站桩日记standing meditation diary—100 days

I turned 50 this year and started to feel early signs of aging: the right foot has bunnies, pains in the right hand at night probably because years of use of computer mouse, pains in the shoulders, necks, and scalp,  dry hair, and dry skin.  what is more troubling is the sense of losing control: not able to focus my attention on a task that requires pointed thinking.  

I somewhat buy into Nasim Caleb’s antifragility idea of building the strength of our body through two types of exercises: short high-intensity exercises such as weight lifting, or slow and easy exercises.  The second type of exercise suits me well.  It is extreme; standing still with no body movement.   This type of exercise is the foundation of Chinese martial art, and it has an official name–zhan zhuang, meaning standing like a tree stump. 

Like sitting meditation, it brings many health benefits, mentally and physically.  Based on my experience, standing meditation works more effectively and faster than the sitting form of meditation.   Even after one or two sessions， sleep will become deeper. As a result, one will rise earlier in the morning than usual but without any hangover. On the contrary, you will be very alert, just as alert as after drinking a cup of coffee in the morning, only without the jittery feeling caused by caffeine.

The standing pose is as follows.

• Feet shoulder-width apart, and parallel to each other;
• Knees slightly bent so that you can still see your foot tips
• Raise both arms in front of your chest as if you are hugging a tree, palms open slightly and relaxed, shoulders relaxed
• Head straight, chin tucked in slightly. 
• Weight should be on the center of your feet. 
• Eyes can be open and look a few feet ahead or closed.
• You can listen to soft music.
• The key is that your spine and the top of your head （百汇穴，baihui acupuncture point) are perpendicular to the ground. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suggest stand at least 30 minutes a day; if this is difficult, you can start with 5 minutes and lengthen it as you go along.  You can find youtube by typing Zhan Zhuang (站桩）or standing meditation.

I will continue to practice for at least 100 days and update this diary.

Day 1  October 31, 2021 — 30 minutes:

body reactions:

• Hand warm and feel the center of both hands throb with the music
• Yawn
• Fart

Day 2 November 1, 2021– -40 minutes with didgeridoo music

• Yawn, fart for the first 4 or 5 minutes
• Hands become warm–especially left hand, the center of palm throbbing with the music
• After 30 minutes, feel very warm all over the body, including both feet—–the room is quite cool at 61 degree
• Relaxed about 3 minutes after finishing standing meditation.

Day3  November2,2021—40 minutes with digeridoo music, room temperature 61

• Similar to yesterday, fart, yawn–with watery eyes first 4 or 5 minutes
• Between 5-8 minutes, the whole body becomes very warm-somewhat hot as if near a heater space heater, then cool down, only hands are warm
• Qi sense is stronger on the left hand.
• Rear right scalp feels Qi as well as if some small insects gently cross like breezes–lasted 1 or 2 minutes
• Belched a few times。

Day 4 November 3, 2021—40 minutes with digeridoo music, room temperature 61

There are two health issues worth mentioning:

• I felt a bit tired today after an 80-minute round trip to REI to get bike bleed. standing just before bedtime seems to make falling into sheep hard. Last night I was awake into 1 am. 
• Smooth defecation ever: perhaps standing meditation helps with bowels movement

  Body sensation during meditation

• Similar to yesterday, 
• New senses: right middle finger and left index fingertips felt tingling for 30 seconds or also.
• body warm and comfortable.

Day 5  November 4， 2021— digeridoo music volume up 40min

• Doesn’t yawn much today
• Left shoulder tingling pain (not sustained pain), qi sense in the left inner arm,
• For the first 5 minutes–super warm, then upper body cools down, feet remain warm.

Day 6  November 5, 2021— digeridoo 40 min room temperature 62

I found my eyesight improved—– computer screen seems clearer without having to make an effort.

• Yawn, watery eyes  (throughout) and nose, fart
• shoulder and neck joint–tingling
• chest feels Qi, when moving hands towards each other, I feel as if I were pushing dense air with some resistance.
• I do not feel hot and warm as yesterday
• I feel time went by faster than the previous few days, perhaps I will increase practice time tomorrow to 45minutes.

Day 7  November 6, 2021–digeridoo 39 min room temperature 62

worked a whole day today–tuckpointing 100-year-old masonry basement walls–somewhat tired, especially hands, 2 meals: breakfast and dinner after work.

since I am somewhat tired, my stance is taller today.

• No yawn and water eyes
• Left chest tingling, 
• Lower abdomen throbbing
• left forearm—qi along meridian
• tried bit reverse breathing: abdomen out when breathing out and abdomen in when breathing in.

Day 8 November 7, 2021–light saving ends this morning, 40 minutes, 62 degree 
Digeridoo music, and youtube standing meditation instruction at the same time.

Worked a whole day again at the old masonry basement wall just like yesterday, 2 meals. When closing my eyes, all I see is the basement masonry wall with crumbling mortar in stone cracks; and my hands/wrists are sore.  When I stand with eyes closed, my body feels like the basement wall; so in the middle, I open my eyes; crumbling and dusty basement wall is not a healthy image for my body.

• For the first 10 minutes, I was yawning, and tearing seriously (my face was wet with tears)
• Left shoulder throbbing pain–but a sort of comfortable pain, right shoulder uncomfortably pain–like it is very difficult to hold my arms and hands
• Qi–tingling sensation in between fingers in both hands, stronger on the left
• Qi–tingling sensation inner left forearm, and left chest
• about at the 30th minute, feel hot (especially upper body)—a sensation like what you get when doing a push-up. This lasted about 5 or 6 minutes, then my body cooled down but was comfortable

Day 9 November 8, 2021–same setting as yesterday, 40 minutes, 65 degree

• Yawn only lightly throughout
• Belch lightly a few times
• Watery nose–as if  in cold weather
• Left wrist (内关Neiguan acupuncture point) throbbing, 
• The left chest near heartthrobs–strong qi sense (heart meridian–start from the left middle finger, palm, neiguan along inner arm till  (tianchi 天池 above left nipple).
• Shoulders tingling comfortable pain –then disappear, repeated a few times
• Near the end, left side scalp tingles (as if low-amp electric current gently blows through) for a minute.
• Both feet and hands are warm but didn’t feel hot as yesterday.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, 手厥阴心包经穴 （heart meridian) is related to emotion. People who are under chronic stress, depression will benefit from massaging this meridian.  I am hopeful, continuing standing meditation will bring joy back to my life. I will feel lighter, happier, and more content with life.

Day 10 November 9, 2021–same as yesterday, 40 minutes, 65 degree

hands and wrists hurt from working on the masonry basement last week.

• yawn, watery eyes, and nose in the first half only
• left chest just above breast (tianchi 天池)qi–moving, all five fingers of left hands  feel qi, but not the left arm tonight
• right chin–feels like itching as if an ant were walking from right to the left
• The body felt cool at the beginning, and very warm and comfortable near the end.

p.s. I forgot to take off Fitbit from my left wrist tonight.  Qigong masters suggest all electronic, wearables taken off while standing. They even suggest all electronics and home appliances be turned off.   The reason is that all those items produce electric-magnetic fields that may interfere with our body’s qi field which is usually enhanced while  we stand still and mindless dispersed. 

