How do we come to trust something that we don’t?
Many people come to Zhineng Qigong and Mingjue Gongfu with questions about trust. Sometimes it is skepticism about the theories and methods, or doubting the healing potential of the consciousness-qi field. Other times, it is a lack of trust toward themselves — that they cannot practice well, that everyone except them can experience deep healing and awakening, or that they are not worthy of such transformation and unconditional love. Teacher Wei often hears from students, “I want to trust myself, but I cannot.”
This inability to trust the methods and ourselves comes from the ego mind (or the reference framework), where trust is always conditional and relative. It’s a circumstantial kind of trust, like “If I have enough of this [fill in the blank: security, health, beauty, money, food, prestige, a powerful life partner, a good family, a great job…], then I will trust life. But what lies on the other side of conditional trust? Fear. Anxiety. Doubt. So conditional trust, well, cannot be trusted. It not only limits our potential to heal, but also our capacity to trust others and trust ourselves.
From Passive Participant to Active Co-Creator
Zhineng Qigong and Mingjue Gongfu can support us to develop more trust, for example, by explaining the scientific theories and health benefits of many practitioners. This can be useful for new and seasoned students alike. Truly lasting trust, however, must come from within — from our own direct experiences. Teacher Wei illustrates this with a vignette:
Two people contract the Covid-19 virus. One person feels the discomfort, endures the symptoms, rests, maybe takes some medicines, and waits for recovery. Another person feels similar symptoms, but he also observes them and keeps his consciousness free, sending “good” (coherent, harmonious) information to the body: “This is very difficult, but I am not my symptoms. I will practice qigong to make my blood and qi flow well!”
The first person is living life in a passive state. Life is already full of enough challenges! So why create more challenges by succumbing to disharmonious information? The second person is living from an active state. And because qi (energy) and matter (the body) follow the information of consciousness, these two states are very different. Their consequences are very different, too.
When we experience benefits like this from an active state, our trust can grow. We must choose to practice, though. No one else can make that decision for us. The deepest level of trust emerges more subtly: through conscious practice, we come to realize that we — or mingjue (pure consciousness) — are the master, creator, and observer of our lives. This means that gradually, or sometimes quite radically, we have gone beyond the ego mind (or reference framework) and its conditional states.
When mingjue merges with the universe’s infinite qi field to form a conscious universal qi field, unconditional love, peace, happiness, and gratitude appear — as does unconditional confidence. The more our consciousness stands up, the more universal energy will follow our consciousness to support our lives.
This doesn’t guarantee that life will be easy and comfortable. It means that, no matter what life presents, we can respond with compassion and clarity; we will not lose ourselves to external triggers, bodily sensations, or other people; and we know who we are — unshakable mingjue love.
If you have been practicing and still find yourself lacking trust, you can read Reflections From the Community below to learn what has helped others. Also, take some time to pause, ask yourself, and truly experience inside your body the answer to this essential question:
Who is the “I” who is wanting or seeking more trust?
Adapted from the course,“Awakening the Inner Healer,” Module 3, Part 2 (Jan 2023), as taught by Teacher Wei.
__________
REFLECTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY
1. Lacking trust? Practice anyway!…
“Teacher Wei said some days ago, we should start to trust in ourselves and trust in our abilities to heal ourselves and others, without any expectation from the outside. Yesterday I could feel that I really could change [someone else’s health condition], but the old reference framework was also so strong — usually I don’t trust in myself — and I didn’t believe totally in myself. In that moment I felt the power of consciousness and the power of my reference framework. I could perceive that the strength of consciousness was limited by myself, by my ‘not believing.’ But in any case, healing information arrived!! So powerful we are, and such great things we can do.”
2. Dare to surrender…
“What happens if we trust each other in this beautiful space that we created together with Professor Wei? What happens if we open up and lower our defenses in this magical and loving space? What happens if we surrender to be contained by this group? What if we let ourselves feel whatever is coming? What if I open up to this beautiful group of people? What if I surrender and relax among this loving group of people? What happens if I open myself to feeling this group of people that I don’t know? What if I open up to love this group of people who seek their being just like me? My heart opens, vibrates, jumps with joy, my fears fall and I can love freely, I love them without knowing them because they awaken unity in me, I love them because I can see them with sweetness.”
