Energy Cultivation (Qigong, Meditation)

Energy cultivation is integral to most internal arts training. Regardless of style or method, practicing internal arts according to correct principles will produce energy growth and development.

The Tai Chi, Xing-I, and Bagua programs include Qigong (working the life force) training as part of their warm ups. They are also moving Qigong methods themselves. Over time, the practitioner no longer makes any effort to remember choreography, and the forms will flow with little or no conscious effort. At this point, when the forms begin to “do itself,” the practitioner will move to a new level of relaxation. The student’s internal dialogue begins to quiet, allowing them to attract and begin to store Qi at a much higher level.

At this stage, the body develops greater and greater density of Chi (Qi) in their skin, muscles, and bones. Adding new training methods at this point can assist in taking this increased Chi  and refining it to finer and yet more expansive states. This assists in expanding consciousness and awareness. Correct training methods, correct mental focus, and perseverance allows one to grow and refine their internal energies for greater health, power, and well-being.

These methods are  part of the Wu Shen Tao curriculum. Should you wish to focus solely on energetics without the martial arts aspect, there are options available. This path focuses more on Meditation, Qigong, and other physical / energetic techniques for increasing the quantity and quality of one’s various types of Qi.

Outside of group class, concentrated training may be undertaken on a private basis only. All development in any physical, mental or energetic field requires time and effort and should be undertaken only by those seriously interested in the goals of highly energizing the body and mind and cultivating the spirit. In addition, reaching these goals requires a review of diet, routines, and mindset. It calls for persistence, fortitude, and will.

Those interested in these types of training should contact Paul Ramos at 301-651-3617, or email him at longmen987@gmail.com.

ALSO:

I’d like to introduce you to my long time friend and long time training partner in the energy arts - Henry C. Brennan.

We began our energetic trainings during the early 1970’s. His continued study and application of the trainings has made him both capable, and knowlegable. He is now willing to share some of these trainings.

…….

New Meditation Section

Introduction

Greetings...

Some of you may already be somewhat familiar with me, through innuendo or past encounters. In any case, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Henry Charles Brennan (any additional titles are irrelevant) and I’ll be posting on this site in the days, weeks and months to come.

I’ve known Paul Ramos for over 45 years. Our interest in martial arts and their related philosophies extend back to those times when we were both in high school together. Obviously, his focus led to an expertise in the arts that he currently teaches. My own focus, while just as dedicated and life changing, led me to another aspect of human development and evolution. Namely - some very useful teachings involving meditation and its related potential benefits.

Because of this, after many years of study, I’ve begun to present these teachings to those who wish to investigate this particular path of meditation knowledge. Soon, I’ll be accepting students who are interested in what I consider to be a highly useful and beneficial approach to this subject and I invite questions from anyone who would like to know more.

For those who are curious - I will be posting here on a regular basis. This way, there will be an online venue where you can discover more details of what I teach. Welcome...

Something to Meditate On

Welcome to “Something to Meditate On”. For our first installment, allow me to set down some specifics, when it comes to what I teach. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation handed out on the Internet that is designed to merely be profitable. This particular section of the website is the antithesis of that. Each time that I post, my goal is to possibly broaden the horizons of those who may not have considered integrating meditation into their daily lives. For me, meditation is a designated part of the day that I choose to set aside to clear my mind and to recharge my vital energies.

For the first 35 years of my metaphysical/meditative journey, I viewed my meditation as something that I enjoyed doing. I employed a large number of different meditation techniques and I’m truly grateful for the opportunities that I had in order to do so. As I became more and more proficient in my meditation, I reaped the benefits in a number of different ways.

However, we are led to the circumstances that provide us the opportunity to evolve. In my case, I found myself in the most difficult of survival scenarios. Of course, nothing is coincidental and this happened for a reason. I began to see that meditation can be more than just a peaceful part of one’s day – a time for relaxation. I discovered that meditation also has a tangible aspect that I never before realized existed. Just as Tai Chi can be used as a peaceful exercise and also a way of self-defense, the internal aspects of meditation can be used to relax and center oneself, as well deal directly with the tangible situations that we encounter every day.

Today’s Takeaway: Meditation extends far beyond what the majority of people feel that it encompasses. 

1/3/2019

As the New Year sweeps down upon us, I would like to begin my regular blog postings. Currently, my (new) website is in the design phase and I anticipate that it will be finished in the near future. At this time, however, I would like to establish the mindset that I feel one has to develop insofar as meditation is concerned. This is especially true when it comes to a form of meditation that I teach which is considered valuable throughout the entire day as well as during our “quiet times”, which we usually devote solely to our personal meditation “space”.

