shape shifting relates to transforming your everyday life and mind-body health.

Human beings in our deepest essences are shape-shifters, we are the elements of creation: fire, earth, metal, water wood. We are empty space, as modern physics teaches us…And if modern research is correct when we shape shift into the appropriate element for the occasion and return to our primordial selves, natural health is restored and we live younger longer (Mayer 2004, p. 6) . 

As Menelaus in Greek Mythology finds his way home by holding on to the God of the Sea, Proteus, in his many shape-shifting forms, so can we find our way home. Animal forms of Qigong can help us to embody this metaphor. Shape shifting into the qualities of a seal, a lion or a bird are all aspects of our primordial essences, and can be called on in various appropriate circumstances. In this class we experience how various elements of the Chinese tradition of Qigong can be a pathway into shape shifting into various aspects of our primordial selves to find our way home. In particular the Yi Chuan Qigong tradition cultivates “intention” to activate different aspects of our primordial selves. In this light we practice the teachings of Deer form, since the deer knows how to heal trauma help heal trauma. We learn from the deer how change the hypervigilance of PTSD to increased mindful awareness, how to listen with two ears when criticized, and raise our antlers to be in touch with a higher realty when triggered emotionally. In this class we experience shape shifting into the essence of being a tree (zhan zuang) .Most importantly we experience how coming home involves shape shifting into the experiential state (or non-state) of Wuji the mother of chi in the Chinese tradition, and Ain Soph in the Kabballah.

A few other related topics discussed:

• Qigong’s unique elements as a spiritual tradition, and why self-defense aspects are an integral part of activating the state specific healing and spiritual elements of the tradition.

• Tai Chi Qigong as a system of hidden mudras and how these mudras relate to cultivating aspects of your primordial self.

After an initial lecture, the Bodymind Healing Qigong set is practiced to experience the topic of the day. To see the PDF description of the 9 sets of Bodymind Healing Qigong Extended Short Form set CLICK HERE.