Novice meditators often report difficulty controlling their own minds. They can become resigned to believing that the mind is like a rambunctious animal that must be restrained by arduous effort. This perceived inability to reduce or stop thinking can lead them to abandon the practice.
A well-established meditation technique can reduce and even stop mental activity. It is Zhan Zhuang, the Qigong practice known as Standing Post or Standing Like a Tree.
Standing meditation involves standing in one place, apparently doing nothing. But the technique has subtleties. Most important are deep relaxation – while remaining vertical – and keeping the attention at the center of gut feeling known as the lower dantien deep in the abdomen. This location is behind and below the navel.
The word dantien (cinnabar field) is usually traced to ancient Chinese practices, where consuming a red mineral was once thought to promote health and longevity. After it became clear that this substance is toxic, the meaning of the word shifted to suggest an elixir field inside the human body.
Meditating on this location has a quieting and stabilizing effect, and is part of the health and martial-arts practices Qigong, Neigong and Yiquan.
A standard posture is to hold the arms in front, as if hugging a large ball or tree. Or one can keep the arms loosely at the sides, and close the eyes while focusing within. The beautiful video series Stand Still Be Fit teaches these postures and simple exercises for standing meditation.
The book Wujishi Breathing Exercises is a detailed introduction to the art of standing meditation. Taijiquan master Victoria Windholtz offers instruction in Zhan Zhuang: Spirit Within.
Standing meditation can be challenging at first. Start with just a three-to-five minute practice. The goal is to become so relaxed that skeletal structure keeps you upright without effort. You may feel as if you are standing in water, resting on pillows or supported by air. Afterwards, you may feel strengthened physically and mentally — an excellent sign.
Another meditation technique on this site, Perfect Inner Weather, can be performed standing or sitting.