This is the primary difference in the form of meditation that I have developed over the last four decades. Allow me to explain.

You see, I am acutely aware of the various types of meditative disciplines that have been developed by humans over the centuries. These tend to involve centering the self after having selected a quiet portion of the day and then utilizing one of the many techniques that are designed to assist us in reaching a desired meditative state. I’ve been practicing this type of meditation long enough to personally understand the benefits that can be derived from this daily regimen.

However, somewhere along the way, I began to notice other aspects of meditation that can become functional even when I wasn’t in my “quiet place”, but rather while engaging in other activities. Of course, this is not unique. For example, when (correctly) performing Tai Chi, a variation of the meditative state is also achieved. The same is true for countless other activities, such as mastering many forms of physical exercises, repetitive jobs and even intricate food preparation.

This forms the basis of my teachings. It entails achieving the link that can exist between ‘quiet’ meditation and ‘spontaneous’ meditation, which can exponentially ramp up one’s performance in everyday activities. It can even be utilized when developing additional skills and talents. This discussion will begin in my next blog.

Today’s Takeaway: There is a link between ‘passive’ and ‘active’ activity meditation that can be effectively explored in order to sharpen one’s current abilities and develop additional ones.  

1/9/2019

So, let’s begin with our meditation theory and instruction.

The primary key to meditation is the ability to turn off one’s thoughts in order to allow a direct contact to both the subconscious and the spiritual environment. Without this honed ability, there will be far too much interference from both internal and external sources.

Now some may say that this sounds like a simple beginning. How difficult can it be to turn off one’s thoughts on a whim - especially in a quiet environment with no distractions? For those people, I say; “Guess again”. If you have any doubts, try it right now, if you happen to be in quiet surroundings. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

How long were you able to maintain mental silence? If you could accomplish this for more than a few seconds, then you’re ahead of the curve. You see, the internal dialog that we all engage in, is necessary to maintain our “attention” on a particular reality that we have agreed to share with our fellow humans. Those who have difficulty with this are those who we may label as either; geniuses, artists, oddballs and the insane. But many of you already know this.

Now consider turning off your thoughts when there are distractions around you. Needless to say, this can be a far more challenging (but necessary) ability needed to follow the advanced instructions that I will eventually present.

But no worries. Here’s how we can start.

Oh yes, one word of caution. Those who follow what I teach are subject to results that will occur in a relatively short amount of time. Those who are truly not ready to spiritually evolve at this point may find these results disconcerting. We’re not talking about years, here – but weeks.

In any case, here’s what you can do. Start with a quiet time in your day. Have a piece of paper imprinted with a small dot posted on the wall in front of you. Relax every part of your body and, of course, allow your shoulders to “drop”. Focus your vision on the dot. Now allow your internal dialog to gradually turn off. When the dot begins to blur, you are succeeding.

When you have reached a point where you need to re-engage your internal dialog, the dot will come back into focus and you’ll find that you are internally talking to yourself again. I, myself, began this training when I worked in an Army hospital EENT clinic (during my breaks), beginning in 1982, after having previously practiced meditation for years prior to this.

Do this as often as you can and let me know your results through the email below.

For those who may say that this is something that they have seen and practiced before, I want to point out something. This is just the very basic prerequisite for the non-traditional teachings that I wish to assist people with. If you are already able to turn off your thoughts for over a few minutes, then you are ahead of the curve – at this point. In any case, begin this way and we will continue in my next (weekly) blog. Enjoy your existence today...

If you have any questions or need assistance with any of my meditation techniques, please feel free to contact me at: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com

I will do my best to assist you in any way that I can.

Today’s Takeaway: We begin with a simple exercise that is designed to assist us in turning off our internal dialog.

1/16/2019

Last week, I discussed turning off one’s thoughts. In addition, I presented a simple exercise that is designed to assist in this endeavor, should one not be familiar with the practice already. Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that. However, I prefer to start at the very beginning by breaking down concepts into their most simplistic form.

For those who are just beginning to read this blog, I hope you had the time to initially investigate the aforementioned exercise. Besides setting the stage for my eventual meditation discussions, it will, at the very least, help you in creating a ‘quiet time’ in which you can remove yourself from the burdens and potential stresses of the day.

Now, let’s build upon that initial concept with something that many people understand, but may easily forget as far as practical application goes. In my younger days, I was ‘led’ to a very difficult form of meditation that required me to develop my “breathing abilities” in the face of many strenuous situations and exercises. The benefit that I received from this was the knowledge of the importance of breath control despite any distractions. It created a pathway in my mental facilities in very much the same way that a repetitive physical task can eventually create ‘muscle memory’.

