Gathering

Gathering

The first of The Practices is Gathering. The gathering of the energies required to accomplish a productive day. Gathering is the harnessing and filling up of the energy stores needed to lead to a day fulfilled. This is achieved in three ways.
Self-discipline (you must want to do it), a quiet mind and no other direct motive other than to let it flow. Obviously the best time to do this is at the beginning of your day. Before you have that first cup of coffee or take your shower.

The best rewards of doing the Gathering exercise are when you can train yourself to do this exercise every morning without fail. It doesn’t matter what type of day lies ahead. The need to gather your inner resources and tranquility that goes with this will focus your energies without undue stress and enable you to do what needs to be done.
Reality is a three part concept. The physical world, the energy world, the spiritual world. The physical world is the surface world of what can be perceived. The energy world is the world of change. The spirit world is beyond all form and reason and is what it is not. These worlds are not separate but all parts of the same entity.
Gathering, inner vitality, is part of the middle concept and blends the known with the unknown. That is, the material world that can be measured, weighted, assessed, analyzed and scrutinized and the world that has no form and no understandable rules.

Cultivating inner vitality is the art of using physical techniques to activate a force that is both physical and abstract. Part definable. Part indescribable. It is a conscious procedure that activates an inner force. This power can be directed externally; if the justification is personal.

Inner Vitality is the gathering of the primal energies and blending them with your own existing energies. Thus creating an energy that is uniquely yours.

But before embarking on this quest of inner cultivation you should have a little understanding of some of the factors that are at work. And as with anything of value, it is imperative that you incorporate your own experience by doing and not just reading about it.

It has long been believed that there are two main energy channels that run a course through all life. Though their energies are the same in material qualities, they are unique in knowledge and experience in each individual. Their attraction and function is amazingly similar yet diverse in all. These two main energy channels when segregated are commonly referred to as the Conceptual Channel and the Governor Channel.

The Conceptual Channel

This is the receptive, gathering vessel. It starts somewhere just behind the sexual organs and travels up on both sides of the centre line of the front of the body. There it begins to mix with your existing energy. It further continues to flow through to the roof of the mouth to a position just above and about mid way between the eyes. This is where both sides of the channel cross. They mingle and assimilate and gain greater influence travelling across the head and becoming:

The Governor Channel

This is the produced result and the outer force of the forgoing. This force continues to gain intensity as it further mixes with your energy. It now travels down both sides of your spine eventually meeting up with and becoming part of, The Conceptual Channel. The nurturing of these channels requires a firm and secure foundation. The confidence gained and the stability acquired with regular practice will give you the knowledge of what it is and enable you to use it in time of need.

“This is not an art of cultivation based on making you feel good, but rather one based on allowing you to be all those things you can be”.

The Preparation Sequence

The preparation sequence is for those amongst you who are not yet adept at doing controlled breathing exercises.

Make sure you are competent before moving on!

The reason for learning these procedures is to help you become aware of the principles involved rather than trying to evolve before you have happened. The combination or physical contact and conscious thought will help you to be aware of yourself. You will learn to use your sense of touch to educate your body. You will then respond appropriately to what your mind wants to happen.

The next step is for your conscious to respond in the correct manner to directions from your subconscious.

Dual Meditation Practice

Some Techniques To Use

For those of you that are fortunate enough to have someone you trust to help you, these exercises will be of great benefit.

The following exercises may also be and often are, used by people who are over tense to release stress. They are often used independently of this system as counter stress techniques.
Using counter stressing techniques is not something new. Any more than doing so with a partner is. But from time to time certain of these methods can and should be used. If to do no more then to remind you that they still exist. 

Step 1

Stand with your feet parallel and approximately twice the width of your shoulders apart. Slowly lower yourself and bend forward at the tail bone. Bend your knees outward so that both hands can touch the inside of each leg. Begin your in breath as you raise yourself up. Use your legs to do this. Not your back! Your hands/fingers should be firmly touching the inside for your legs. Then your abdomen, stomach, chest, neck, face and the top of your head. Maintain constant contact. Then as you breathe out, run each of your hands down both sides of your body. All the while you are breathing out and bending forward. In breath on the way up, out breath on the way down. Your mind should concentrate on controlling your breathing and following the path of your hands.

Your Partners Roll is to count for you. At an even pace 1–9 as you raise your body up and 9–1 as you lower your body.

Step 3 -Dump The Garbage

A simple counter-stressing technique that can be practiced with a partner or on your own.
Your Partners Roll is:
a) Partner needs to observe the depth of your breathing.
b) Partner counts an even pace from 1-9. Do not count too slowly.
c) Partner counts at an even pace from 9-1, at the same time pushes down gently on your shoulders.
Repeat both the Slat Technique and Dump The Garbage three or four times. Then reverse your role with your partner. That way you can each gain a dual benefit.

Step 5 – Confidence, Control and Power

In order to fully control the depth and effect of this meditation, your inner self has to be given very clear directions as to what you want and what find acceptable.
a) You must feel safe, secure and in control. Stand with your legs approximately twice the width of your shoulders. Make sure that you are a little uncomfortable. Both feet are parallel and pointed in the direction in which you are facing. Been your knees slightly and exert a little outward pressure, as if pushing them away sideways. You thus create a circle effect with your legs. The buttocks are tucked in. Your back should be straight but not ridged. Both shoulders should be sufficiently relaxed to allow the palms of your hands to rest comfortably on your thighs. Tuck your chin in slightly. Your mouth is kept close throughout with the tip of your tongue gently pressing against the hard palate. Breathe slowly via the nose. 

b) Set the precise amount of time that your conscious has available for your inner self to do its work. This is crucial. If you do not fix a time limit your subconscious will keep putting it off indefinitely. Say the following words to yourself:

“In nine minutes I will arise Powerful, Alert and Completely at Peace with Myself.”


“Peace, Peace, Peace.”

Your that inner and outer self must be in harmony. In other words, both must need the same thing. And if that is not the case, one must change.

“Perfect.”

Always finish with the word Perfect.

If you have practised the preparation sequence and you feel that you now know and understand each of the techniques you are ready to commence.

Using This Method To Cultivate The Gathering Of Inner Vitality

1. Stand in the double-width stance, as detailed on the previous pages.
2. Set your time limit. Do this audibly.
3. Close your eyes.
4. Perform your preparatory exercise. Breathe in to the count of nine and out to the count of nine.
5. Concentrate your breathing to your abdomen as you breathe in expand your abdomen and gently contract the front of your body all the way to the top of your head, (Conceptual Channel). Gently release the tension down your back (Governor Channel) as you breathe out at the same pace as your intake. Keep your thoughts on maintaining this flow.
6. The moment you have any inclination that time up, respond. Right or wrong your inner self has to know that when it sends through information to the outer self, that information is acted upon. Otherwise, if nothing is done, it will stop telling you what you need to know!
7. Open your eyes.
8. “Perfect.” Said audibly every single time.
9. Rise and go about your business.

The preceding techniques need to be learnt before you can go on to the next section. If you do not have the advantage of coming to formal classes or having someone to work with, you can still achieve the right results. But you will have to mentally do the nine count and things may take a little longer to learn. Each of these four steps maybe isolated and used as de-stressing techniques in their own right. But in the context of what you are learning here they are a preparation for the gathering exercise.

Each of the four steps that you have been able to work with a partner must now be done alone.