Class 8: Halloween: Hidden Meaning and Practices

Description

A key Halloween symbol is a pumpkin with light (candle) hidden behind a mask. This class explores cross cultural ideas and practices involving the masks (roles) we wear in everyday life and how that awareness creates a path to finding the light behind the mask we wear. Being able to shape-shift into various aspects of our primordial selves is fundamental to psycho-physiological transformation. In the temple of Aesclepius the initiate would be instructed to wear a mask in the Dionysian theater to enact a ritual to heal various physical and psychological issues—the origin of psychodrama. The Shape shifting of the Monkey King in Chinese folk traditions teaches various life lessons, including healing arrogance. The Greek mystery tradition uses the symbol of the shape shifting Proteus to invoke various animals on our path to finding our “true home.”

We explore various cross cultural traditions pathway to finding our true home in light and primordial energy, called Wuji (the mother of chi)

Some Juicy Tidbits:

• We explore Qigong practices for finding the light and energy behind the masks we were in everyday life.

• We explore various animal forms of Qigong as steps on the path of finding one’s inner light: The Monkey to activate playfulness and fun.

• “Sinking your chi” is a learnable practical skill. Learn how Qigong practices help one to shift from sympathetic nervous system reactivity when criticized, dysregulated, or triggered.

• Shape shifting’s role in Medical Qigong

• The role of Standing Meditation Qigong in “finding light.” As Wang Xiang Zhai says, ”Standing Meditation Qigong: Doing Nothing and Finding Contentment in being ‘A-Light.’”

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