For the benefit of my discussions on this website, I will discuss a less demanding way of achieving a very similar goal. While it’s obvious that a classroom venue is far more advantageous than a blog format, this type of practice can still provide a great deal of practical abilities that you can use in relation to other techniques that I will eventually discuss.

For those who are interested in a classroom venue, I will soon by planning an online class in both introductory and advanced meditation training. In the future, it’s quite possible that I will be visiting my longtime friend, Sifu Paul Ramos’ school(s) for face-to-face classroom instruction, as well. This was something that I was able to do over 20 years ago, as well. Since then, my over 10 year residence and training on a tropical island has allowed me to develop considerably more advanced perceptions, revelations and subsequent milestones.

But for now, here is an exercise that can be used in conjunction with the “thought quieting dot exercise” that I talked about in the 1/9/2019 entry. These are the steps:

1.      Understand that you will be focused on breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.

2.      Instead of raising your chest with your breath intake, you will be focused on expanding and deflating your lower abdomen with your inhaling and exhaling. Practice this a few times prior to beginning your meditation, if you are unfamiliar with this. If you have difficulty, an experienced meditation practitioner or martial artist can give you a quick example.

3.      As you are focusing on the dot and attempting to turn off your thoughts, exhale deeply through your mouth (deflating your abdomen).

4.      Now close your mouth and slowly inhale deeply through your nose (inflating your abdomen). Hold your breath for just 4 seconds. Now slowly exhale through your mouth (deflating your abdomen) and hold your breath for just 5 seconds. Repeat.

Now here are two important things to consider. Since we are all built differently and are in different physical shape, you may need to adjust this timing in order to be comfortable. If you begin to feel lightheaded, you will need to make an immediate adjustment so that you can feel comfortable enough to focus on the dot and turn off your thoughts.

Secondly, in order to perfect abdominal breathing, you should initially place your hand over your lower abdomen. This will help you feel when your lower abdomen is moving correctly with your breathing. If any of this is giving you undue difficulty, you may send me an email at: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com and I can even arrange to give you a personal call (Skype, phone, etc.) and lend you some assistance.

Has there ever been a time when you participated in a breathing exercise (single or group session)? Let me know and I will be happy to share your experience with this blog, if you so desire. Next week, we will go a bit further in this discussion.

Today’s Takeaway: We are now focusing on breath control that will further assist you in clearing your thoughts.

 1/24/2019

Currently, our subject has to do with breath control. It should be understood that breath control is not something that most people can master in a short period of time. In addition, it’s quite helpful if you are in a class (or seminar) environment that can provide occasional reminders to focus on your breathing, while you are endeavoring to shut down your internal thoughts.

Fortunately, in the near future, I will be providing an opportunity to participate in an online seminar for those who would like to meet me and wish to have an opportunity to ask questions. During that time, I will be conducting a meditation exercise that I feel will be very beneficial for those who participate.

When this seminar has been set up, you can sign up either through my email (henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com) or through a Wu Shen Tao school signup sheet. I anticipate this event to be available sometime in February. Further details will be forthcoming in my future blogs.

It has also come to my attention that notifications for these blog entries may have been remiss when it comes to reaching those who might be interested in them. For that, I apologize. In my current attempt to expand notification of these blog entries and lessons, I wish to make it a point to assist those who may have fallen a bit behind when it comes to trying out the meditation techniques that I am writing about. No worries.

Anyone, at any time, can pick up my instructions, since there is no actual “starting point” at this time. In addition, I’m also available to answer any questions at my email address or venues such as Skype, etc. An actual classroom type teaching venue won’t actually begin until my February online seminar. Those who have decided to begin practicing through my current blog postings will be ahead of the game, at that time, should they wish to attend the seminar.

1/30/2019

First of all, I would like to thank those who have responded to these blog entries, with questions, to my email address (henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com). It was my pleasure to answer some of the more advanced concepts regarding meditation. Also, I encourage others to do the same. In addition, if you have something else to add, regarding these teachings, please do so. I will make it a point to mention who you are and the point(s) that you would like to illustrate. When my new website is up and running, all comments will be visible to everyone in order to establish a more complete dialog. Until then, I can only manually share your name, your comment and my response.

Today, I would like to share an interesting technique that I learned over 30 years ago. Not only does it assist with breath control and thought-silencing, but it eliminates the need for the utilization of a “mantra”, which would be a distraction should you not be in your usual “quiet space”.

For those who are just joining us, please review the earlier blog entries regarding thought-silencing and meditative breath control. For those who have been adopting these techniques in your meditation, then you should be able to try this next exercise with no problems.

