Dynamic Meditation: mistakes to avoid

Pratibha’s insights on how best to do this transforming meditation.

In my view, Dynamic Meditation as it is usually explained and done, often shows some gaps and misunderstandings due to limited knowledge of our body, and above all, of our voice.

Breathe from the belly in the first stage

In the first stage, the breathing is through the nose and the emphasis is on the out-breath. One of the major mistakes is to not start the exhalation from the belly. Breathing should be abdominal and the momentum for exhalation should be combined with the movement of the pelvis toward the front and upwards, as is done in bioenergetics. This helps to move the diaphragm upward and expel the breath. In this way there is no effort in the chest – and you avoid running out of breath – and also no effort in the face, something I see happening very often. This pelvic movement can happen more easily while keeping your knees bent. It is important to remember not to push downwards when you exhale, but instead to expel the breath from the belly upward, while keeping the shoulders always at the same height. It is not only easier to breathe in this way, but it is surely even more energetic and orgasmic!

Shout, don’t scream

In the second stage, the catharsis, the expression that I especially encourage to modify is the vocal use of the shout. In English there is a difference between scream and shout. A shout comes from the belly and expresses something that is connected to feelings (such as anger, grief, jealousy, attraction, repulsion, etc.), connected to the determined and passionate desire to express oneself in this way.

A scream instead is a cry from the throat. It expresses our unwillingness to feel emotions, our rejection, despair, helplessness. There are situations in which this expression is also necessary, but in the second stage of Dynamic Meditation we want to activate the connection with repressed emotions, especially anger. We have to force ourselves and have the courage to tune into the belly where they will reveal themselves in all their power. I keep noticing that a scream from the throat, unlike a shout from the belly, leaves us exhausted and drained, and without voice for the rest of the day. Moreover, we have not really touched and expressed anything of ourselves that we did not know was there. If the shout from the belly is connected, no matter how loud it is expressed, it will never leave us without voice. I would also encourage to use words, or rather gibberish, more often, preferably using a low, bass voice and ‘words’ with a lot of consonants.

“Hoo!” and heels hammer on the first chakra

The third stage is the famous “Hoo!” I have suffered so much while doing it that perhaps because of it I understood how to do it. I remember a discourse of Osho, one of the first about Dynamic Meditation, in which he says that it is a kind of hammering on the first chakra. I tried to jump high and got tired after 3 seconds, while my raised arms only ever reminded me of images and experiences of torture.

Fatigue and pain led me to focus more on the energetic and body aspect of this stage. Recalling the explanation of Osho I began to realize that I had to use the bounce, rather than to jump, and give more emphasis on hitting the heels on the floor, while keeping the knees bent and always soft, in order not to damage the spine.

The trick was to let myself bounce upward like a ball, allowing the energy from the earth to flow through me and keep my arms up, stretched out (but not rigid) just above the shoulders. I really became a torch of energy that ran through all the chakras and got out from the head and the hands. Also the “Hoo!” sunk down lower and lower, and became more and more powerful. The heel is our point of will and determination. Therefore, focusing our attention on the heels, the jump (which must be continuous and not interrupted, if possible) becomes each time a statement of determination.

It is also crucial to maintain the sound “Hoo!” in the belly. If it is allowed to raise into the chest, or worse, to the throat where it almost always becomes a “Ho!Ho!” or worse a “Haa!”, it loses its true function. I seem to recall that in one of the first explanations of Dynamic Meditation, Osho said that it was the contraction of the mantra “Allah Hoo!” which is chanted by the Mevlevi Sufi. This “Hoo!” is very deep and acts precisely on the first chakra. It is therefore important to make the effort and keep the sound as low as possible (low tone – not low volume). We can imagine that it comes right out of the root chakra in synchronicity with the hitting of the heels.

Tricks for the challenge

It is important to keep up the pace and not break it. This will help us to get to that point where the energy takes over. If for any reason we have to stop shouting or jumping it is best not stop both at the same time, but rather keep the rhythm of one or the other. Resuming from the start would require a much bigger effort than to use the momentum created by the continuation of the rhythm.

To those with spinal problems, instead of rotating the pelvis, as some facilitators say, I would suggest to hit the heels on the floor while standing still, with knees well bent to maintain activation. This keeps contact with the first chakra (with will and determination) and promotes the alignment of the chakras. Rotation of the pelvis, on the other hand, activates sensuality and the qualities of the second chakra.

Nothing to stay about Stop! – but don’t miss the Celebration!

I have nothing to add to the stage of the Stop! It says it all by itself… and about the celebration, I have only one recommendation, don’t ever leave before the end of the meditation: it is a pity to miss the dimension of gratitude and joy…

Essay by Pratibha, previously published in Osho Times (Italian edition), translated by Ramita. Illustration by Swaha – reproduced with permission – swahacartoons.blogspot.com

Pratibha de Stoppani was born in Ticino (Italian part of Switzerland) and studied interior architecture and design. In 1976 she took sannyas in Pune. In 1985 she created a meditation centre in her home and later started giving sessions and Voicing Trainings in Miasto, Italy, Pune and all over the world. She was part of Osho’s communes in Pune 1 and 2 and spent long periods of time in Rajneeshpuram. She now lives in Ponte Tresa, Switzerland. www.voicing-institute.com