Plagued by chronic insomnia and frequent headaches, Shanghai businesswoman Cai Jie had nowhere to turn, but deep within, to find the solution to her problems through meditation.
The form of holistic healing that traces its heritage back to ancient Hindu texts has become a routine part of her life and is a practice, that Cai, in her 40s, cannot live without today.
"When you meditate, you clean away the information overload that builds up every day," said Cai, who also juggles the responsibilities of motherhood. "Now, I really enjoy slowing down from time to time and having a real talk with my (inner) self." Click to learn Chinese herb Radix Scrophulariae (Xuanshen).
Cai's case is not an isolated one. City slickers in Shanghai often complain their time is sucked into a vacuum of work, sitting in traffic and tending to their families. And, as Shanghai's white-collars look for a way to tap into their subconscious to relieve the stresses of living in a demanding metropolis, meditation is gaining in popularity.
As an alternative to relaxation methods based on crystal therapy, Reiki and aromatherapy, many of China's urban elite are increasingly turning to meditation practices derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
Local TCM meditation guru Li Xin described the basic technique as a form of regression that helps undo the distancing effect city life has on people's relationship with Mother Nature - a trend more pronounced in modern China given its recent development.
"Nowadays people's lives are made up of a series of concentric circles," he said. "Some people live on the surface, trapped within their daily chores, others remain within the realm of their thoughts, and others are driven by their mood swings - all of these routines form a series of circles."
"As what we call our 'true self' lies at the center of these circles, meditation can be an excellent method of helping us return to nature."
Far from being a new practice in Asia, meditation can be found in many religious doctrines including Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, which use it to maintain a healthy balance between the body, mind and soul.
At the 2nd World Buddhist Forum late March in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, Du Qinglin said he was relying on the Buddhist circle - which in turn relies heavily on meditation - to help dig people, society and the world out of several giant holes. Click to learn Chinese herb Radix Paeoniae Rubra (Chishaoyao).
"We anticipate that the Buddhist circle...will continue to carry forward the spirit of 'harmony and synergy', manifest the feelings of mercy and compassion, reclaim people's internal spirits and help resolve difficulties to promote the harmonious coexistence between man and nature, man and society, man and man as well as man's internal world," said Du, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Still, while many increasingly see the sense in sitting down and spending more quality time with their 'hidden self', skeptics often associate meditation with quiche, flowery shirts and love parades, as part of an antiquated hippie-lifestyle.
Yet, the growing presence of meditation in Shanghai is leading a new dawn of thought in China as people open their eyes to its benefits.
Changing lanes
Private trader Shen Weimin is one of the newly converted. He ditched going to pubs and spas as instruments of relaxation after realizing "they were not quite working." Several more years of experimenting with conventional exercise like jogging, swimming and tennis were also boycotted once he found what he was looking for through meditation.
"Internal peace is better than the entertainment pleasure you get from things outside of yourself," said the 40-year-old.
By riding on the heels of yoga, which has become a big hit in Asia over the last decade, meditation today owes it mainstream renaissance to the popularized low-cardio workout, according to TCM doctor Yang Yongxiao. Now, even young fashion-conscious white-collars and the elderly - many of whom are migrating over from tai chi, a traditional Chinese practice that focuses on harnessing one's inner-energy - are taking an interest in meditation, he said.
"Yoga's growth definitely helped revive meditation, especially in the past couple of years," he said. "It's surprising - even several years ago, many Shanghainese had no clue what the word meditation even meant. Now, we are seeing significant growth." Click to learn Chinese herb Fructus Forsythiae (Lianqiao).
Way of life
More than just a prescription for the soul, others see meditation as a "way of being".
After two years at one of America's toughest business schools, 32-year-old Luo Dan said meditating saved her from having a nervous breakdown.
"The thing with meditation is, it's so...intangible, so the rewards it brings are also a bit like that: vague and hard to define," she said. "It's different from other aerobic exercise. It is more of an attitude, a lifestyle. It is part of me now."
For Italian architect Daniel Saracino, 28, meditation is second nature. Influenced by his parents, also both avid practitioners, he began meditating at a young age. He now teaches others how to pursue happiness through free classes offered at Sahaja Yoga Shanghai.
"It's a great way of figuring out what you want from life," he said. "It teaches you to be happy, not only because you can afford a new car, a new house, or fall in love, but because of who you are."
Becoming a true master, however, takes time. Click to learn Chinese herb Indigo Naturalis (Qingdai).
"It's like cooking or painting," he said. "You build up your skills and techniques from daily practice."
Article source: chinadaily