The basics of this exercise can be developed at home, using the “dot” that I suggested in my January 7th, 2009 blog. As you begin to silence your thoughts and focus on the dot, allow your eyes to relax – until you see the dot split into two separate dots.

This is something that most will find hard to do, at first. What will happen is that the dot will split into two and randomly move back and forth into separate places and then come back together, as your eyes attempt to re-adjust themselves. The more adept that you become at this, the more “still” the dots will appear while they remain separated. This is a difficult exercise for those who have never attempted it before – so keep trying.

Finally, once the dots have stabilized into two distinct and separate entities, you will want to focus your attention on the space between the dots. Do this as you continue to keep your thoughts silent and utilize your meditative breath control. Once you have mastered this technique, then you can practice focusing on any object and cause them to “split”, as well. This is an extremely valuable way to silence your thoughts and slip into your meditation, no matter where you happen to be located.

Thank you for your attention and I will continue with updates regarding my upcoming website and seminar.

I’m curious - What Meditation techniques have you found to be the most helpful in the past? Let me know in your email to me at: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com. I can post them in my next blog entry…

2/6/2019

Welcome back to my blog. First of all, I want to thank one of my readers for an exceptionally well-thought out email regarding a couple of points that I had made in my writings. I encourage anyone who has a comment to do the same. This is an excellent way to communicate some of the finer points of my teachings prior to the setting up of my new website (scheduled for later this month).

One of the points from that email that I wish to clarify is that when utilizing the “dot technique”, the goal is to split the dot into two separate and distinct images. At that point, you will want to practice observing the space between those two images. The reasons for this will become more apparent, once I discuss a couple of other subjects that this pertains to. This way, your initial practice will come in handy at this juncture.

The email also touched upon a very important point. This relates to the subject of resolving issues through the help of meditation. The goal that my writings are currently leading up to has to do with creating the ability to shorten the time span between encountering a troubling issue and its ultimate resolution.

This is one of the more salient points of my instruction. What I teach is a meditation technique that ultimately has two major facets. The first one is the more familiar. It involves creating an inner peace that allows one to benefit from that spiritual state of mind. The other is a more “practical” application that assists the individual in solving various day-to-day issues. This is done through evolving a more effective approach to dealing with hurdles that we, as humans, constantly encounter. What I’m currently illustrating in this blog is building a solid base from which to understand these more advanced meditation concepts.  

This is the reason why I’m setting up an insight to a more dynamic type of meditation that can be employed on nearly any occasion. As one begins to master the techniques that I am teaching, you will soon begin to see a change in the way events occur in your life. If you’re interested in a metaphor, I guess you can say that it would appear that a practitioner becomes like a “cat”. That is, someone who seems to always “land on their feet”, even in the most challenging of situations and environments. This is a result of my techniques that Sifu Ramos can easily verify over the past decades that we have known each other.

In my next blog, I will be advancing some of the instruction that has to with another meditation concept. In any case, if you have any questions regarding the past blogs, please contact me at: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com Thank you for your positive and thoughtful comments…

2/13/2019

Welcome back to my blog. I’d like to thank those readers who have taken the time in order to write me with questions and comments regarding this blog. Within the week, I plan to make this process a lot easier for those who wish to make immediate comments on my meditation techniques.

By that, I mean that I will be finishing setting up my new website. There, you’ll have the opportunity to read my current blog entry and leave a comment, as well. This should prove to be a much better venue for discussion.

As I mentioned previously, there is a more dynamic form of meditation that one may practice throughout their day. However, in order to begin, you must first be able to have reached a point in which you can comfortably and efficiently turn off your internal thoughts. Therefore, I’m going to give you some exercises that you can do, that will set up this practice.

I do want to point out that these exercises are far more effective if you’ve been following the suggestions that I have been previously establishing in my earlier blog entries. With that said, I also want to point out that if you are already skilled in meditation, then these current suggestions should come rather easy.

The exercises that I’m detailing can actually fall into two distinct parts – those that are practiced at home and those that are practiced while you’re out and about (at work, school. etc.). We’ll begin with the home, since this is the easier of the two.

The purpose of these exercises is to teach one how to approach a situation while having your subconscious mind evaluate it and provide extra insight through the use of meditative techniques. At this point, though, I must point out the suggestions and teachings that are found in this blog are merely the tip of the iceberg. In order to truly master these blog entries, advanced instruction and extensive practice will be needed.

Needless to say, I didn’t read a couple of written lessons and, tried a few techniques and suddenly found myself at a point that I’m at right now. Several decades of study and practice have provided me with the insights that I share with those who I teach.  