Day 11  November 11, 2021–same setting，65 degree

Skipped standing yesterday. Fell into sleep around 2 am.

• yawn less than 5 times
• both left and right arms (along heart meridian) felt strong qi running from the start—tingling senses start from palm to just above breasts. This lasted about 10 minutes.
• Then the qi sense vanishes from the heart meridian line, but qi sense near left up arm, armpit, and left armpit along the left up chest–Tianchi acupuncture point, which is located about left breast felt strong qi.
• Middle Dantian for a short while felt throbbing.
• Body felt cool throughout; only near the end (last 3 or 5 minutes) slightly warmed up.

Day12 November 12, 2021–same setting, 63 degree

Since starting standing meditation before bedtime, I always feel warm and comfortable before getting into a down comforter. However, for the past few days, I felt very hot in the middle of the night and couldn’t sleep well. Last night, I had to get up in the middle, pull the down comforter off and replace it with a much thinner synthetic comforter. I am not sure whether this has something to do with the after-effect of standing meditation but would like to keep a record here.

• Yawned only a few times, no tears,
• both palms feel qi sense; laogong （劳宫）acupuncture point on the right hand (located at the center of the palm) felt a bit itchy–a sense stronger than usual tingling qi sense, the parts that were overworked in tuck-pointing masonry basement also felt a bit pain, then the pain vanishes quickly.
• Both arms felt a sense of qi–but the left was stronger.
• Left  Tianchi (天池） acupuncture point felt strong qi (somewhat like a whirl of qi moving on top of it)
• Both feet and palms were warm after completing the standing.

Another change since I resumed standing meditation is that I can remember dreams more vividly, restored to the vivid level when I was 20 years younger.

Day 13 November 13, 2021—same setting as yesterday, room temperature 62

Planning to catch a movie with friends late tonight; so I stood my time earlier—at 6:30pm.

Body sensations are similar to yesterday. The body wasn’t in particular warming up; only hands and feet warmed up rather quickly. It is funny that the center of the right palm was a bit itchy just like yesterday too.

 

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standing time increases to 50 minutes

Day 14  November 14， 2021–same setting, 50 minutes, room temperature 64

For the past few days, I had trouble falling into sleep and felt difficult to get up in the morning; I decided to change stand time.  Today when I stoop down,  I felt a sharp pain at the left lower back suddenly. This never happened before in my lifetime.

• yawn and tearing in the first 10 minutes
• right forearm felt qi all around
• left tianchi (left chest above breast) felt strong qi–moving
• felt left lower back pain–but not sharp pain, more like a leftover trace of the pain I experienced earlier today
• around 40th minutes, whole body felt very warm, or to be more precise, hot. This continued for about 5 minutes, then the body cooled down.

Day 15  November 15, 2021 —-50 minutes  room temperature 60, starting time 30 minutes after supper

I have a pre-cold symptom (watery nose) probably because I sat in a windy place too long yesterday.

• yawn and tear for 1 or 1 minutes
• both arms, palms felt qi
• left tianchi–strong qi, the center of chest felt qi as well but weaker than left tianchi.
• at the 27th minute, the whole body felt hot, this lasted about 3, 4 minutes. To avoid having to take off the sweater I wore, I stood up a little, then the hotness disappears.
• for the last few minutes, the right nostril became watery.

Day 16, November 16, 2021—-45 minutes room temperature 65,  30minutes after supper

• yawn only a few times at the beginning
• after 25 minutes, the body heated up, felt hot, lasted about 3 or 4 minutes
• when arms are around the lower abdomen, felt strong qi; when moving arms closed to the body, the arms felt resistance as if there were a balloon between arms and body. this sense was weaker near the chest
• Chin felt a bit itching
• lower back just above butt felt tingling pain–a kind of comfortable pain
• near the end, palm and feet felt neither cold nor warm—first time not warm,  body cool.

Day 17, November 17,  

Interestingly, I find my hair becomes softer and shinier although I still use the same shampoo and conditioner. Diet is also the same as prior standing meditation. Perhaps this agrees with the conjecture that standing meditation strengthens kidney qi–of which the external expression is hair.

However, I found it hard to fall into sleep–perhaps I should cut youtube consumption and all other social media consumption.

Midmorning session 30 minutes:

• listened to a guided standing meditation, senses are somewhat weak. Only near the end, I felt qi running along the heart meridian on the left inner arm. perhaps, the constant guide itself is a distraction. For someone who is already familiar with standing meditation, a guided voice is unnecessary, not offering any benefit but counterproductive due to the distraction caused by a human voice.

Evening session before bedtime 50 minutes, digeridoo music on

Standing while watching a popular philosophy professor lecturing on Western and Chinese Philosophy

• right palm trembled up and down for a little while at the beginning; stopped while I exerted some effort.
• chin and lower right cheek—itching as if a small ant was crawling on the surface
• Warm-up around 30 minutes into standing,
• left chest–heart area–strong qi 
• when hands were placed  in front of middle abdomen (stomach) area–felt for the first time qi moving there
• felt qi—only tingling sensation along the left leg
• I stoop lower—lower back seemed to loosen up.

Day 18. Nov 18, 2021

My eyesight seems improved; eyes no longer felt very dry and I do not feel strained even in the evening after looking at a computer monitor for 8 hours.

midmorning 30 minutes while watching a lecture online—philosophy

• Hands warm afterward, chin itches

evening 50 minutes before bedtime

• strong qi before hands and abdomen. For a minute or so, the middle part of my abdomen throbbed.
• both heels itch–or tingles,  left heel up to the leg felt qi running for a few minutes
• right index fingertip–tingling as if there were a small electric shock
• sighing almost throughout the standing; 
• For several times， after sighing I felt a sort of bodily relief–the same sensation one gets immediately after stopping crying for a long time.

Day 19, November 19, 2021,   evening standing, 59 minutes, digridoo CD on, while watching  a youtube video 

• both arms along heart meridian felt strong qi; 
• the nose was watery for the first few minutes
• right shoulder pain
• right palm trembled up and down for 10 seconds； I controlled it and the tremble stopped.
• Around mid- and-lower abdomen felt strong qi (lower body moved a bit along with qi, then I stopped it)
• left foot-tingling in the center near yongquan (涌泉）meridian
• Felt hot after 30minutes, this continued for about 5 minutes
• Then legs felt cool; after standing ended, they no longer felt cold.
• Both heels felt pain, so I stood up a bit; the pain disappeared.
• Near the end,   qi moved in the intestine, I felt like about to poop; but this sense disappeared after I stopped standing.

Day 20, November 22, 2021, 50 minutes

Skipped standing 20 and 21. Cycling for 47.1 miles on November 20 along the riverfront trail, and stayed up too late editing photos from the bike expedition on November 21.

• right neck and cheek itch.
• stomach aches a bit
• strong qi sense especially on the left half of the body
• felt qi  (or air to be more precise) moves in the intestines.

