By John J. Murphy
When I return home, Judy is sitting on the couch with her eyes closed, tiny sounds coming from her mouth.
“What in the world are you doing?” I ask, sitting on a chair across from her.
“It’s a Taoist meditation,” she says without opening her eyes. “I learned it from Nicole.”
I watch her curiously. “How does it work?”
She opens her eyes, which are warm and welcoming. “Well, it’s basically a mind-body connection. There are five different sounds or mantras that connect with what the Taoists call the five vital organs: the kidneys, the liver, the heart, the spleen, and the lungs. There is also a sixth mantra for the aura, or energy field, around the body. Each of these sounds has a frequency to it that relates well with the vital organs and aura. For example, the sound ahh relates well with the heart. So, by taking a deep breath and focusing your mind on a healthy, happy heart and then exhaling with the sound ahh, you are calming and nourishing your heart. That’s the mind-body connection.”
“Really?” I replied, careful not to sound too skeptical. “So, you’re using your mind to help your body.”
“Yes, exactly. Nicole said that a lot of people struggle with meditation because their minds wander, especially when they’re busy or stressed. It jumps all over the place.”
“Boy, can I relate to that,” I offer, reflecting on my day.
“Anyway,” she continues, “this technique allows you to focus your mind on one thing at a time, and that one thing is vital to your health.”
“Like your heart,” I reply, thinking now about my high blood pressure.
“Yes,” she says excitedly. “You should try it. It is very calming, and if you sit very still, you can feel the vibration flowing through your heart. That’s what the Tao is all about. It’s about flow. It’s about aligning with Source Energy, or God, which is all positive, and allowing goodness and peace into your life.”
“And this is consistent with what we’re learning in ACIM?”
“Yes, for the most part. Even though ACIM teaches us that we’re not a body and that the body is neutral, we still have a body to take care of—while we’re in human form. And it’s consistent with the law of attraction as well. When we release resistance and defensiveness, much of which is subconscious, and we connect with Source Energy, we channel this sacred energy through our bodies to one another. It is all about connecting and harmonizing and getting out of our own way, as you like to put it.”
What are the other sounds?” I ask.
Judy looks at her notes. “Well, the sound for the kidneys is fwee. And keep in mind that the kidneys also relate to the brain, the hair, the skin, the ears, the bones, and the hormonal system. So, you want to visualize healthy flow through all these body parts. Also, you want to repeat each sound six times. The Taoists consider this a sacred number.”
I wonder how in the world they came up with that.
“The sound for the liver is sshh, almost like you are telling someone to calm down or be quiet,” she continues. “It’s a very calming sound, almost like the ocean surf. And this doesn’t just help the liver. It helps the eyes, the skin, the ligaments, the tendons, the intestines, and the immune system.”
“Sshh,” I repeat, visualizing a clean liver.
“The mantra for the spleen is whhoo,” she continues. “And it helps with blood flow, immunity, the pancreas, harmony, balance, and overall relationships. It also helps with cash flow,” she adds with a grin.
I nod, repeating the sound.
“Next is the lungs,” Judy says. “Which are obviously vital. And the sound for the lungs is sss, kind of like a snake hissing. When you repeat this mantra, it helps to visualize your lungs being power-washed with pure, clean oxygen flowing through your body.”
“Ha.” I am somewhat amused. “A mind-body power-wash.”
“And the last one is shee,” Judy says. “This mantra is intended to help us relax into God’s light, letting go of all resistance, denial, resentment, criticism, and judgment. I have been visualizing my chakras opening and God’s light shining through me and illuminating me.”
“Interesting stuff,” I say, leaning back in my chair. “I’ll have to try it.”
“Nicole is very clear on the power of meditation and mind over matter. She even cited several university studies proving the benefits of meditation on the brain and hormonal system. These are just methods to help us become more present and aware. And when we do that and let go of illusions and distractions and ego attachment, we flow with more creativity and sacred energy. It’s truly profound.”
“Yeah, the only problem is the ego thought-system,” I reply. “It thinks this is ridiculous.”
“Of course it does. It feels threatened by this awareness. It exposes the ego’s insanity and delusions. Nicole said this is normal. The ego is defending itself.”
“Yeah, well, I can hear it in my head right now, telling me how crazy this is. I can actually feel my attachment to it, with all its fear and doubt and skepticism.”
Judy nods. “I can too. It’s like a defensive force of resistance. I guess that’s the programming we have to delete.”
“Well, if you ask me, I think we’re on our way to some fascinating experiences.”
Judy smiles, her eyes now darting back and forth as she gazes into mine. It feels like she can read my soul. Finally, she gets up and speaks. “I guess the first step is to become aware of the ego thought-system and our attachment to it, along with all its drama and conflict.”
We don’t fight the ego. We recognize it. We can even humor it. And then we detach from it. We let it go.
This is an excerpt from Miracle Minded Manager by author John J. Murphy, available through Beyond Words Publishing. This is an excerpt from Miracle Minded Manager by author John J. Murphy, available through Beyond Words Publishing.