In any case, for our initial exercise, you should have your meditation time established and be ready to meditate. However, this time, you should have some form of verbal or audio/visual input. It can be a recorded television program that you enjoy or a recorded motivational speech. However, it should be something that you haven’t yet watched or listened to and analyzed. Once you have started the playback, relax completely and strive to turn off your internal dialog. As the recording is playing, you goal is not to think about it using your normal internal dialog.

Rather, you should “feel” an impression that the words (and possibly visuals) make on you. Once the recording has finished, you should reflect on what you have perceived from the recorded material. Now watch/listen to the recording again – as you normally would. Can you see a more profound depth to the material that you may not have normally picked up by just observing it in your regular fashion? What were the differences? This is a subject that I will continue on my new website. Thank you for your attention and please feel free to write me at: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com. I will share your insights with others, if you allow me to.

Until next time – have a peaceful day…

 3/11/2019

 Major notice: My humble apologies to those who have been following this series on Meditation. recently, I have had to address some issues that took me away from my regular writings. However, fortune has come my way. In the midst of my activities, I have been able to secure the resources in order to set up my intended website. within the next 2 weeks, I will be online with that. Here are some of the benefits:

• Updates will be far easier for me to post for my readers

• Feedback from my readers can be instantaneous and visible for each posting

• I will have the ability to post future videos and set up webinars

• I will have a venue in which I can upload a great deal of information that won’t interfere with my best friend (and, for all practical purposes, brother) Paul Ramos’ website agenda for his own school.

At this time, I would like to thank those who have written me and shown a great deal of interest in some of the more advanced meditation concepts than that which I have been able to post here. In the future, my new website will allow us to form a closer bond which will benefit us all.

And, finally, I would like to thank Paul Ramos for his unending support that has assisted me in bringing my message to the outside. There are no words to address the relationship that we have forged over the past 47 years. I anticipate wonderful things for both of us, our wives and our families. I will endeavor to keep you updated during the next 2 weeks until the launch of my website.

Until then - May peace and prosperity be yours

1/12/2020

Greetings, everyone.

One of the major advantages of living a relatively secluded life on a tropical island (in the Philippines) is that I’m removed from some of the drama that pervades the average existence in my home of origin (the United States). However, one of the disadvantages revolves around resisting the temptation to take each step of my journey to its next level. Sometimes this may be done without considering my original goal of presenting my findings to those who are interested in understanding some of the more complex aspects of meditation. Or communicating with those who wish to know how certain types of meditation can relate to the average person’s daily life. Over the past 10 months, I’ve been working on some aspects of utilizing meditation that had previously only been known to me in the form of theory. This has led to some fascinating and esoteric conclusions that I had not originally expected to encounter. So, for those who were wondering where I was, you have my apologies. However, I am definitely of the mind to consider the time spent away from “limelight” to be of extreme benefit.

With that said, here are some of my plans for the very near future. First of all, for those who are interested in learning advanced concepts in meditation, I will be available starting in February through my own website, which is currently under construction. In the interim, I will be posting on this site on a bi-weekly schedule. In addition, I will also be available through my email: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Today’s lesson is part of an introduction to those who understand that meditation can be the key to unlocking potential energies inside mind and body. After 47 years of investigating how the mind approaches and reacts with our concept of reality, one thing amazes me. Even those who profess to live their lives with the incorporation of mental energy (i.e. meditation) are often quick to tell you just what you can expect from various meditation-related lifestyles. But, before I begin a lesson with my next instalment, just a word to the wise...

       The meditation techniques that I share are not designed to just ‘relax’ you on your way home from work.

·       Whenever you truly decide to change your way of thinking through the use of meditation, expect a change in your life (I know that sounds obvious – but look at the next point).

·       People tend to feel comfortable with the familiar. Suppose you woke up one morning and discovered that everything was somehow “different”.

·       Most people will find this disconcerting – even if the difference was a positive one.

This is something that less experienced meditation practitioners won’t tell you. So with all that said, I’ll see you back here for my next installment of “Things to Meditate On”...

1/26/2020

Greetings, everyone.

Now that we’re at the beginning of the new year, I thought that it would be a good idea to go over some of the basics for those who may have just started investigating “Meditation” and what it’s all about. To begin with, I’m sure that there are a number of individuals, who have had years of meditation experience, who are checking out this blog. And that’s really a good thing. Anyone who understands even preliminary metaphysical concepts will know that there are many different ideas that we could all benefit from. And the best way to encounter those ideas is to seek new sources of information and compare it to what has already been observed and understood. With that in mind, I’d like to offer a suggestion. While I’m touching upon some basics in the next few blog entries, if you have a question regarding an advanced meditation concept please feel free to send me an email at: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com. Just place “regarding meditation” (or something similar) in the subject line and I’ll get back to you. This way, both beginners and advanced readers will benefit from what I’ve learned over the decades and what I’m currently teaching.