Day 21 November 23, 2021, 50minutes

Body sensation was similar as yesterday,

• Strong qi around heart chakra for the first time
• lower abdomen felt relaxed—as if qi(air) moves in the intestines.

 

Day 22 November 24, 2021 50minutes

• Back and neck itch or tingle, the tip of right index finger tingled or rather felt a bit numb
• Itches under chin
• My stomach ached a little
• Felt really hot around 37minutes and lasted for 6 or 7 minutes
• right arm felt strong qi
• left up arm felt qi as well
• for a while, the left body felt warmer than the right.
• huiyin (会阴）acupuncture point felt warm

 

Day 23 November 25, 2021, 50 minutes

Worked on the basement masonry wall for well over 9 hours, skipped lunch, and had two meals only. Dirty job. Again I had to stand with eyes open; otherwise, I would see empty cracks between old bricks—the top part of the basement.

Today, my body sensation was weak perhaps because I was tired physically after manual work in a not-so-pleasant environment. Additionally, it might be I became too self-conscious on my stance–whether my shoulders pulled back a little. Due to years of sitting in front of a computer–my shoulders are rounded forward; and my neck vertebra seems not as straight as when I was younger, judging from the reflection on my dresser mirror. Perhaps I should trust myself, not worry too much about my body position as long as I feel comfortable.

•  Palms were warm.
•  Body felt cold, heels hurt, especially the right heel. near the end, I stood up a bit.

Day24 November 26, 2021, 1 hour

• Again felt strong qi in the heart chakra–area surrounding tangzhong （檀中）acupuncture point.
• Both hands warm; fingertips of right hand tingled (mumbling)
• The left temple felt an ant-crawling sense.
• The body heated up around 40th minutes and lasted for 4 or 5 minutes.
• near the end, I went to the bathroom–standing meditation always helps with constipation. In the past few days, it has been cold; and hot forced air heating dried up living environment—this results in dry lips and dry poop and thus constipation. A humidifier will help with all these symptoms rather than resorting to lip balm and drugs.

Day 25, November 27, 2021, 1 hour

Today, I shortened the distance between two feet and made it no more than shoulder-width.

• felt strong qi in-between arms and body
• tried to shift weight from heel to toe, then from toe to heel slowly. Interesting, the qi moved together with the body. Then, I moved my body slightly clockwise or anti-clockwise, the qi also moves together with the body.
• palms warm,
• left-back neck, around left jaw itches
• right index fingertip tingles strongly

Day 26， November 28,2021,1 hour

• Many sensations are the same as yesterday. This includes left side neck itches, left heel tingles, right index fingertip numbles. The stomach area felt a pinch of pain. the chest near the heart area feels strong qi.
• The right index finger also pains as if replaying a movie. It gets hurt from clicking Magic mouse too often.
• New: the heel of left palm tingles (da ling, 大陵 acupuncture point) and right-hand hegu acupuncture point(合谷穴）tingled. Hegu is located between index finger and thumb. the area around huiyin(会阴） felt warm. Interestingly, daling point corresponds to the reproductive system according to Chinese medicine. Thus, it makes sense that huiyin (located between anus and micturition organ–the center point of the bottom of our torso.
• at around the 40th minute, I felt very hot. This lasted about 5 minutes also, then returned to normal body temperature. At the beginning of standing, I felt a bit too cool actually, so put on a light down vest.

Good practice today. Hope I can break away from my recent addiction to online shopping for sportswear.

Day 27, November 29, 2021, 1 hour

listen to the digeridoo and a youtube lecture on  Chinese philosophy. I was in winter slippers and fluffy fleece pants. However, I felt cold in the first 20 minutes; then palms warmed up later.

• yawned a few times–causing watery eyes
•  chin itches for a few seconds, the bottom of left palm (pinky side) hurt (again caused by using magic mouse too often)—disappeared after 1 minute–as if the pain episode were a movie.
• face felt tighter right after standing
• did a few minutes cloud hands after standing
• shift body weight slightly on different parts of feet

Day 28, November 30, 2021,  50 minutes

• left sole itches
• the right neck just behind years felt a tinge of pain for a short while
• knees hurt, so I shifted my weight left and right near the end
• right cheek also tingled.
• palms and feet became warm.
• At minute 40th, the whole body became hot. This lasted for about 5 or 6 minutes, then cooled down–a tiny bit too cool.

Day29, December 2, 2021, 30 minutes in the morning

Skipped December 1.  The weather turned hot, high above 70. My down comforter is too hot for sleep. I had trouble falling into sleep yesterday and today. However, my fitbit showed that deep sleep time is normal. I am not feeling sluggish during the day. The holiday is near and the shopping season started.  I am aware of my suddenly developed frenzy for tech sportswear. To combat online shopping impulse, I started standing meditation in the morning, and went for a run in the neighborhood in the afternoon.

There is not much special body sensation to record.

Day 30, December 3, 2021, 1 hour

I was watching a youtube documentary that introduces impressionist art in France. My heels felt hurt; so in the middle, I took off shoes and stood on a folded soft yoga mat. My feet thanked me.  As my attention was on the movie, it was hard for me to notice body sensations. However, I noticed that some acupuncture points on my left wrists throbbed. It will be better for me not to watch any movies when standing—relaxing music is OK.

Day 31, December 4, 2021, 50 minutes

I didn’t feel much sensation today.

• For a few minutes, the scalp itched and vanished.
• The back of my right hand felt a tingling pain (related to mouse clicking probably).
• The left sole near the heel itches for a minute or two.
• The left temple felt a bit tense.

Day 32, December 5, 2021, 1 hr

set 70-minute timer. last few 10 minutes on self-massaging, shaking, hands moving in 8.

• Practiced reverse breathing–abdomen in when breathing in and out when breathing out (a slow version of fire of breath in kundalini yoga, and it is a Daoist breathing method). Under this breathing method, qi goes down to Dantian when one breathes out.
• The body got very hot at minute 40 ish and lasted for at least 5 minutes. Cooled down a bit after taking off a jacket.
• After 8-moving exercises (hands moved around the torso like 8), and standing still, the hips kept moving in a circle on its own. I have to use intention to keep it still.

Shoulders, neck, and the whole scalp are very tight and felt pain if pushed. Hope the tightness will go away eventually after continuing mild exercises (cycling, slow jogging, walking, and standing meditation).

Day 33， December 6, 2021， 1hr 10min, while watching a movie<wandering earth>

Perhaps it is not good watching the sci-fi movie as it is loud and thrilling. However, I tried not to let it affect my breathing.
the persistent sensations are

• left heel, chins, left cheek itches
• a tinge of pain in the bottom of fingers
• palms itches
• body heats up for some time
• both arms feel qi moving along the meridian

Day 34, December 7, 2021,  standing for 45 minutes, then 25 minutes relaxing movement and self-massage, while watching a youtube on Buddhism’s classical scripture <Lengyan><楞嚴經>.

• body heated up at 30 minutes or so and lasted about 5 minutes (the room is very cool at 56 degrees)
• left eyelid throbbed.
• heart area–left chest- felt qi
• both palms felt qi.

