The three treasures

Going into the holiday season it's easy to fall into the trap of trying to fix what's going on inside, on the outside. Shopping anyone?? We've all been there. It's a short fix, and before you know it that shiny must-have piece of tech or amazing can't-live-without-them shoes have lost their lustre, your house is more cluttered and you're daydreaming about your next gotta-have-it item that will solve all your problems.

One of the fundamental practices of Holden Qigong is the beautiful transformative concept of The Three Treasures. The story goes that the angels and God were having a discussion one day in heaven "Where should we hide these treasures? If we just give it to people they won't appreciate it, we all know that. So let's hide them, then when they find them they will really appreciate it. Will we hide it on the top of a mountain? No too easy. What about at the bottom of the ocean? Nope too easy still, they'll find it there too. Then one said I know, lets hide it inside themselves, they will never look there!" So the Three Treasures are within us, the three marvelous energies are within us.

There's no clear definition of what the Three Treasures are. We can experience them, but can't put them in a box. Essentially they your personal experience, they are unique to every individual, like no two waves in the ocean are the same, each person's experience of the three treasures is unique.

The Three Treasures reflect the answers to three questions - Who are we? Why are we here? What do we want? In a simple sense, the Three Treasures are the energy of our body (Jing) our heart / emotions (Qi) and our consciousness / mind (Shen). When the Three Treasures are aligned and in balance it brings peace, harmony and effortlessness. When there is a disconnect, it can manifest as stress, sickness, feeling unfulfilled or struggling to find meaning and purpose with your life.

By practising Qigong with a focus on the Three Treasures you cultivate a strong connection between your mind, emotions and body, allowing your highest purpose to channel through you.

Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest life in a hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief came the hut only to discover there was nothing in it to steal.

Ryokan returned and caught the thief. 'You have come a long way to visit me,' he told the thief, 'I do not want you to return empty handed. Here, take my clothes as a gift.' The thief was bewildered. But he still took Ryokan’s clothes and crept away.

Ryokan then sat naked, and watched the moon. 'Poor fellow,' he thought to himself, 'I wish I could give him this beautiful moon

As you begin to wind down for the holidays, it might be worth reflecting on those three important questions. Who are you? Why are you here? What do you want? We don't all have the luxury of being a Zen monk in a cave, we have the added challenge of finding peace and harmony in a chaotic world with ever present demands of families, jobs and our busy lives.

What does this mean for you?