In this ground-breaking book, Lama Somananda Tantrapa shares the ancient wisdom of Tibetan Shamanic Qigong in a simple and practical way. Discovering, testing and applying its principles will remarkably enhance your vitality with greater attentiveness, awareness and presence. It will help you transform and enlighten your life by developing a culture of movement that is naturally graceful and harmonious. It will also provide you with profound psychological and spiritual insights into the true nature of health, relationships and other issues that teach you to approach life challenges as learning opportunities rather than problems. By practicing Qi Dao, you will unify your body, mind and spirit, empowering your whole being to live in harmony with the flow of the entire universe.
If you feel like something, perhaps adventure or even the general direction, might be missing in your life, this audiobook can help you find a more purposeful and harmonious way of being. It offers many insights and suggestions for improving your physical and emotional well-being, enhancing flexibility and developing a graceful culture of movement. Since The Art of Being in the Flow is a holistic system of self-realization, rather than an exercise routine, it can be applied to virtually every sphere of your life: you may experience more power in your practice of Martial Arts, enjoy peak performance in almost any kind of sport, or become a better lover. Most interestingly, your outlook on life may begin to transform naturally opening up new horizons and showing many exciting opportunities that you could not see before. Perceiving your problems (if you have any) as lessons will help you transcend the fight-or-flight way of reacting to the challenges of life, thus nipping stress in the bud.
Excerpt
Preface
Most people experience being in the flow, or in the zone, at least once in their lives. If you have ever had such an amazing experience, you will probably never forget how empowered you felt. Being in the flow allows you to feel the flow of Qi – the energy of life. You can learn to perceive the flow of Qi in your body and around it; however, trying to manipulate or direct that flow would only waste your time and energy, just like pushing a river upstream. Instead, through the practice of Qi Dao, you will learn to immerse yourself into the flow of life and enjoy it fully.
Using this book and its companion DVD, as well as the Qi Dao meditation CD, you will learn to love yourself and to pay greater attention to your body, movements and energy. As you develop a greater appreciation of your body, you will learn things about yourself you did not know before. Developing your kinesthetic awareness – awareness of movement – will hone your sixth sense called kinesthesia. Without this awareness of movement you cannot experience life fully, simply because all life is movement.
Awareness of energy requires shifting your attention from the outer forms to the inner essence of everything, starting with yourself. Sensing the resonance of your energy with different opportunities that life presents to you will enable you to choose what works best for you. With practice, you will learn to exercise your freedom, literally, with every step you take on Earth.
You may notice that Qi Dao does not teach you any forms, which allows you to be truly authentic by making choices that resonate with you moment after moment. It will empower you to become more natural and spontaneous, as well as to experience a greater sense of well-being and spiritual awakening.
Professional Reviews
The Art of Not Doing..., November 14, 2007
This is one of the better if not best book I have read regarding the internal martial art known as Qigong. Whether one is a advanced practitioner of Qigong or a curious beginner this is a very interesting book written my a unconventional Master of Qigong. Lama Somananda Tantrapa Rinpoche's book is about balance of body and mind. For those seeking an understanding of what it is to be balanced or centered this book offers mental and physical ways for the reader to explore this subject.
As a one time student of Rinpoche's, I found this book to be true to what was experienced while studying with him. His method of teaching in person remarkably shines through into the pages of this book.
The Art of Being in the Flow, December 18, 2007
Twenty-seventh generation holder of the Qi Dao lineage, Lama Somananda Tantrapa now offers a book sharing his family tradition. "Qi Dao - Tibetan Shamanic Qigong: The Art of Being in the Flow" is a door to teachings of organized, well founded principles of Qi Dao, the Tibetan practice of Shamanic Qigong.
With impeccable style, Lama Tantrapa explores the fundamentals of movement and dynamic interaction that, when practiced, allow the practitioner to closer harmonize with the flow of Qi, the energy of life.
Attention to flow allows the individual to explore deeply into the nature of being and teaches reliance on the inherent ability to heal, empower, and enlighten one's self. Toward this result, step-by-step instructions are introduced by photographs depicting the motion in each concept explored. The reader is invited to take small steps to utilize, harmonize, and grow with increasing attention to the flow of Qi.
As a Shaman and body worker, it is an adventure and an honor for me to consult this book as a field guide for harmonizing with the flow of Qi and for savoring the experiences of self-realization along the way.
A great book on Internal Martial Arts, 12/08/2007
After reviewing the training methods of Qi Dao, Bruce Kumar Frantzis suggested that such teachings would be more precisely labeled as Shen Gong, or spiritual cultivation, rather than as Qi Gong 'energy cultivation'. While I cannot disagree with his observation, it seems to me that most English-speaking Qigong enthusiasts are in fact seeking self-realization, harmony and peace—not merely a vehicle for increased physical vitality — so some imprecision can be forgiven here. The signature element of Qi Dao as a Qigong style is its emphasis on physicality, unadulterated by the choreography of strictly defined forms. Just as Jesus Christ was no Christian and Shakyamuni was not a Buddhist, Lama Tantrapa teaches that we should not expect to attain self-realization by staring at the ground and tracing another person’s footsteps.
Although Qi Dao is said to be rooted in the traditions of Tibetan Bon Shamanism, the sections dedicated to stretching and martial applications resemble equal parts Indian Yoga, Chinese Qigong and Japanese Aikido. These two sections comprise one-third of Being in the Flow. Somatic awareness, rather than direct manipulation of energy, is the primary focus of the book.
You won’t find a laundry list of Qi orbits, locks and other esoterica in this Art of Being in the Flow, and that is a good thing. Lama Tantrapa uses clear language and entertaining imagery to describe how Qi Dao can help you develop a harmonious mind, body and spirit.
Re-Release! No longer back-listed. Return to the Olde Ways. The hustle and bustle of modern day life has brought many of us to a quick fix attitude.This book is for those of you who are fed up; have looked at your life and your loved ones and realize