The pressure of job search began to bother me. My publication record is well above average if not outstanding, better than many full professors in the institutions I applied to. Although I got quite a few first-round interviews, but thus far have not received a second-round interview invitation; why? and what to do if nothing turns out near the end of the annual job season.  In real life, it is hard to maintain one’s inner peace no matter how much and how often you meditate, and how many Buddhist classical scriptures you study. 

Perhaps mother nature planted in everyone a heart of non-stopping worrying about the future and regretting about the past. So be it. I am somewhat worried and anxious now.

I do not know where to find the unchangeable, stable, and permanent place in my heart. So be it.

Day 35, December 8, 2021, standing for 59 minutes, then self-massaging for 10 minutes

Fitbit shows that my deep sleep time is over 2 hours last night. I have a vivid dream–fly to japan and visit department stores there. There is a young woman as a guide in this dream and previous one. Somewhat odd, I only had a layover at Tokyo airport once in my whole life, having not visited there.

• left feet–heel, the middle part of the sole tingled, itches
• the place near left nostril itches,
• the inner corner of right itches
• strong qi sense in the palms.
• tingling pain in the fingers

My sleep shows improvement. Three days in a row, deep sleep time is over 2 hours, shown by my fitbit.

Day 36, December 9, 2021, Practice Shaolin one finger zen for 30 minutes, then stand for 30 minutes

I notice that I barely yawn at the beginning of my daily standing and sleep quality seems improving compared with early days of standing practice

• Chin and left palm felt itching for a little while
•  lower back felt tingling pain for a short while
• Felt very hot 30 minutes into standing.

Day37， December 11， 2021， stand for 1 hour while listening to a  youtube episode on CryptoCurrency

• left sole tingled, the right feet felt a bit of pain
• chin tingled
• My stomach ached a little, my lower left back ached a bit
• whole body felt cold despite the room temp is  at 63, higher than usual
• strong qi ball sense in between hands and chest

Day38， December 12, 2021. 1 hr

• For the first time, various places throbbed; chin,  quze（曲泽）acupuncture point in the arms
• stomach aches— in the past few days, felt heartburn after eating boiled grounded legume mix smoothie
• heart area strong sense of qi
• after half an hour or so, I felt hot; then 4 or 5 minutes, felt cold at  65 F.
• flatulence， false  bowel movement
• inside of left ear felt throbbing pain.

Day 39, December 13, 1 hr while watching an episode of perspective

There is a limp and numb sensation in the chin.
Muscles in the chin and inner side of arms throbbed and also has a numbing sensation.

Stood another hour in the evening before bedtime

• similar sensation as above. In addition,
• the inner corner of the right eye felt pain. The minmeng(命门， the door of life, left kidney) area felt pains.
• right eyelid throbs.

All pains during standing are flickering around; coming and going like characters in a movie. Interesting to observe these changes in one’s own body.

Day 40, December 14, 1 hr

• For the first time, I sensed needling like a sharp pain or numbing in various places, first index fingertips, then somewhere in the palms, arms, then in the stomach. 
• the left temple also felt some dull pain at the beginning
• pain under the left collarbone.
• felt very hot after 40 minutes or so, lasted for 8 minutes or so; then cooled down.
• Fart, and burp. 
• after finishing standing, I had a bowel movement. For the past few days, I had constipation perhaps due to dry air caused by heating.

Day 41, December 16, 1 hr

the tingling/itching sensations seemed to move down to the lower body, such as legs and groin areas.

Day 42 December 17, 70 minutes

• yawned a few times—I have stopped yawning since day 17 according to the diary
•  again felt tingling/itching sensation  in the lower private part of the body
• stomach ached
• chin and cheek itches
• felt very hot after 40minutes also to the point that I wanted to take one layer of clothing off; but then after 10 to 15 minutes, body cooled down, and I felt a bit too cold. Eventually, I felt neither hot nor cold, just the way I should feel at  63 F.
• Fart and burp a few times.

Day 43. December 18, 70 minutes while watching a documentary–perspective on youtube.

• chin and cheek itched. muscles in the chin throbbed a few times
• right armpit and right shin also itched
• fart and burp a few time
• cannot help sighing
• body heated up after standing for 1 hour or so

I missed one day to update the diary, so actually, I have been practicing for 44 days already.

Day 44, December 19, 76 minutes—no youtube, only digiredoo music

• armpit issues, inside ears itches; and shin; qi seems to have moved to lower body
• chin itches
• pelvis circled around.
• felt hot after 40 minutes or so, then cool down.

 Sit meditation for 31 minutes before bedtime; sitting is more calming than standing meditation. I will pick up this habit again after stopping for so many years.

Day 45, December 20, 76 minutes- digiredoo music

I went for a long walk in the afternoon, 1 hour and 40 minutes, totaling 14000 steps for the day; I didn’t feel tired at all afterward. I guess these standing practice probably does make me stronger and healthier.

In the beginning, youtube is on at the perspective channel; then too many ads popped up, and it becomes very distractive. I decided to turn it off. 

Following digeridoo music, I found it is easier to be relaxed.

neck and shoulders are still very tight. I will probably resume aerobic exercises during the day to 

Body sensation:

• scalp, chin itches
• strong qi in upper arms and some acupuncture points in the upper arms throbbed.
• at minute 30 or so, I felt super hot and had to take a layer of clothing off. 
• after some minutes, I felt chilly again, then put clothing back on
• pelvis circles around–the didgeridoo music sometimes seems to provide a booster for the pelvis to move faster.
• breathing became slower and deeper; for at least 10 minutes, I started to breathe in with my nose and breath out with my mouth. It feels good as if a heavy load was taken off from my chest. Then, my breath returned to normal, via nostrils.

Day 46, December 21, 76-minute standing and 20-minute sitting meditation

• Walked for two hours in the afternoon. Amazingly, I didn’t feel tired at all. 
• shoulders and neck are still tight. I need to resume aerobic exercises to loosen them up.
• Body sensations are similar. It seems that qi spread out to lower parts of my body including the crotch area when standing. Interestingly, ear holes and sometimes scalp felt itching as well.
• Cheeks, chin continue to itch and tingle.
• Pain in stomach area along with burps and farts.
• and of course, continue to have strong qi sense in the arms and palms. The left up arm and left chest near the heart area have the strongest qi sense.

Difference between sitting and standing meditation

• With lower height and legs crossed, sitting offers more stability; hence, it is easier to calm the mind and focus on breathing than standing meditation.
• Because I sit after standing, some of the qi sensations remain when sitting, especially around the second chakra—膻中穴位，tanzhong acupuncture point in Chinese medicine.
• Once quiet down in sitting, all worries and troubles in daily life seem to vanish. It is indeed a very pleasant state.

Day 47, December 22, 76 minutes standing with digeridoo music

Standing with a different digeridoo music with a faster tempo;

All other body sensations are no different from yesterday’s standing. However, at certain points: eyelids and eyebrow areas twist and move involuntarily. Later I realized it is because of the frequency of a particular sound coming from the music—somewhat like the concussion sound of metal instruments–crispier and sharper than those of wooden didgeridoo music.