 For those who are beginners and wish to know what benefits can be achieved through meditation, I offer this. On the surface, meditation can “slow you down” when you’ve been dealing with a stressful day. It can also “clear the ledger” of excess information before you begin your day, as well. The human mind is likely to accumulate a tremendous amount of information which includes a lot of potential negative scenarios that can worry and upset us. Meditation helps to sort through the negative “garbage” and by doing this, reach conclusions that are processed with the assistance of both our conscious and subconscious minds. This is accomplished, in part, by taking the time to eliminate the constant “chatter” that we allow to run through our heads on a continual basis.

 Therefore, the very first thing to understand, is that if you decide to pursue a lifestyle that includes meditation – well good for you! One thing that you should know is that you can only benefit from meditation. This is true whether you limit your involvement to just a daily meditation session before starting your day – or deal with meditation as it relates to lucid dreaming and various metaphysical benefits that I engage in and teach. So, here is the first basic task that I’d like you to undertake.  

FOR BEGINNERS: This task is known as “turning off your thoughts”. This is one of the first meditation tasks that I undertook back in 1977, when I worked as an Army Specialist in the EENT Clinic at Patterson Army Hospital. While I was there, there were times when the entire clinic was perfectly quiet with no patients waiting for examination. Having already spent a couple of years studying some meditation basics (like breathing, etc.), this is what I did: 

I taped a piece of paper on the wall of the small room that was used for adjusting glasses and placed a chair opposite that paper. On the paper was drawn a small “dot”. When everything was absolutely quiet, I sat in the chair and I began to practice turning off that constant “chatter” that always ran through my head. All the while, I focused my attention entirely on that one dot. This is not an easy exercise, but it is an excellent prelude to meditation training.  

FOR ADVANCED PRACTITIONERS: This exercise is very similar to the one above, however it involves being in an environment that is different than the usual quiet meditation place that is commonly used. See if you are able to turn off your thoughts when doing the following:

·         Riding public transportation

·         Watching television

·         Listening to music

·         Sitting in a crowded place (such as a restaurant).

 After you have attempted your exercise(s), let me know what your experience was at: henrybrennameditation@gmail.com. Next time, we will go over some meditation practices that include breathing, etc. One of the goals of the meditation that I teach is the ability to enter a meditative state at any point during the day as well as having a specific meditation time. So with all that said, I’ll see you back here for my next installment of “Things to Meditate On”...

2/10/2020

Greetings, everyone

Welcome back to this blog. Hopefully, some of you had the opportunity to try out the suggestions that I’ve been previously making. An interesting thing regarding “meditation” is that it can become a personalized activity. This means that if someone has been engaging in meditation (sometimes for a very limited amount of time), then it might become somewhat difficult to make any adjustments to their “meditation routine”.

Of course, in my training, the concept of “routine” has its place. Sometimes, its value lies in organizing one’s life. In other cases, it provides a sense of comfort in a chaotic world. However, breaking one’s life down into a set of routines can also be detrimental. It can force us to put blinders on and limit our ability to see beyond that which is directly in front of us. 

This is something that we can use our meditation to get past. Therefore, I’m asking a question today; “How often do you *actively* use your meditation when it comes to determining how to address an issue that may be troubling you?” I don’t mean just following your ‘gut feelings’. And I don’t mean every now and again (sometimes by ‘accident’). I mean to just “listen” to that which lies beyond the cacophony that generally swirls inside our heads. In other words, those myriad voices that we constantly hear as a result of what the outside world has decided that we should focus our attention on. 

Here, I’m going to let you in on a little “secret”. While going with your gut feeling may work out fine for some, unless you’re skilled in accessing universal knowledge, it can be heavily influenced by what is laying at the surface of your thoughts. One of the best things about meditation is the fact that it allows us to have a connection with our subconscious, if we so desire. This is why I teach various ways in order to form a stronger relationship with one’s subconscious observations.  

You’d be surprised just how advantageous this can be. Believe it or not, it’s our subconscious mind that records the details that our conscious mind dismisses. Then it tries to communicate (and organize chemical-based memories) with us in our dreams. But for most people, there can be little advantage in this in our waking lives! To the average person, remembering and interpreting dreams, in detail, along with exercises like “lucid dreaming” just doesn’t exist as a routine exercise. It’s a sad waste, at best. Imagine what your subconscious would advise you, having access to everything that you’ve ever seen, heard and felt! 