3. Be playful…
The reference framework is a playground, and thanks to Master Wei, I learn to play it. All mingjue and qigong practices are like a fairytale, folktale, in which we can change all we want. It is teaching me to trust and believe more in myself, in my conscious heart.
4. Practice with a group…
“This is the first time I have maintained a daily practice. Each week the practice becomes more stable and the distracting thoughts are occurring less. I tend to be very critical of myself and tend to lack confidence. So I need to work on trust and confidence to improve relaxation to go deeper. The group practice very much provides support in going beyond my self-limitations.”
5. Be patient…
This course is really powerful for me. I used to feel bad when I didn’t practice, but now I feel like I’m accepting myself. Accepting my need to digest slowly, trusting myself, it feels good. Because I can see so many changes.
__________
DEEPENING YOUR PRACTICE
We offer creative materials to help deepen your practice, make it more playful, or clarify the theories. Review them as you feel inspired. Keep whatever supports your process; disregard if not useful. Better yet, find other materials to personalize your practice. There will come a time when you go beyond all images and tools.
In this 9-min video, Dr. Pang Ming, the founder of Zhineng Qigong, talks about the power of belief and offers three ways to increase it. Belief is slightly different than trust, but they are closely related. Belief is more a function of the thinking mind, whereas trust is more a function of the pure baby heart.
__________
PRACTICE: THE N̈ SOUND
Why repeatedly say the n̈ sound? This simple practice is the most direct way for you to come to mingjue state. It is a practice in surrender. Over time, when you regularly practice the n̈ sound, this can help you feel your mingjue as independent and confident.
Practice: Find a few times during your day to do this for 10-15 minutes. If helpful, set an alarm on your phone during breaks in your day.
Take the sitting posture. Crown of the head gently lifted up toward the sky, feet planted on the floor, connected to the earth below.
Take a few deep breaths into your abdomen. Relax.
Set a good mingjue entirety state (6-min video).
Close your eyes (or soften your gaze).
Draw your consciousness back into shenji palace (the center of your head). Focus into shenji palace and feel that space.
Softly say “n̈… n̈… n̈….” Observe the vibration in shenji palace.
Use soft sounds to repeat “n̈… n̈… n̈….” Relax inwardly.
Continue to focus in the center of your head, now silently saying, “n̈… n̈… n̈….”
Observe shenji palace becoming more open inside. “n̈… n̈… n̈….”
Observe shenji palace becoming lighter and emptier.
Now just think “n̈… n̈… n̈….,” without any sounds. If your mind becomes distracted with thoughts, you can say n̈ again, until the mind is empty again.
Continue for a while.
When you are finished, hold a qi ball in your palms in front of duji (the navel).
Slowly raise the qi ball in front of you, to above the head.
Turn palms down toward baihui (the crown of the head), then slowly lower palms, pouring qi down through the head, neck, chest, and abdomen. Place palms on duji.
Draw mingjue (pure consciousness) down to the lower dantian in the center of your abdomen. Allow mingjue to relax there for a while.
Ask yourself: Who is observing? Who is saying the sound?
__________
STUDY AND PRACTICE MINGJUE GONGFU WITH US
- Practice with a vibrant, global community in our yearlong program, “Awakening the Inner Healer,” which started in June 2022. It’s never too late to join! Monthly courses are available a la carte, and translations are available in multiple languages.
- Are you or someone you know facing cancer? In September, Teacher Wei gave a powerful 7-day course on understanding and healing the root causes of cancer. The recordings are available for purchase, as well as live (virtual), teacher-led groups. To learn more, click here: Healing Cancer with Pure Consciousness.
- “What is the World Consciousness Community?” in Teacher Wei’s words (3-min video)