Based on my experience, different sound (frequency, sharp or mellow, fast or slow) causes different parts of the body to resonate and therefore induces a corresponding sensation. Compared with the sensations that I had in the early days, needling-sharp body sensations developed later, and sensation occurs sooner in the left side of the body–heart area (or areas that left heart meridian path). Then the body sensation moves both downward to feet( sole) and upward to the scalp, and of course, the right side also develops a similar sensation.

Day 48, December 23, 76 minutes standing with digeridoo music

felt cold for the 1st hr, both hands were cold. sneezed once; then after 1 hr, back to normal: neither hot nor cold.  sneezed once. Left cheek muscle throbbed. cannot help circling the pelvis. as past few days, in the middle of the standing, I felt like sighing; breathed in through my nose and breathed out slowly through the mouth. Felt a deep sense of relief.

Day 49， December 24， 76 minute standing with digeridoo music as a timer

The weather is extremely warm at 22 high.  I felt a bit cold for the first 40 minutes of standing; in the middle, I decided to put on a pair of fleece pants.

• still feel cold.
• then around the 40th minute, I felt my body shiver very subtly; then it warmed up; another shiver warmed further up; until I felt very hot and warm. This continued for about 10 minutes; then I felt the need to relieve my bowel.
• Back and continued to stand; body heat disappeared.
• Body circled gently around my lower dantian; my left hand and shoulders started to move to forward and front as well.   So I changed arms’ positions.
• Put left arm directly above the right; left Laogong acupuncture point directly above the right (the elbow area) and stooped a bit lower; this seemed to stop the involuntary move.
• continued to stand, and after being still for a while,  the body seemed t to move again; this time, it circled around the middle dantian (located just below the lowest left and right ribs meet) gently.

I am a bit worried about involuntary body movement during standing; after searching online, it seems that I need not worry; when it comes, feel it; when it leaves, let it be.   However, there are opposite views on whether one should keep eyes open or closed. some states that eyes should stay open and watching youtube, listening to music are OK; and others claim it is better to try to do absolutely nothing.

I myself think neither statement is clear enough. let me first talk about whether to listen to music while we stand.  The digeridoo music I listened to does not evoke any emotion in me, and its sound wave does cause vibration in my body, and I think it is good. Chinese qigong sometimes uses  (five) sounds to heal, and each corresponds to an organ. Therefore, listening to healing music that is abundantly available for free on youtube is good and actually may enhance the effect of standing meditation.   However, you need to choose the music carefully. Different instruments may have different effects on our bodies.  The sound of different instruments contains different frequencies, textures, structures, and tempos. That’s why Chinese qigong uses different sounds to heal different organs in our body. In modern medicine, the therapist also uses music to heal.  In a nutshell, yes we can listen to music when standing; but choose music wisely. I will not choose music that will excite me or cause me to be sad or melancholy.

In Hinduism or Buddhism, chanting mantras also may help one quiet down; and gather and calm our wandering mind by anchoring it on sounds or words.   I personally found this method very helpful. Whatever method you use, the important thing is to stop our monkey mind and let it sit/standstill. Since I live alone, chanting out loud will be a kind of physical exercise for me too; yes, it exercises my lung and throat.

Now let me talk about whether to keep eyes shut whiling standing. Shutting eyes removes visual distractions automatically; so it drives our mind inward and focuses on ourselves, whether it is our own in- and out-breath, or our heartbeat or other body sensations. When watching youtube documentaries while standing, I find it more difficult to recall my body sensations; but body sensations do exist whether we notice them or not. Sometimes, while I rest and go on my day after standing practice; I notice that body sensations continue even when I do not standstill.

Personally, I think to get into the ecstatic state, sitting meditation is more effective than standing one because sitting literally grounds us; we do not need to maintain balance. By ecstatic state, I mean the state I occasionally experience. in that state (at least 20 minutes into sitting,  you feel your body no longer exists; you and the environment become one; time also seems to cease to exist. Of course, along with this wholeness, all your troubles and worries also disappear.

Day 50  December 25, 2021, 60 minutes digeridoo, 5 minute stretch after standing

Nothing new to record today. I tried to change hands’ position to stop circling around dantian (lower or the middle): one forearm is above the other—the palm of one arm is above the other’s elbow area where the upper and forearm meet, and stoop a bit lower.  Thus far,  I  find this adjustment of the pose is very effective.  I will need to add stretch and movement to ease the tension on the neck and shoulders in addition to walks.

Day 51， December 26， 2021， about 50 minutes, a few minutes’ stretch afterward.

Today I spent the whole day reading the classical scripture of the sixth generation Zen Master—huineng ( 638 A.D-713 A.D) in the Tang dynasty. He barely had any formal schooling. Nor did he receive much instruction from zen masters ahead of him. He seemed destined to become a zen master. Only after working in a temple for eight months, he achieve nirvana and see through the dualities of the world.

Because he did not have formal schooling, actually, he is illiterate, his instruction is very clear and easy to understand. He never cited other masters.  Interestingly,  many of his points coincide with those of David Hume’s <treatise on human nature>. For example, Huineng said, ” although virtue and evil appear very different, they are actually one.”   In Hume’s <treatise on human nature>, similar views abound. For example, he pointed out why ” virtue and evil are indeed one.” That’s because they all measure one thing—ethics. Beauty and ugliness are the same because both measure the same thing!

Nothing special to report on the body sensation of standing.

• my body became hot after 30 minutes’ standing
• circling motion continues; I tried to stand still, but my body still circled however subtle the movement was.
• muscles near the left jaw throbbed.
• tingling, needling sensation in the chin, fingers, and on the left sole.

Day 52, December 27, 2021, 1 hour

Nothing special to note. 

• My throat felt a bit sore, perhaps from blowing wind when I cycled in the forest park in the afternoon;
• The temple felt a bit of pain.
• Part of my scalp itched and felt a bit of pain.
• for a very short while, the right earhole felt Qi moving along with didgeridoo music.

Day 53, December 28, 2021, 1 hour

• The whole scalp felt strange: a sort of numbing sense. Then I felt part of my scalp was throbbing, tingling, just like the sense I have with my arms in early days. Temples have tension pain.
• Very strong Qi current in the inner side of both arms to the point that as if there were currents running along a path on the inner side of my arms.
• Itching and tingling in my cheeks and below eyes.
• Around 40th minutes, the whole body felt very hot. As I know the sense of hotness will pass after a few minutes (no more than 10), I continued standing without trying to take off a layer of clothing.
• For a short while, my pelvis wants to circle around on its own; tried to stop it intentionally and the movement becomes more subtle.

Day 54, December 29, 2021, 55 minutes

Today my throat is a bit sore. Maybe it is a pre-cold syndrome because I caught too much wind when cycling in the forest park the other day.   I had a third booster vaccine in the afternoon. Thus far, I don’t have a physical reaction.

• both hands are cold in the beginning, and my body felt cold too.
• my whole body heats up about 40 minutes into standing.
• at the beginning of the standing; both arms feel strong qi—as if an electric current runs in the inner side of both arms.
• left ear hole feels qi.
• cheeks and left yongquan (in the sole)  tingle and itch from time to time.
• a pinch of stomach ache.

