Questions and Answers on the Contemplative Practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (21)

Question: What should I do if my mouth feels dry during meditation? 

Answer: When there is no saliva in the mouth, the upper burner and lower burner are not connected, and water and fire do not assist each other. You can visualize according to the Taiji Bagua diagram: fire descends from the right side of the chest down to the dantian, and water rises from the left side of the dantian up to the chest and throat, circulating back and forth. Then water and fire will assist each other, and saliva in the mouth will increase; then swallow it to moisten the body, lungs, and internal organs. Visualization is very useful—the better your meditative concentration, the better the visualization effect. Visualization can almost solve all problems; it depends on whether you know how to visualize and on the strength of your meditative concentration, as well as on your merit and virtue. 

Question: While meditating, my cranial nerves seemed to be flicked with a jolt of vibration—what is going on? 

Answer: This is the qi channels reaching the brain, unblocking the qi and blood in the brain. There is a blockage in that area, so when the qi passes through, there is a sensation of vibration. The stronger the qi's movement, the more noticeable the sensation, and the better the unblocking effect. The same applies to other parts of the body: the more noticeable the sensation, the more severe the blockage, and the stronger and more forceful the movement of the qi channels. 

Question: After meditating, my body feels as light as if I had lost a few pounds of flesh—what is going on? 

Answer: This is because the qi channels in the body are flowing smoothly, causing the four great elements in the body to change. Qi floats upward; when qi is abundant, it pushes the body upward, so you feel very light and no longer heavy. You walk as if floating, briskly and silently, appearing spirited and full of vigor, and naturally you acquire dignified bearing. 

Question: My body is especially lazy and I don't want to work—what should I do? 

Answer: When the body is lazy and unwilling to move, it is because cold-damp qi is pressing down inside the body. When there is too much water and too little fire among the four great elements of the body, the body will feel heavy and lack the strength to move, and in the morning you cannot get up after waking. Find a way to expel the cold-damp qi and you will be fine.