In controlling emotion, effort counts. Effort may be the only tool that has a lasting real impact on changing ourselves. Effort becomes more forceful when you do it physically and systematically, like a warrior’s ritual.

Here I would like to explain MBX-2: Carrier Posture as an example. I will break it down into 8 segments for easier understanding.

Segment 1: From natural stance, inhaling, slowly bend your knees and raise your arms upward, with your elbows straight and wrists relaxed in front of you. At this time, your attention is given to the arms.

Segment 2: Inhaling further and deeper (called double inhalation), you open your arms to the side, expanding the chest as wide as you can, and rotate the arms until the palms are facing upward. At this time, your attention spreads from the arms to the chest.

Here, hold your breath and movement for a few seconds. At this point, your body is filled with fresh air and energy, and the inside organs are waiting for you to open the throat for expelling the stale air out. This is an important step to replace the abstract emotional sense with realistic physical sensations.

Segment 3: Exhaling, rotate your arms inward until your palms are facing the ground. Gently lower your head and raise your arms vertically behind your back. At this point, you will feel the blood flowing into the brain, strain in the hamstrings, relaxing arms above your back, and tensing stomach. Whatever sensations arise, be with them. Try not to control, but go with the flow.

Segment 4: Inhaling, straighten the knees. Exhaling, shift your weight to your heels and slightly lower your head. Breathe normally in this position. At this point, focus your attention on the sensation of tension in your hamstrings, and then shift your attention to feeling of slight release of the pelvic floor. If you can be aware of the relaxing sensation in the muscles of the rectum, you are doing quite well. Hold this position 3-5 seconds.

Listening to the inner sounds is the skill for developing a sense of elation.

Segment 5: Inhaling slowly and deeply, gently raise your body, rotating the arms outward until they are extended to your side with the palms facing upward. Be aware of the sensation of lightness in the chest.

Segment 6: Exhaling, bring your arms to the front slowly, with the palms facing upward. At this time, slowly expel the air out of your body.

Segment 7: Inhaling, rotate the arms inward quickly. Let the inertia of inhalation continue until fresh air fills the belly to the bottom.

Segment 8: Exhaling, gently lower the arms. At this time, enjoy the gentle sensations resonating throughout the body. Actively listen to the echoing sounds in the body and feel the warmth rising from inside.

This is a routine that I practice everyday. Rhythmic expansion and contraction and twisting the body bring my mind to the present moment, anchoring my feet where my body stands. As I rise, I feel the seed of elation begin to sprout in my spirit.

When you succeed in bringing the feeling of sadness to somewhere neutral, you can turn what you currently feel into what you want to feel. The neutral zone I found is stillness.

To be continued…