Day 55, December 30, 2021,  30 minutes sitting meditation

I had a very bad day today from the side effect of the third booster covid 19 shot: headache, nauseous, muscle pain, fever, and chills. In the evening, I cannot stand lying on the bed, managed to find the drug–he Jigong, I brought from HK—pain killer and anti-fever. Only one hour after, I felt much lighter.

I tried to stand, but my body felt weak; so I decided to just sit for half an hour and observe my breath and thoughts; gas comes out from above and the bottom as I ate two boiled sweet potation today; they are known as gas-producing food.

Day 56, December 31, 2021, 30-minute standing without music, only heating vent noise

I still feel weak from the side effects of the booster vaccine, so my stance is higher than normal. Inner arms still feel qi currents, but much weaker because of no digeridoo or simply because of my health condition. 

Sneezed once and burped a few times. Many of these side effects of the booster vaccine resemble those of flu. Hope all side effects will be gone by tomorrow. At the end of 30 minutes, hands feel warm and comfortable.

Day 57,  Jan. 1, 2022, 1-hr standing; 30-min sitting

After a long sleep, I’ve shaken off the side effects of the booster vaccine, back to being myself again.

1-hr standing as the didgeridoo music in the background

• The qi-current along the inner arms is back to normal; strong, so is the qi sense in the physical heart area–left chest
• The scalp, cheeks, chin, and eyes feel itchy at the beginning of the standing
• in the first 30 minutes, I feel a bit cold.
• during the stand, I cannot help sighing, as if to release stress and pressure that have been accumulated in my body for thousands of years.
• At about 40 minutes or so, my whole body begins to feel warm and hot; this lasts about 5 minutes.
• When my body temperature returns to normal, I begin to end standing, stretch, and self-massage my head, face, and body

30-minute sitting before sleep  No music; only noise from the heating vent in the room

• The qi-current in the arms seems to continue running after sitting down and settling into my posture
• The air is very dry with heating; observing breath makes this dry sense even more acute; so try to focus on mantra
• Tried yogi’s “sa ta na ma”, then with Chinese Buddhism, “a mi to fo”. 
• Mantra as an anchor of mind is indeed very effective.

Without music, 30-minute seems plenty; stretch and go to bed. 

Without cycles, be years, seasons, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, or seconds, our psyche cannot sense the passing of time.

Today is the first day of 2022; the whole world is celebrating it because we want to; as time itself, it is a day no different than the other 364 days of 2022 ahead. Our collective psyche makes it special. on this special day, we look back at the 365 days behind us and look forward to the 364 days ahead; but it is an ordinary day just like the 364 days ahead.

Yet, it is still a special day. When I took a walk in the evening in the drizzling rain, at least three strangers said ” Happy New Year” to me; and I replied in kind.

Day 58. January 2, 37 minutes standing

I haven’t recorded a standing experience for nearly 5 days; nothing extraordinary occurred.

• Recently, at the beginning of standing, scalp often felt a bit funny—scalps are tight; felt pain with pressure—
• temple pain
• itching in a number of places in the face
• The earholes also felt the vibration
• felt like circling pelvis
• The whole body felt very hot at around the 40th minute and lasted for a few minutes

Day 59, January 3, 37-minute standing

similar as yesterday

Day 60, January 4, 37-minute standing

similar to yesterday; however, I noticed, if I watch youtube, and no digeridoo music is on; then the qi current on the arms is much weaker.  My body did heat up around 30th minutes and lasted for a few minutes

Day 61, January 5, 1-hour standing, 30-minute sitting

similar to yesterday. The body heated up around 36 minutes or so, lasted for several minutes. I stopped standing after the body began to cool down to normal temperature.

Day 62, January 6, 37-minute standing; 36-minute sitting

stand while watching a documentary on Tibet yogi. One of the lama the documentary interviews said sth about meditation: “imagining the whole body is hollow with energy concentrating on one spot only—diantian (or the second chakra). I will try this technique when standing or sitting. The movie also showed a young lama practicing yoga in the lotus pose; the lama actually moves forcefully, and his body jumped high in the air with legs still in the lotus position. This verifies the claim that meditation, standing or sitting, should not require a meditator in a rigid inanimate pose. Moving may facilitate the body’s energy flow and therefore makes the practice more effective and efficient.

Because I was watching videos while standing and no digeridoo music was on, the qi current in both arms is very weak; especially today, my body didn’t quite heat up.

Sitting: I find it somewhat hard to quiet down and collect all thoughts into one point tonight; near the end, I notice the qi around dantian is moving; and some points on the legs are throbbing.

Day 63, Jan. 7, 1 hour standing with digeridoo music

It seems that the body is moving in another stage after 60-day standing practice. That is, the arms no longer have a strong qi-current sensation although the qi is still on, but weaker.

I felt that the area just below Tanzhong–the lowest center of the rib cage, roughly equivalent to the 3rd chakra, and Dantian, the 2nd chakra—have strong qi. When I hold my hands in front of my chest and move my hands closer to the chest, my hands actually feel as if they are hugging a balloon.

• My body heated up quickly today while I followed the chanting from the didgeridoo music. This lasted a few minutes
• Dantian area as if has an internal force that moves my abdomen/pelvis in circles.
• Scalp, eyes, and the left inner side of the sole itches.

30-minute sitting before bedtime

• 30 minutes went by fast; my mind was not quiet though

Interestingly, my fitbit with sleep tracking function shows that I had 2-hour deep sleep time for three nights in a low. It seems that sitting meditation probably helps improve sleeping quality if I can continue not to watch any youtube before sleep and let my mind be prepared for sleep after hopping on to the bed.

Day 64, Jan. 8, 1-hour standing with didgeridoo music, and listening to audio reading– on < a brief history of Chinese Philosophy> by Youlan Feng, the male voice is very sweet and soothing.

• My body heated up at about the 30th minute; lasted for 5 minutes; then I had a very strange feeling, the torse started to feel a bit chilly, but both palms are still warm. Then
• My body cooled down; indeed felt a bit chilly as I only wear a single layer+ a cycling vest+ a down vest
• The muscles below my eyes throbbed for a short while; so are the scalps
• Tried to stand still; but if my hands were held steady, then my pelvis would start to circle on its own; if I move at least one hand, then my pelvis would not move much; I let my body take its own course.
• Then at one point, I started to sigh and felt like crying only for a short while.

After 1 hour, I decided to end the standing; and began to massage my scalps and face.

35-minute sitting before bedtime

• near the end of the sitting, I sensed my body continued to circle around Dantian; however, the movement is more subtle than when standing. 
• It is hard to quiet the mind; the mind seems jumping around.

Day 65, Jan. 9. 1-hr standing, and 35-minute sitting

• Similar to yesterday, in the beginning, the scalp and eyes  feel itchy
• The body heated up around the 30th minute
• Stand lower, the body was stable almost for the whole process; only near the end, the body moved forward and back slightly
• Felt pain in the shoulders (the well of shoulders)
• Felt like sighing as if to release past pains
• For the past few days, the lower back-kidney area felt pain.

In the sitting, I tried to use mantras or counting to quiet my mind.