So, I’d like to leave you with this… Take a little extra time with the techniques that I provide on this blog. Then tell me a thought or two on www.henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com. If you have a question, I can answer you, personally. Until next time – I’ll see you here at “Things to Meditate On”…

2/24/2020

Greetings, everyone

First of all, I hope that you have had the opportunity to continually employ the techniques that I have discussed in my previous blog entries. My website is in the final stages of production and will soon be available in order to provide additional resources towards these discussions. I would also like to take the time on this posting to acknowledge some very interesting emails that I have received at henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com

Of course, I’ve already answered those questions in return-email form. But there was one particular subject that was brought up that, after further consideration, I felt that I wanted to expound on. That was the difference between meditation in which the focus is on a particular sound or object and meditation in which the goal is absolute internal silence.

Needless to say, the latter (internal silence meditation) is far more difficult that the former. There is a good reason for this. You see, we maintain our view of the world through the constant flow of thoughts that make up our “internal dialog”. Just think of the amount of energy that we use when it comes to talking to ourselves. We may think that it’s just a function of our brains and we tend not to give it much thought. However, besides using our normal stream of thoughts to map out our current existence, there is another side to the coin that can provide us with far greater power.

Our minds are, in essence, biological computers with a relatively huge data storage capacity. Our brain’s data banks are filled with chemical-based memories of details that are connected to each day that we have lived. We arrange these details within our brains in a rather bizarre piecemeal fashion when we are in the REM stages of sleep. When we remember our dreams, they can seem disjointed and arbitrary – but they’re not. This can become obvious should we learn how to remember our dreams – whether as a storyline or as lucid dreaming (a subject for a future discussion).

In any case, there are those who have learned to use this submerged data when making critical decisions. For example, you have people that regularly seem to have spot-on “hunches” that work in their favor. Then there are those who have the occasional hunch that works well for them. These hunches consist of an idea that has been formulated with the help of our brain’s data-banks. They can seem like they come out of “nowhere”, since they are composed of (sometimes minute) observations that our conscious mind may not readily have access to.

The point that I am trying to make has to do with the fact that you can create this same situation by employing internal silence meditation. When you are a beginner in this form of meditation, it can take a lot of effort and you will see a rather unusual phenomenon. After only a few moments meditating in this manner, everything around you will begin to become uncertain and “fuzzy”. At that point the brain will suddenly become alarmed and you will begin to consciously think again. This happens because the brain has become used to utilizing its internal dialog to make sense of the world. But, when used correctly, this form of meditation can be directed in such a way as to access the brain’s huge data-banks for answers that you didn’t even know that you had!

Well, that’s all for now. If you have any further questions on these subjects, please feel free to contact me at: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com. I will reply as soon as possible. Until next time – I’ll see you here at “Things to Meditate On”…  

3/10/2020

Greetings, everyone

Welcome back to the blog. Those who have been corresponding with me regarding the information that I have been sharing here have asked me to write about the initial exercises that I teach. I understand, of course, that this blog is being read by a mixture of individuals with a variety of meditation experience (and even metaphysical knowledge). Therefore, it can be a challenge when it comes to posting something that everyone can appreciate.

Fortunately, there is one consistent factor when it comes to meditation. The “basics” are applicable no matter what level an individual has attained in the realm of meditation, self-awareness and experience with internal energy. Therefore, today I’m going to step outside my usual goals of advanced descriptions and focus explanation and present a simple basic exercise.   

First of all, I’d like to point out that incorporating meditation into one’s life is a relatively easy thing to do. Why? Well, because these days, finding yourself in a stressful lifestyle replete with earning a living, social competition, an incredible amount of media input (online, TV, etc.), concerns regarding things such as the coronavirus and various personal and family responsibilities is nothing out of the ordinary, Seriously – is taking a small amount of time each day in order to relax and “center oneself” really a hard sell? I sincerely doubt it.

So, with that said, let’s get back to the basics and follow along with this exercise – shall we? We start by determining the best time of day in order to set up our meditation. Some people prefer to meditate at the beginning of the day (so as to start the day with a “clean slate’ as it were). Others prefer to meditate at the end of the day, in order to decompress after all one’s daily stressors. Personally, I advocate for the end of the day. But the true determining factor might hinge on your family obligations or the routines of a significant other and/or children.

