| ratboy 2005-07-20, 2:08 pm |
| Namaste! Good morning, Questor!
The Taoist methods observe the fact that most humans, both male and
female, are stronger on the Right Side of the body because the Yang
energy naturally moves from left to right, making the right side the
active and dominant side. Thus, most people are 'right handed'. It is
even considered 'unnatural' in India and the Orient to be 'left
handed' as this seems contrary to Nature in those cultures
traditionally. Yin energy conversely tends to move from right to
left, making the Left Side of the body the more receptive, more
passive, and weaker side for most folks.
As such, men normally are more Yang than Yin energetically and
physically, and are therefore instructed to massage their abdomen 36
times to the right, followed by 24 times to the left. Women are
observed normally to be more Yin than Yang, and are therefore
instructed to massage their abdomen 36 times to the left, followed by
24 times to the right. In this way, both sexes are able to balance
and harmonize the prevailing and dominant energy of their respective
constitutions. And like the yogic exercises, all Tai-chi-chuan,
Internal Soft Style Kung-fu, and Chi-kung routines begin with a
leftward step and/or movement for the same reasons. I see the
Internal Arts of both India and China as different in 'external'
form, but of 'kindred spirit' in their 'internal' form, so to speak.
Modifications of or variations on the same agenda priorities in terms
of health and energy dynamics. Both Systems make the same claims for
Health, Healing, Life Extension, and Spiritual Self Cultivation! Both
have produced Top Level Masters whose Internal Powers are more
similar than different. The Yoga exponents tend to apply their
training to Health and Spiritual agendas, while the Chinese Masters
tend to apply their training to 'scientific boxing' agendas, with
Health and Spiritual agendas viewed as valuable auxilliary
by-products of the training.
Lastly, perhaps your complete avesion to beginning the 'Sun
Salutation' or 'Surya Namaskar' on the left side stems from feeling
weaker or less flexible on the left side in so far as the demands of
the pose necessitate. If this is the case for you, such impediments
are easily resolved by performing more repetitions of the challenging
asana on that side, and holding the final position of the pose for a
longer time than usual while breathing more slowly and deeply, and
relaxing into the asana as much as possible for increased strength
and flexibility both. Hope this has been of some small assistance to
you!
Light and Love! Hari Om! Aditya
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