Tummo

My fascination with why people are the way they are extends beyond psychology into more standard types of science; beyond people into the universe. I love watching Morgan Freeman’s Through the Wormhole as well as Dark Matters: Twisted But True. What I just witnessed was a form of meditation called Tummo Yoga. I’m just now discovering this, so forgive me if my description is incomplete, but the point of this meditation really hit home for me. The purpose of this meditation is to rid yourself of negative thoughts or phenomena from the outside world; to be able to be blissful and centered despite everything around you. Really sounds like what I’m after, huh?

Through the Wormhole explains that in the Himalayas, Tibetan monks wrap themselves in frozen sheets in a very cold atmosphere, and while they meditate, the body temperature on their skin raises 17 degrees while their core remains normal. Here’s another description from Wikipedia:

Kuṇḍalinī-yoga offered a range of techniques to harness the powerful psycho-physical energy coursing through the body... Most people simply allow the energy to churn in a cauldron of chaotic thoughts and emotions or dissipate the energy in a superficial pursuit of pleasure, but a yogi or yogini consciously accumulates and then directs it for specified purposes. This energy generates warmth as it accumulates and becomes an inner fire or inner heat (candālī) that [potentially] burns away the dross of ignorance and ego-clinging.

Shaw, Miranda (1995). Passionate Enlightenment: Women in Tantric Buddhism. Princeton University Press. p. 31. ISBN 0-691-01090-0.

I love it. I knew Buddhism was going to have all sorts of wisdom and techniques to learn from. I can’t what to find out what other secrets of the soul it can reveal.

So bringing this back to acceptance: How can we find a place within ourselves to stay grounded and accepting despite everything going on around us? In order to do this, it takes an enormous amount of inner strength. Extreme scenarios where everything around you is horrifying and deplorable test you the most. This puts such a humbling perspective on things. Like a co-worker of mine said recently, “It’s how you handle the people who are difficult to love that says the most about you.” He went on to say how nice, friendly people are easy to love and be nice to. Everyone can do it. It’s dealing with the people who are hard to interact with that truly exposes your character. I love that. So if you are nice, friendly, giving and optimistic most of the time, but when things get hard and you run off, ignore reality, maybe even drown yourself in some sort of indulgence… well, that says something about you. A crisis will expose your true nature. Things or people that are easy to manage will not.

Look around you. Are there situations that allow you to test your character? When things get tough, how do you handle them? How can you work on making yourself better in these circumstances?