The Phenomenon of Physical and Spiritual Transformation

Ruchun: Today, I recited the Shurangama Mantra and the Earth Store Sutra together. Towards the end, my mental energy felt insufficient, and my mind wandered, yet the blessings were very evident. During meditation, the qi channels continuously ascended upward. I felt the qi channels in the chest cavity and head actively expanding outward. Sweat broke out on the front and back of the chest, the head, and the chin. There was a strong pulsing sensation in the center of the chin, and sometimes I felt a slight tremor in the tongue. My forehead felt tight, and the entire head felt under high pressure and constricted. In the middle of the session, a surge of vow-power arose in my heart: I must spare no effort to realize the supreme wondrous Dharma.

Today, there was little reaction in the upper thighs. The calves felt sore and swollen, yet accompanied by a sense of comfort. Loud intestinal gurgling and flowing water sounds emanated from the abdominal cavity. Before concluding the sitting, during the swaying (Huang Hai), loud popping sounds came from the upper thighs and the lower back/lumbar region. Before concluding the sitting, during prostrations to the Buddha, my head rested on the mattress for about 30 seconds, and I could hear popping sounds at the nasal root, ear roots, and inside the brain.

The next day during meditation, the weather was very sultry and hot. I felt extremely agitated and feverish internally, finding it difficult to calm my mind. I endured until very late before starting to sit. Upon sitting, the qi sensation was very strong. A stream of qi rushed straight from the dantian to the crown of the head. The crown felt like it was swelling up, feeling swollen, tingling, and slightly itchy. When exhaling, the pressure at the crown increased, making this sensation even more pronounced. After about ten minutes, my breathing felt lighter. When exhaling, it seemed like a large portion of the breath went directly to the crown, with very little exiting through the nasal passages. The qi flowed smoothly. Gradually, synchronized with the rhythm of the breath, waves of pleasant comfort emanated from the crown. The abdominal cavity still produced strong sounds—intestinal gurgling, along with noises resembling the sliding of the diaphragm and flowing water—as if the organs inside the abdomen were undergoing some adjustments. After concluding the sitting, a detoxification phenomenon occurred, expelling some sticky, black, and foul-smelling impurities.

Commentary: As the depth of meditation increases, the activation of the qi channels begins to regulate the body, focusing primarily on regulating the head. Dampness within the body is expelled through sweat in the form of perspiration. Once dampness is expelled, the body will slim down. With sufficient qi and blood, and improved metabolism, the body will also become leaner. The qi channels have passed through the thighs and reached the calf area; the legs should feel soft. The current situation indicates that the entire body has been largely regulated, and physical constitution should be quite good. At this stage, the physical transformation is nearing its end. Now observe the extent of the transformation in the mind. When both transformations are complete, the Way will be seen.

Ruchun: During the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, the former longing and attachment to family reunions were absent. I spent most of the holiday in solitude, only joining the family for the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner. After the meal, my son and daughter departed. My heart was no longer filled with the sorrow and sense of loss it used to hold. I didn't try to persuade them to stay, only responded mildly. In the past, the feelings arising from parting on reunion nights would shatter my heart into pieces, giving rise to various kinds of suffering, and subsequently, the intention to change and control others would arise, causing afflictions for both self and others. Heavy emotional attachment is precisely craving for the five aggregates of self and others, craving bondage, craving suffering, craving afflictions. Reducing one portion of craving for self and others increases one portion of ease for both.

The emotions and love we crave are our spiritual needs; they belong to the aggregate of feeling (vedanā). Whether it's marital love, maternal kindness and filial piety, or deep sibling bonds, they are all constantly changing. It's either the suffering of not getting what one desires or the suffering of separation from the loved. When we generate affection, these impermanent changes grip our hearts, trapping us in various webs of emotion. When impermanence strikes, the heavier our craving, the more hurt and suffering we endure. It's the same with any affection—familial, friendly, or romantic. Thus, life after life, we mutually bind each other and journey together through the cycle of rebirth. Therefore, craving emotional love is the cause of suffering; we should remain vigilant.

This morning during sitting, the qi sensation was still very good. While reciting the Buddha's name, I observed the flow of breath. The whole body had a faint sense of pleasant comfort. Towards the latter part, I suddenly felt some difficulty breathing. Upon careful observation, I realized: the breath reached the nasal root and couldn't go any further because the area above the nasal root felt completely empty, as if there was nothing there. So, I just breathed to the nasal root and continued like that until the end of the sitting. My appetite seems to be decreasing these past few days. Sometimes I feel a bit hungry, but when I actually consider eating, the appetite vanishes; drinking some water suffices.

Commentary: Due to frequent contemplation of emptiness, results have been achieved. The mind has initially resonated with emptiness, leading to a diminished attachment to familial affection. The reduction in emotional attachment is the inevitable outcome of diligent practice.