The Fearless Way includes eight exercises that utilize breath work, visualization, mudras and mantras, and color visualization, based on the teachings of Yuan Miao, to help us stay balanced and centered in our daily lives.
Present Moment Awareness
Mood Elevating Practice
Embracing Impermanence
How to Overcome Fear
Optimizing Your Chemotherapy Experience
How to Release Anger
How to Release Sadness
How to Achieve Harmony and Balance
Each exercise is designed to be practiced over the period of seven days, beginning with a simple visualization, and building each day as other elements are added.
Here is a sample:
Mood Elevating Practice
Day 1
The Breath of Light. Sit quietly, eyes closed, with hands resting comfortably on your thighs.
Step 1: Imagine a clear light, emanating from the center of the universe and arriving at the crown of your head. As you inhale through your nose, imagine the light traveling down past the center of energy (chakra) in your brow, through the center of energy in your throat, and all the way to your heart center. As you exhale through your mouth, imagine the light traveling back up from the heart, through the throat center, the brow center, and out the crown of your head.
Step 2: On the next inhalation through your nose, imagine the light passing through brow, throat and heart centers, but continuing through the solar plexus and abdominal centers of energy, all the way to the root chakra at the base of the spine. As you exhale through your mouth, imagine the light passing back up through these centers and radiating out the crown of your head. Continue this for 7, 14 or 21 breaths.
Step 3: As you inhale through your nose continue to visualize pure, white light entering your crown and passing all the way to the base of your spine, but this time on the exhalation imagine the light radiating outward from your center, permeating every cell of your body. Continue this for 7, 14 or 21 breaths.
Day 2
Mood Elevating Mudra
Mudra. Mood Elevating Mudra. Cross the fingers of each hand as you would to indicate good luck (middle finger over index finger.) On each hand, touch thumb nails to tips of ring fingers. On each hand,
place the tip of little finger (pinky) on top of the knuckle of ring finger. Cross hands in front of your chest (still holding the mudra), relax, and practice The Breath of Light from Day 1 for 7, 14 or 21 breaths.
Day 3
Mantra: Aaaaa. Begin with the simple, primordial sound of Aaaaaaaaa. (Heard in Mama, Papa, Alleluja, Amen.) Simply breathe in through your nose using the visualization in the Breath of Light, relax, pick a single tone, and as you exhale chant Aaaaa in a long, slow, sustained tone, imagining the vibration of the sound radiating outward with the light, permeating all of your cells. Repeat for at least five minutes.
Day 4
Intention. Take time to form a very clear intention for your practice of the Mood Elevating Mudra and Mantra. Intentions should be positive – what you do want, as opposed to what you don’t want. Try to form a clear statement of your intention in the present tense. For example, “I am filled with joyful, loving energy.” Holding this intention in mind, form the mudra, cross your hands in front of your chest, relax and practice the Breath of Light for 7, 14 or 21 breaths.
Day 5
Putting it all together.
Sit quietly and clear your mind.
Form the Mood Elevating Mudra and cross your hands in front of your chest.
Repeat your intention silently to yourself, slowly three times.
Begin breathing, using the visualization of The Breath of Light.
When you feel ready, chant the mantra of Aaaaaaaa on your exhalations, visualizing healing sound and light radiating outward, permeating all your cells.
Focus on your intention (positive, present tense) as you chant, trying to connect deeply with the energetic feeling of that intent.
Practice for at least five minutes.
Days 6 and 7
Continue to practice, lengthening the time you do the exercise as you feel comfortable. Do not be overly anxious or impatient for results. The physical forms need not be perfect. Even partially accurate forms will produce results over time. If you are serious about using the exercise to change your life, I suggest making a commitment to practice every day for 40 days.