Here, the trick is to make a small space for yourself in which interruptions aren’t present. Try to make this time one that is consistent in your schedule. You might want to let others know of your preferred “quiet time” and ask that they assist you with allowing you to have that personal, uninterrupted time. Since we’re only talking about 20 minutes per day, you may be surprised as to how much cooperation others are willing to give you. Make sure to thank them for it and tell them how important this is to you. Once this has been accomplished, then you can take a cross-legged position on the floor, sit in a chair or take any comfortable position that suits you best. Next, we’re going to practice the proper way to breathe. This may be a bit difficult for beginners – but persevere - you’ll get it. Here, you will breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. However, you will concentrate on expanding the lower portion of your abdomen (near your belly button) as you breathe in. This is different than breathing in and expanding your chest. Here is a video in order to help you out:

(See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3YyjUmDapc)

As you breathe, you will begin to concentrate on your relaxation. Two key items are to; relax your face and “drop” your shoulders as you relax. You will then focus on limiting the thoughts that were swirling in your mind, until you achieve a state of peaceful, non-stressful calm. Perform this exercise each day – until our next blog entry. At that time, I will add an addition element to our meditation exercise. Remember, if you would like to share your experience or have a question to ask me, take the time to send me an email at: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com

Or you also have the option of sharing your feedback with my friend and spiritual brother, Master Paul Ramos. He will relate your thoughts to me, directly. Until next time, stay well and I’ll see you here at “Things to Meditate On”… 

3/24/2020

Greetings, everyone

Needless to say, the thing that’s on everyone’s mind these days is the change that has been brought about by the Coronavirus. This is understandable. But I would like to take a moment and point out some exceptionally important points to consider.

As for myself, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to conduct my work from home. However, the challenge that has been placed before me is twofold. First of all, my workload has mandated that I spend a little over 40 hours per week with a company situated in Los Angeles. Currently, all of their office employees (in the U.S. and internationally) have been set up to conduct their jobs from their homes. Since I live in the Philippines and work as their content writer, I was already employed as a work-from-home entity (I’m actually an employee of the company, since last month, and not a contractor). When added to my Meditation-related activities, this makes for a particularly strenuous schedule – especially since I happen to be 63 years of age!

The other issue (that I’ve already mentioned) is that I live in the Philippines which is a challenging country to live in now, considering its Southeast Asian location and its being a third world country. Fortunately, quarantine is in effect and I would actually need a “pass” in order to leave my home and enter into the town. These restrictions will help to keep a large number of people safe, out here, Once again, I’m fortunate insofar as my incredibly caring Filipina wife (along with my extended Filipino family) is taking care of all my material needs while I spend most of my waking hours at the computer. Also, since I work for a U.S. company, my scheduled hours are from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (my time). Since I need to sleep during the day, this leaves me in a position in which I can’t leave the house at all.

Now, the only reason that I’m telling you all of this is not to expound on my current life’s situation(s). It’s really only to let you know that I empathize with the constrictive nature of the lifestyles that people have had to adopt in the wake of this major health concern. But, yet, there is something positive that can be found in this all of this.

In the world of Metaphysical and Meditation studies, a drastic upheaval in one’s life is something that can be used to one’s advantage – if they are so inclined. You see, as human beings, we tend to be “stuck” within the narrow limitations of our everyday routines. This is why those who think and live “outside the box” will, in many cases, achieve great things in their lives. I’m sure everyone reading this can think of some examples of this phenomenon.

So, what I’m going to attempt to do is this. During this crisis, I’m going to increase my blog posts and offer additional training that can effectively be used by anyone who is spending more time at home, during this crisis. I feel that this is the best way that I can offer my assistance to those who are affected by our current situation. But I am also going to offer a challenge to you, as well. With the extra hours that you may now be able to devote to your meditation studies and computer time, I would like to gather as many people as I can to comment on these additional studies that I will be posting. In addition, I could also use some ideas regarding the direction that you would like to see my new website take, as it’s being constructed. Originally, I had planned to already have it up and running. However, the sudden increase in my workload (throughout the night, no less) placed a difficult roadblock in my intended goals. But now is the time to put forth an extra effort and get it done, so that you folks will have a better venue in which to communicate with me and further your meditation training.

So, today, I will leave you with that. You can contact me with me at henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com. You can do so, today, in offering your support to this project, by just saying “Hi”. But as this effort (and training) progresses, there will be far more substantial communication to engage in. Once my site is up and running, I will be offering rewards in the form of free instruction for those who have decided to contact me (and hopefully assist in my website construction) So, keep checking back here on a daily basis and see the positive directions that seeming negativity can take. Stay safe and healthy and I’ll see you here at “Something to Meditate On”…  (Yes, I had changed the name of my blog, for a time – but I like the original title a bit better)

3/25/2020

Greetings, everyone

Of course, I suddenly realized that it will most assuredly take a couple of days for me to gather the total reactions to my previous post (via email at: henrybrennanmeditation@gmail.com). Therefore, I’m going to take this time in order to put together the temporary curriculum for Meditation exercises that can be performed during this quarantine situation. I will be beginning the actual posts and question answering sessions within a day or two, at the most. Until then, stay safe and healthy…