Developing Stillness Step by Step

Today’s gesture is soft eyes, Bodhisattva eyes, eyes that look on all with compassion, kindness, and love. This is the seventh of the Seven Gestures in Kum Nye. We develop soft eyes by loosening the focus. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, look at the world without wearing them. You may find the edges of everything dissolve, and there is less judgment and labeling.

The point of this gesture is that with a loose outward gaze, we can turn attention inward and tune into what is happening inside the body. We turn all of the senses inward and discover the continuous flow of information provided by what is happening internally.

Developing Stillness Step by Step

Today’s gesture is to put the tongue on the upper palette. This is gesture six of the Seven Gesture sitting posture that we use in Kum Nye. So one way we can solidify our understanding and embody the essence of this gesture is to practice it every Saturday a few times a day until it begins to become a habit.

Why do we put the tongue on the upper palette? Doing so facilitates the continuation of the flow of energy through the body. Energy flows through the many channels of the body, and there is one main circuit that goes up the front of the body, through the mouth to the head then around the skull and down the spine.

So when we open the mouth and put the tip of the tongue on the upper palette, we complete the connection so energy can continue to flow freely.

Developing stillness of body leads to developing stillness of mind.

Seven Gestures to Stillness of Body and Mind

We work our bodies so they will be strong and do what we tell them to do when we want them to.  The NY Times has a seven minute body workout routine and now a seven minute advance body workout routine. What about having a seven minute mind workout routine?

Learning to do them well is a seven day process, about 5 minutes per day. You can find video that will talk you through the first step here. Once you have a feeling for sitting in the seven gestures, you can do them for as long as you like – two or three times a day for five to ten minutes each time would be great. If you’re the forgetful type, tune into the Kum Nye Today FB page for regular reminders.