Summer arrives, and the weather becomes increasingly hot. During this time, instead of choosing intense outdoor sports, it is better to learn to sit quietly to promote physical and mental health, which may help to prolong life. In the summer, people tend to feel irritable due to the climate’s heat, often accompanied by symptoms like annoyance, red eyes, and mouth ulcers, which reflect the typical signs of “excessive heart fire.”
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, summer is associated with the “fire” element, which corresponds to the heart qi governed by the human heart. Excessive emotional fluctuations can interfere with heart function, and the high temperatures of summer are especially damaging to one’s heart qi. Therefore, the focus of summer nourishment should be “nourishing the heart,” advocating “quiet nourishment,” avoiding irritability, calming the heart, and thus the body will naturally become peaceful.
From the perspective of Chinese medicine, sweat is considered to be stored by the heart; thus, in summer, it is advisable to avoid excessive sweating from intense exercise to prevent damage to the heart qi and yin fluids. Appropriate, gentle activities can help promote the circulation of qi and blood, which is quite beneficial to health.
Among the many methods of quiet nourishment, sitting quietly is particularly important. Through sitting quietly, not only is the mind calmed, but the body also relaxes, complying with the Traditional Chinese Medicine theory of “a settled heart leads to harmonious qi.” Quiet sitting helps to ensure that the meridians are clear and qi and blood flow smoothly.
The “Huangdi Neijing” states that maintaining a calm and serene state can enhance the body’s vital energy and internal and external immunity. Practicing quiet sitting is about focusing the mind and maintaining internal vigilance to keep the body’s qi functioning normally, dispelling blockages. Quiet sitting can also effectively alleviate the stress of mental workers, improve concentration, and help address modern symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety.
There are various specific methods of quiet sitting, one of which is a simple sitting method suitable for anyone, anywhere, at any time:
- Choose a comfortable sitting position: You can sit cross-legged on a chair or cushion, with hands placed naturally.
- Relax your body: Keep a slight tension in the body, but overall it should be relaxed, pay attention to straightening the chest, spreading shoulders, tucking in the waist, and retracting the chin, with the head kept in a balanced state.
- Soft gaze: Eyes should be slightly open, with the line of sight gradually widening; if this is uncomfortable, you can start with your eyes closed, then focus on the tip of the nose, and finally, slowly lift your eyes.
- Adjust breathing: Use abdominal breathing, keep the breath deep and slow, while trying to enter a blank or calm state of mind.
- Gradually progress: Start with 10 to 20 minutes, and if you feel discomfort, slowly change your posture, take a deep breath until the body feels better.
For beginners, initial attempts may cause discomfort, such as body shaking, sore lower back, and swollen legs. However, there is no need for excessive worry, as these sensations will gradually lessen or even disappear with continuous practice.
When trying meditation for the first time, if sustaining 10 minutes feels difficult, managing to focus for even 5 minutes is a good start. As practice deepens and your foundation strengthens, you can gradually extend the duration of meditation.
