Yang or Yin Attention? – #29

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“Through the midnight jungle a huge tiger silently edges his way between bushes and trees, a coiled spring of power in each step of his massive paws. Overhead, a thick python, well over twenty feet long, carefully glides over tree branches, focusing all its attention on the smell and the heat of the tiger. Quantities of power unimaginable to us seem poised within the giant serpent, waiting for just the right moment.

We humans can sense a degree of attention, a level of power in this scene which seems unattainable to us. It is almost mystical and other-worldly. Too often we accept sickness, emotional confusion, tiredness and feelings of helplessness as part of our lot as humans. And yet, we are part of the same natural system which has given rise to the tiger and the python, the soaring eagles and other awe-inspiring creatures.”*

In order to complete my Fourth of July walk. it was necessary to change from a disempowering paradigm (older women are invisible), to a paradigm of natural power (deep breathing to bodily claim my territory).  Klein labels this type of focused attention “Yang attention.” If we allow our attention to be manipulated by Madison Avenue or by dysfunctional neural pathways, we are trapped: 

“Trapped attention is like a bird you grab to see. You can’t really see it because it is within your fist. Even if you did see it, you would only see the bird frozen in fear. This is called “Yang attention.”**

Klein explains how Yin attention is different:

“When you release the bird you can see it clearly and can see how it behaves. But you can’t control where it goes. This is called “Yin attention.”**

The goal is for us to use as much Yin attention as possible while only using small amounts of Yang attention:

“The Yang attention allows you to follow your path. The Yin attention allows you to not get stuck in it.”**

Both types of attention foster consciousness. Klein writes that attention is another word for consciousness. 

Are you more comfortable with Yang or Yin attention? Which do you use most often?

Bob Klein is a teacher of Taoism, including Tai-chi-Chuan and Zookinesis (a modern translation of the “animal exercises” style of chi-gung).  You can learn more by visiting his website: www.movementsofmagic.com.

Thanks for exploring the mystery  Nicky Mendenhall

*The two paragraphs that introduce this post are from the introduction of Bob Klein’s, Movements of Magic,(1984).  Used with permission of the author.
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**These quotes are from personal communication with Bob Klein, (July, 2012). Used by permission.

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