Day 66, Jan. 10, 45-minute standing in the morning.

• similar to yesterday, the scalp and eyes feel itchy at the beginning
• around the 30th minute, the body heated up.

32-minute standing again in the evening.

• Shoulder and back pain, the left earhole–funny,
• Muscles in the face and underarms throb.

58-minute standing while watching a youtube video on standing

1. The right earhole feels funny (itching? not quite, hard to describe)
2. The left earhole pains for a few minutes
3. The whole body heats up at the 47th minute and lasts for 5 minutes.
4. The shoulders feel pain–especially the right shoulder
5.  Fart a few times

Day 67, Jan. 11,  2 40-minute standing during the day with a high stance, 35-minute sitting before bedtime

Interestingly, some of the common body sensations that happened in the early stage of standing reappeared: burping, farting.  Yawning occurs only if I have a bad night’s sleep in the day.

• Burp and fart quite often
• Eyes itch,  the scalps and neck itch
• The stomach or liver area feels a very dull pain.
• The left heel feels a needling pain.
• Left shoulder and upper back pain.
• The kidney areas feel sore, distension
• I can also sense intestine peristalsis when farting.

Day 68, Jan. 12,  3 40-minute standing during the day while watching youtube, 40-minute sitting before bedtime

•  The body sensations are the same as yesterday.
• Additionally, I found that after standing, both hands feel distension.  To relieve this sensation, I try to move my hands—tighten into fists, then release several times.
• The facial muscles throb while I stand.
• The 40-minute sitting went by fast; and while sitting, I can sense qi moves in the Dantian-Second Chakra area.

Day 69, Jan. 12   2-40 minute standing while watching youtube.

I tried a different pose—somewhat like a relaxed warrior yoga pose.  Please refer to the picture below. In this pose, the bodyweight distribution is 70/30, 70% on the back leg.  In this pose, the body becomes very steady; the tendency of moving the pelvis and lower abdomen vanishes. However, for a short while, the front leg shakes. I guess this is because the muscles are used to being under pressure in the normal stance. The pressure is lessened, from 50% of the bodyweight to only 30%; the muscles are still tense, but the reaction is weakened; hence, the ligaments vibrate. This cause and effect phenomenon is the same as the vibration of any strings after being hit, like piano strings; or guitar strings.

In this pose–3-point pose

• the underarm felt a needling numb.
• the lower back (minmeng 命门，肾俞）area felt sore
• some areas in the thigh also felt pleasant pain.
• facial muscles still itch and throb
• eyes and scalps still itch.
• continue to fart and burp (intestine peristalsis)

 

 

 

 

 

Day 70 Jan. 14, 2022, 60-minute standing

While standing, I change the position of my arms. 

• The warrior pose is more stable, and the front leg moves involuntarily
• Intestine peristalsis, and fart
• Sore lower back
• Muscles in the underarm throb.
• The scalps itch.

Day 71 Jan. 15, 2022, 60-minute standing 45-minute sitting 

• lower back-kidney areas sore
• lower left back teeth feel a dull pain
• both shoulders sore, especially the shoulder well acupuncture points
• scalp itches
• eyes itch
• a few fingers also feel  dull pains
• fart and burp a lot during the day

Day 72, Jan. 16, 2022, 60-minute standing

Bodily sensations are very similar to yesterday. There is a new sensation: the stomach felt throbbing.  This is the first time I felt this.

The area around the heart felt dull pain while standing. According to <The dream of Red Mansions>, left chest pain is caused by anger. According to Chinese medicine, anger causes the qi in the liver to move up and result in left chest pain.

Day 73, Jan. 17, 2022, 

50-minute standing early afternoon while watching a youtube video:

today I stand lower;

• the body did not have the tendency to move at all. However,
• the muscles of the outside of the front leg (takes only about 30% body weight) throbbed.
• The whole body heated up for a few minutes after 40-minute standing, then cooled down.
• Burped a few times.

50-minute in the evening while watching a talk by Sadhguru

• The stomach aches a little-want to poop in the middle
• Again I can sense the peristalsis of the intestines and the stomach
• I stand lower—the body tends to move on its own–side by side–as if I were a roly-poly
• The right thumb feels pain.
• left kidney area throbs.

Day 74, Jan. 18, 2022

25-minute Shaolin one-finger Chan qigong in the morning. 40-minute standing in the evening.

• the stomach and liver area feel pain
• finger knots in the hands felt pain
• left cheek throbbed
• shoulder wells acupuncture points felt pain,
• lower back (kidneys) areas felt sore.

Day 75 Jan 19, 2022.   2 40-minute standing

• Finger joints pain
• Kidneys area dull and distending pain
• shoulder blades area in the back, and shoulder top (shoulder well acupuncture points feel pain)
• The stomach area feels pain.
• cheek muscles throb.

Day 76, Jan 20, 2022, 30-minute standing,

similar as yesterday–travel

Day 77, Jan 21, 2022,  30-minute in the morning

as above-travel,    Jan. 22-travel.

Day 78, Jan 23, 2022,  2 40-minute in the evening with digeridoo music

The right outside of thigh felt pain; it affects my gait. Not sure what caused this, but this started on Jan. 22 after waking up from a long sleep. Felt nauseous at the same time. I guess the trip took a toll on me.

In the first 40-minute standing, I only watch the <dreams of red mansion>. I find that with digeridoo music on.  The qi sense is much strengthened.

1. The arms cannot help but move
2. The pelvis starts to circle around
3. The left ear hole felt a bit funny, some fingertips felt numbing.
4. The kidney areas still feel sore and bloated.
5. The left temple felt throbbing pain.
6. The stomach felt a bit funny.
7.  The body heats up after 30 minutes or so.

I still feel tired, nauseous, and heavy-headed today from the trip.

Day 79, Jan 24, 2022—- 2 40-minute in the evening with digeridoo music

Similar to yesterday.

• The scalp itches
• Back near the shoulder blades area felt funny–itches
• Palms pain: to be precise, finger knots pain
• fluctuates

Day 80, Jan. 25, 2022—2 40-minute with digeridoo music

• The scalp, lower back (kidney) area itch.
• The right shoulder feels hurt(the tip of the shoulder, shoulder well acupuncture point)
• The stomach and liver area feel pain.
• The right sole tingles.
• Fart a few times.

Day 81, Jan. 26, 2022—40-minute with digeridoo music

It seems the Qi is working on my frozen shoulder-neck area.

• Today the area just below the left shoulder blade itches
• For the first time, the left out the front side of the left sole feels pain—and after checking the meridian/acupuncture point picture from Chinese medicine (see attached photo). This area in the left foot corresponds to the left shoulder, left ear, and left shoulder blades—-to be precise, correspond to trapezius.
• The pain in the left foot stopped after a few minutes; then the left palm also felt the pain of a similar nature.
• face feels itchy.
• While standing, I feel like moving arms: big circles around the shoulders.

Hopefully, if I continue to stand, shoulder tension will disappear eventually.

