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When I empty out intentions and relax in meditation, what is this force that moves my body in complex patterns? For example, when I let go for a bit I start walking and making circles and doing movements with my hands (mudras), and even martial arts type of moves with intricacy and intelligence. There is a force making me doing it and I feel my body following energies like a magnet. So the questions are:

  1. why does it happen?
  2. what am I suppose to do with it?
  3. is this like wu wei of taoism or Tibetan Buddhist Shamans channeling spirits?
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  • it is very appropriate that a yoga doer edited this question. this question shows why Hindu yoga is antagonist to the buddhist path. – Dhammadhatu Dec 3 '20 at 1:01
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That's chi, not wu wei. Wu wei is more of an approach - one that can give rise to feelings of chi, aid in samatha meditation, etc. Using chi is outside the scope of Buddhist practice, although Jwing-Ming Yang mentions its role in Buddhism in many of his qigong books. Personally, I appreciate his effort, but his writings on the subject seem like a bit of a stretch to me. You're better off just sitting on the cushion. Meditation practice is complicated enough. No need to add additional complexity.

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Buddhist walking meditation is walking back & forth (caṅkamanta), as in this video, however for twenty to thirty paces.

As for the involuntary movements, these are caused by your past doing of yoga, tai chi, chi kung or whatever breath-related exercises you were doing.

Your case shows exactly why yoga, tai chi, chi kung, etc, are obstacles & contrary to Buddhist meditation.

If you wish to deprogramme your nervous system, possibly a skilled acupuncturist or Bowen therapists can assist.

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  • I haven't do any kind of meditation rather than sitting and relaxing. Everything like head movements, kechari mudra, hand mudras and walking around hapens involuntary. Are any of these related to buddhism? Because I believe there is something shamanic in my case – MrNobody Dec 4 '20 at 20:22
  • thank you. i offered my answer. performing these unnatural movements, such as imitating postures of certain animals, will result in the nervous system developing a habit for these movements. Its like taking drugs. If you take drugs, when you stop taking drugs, the urge to take drugs will arise. Its the same with these movements. Hatha yoga, chi kung, etc, are major impediments to the buddhist practise of letting go and relaxing. Best wishes – Dhammadhatu Dec 4 '20 at 20:37

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