Ru Chun's Physical and Mental State After Seeing the Path (II)

Ru Chun: 2026.1.26 Physical condition: I don't know if it's because the rainy season has passed, but overall my head now feels much more relaxed and clear, my eyelids are no longer heavy, my whole body feels much lighter, and I have more energy. When sitting, I feel tingling numbness and swelling in my head, face, tongue, and arms, like an electric current passing through, and my whole head periodically feels a strong sense of pressure. There are quite a lot of reactions in the head—swelling, numbness, itching, pain, and coolness at the crown of the head—but they are relatively mild and not serious. Sometimes my scalp itches unbearably, and the next day it's fine again; this has been happening frequently recently. During meditation, there are crackling sounds in my mind; previously they were mostly around the periphery, but these last few times there have been muffled thudding sounds right above the neck in the center. For a while, my upper and lower lips trembled slightly, and another time, in meditation, I felt the bone behind my nose melting and my nasal passages became very clear. When doing the swaying-seated exercise, there are also muffled thudding sounds in the pelvis and lower spine, quite loud. There is also a sensation of numbness and swelling along the spine in my back—previously it was in the lower waist, and now it has moved upward to the middle and upper waist.

Comment: These are phenomena of the Qi meridians being opened throughout the body. The condition of the lips and nose shows that the Ren and Du Meridians are about to open. These are bodily reactions after the mind has become pure—the mind's positive influence on the physical body.

Ru Chun: Regarding diet, I eat two meals a day, simply and without being picky; when my meditative concentration deepens, I don't feel like eating. Sleep is unstable—about six or seven hours. When my contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) is diligent, sleeping three or four hours a day is also fine. I feel inner tranquility and comfort, with no afflictions or cravings. In terms of thoughts and emotions, I feel that in the past I was busying myself for nothing; now I am not busy yet nothing has been neglected—everything is quite good. My emotions are peaceful and calm, and my mind is composed. Tonight during meditation I felt the sensation of tingling numbness, swelling, and electric current throughout my whole body, but not as strong as last night; the golden electric current has turned silvery white.

Comment: After the mind becomes empty of self, both body and mind are stable, settled, and harmonious. Because one has seen through the world of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha), there is generally nothing left to crave, the state of mind becomes good, and everything becomes peaceful and secure. Whether a person has desires and cravings can be known from the state of body and mind; whether a person has blessings and merit can also be known from the state of body and mind.