Daily Practice

Isn't synchronicity an interesting phenomenon? It's often helpful when we're reinforced from several different directions in order for us to integrate the significance of a particular concept, idea, or principle.

I received that reinforcement this week from two different sources: first, when I listened to Sunday's NPR interview with neuroscientist Richard Davidson regarding his research on the brains of meditating Buddhist monks and, second, when I read Chapter 5 of Buddha's Brain.

Distilled down to their essence, both sources encouraged listeners/readers to consider the importance of a regular daily meditation practice as a way to rewire the brain and build a happier, healthier mind. Which, of course, leads to a healthier, more functional body.

In his interview Dr. Davidson described why it's important to engage in a daily meditation practice in order to effect lasting, positive change. He explained,

The classical model of Western psychotherapy which is, you know, a client coming to a therapist for an hour a week for a 50-minute session without doing daily practice in between just flies in the face of everything we know about the brain and plasticity.... So if we want to make real change, that's not a good prescription for doing it.... more systematic practice is necessary, in my view. This is something that comes directly from neuroscience.....

I think that most people still don't think of qualities like happiness as being a skill ... But if you think about it more as a skill, then it's something that can be enhanced through training. Fundamentally, I think that the kind of mental exercise that we're talking about is no different than physical exercise. People understand that they can't just do two weeks of physical exercise and then expect the benefits to remain for the rest of their lives. And the same thing with mental exercise.

In this same vein, Chapter 5 of Buddha's Brain, "Cooling the Fires," focuses on specific relaxation techniques useful for activating the parasympathetic ("rest and digest" or "pause") nervous system. The authors discuss diaphragmic breathing, progressive relation, mindfulness, imagery, meditation and the like as various ways to interrupt or intercede in the sympathic nervous system's "fight or flight" (or "simmer")response.

They also stress the importance of regular practice: The key to reaping the rewards of meditation is to develop a regular, daily practice, no matter how brief. How about making a personal commitment never to go to sleep without having meditated that day, even if for just one minute? (p. 86)

T'ai Chi Chih's creator, Justin Stone, repeatedly emphasizes the importance and necessity of regular practice. He believes that our 35 minute form can make a positive difference in our lives even when practiced for as little as 10 minutes a day.

In this morning's T'ai Chi Chih class one student diagnosed with Ataxia (damage to the cerebellum, the portion of the brain responsible for regulating movement) mentioned that he can spend as little as one minute practicing Daughter on the Mountain Top. This mini-practice allows him to walk across the yard when he's done mowing without depending upon his wife for assistance.

Here in the Western world it seems that we've only just begun to realize the benefits of regular meditation practice. It's my hope that someday soon the Hundredth Monkey phenomenon will take effect and all human 'monkeys' will engage in a daily meditation practice because, unexplainably, we'll synchronistically realize its mental and physical benefits....

"Investigating Healthy Minds"

After a brief respite we're back to dark, cloudy skies and rain. I wish that I could say I'm unaffected by the weather but that's not true. Today I feel tired and a wee bit down. Self-care is priority number one.

With that goal in mind I spent time on the chi and hot house machines this morning and then slid into a hot relaxing bath. And, of course, good healthy food, a walk down the driveway, and--you guessed it!--my daily T'ai Chi Chih practice.

I chose to practice TCC while seated since my back hurt, my knee hurt, the bottoms of both feet hurt, and I needed to give my body a break. The rain fell, almost invisibly, outside the window in front of me as I followed the lead of t'an tien. I wish I could say that my mood improved dramatically but ... it didn't.

I continue to think about yesterday's radio show (On Being with researcher Richard Davidson). Late in the interview host Krista Tippett said: Matthieu Ricard (one of Davidson's Buddhist monk study subjects) ... talks about happiness in fact as a mental state that can precisely take in all emotions and experiences including negative experiences.

Davidson responded, I think that that's a very different conception of happiness, one that is more enduring and I think more genuine in the sense that it's a kind of happiness that is not dependent on external circumstances.

And I'm thinking to myself: External circumstances as in, for instance, dark skies and rain? Hmmm. I guess I'll have to invest a few more decades in my TCC practice (and seated meditation).

Mental Exercise is No Different than Physical Exercise

Fabulous day! I doused myself with non-toxic insect spray and headed off for a walk before the day heated up. Back home I reapplied bug dope and hit the deck for my T'ai Chi Chih practice.

During practice I focused my intent on moving with total relaxation and no effort. Meanwhile I watched yellow buttercups sway in the slight breeze and white thimbleberry blossoms peek at me from their hiding place in dense undergrowth.

After TCC practice I remained on the deck in seated meditation for an additional 10 minutes. I felt my body as it rested against the chair, noticed the bottoms of my feet where they met the deck flooring, and breathed in peace. Ahhh....

When I sat before the computer to begin my blog, I spontaneously turned on the radio. Synchronistically, On Being host Krista Tippett was mid-interview with Richard Davidson, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who conducts brain research on Tibetan-Buddhist monks. He's a pioneer in the field of contemplative neuroscience.

Much of Davidson's interview reiterated material from Buddha's Brain, the book my T'ai Chi Chih students and I are currently reading and discussing. At times, though, his research discoveries were like little nuggets of gold emerging from a hidden stream. I include several tidbits here:

*Our brains are always either wittingly or unwittingly being shaped.
*Which influences are we going to choose for our brain?
*Going to a weekly psychotherapy session without doing a daily practice flies in the face of what Davidson is discovering in his research.
*We need to do a daily practice in order to reinforce positive change. The field of psychology/psychotherapy is beginning to recognize the significance of this finding. 
*Practice is about cultivating positive qualities (happiness is a skill that can be enhanced through training).

Davidson--like the authors of Buddha's Brain--believes that we can use contemplative methods (there are literally hundreds of meditation practices) to change the mind and consequently change the brain in ways that are beneficial. He repeatedly reminded listeners of the importance of practice: Mental exercise is no different than physical exercise.

Davidson's research team hopes to use some of their methods preventively. With that goal in mind, they've begun to train four- and five-year-olds to cultivate kindness and mindfulness in order to develop a toolbox to cope with adversity. Can these strategies in early life make a difference? Conclusive data has yet to be gathered though he's gratified to see how these tools are working.

One example Davidson cited was the feedback he received from a parent of one of the kids in his study. The parent thanked Davidson, noted the positive changes they'd observed in their child, and then asked where they could learn these methods to help themselves.

As T'ai Chi Chih practitioners we have studied, learned, and integrated a tremendous moving meditation tool into our lives. All we need do is PRACTICE. Try it. And simply notice what changes occur....