May 18, 2009
- Death to the Innocent Bystander -
Well, the Qi Gong retreat was amazing. It was lead by Sifu Pragata, who is one of the most gifted teachers that I’ve ever worked with, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had this opportunity to learn from him. Unfortunately, it seems he’s taking a sabbatical from teaching, and is retiring to the countryside somewhere in Europe for a while, so I can’t really give any advice on how to train with him yourself (other than to check his website). But any student of Sifu Wong’s (Pragata’s current Chi Kung master) should be good to learn from as well. Check out Sifu Wong’s site for a list of certified Shaolin Wahnam instructors.
The Qi Gong has helped me settle into my meditation practice as well, and I am begining to think that part of the difficulties I’ve been having with meditation may have something to do with my trying to keep a record of everything here. If meditation is something that I am making happen, some kind of button I press and report on the results, then I am the-one-who-is-instigating, instead of becoming the-process-that-is-already-underway. I am the scientist and not the experiment, and that is not at all what it is about, in my opinion. Also tied up in there is a lust for recognition as something mistakenly equated with spiritual growth, as if I could progress in my practice by merely getting enough people to think that I have.
So I’m looking to kill the innocent bystander. Especially since he doesn’t exist anyway…
But I don’t want you to think I’m going to avoid talking about it all of that, as I still definitely believe that records of people’s journeys into these kinds of things can be helpful in many different ways. Plus I’ve already promised to keep you all informed on my progress with the yoga classes. I just want to make sure that I do it to do it, and not just so I can talk about it later.
However it turns out, I’m hoping this will free up my meditation (“we must arrange our lives to support good practice”, I’ve heard it said) as well as give me a reason to turn back to some of the other things I’ve explored here in the past, the more psychological/scientific type stuff. But before I end this little rant telling you how I am no longer going to be doing exactly what it is that I am doing…here’s a great little piece of synchronicity that was waiting for me on my kitchen counter when I got home:
You never struck me as having a big head.
Comment by Ted — May 18, 2009 @ 1:39 pm
What I am saying is you never struck me a as a person courting the limelight as an attention whore, you have always seemed very humble and sincere and as a person sharing his spiritual journey as a fellow traveler. So anyway I thought I would give you that feedback, since it sounds like you were worried about that. I tend not to compliment people just to be polite either, so I really mean that.
Comment by Ted — May 18, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
Hey, thanks Ted. The compliment is much appreciated.
Comment by Ian — May 18, 2009 @ 2:08 pm
Hello Ian, this is Pragata, finding your comment by total coincidence.
Which retreat did you attend, so I can put a face on the one who wrote those beautiful words describing the teaching I share?
I am now back in the world, and am establishing my new base in Portugal, in south west Algarve. My wife is creating a new website called pragata@org,, which will be soon online with details of where I will be teaching.
It happens so that in one month, from the 25th of october to the 2nd of november, I will be leading a Qi Gong and Meditation retreat in a magnificent eco resort nearby.
If you want more info, I can send it to you.
On another hand, I would like to ask you if you would allow me to post your comment on my upcoming website?
I look forward to your answer, and to know who you are.
Pragata
Comment by Pragata Blaise — August 22, 2010 @ 7:31 am
Hello Pragata,
You can certainly use this on your upcoming website, I look forward to seeing it when it is finished! I’ll update the link hear so that it goes to your site, and I’ll reply to your email in regards to your other questions.
Comment by Ian — August 23, 2010 @ 12:22 pm
The site’s looking good, by the way! :)
Comment by Ian — August 23, 2010 @ 12:25 pm