• 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 82, Jan. 27, 2022–2 40 -minutes with digeridoo music

• The pains continue to come and go in the palms, shoulder tips (the spring of shoulder wells), the lower back (kidney areas), the feet (toes, or the front part of feet).
• Sometimes, the stomach or the liver area also feels pain.
• sometimes the temple areas also feel pain–tension headache
• occasionally, the ear holes also feel funny
• The back teeth (where my dentist suspects to have periodontal diseases) also feel very dull and light pain.
• Fingertips sometimes feel mumbling and tingling
• Yesterday, eyelids (on the left) throbbed.
•  

Day 83, Jan. 28, 2022— 2 40-minutes with digeridoo music

When the didgeridoo music is on, the qi sense in the arms is obviously stronger—feels that there were qi currents running. Interestingly, at night, when I am in bed, I can still feel what happened during standing continues on— as a result, I feel very warm in bed despite the room temperature is set low at 58 degrees.

Day 84, Jan. 29, 2022, Day 85, Jan. 30—–2 or 3 40-minute with digeridoo music

These days, the qi seems working on the kidney–the lower back. According to Chinese medicine, teeth and ears are directly linked with the Qi of kidneys.

• The kidney areas feel sore
• Sometimes I can feel a dull pain in a few teeth; the ears also feel funny–dull pain in the earholes.
• Tendon pain in the palm, upper arm, the front sole, and toes sometimes.
• Shoulder pain in the shoulder well acupuncture points.
• face and neck itch
• sometimes I cannot help sighing and feeling crying (for a short while, a few minutes) while standing, then back to normal.
• The stomach and liver area feel pain.
• the scalp itches.
• Fingertips feel numbing
• Temple feels pain

Day 86, Jan. 31, 2022, —–2 40-minute standing with digeridoo music

The body sensation is similar to the day before. Interestingly, many sensations continue even after I finish standing. The Inner ear feels a short and sharp pain sometimes.

Day 87, Feb. 1, 2022— 70 minutes with digeridoo music.

All sensations are similar to those in other days.  A new sensation: in the scalp, I feel needling pains for a short while. This is the 1st time.

Day 88, Feb. 2, 2022— 70 minutes in the morning with digeridoo music

Somewhat similar to yesterday.—I found the collar area feels pain——probably from holding the 3-point pose (that uses the muscle around the collar bones and shoulders).

• Needling pain in the scalp— the back  top of the head
• Shoulders and neck are warm and comfortable after standing.
• Both inner ears feel warm/dull pain.
• Soreness of the lower back (in the kidney area) is lessened; I can feel the right side throbs.
• The left eyelid throbs.
• Acupuncture points in the front–near collar bones, shoulders–at the back (near shoulder blades and neck, faces around eyes, ears, forehead, palms) feel pain if pushed.

Day 89, Feb. 3, 2022—-2 60-minute standing with digeridoo music

I found the area below collar bones sore—and feel pain when pressed. I guess the muscles in that area get stretched when standing in the three-point pose. Interestingly, the tendency to circle the pelvis stopped.

The shoulder area felt hot when I sleep.

• Tension pain in the head
• Facial muscles throb.
• Throats feel sore.
• The kidney area feels sore
• The outside front sole of the right foot feels pain when I stand in the three-point pose–with the right arm in the front.
• The earholes feel pain sometimes even when I am not standing.
• some areas in the gum feel pain.

Day 90, Feb. 4, 2022—–2 50-minute standing with digeridoo music

• Foot pain
• The lower back teeth  feel pain
• needling pain in the palm and below shoulder blades
• The area around the collar bone feels pain—sore upon a light press.
• The area around the anus itches
• The tightness around the shoulders and neck seems to start loosening.

Day 91, Feb. 5, 2022—-2 50-minute standing with digeridoo music

• Foot and palm pain
• The area around the collar bone feels pain, especially the left side
• Lower back pain–especially the right side.
• The lower back teeth pain–on the left and right
• Facial and neck itch.
• The stomach and lower abdomen feel pain.
• The left earhole feels hot and itching.
• The area around the anus–huiyin—itches.
• The body heats up after standing for about 30 minutes.
• The throat itches.

Day 92， February6,2022—2 50-minute standing with digeridoo music

• neck,face, scalp, the area below left shoulder blades area itch
• earholes feel hurt
• lower back sores
• collar bone areas throb–and sore these days.
• The scalp easily needs cleaning, and 
• get up a few times at night
• the abodomen also throb/ resonating with the sound sometimes
• fart–a few times.
•  fingertips numb
• needling pain in the bottom of palms.

Day 93, Feb. 7, 2022— 2 50-minute standing with digeridoo music

Day 94, Feb 8, 2022– 2 40-minute standing with digeridoo music

• yingxiang acupuncture point (where the nostrils meet cheek) itches.
• chin and neck itch
• The body sensations are similar to today 92. Sometimes, I can feel some sensations continue even when not standing.

Day 95, Feb 10, 2022—-15 minutes

Starting from Feb 9., I was traveling for a series of strenuous interviews at a private university. Rise at 6am—an unusually early hour for me.
I managed to stand for about 15 minutes in three-point position in the morning. The muscle around the collar bone still sored, and the left side felt pain when standing.

Day 96, Feb 11, 2022—40 minutes before bedtime

felt tired, and nauseous from the trip due to fatigue. No new body sensations during standing—itches in the scalps, facial, and neck area. Surprisingly, the soreness below the collar bone areas has vanished completely.  I guess, the Qi is no longer jammed in that area; thus pain vanishes—–according to Chinese traditional medicine.

Day 97, Feb 12, 2022—40 minutes

• The right ear feels funny– a sense between pain and itchy
• Sore throat
• Eye and face itch.

Day 98, Feb. 13, 2022— 1 hour, with digeridoo music

New sensation: the tip of tongue tingles.

• Stomach aches
• Feel hot after 40 minutes
• Feel like crying for a short while
• muscles around collar bone throb—-but no longer feel pain upon press.

Day 99, Feb. 14, 2022—2 50 minutes

Nothing special. Itches in the scalp. Sore in the kidney area; dull teeth pain. The whole body feels hot after standing for 45 minutes or so.

2nd standing

• sore throat
• 膏盲穴位（gaomang acupuncture point) itches
• 肩井穴位（the shoulder well acupuncture point) pain.
• The body heats up after about 30 minutes.

Day 100, Feb. 15, 2022–40 minutes

In this period, the main body sensation and reactions are as follows:

• The body heats up after 30 minutes standing
• back outside of sole feels pain
• earholes feel itchy or pain
• The scalp feels itchy and mumbling
• the stomach, liver, and kidney areas feel sore.
• fat bumps reappear on my face—-they bothered me when I was in my 30s and younger
• teeth pain.

Days 101 and upward,—40minutes

It has been over one and half months since I updated this diary. Body sensation during standing has been abated.  However, my body continues to heat up after 20 minute’s standing; and fitbit tells me my heart rate increases to near 90 per minute when I feel hot while standing.   other than this; some subtle sensation continues:

• lips, tongue tingle
• Ear holes also tingle—dull pain sometimes
• Eye sockets itch.
• Scalp itches
• Sometimes I can feel muscles–inside the abdomen muscles tingle.