I was listening to an interview the other day with
Robert Thurman. You may know his daughter, 
. She starred in the movie “Kill Bill”. I
have been following Professor Thurman’s teachings
for quite a few years. He is a Buddhist scholar
and a practitioner as well. He was sitting crossed
legged during the interview and they asked him why
are you sitting cross-legged? Professor Thurman
said, “It is the most comfortable way for me to
sit; you ought to try it”. Then he was asked if he
works out? He says, “Not in the formal sense, but
I do 250 prostrations every morning and evening.”
This struck my interest so I started doing 3
prostrations each morning and evening before my
meditation adding one more each day. If you aren’t
familiar with the term prostration or don’t know
how to do one let me explain
A prostration is a gesture used in Buddhist
practice to show reverence. Among Buddhists,
prostration is believed to be very beneficial for
practitioners.
• An experience of giving
• An act to purify the mind of conceit
• A preparation for meditation
• An act to accumulates merit (gives you good
karma)
In Buddhism practitioners always do the
prostrations before and after meditation.
Typically it’s done three times, once to honor the
teaching, then the teacher, and then the group you
practice with.
Here’s how to do a full Prostration…
First, stand with your feet about shoulder width
apart; keep your toes pointing forward. Place your
palms in the center of your chest as if you were
praying. Raise your hands just above your head,
touching the top of your head (Du 20). Then touch
your hands to your third eye point, then your
throat and back to your heart.
Next, bend at your waist to the floor and make
your arms parallel to the ground with the centers
of your palms facing down. Place your hands out in
front of you to allow you to bend forward
gracefully rise up with ease.
For the third step, allow your knees to touch the
floor just after your hands and lie down on the
ground. Form a straight line from your waist to
your fingertips and keep your face down.
Finally, touch the ground. The 5 points, hands,
knees and head must touch the ground in that
order.
As soon as your head touches the ground, raise up.
Use your hands to push up from the floor quickly.
Come to standing position and place your hands in
prayer pose again.
This exercise would be considered an internal
exercise. As your focus is your meditation,
flexibility, and agility, you’re acknowledging a
spirit or the divine to make your life better. It
is the same when we do Qigong practices. In the
Flying Crane Qigong we acknowledge the four
directions North, South, East and West, allowing
the body to move in different position to open the
Meridians and Chakras.
To find out more info about Flying Crane Qigong
and its benefits click here: http://goo.gl/MsaZTe
I wish you the best in your Health, Wealth, and
Happiness.
Dr. Wu Dhi
P.S I plan to build up to 250 prostrations before
my birthday in December, but I will also be
practicing my Flying Crane Qigong as well. Start
yours today and lets see how far you can go!
Dr. Wu Dhi
