Reverse Your Age Like the Ancients
Using The Advice of the “World’s Oldest Man”
The “World’s Oldest Man” had this advice for long life: “Keep a quiet heart, sit like a tortoise, walk sprightly like a pigeon and sleep like a dog.”
Let’s take a closer look at each of these points to glean the wisdom within…
To keep a quiet heart means we observe our emotions and don’t let them become too inflamed. We practice detachment so that we don’t become too impassioned in relationships or “clingy.” It also means that we accept things as they are, and don’t let our special preferences pull us into self-created problems.
To sit like a tortoise means to be absolutely grounded and still as possible. Think of a turtle on a log, watching as you glide by in a canoe. The turtle is one with the log, and only if you were to make some threatening move toward the turtle would it drop into the water and vanish. So when we sit, we should become one with our surroundings, in as comfortable a position as possible.
To walk sprightly like a pigeon means to carry ourselves in an upbeat and fully upright manner. We walk with confidence, kicking our feet as we step, like a pigeon gliding across a sandy runway before taking flight.
To sleep like a dog means we don’t get too finicky about our sleeping arrangements. Don’t try to have the most comfortable cushions and the highest thread-count sheets. When we do that, we set up a “comfort trap” where we rely expensive products to bring us contentment instead of a relaxed and accepting state of mind.
The man behind the quote, Li Ching-Yeun, traveled throughout China, Tibet, Vietnam, Thailand and Manchuria gathering herbs by hand for his first century of life. When he reached the seasoned age of 100, he let others do the gathering, yet remaining a salesman of the precious herbs, reportedly for another century and a half.
He was also known to practice the ancient art of Qigong (which translates to “the cultivation of life force energy”), along with being an herbalist.
Bonus Jedi tips to live more like the quote
“Shuddi” meditation— becoming mentally free
The meditation is all about becoming detached, which frees up our true essence to live the highest evolvement of our Soul. I’ve added a little breathing exercise and visualization to prime the experience for the modern mind.
- Sit somewhere comfortably with your spine straight, and breathe through your nose. Notice how the air cools your nostrils as you inhale, and warms them as you exhale.
- Now, with eyes closed, allow your mind to wander. As each thought enters your consciousness, just say the word, “Detached” (silently or aloud).
- Each time you say, “Detached,” picture what you were thinking about floating away from you, as if contained in a bubble drifting out to space.
- You will begin to realize the thoughts don’t belong to you, that even the concepts and associations aren’t actually you. They are not your ultimate truth.
Example: After you close your eyes, the thought of a red sports car you desire enters your mind… You think the word “detached” and see the car float away in a bubble… Gone.
“Black-smoke” meditation — emotional purging
Inhale deeply through your nose, picturing white light coming through your crown and filling your body… Then breathe out through your mouth, picturing black smoke exiting your body. Some like to repeat this until the smoke lightens in color or is no longer black. You might picture disturbing thoughts also being purged with the black smoke. Repeat until feeling clear.
“Kriya” breathing — boosting life-force energy
This technique circulates our life-force energy from the base of our spine up to our higher regions, namely our brain and higher consciousness. Breathe through your nose picturing a white light moving from the base of your spine up the front of your body and face, going all the way up to the crown of your head. Hold the breath for a moment or two. Then exhale picturing the white light going down back down the back of your head, neck and all the way back to the base of your spine. Repeat until feel bright and renewed.
In the end, aging appears to be more about our “reaction” to things than events themselves. So stay calm, cool and enjoy the ride. It’s likely to last much longer that way.
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