You may feel this is overly simplistic, but I would argue that all problems we experience in our body and mind stem from a blockage. Yes, I mean that all diseases, musculoskeletal ailments, negative emotions and psychological issues can be traced to a block. Of course, this also means all these issues can be remedied—or better yet, prevented—by using methods that cultivate openness.
Lu Jong is an effective, accessible, systematic (and enjoyable) method to release blockages on the physical, mental and energetic levels.
The Mind/Body Connection
Let me take a step back. I am speaking from the perspective of Tibetan Medicine as well as Tibetan Buddhism, which are integral. One of the basic principles of Tibetan Medicine is the deep interconnectedness of the body and mind. Negative emotions, also called mental poisons, negatively impact the body’s balance, eventually leading to disease. Likewise, once you know how, you can use the body to positively shift the mind.
Health and happiness are intimately linked, not only because it is easier to be happy when we are healthy, but also because having an open body actually balances and calms our minds. To understand this we need to know a bit about the subtle body. While Tibetan Medicine focuses on the ‘gross’ (more dense) body, there is a more subtle aspect of ourselves that is the foundation of the physical body and mind. Now we enter the realm of Tantrayana Buddhism.
Do You Suffer from Low Energy, Emotional Swings and Stress?
Our subtle body is composed of thousands of channels. The gross channels carry blood, lymph, oxygen and nutrients. There are more subtle channels that transport our hormones and energy, and even more subtle channels that transport our consciousness. When these channels become blocked—as they naturally do in the aging process, and even more so due to wrong diet, wrong exercise and negative emotions—that negatively impacts the body and causes a tightening of the mind and energy.
So, how do we open the channels? The Tibetan tradition includes many movement practices that serve this very purpose. Of these, Lu Jong is the most connected with Tibetan Medicine and the most accessible. Tulku Lobsang, a doctor of Tibetan Medicine and highly regarded Buddhist teacher, refined this practice into a very clear system that addresses our most common modern health issues.
Movement
Lu Jong (In Tibetan, lu means body and jong means training or transformation) is a series of movements that rhythmically apply and release pressure to targeted points of the body in order to release blockages. It’s like doing your own acupressure.
There are certain areas of the body that more commonly become blocked and therefore require specific attention. The most important of these areas are along the spine. Our spine is the energy box of our body. It is the root from which everything else branches. Just like a battery, we need to recharge the spine and be sure to keep it open and flexible. The spine is also where we carry emotional blockages. So Lu Jong focuses especially on mobilizing the spine. Other areas that easily become blocked include the joints and the senses.
Each exercise targets specific points on the channels to release any blocks associated with that area. The Lu Jong practice is in five groups:
1. The Five Elements Movements
2. The Five Musculoskeletal Movements
3. The Five Vital Organ Movements
4. The Six Common Conditions Movements
5. Movements for Sleep and Wakefulness
Mindfulness
This practice is also a meditation in movement. The exercises are rhythmic and direct our attention to our inner sensations. This mindfulness, in combination with a flowing breathing pattern, brings us fully into the present moment. Doing it regularly balances the physical body and trains the subtle body channels, and cultivates calmness, clarity and open-heartedness. It is indeed a spiritual practice.
Farrah Garan is a teacher and writer whose goal is to empower others to cultivate a calm mind, vibrant energy and an open heart. She teaches Tibetan healing movement practices, including Lu Jong yoga, Tog Chod Sword Dance, and Tsa Lung Breathwork. She received the Tantrayana tradition from her teacher, Tulku Lobsang, more than 12 years ago. Farrah also offers teacher trainings so that more people can help others benefit from these practical methods. If you feel drawn toward this ancient yet modern approach, you could take a bold step and become a teacher yourself! Lu Jong Teacher Training will be held in New York in June.www.tibetanhealingmovement.com