Buddhist monastic life is devoted to the contemplation of spiritual ideals. But as this nun’s story shows, you must first have a healthy body to have a healthy spirit.

I have devoted myself to Koan meditation training at a small temple that was left to me by my grandfather. Koan is a Buddhist training method intended to help one gain realization, a method I practiced for a long time.

About six years ago, I got night polyuria, a condition that causes one to urinate frequently during the night. It is caused by kidney failure. I would have to go to the bathroom at least four, and as many as seven, times per night.

Because I could not sleep well at night, I was always tired during the day. I had all sorts of medications. I also suffered from severe back pain caused by the renal failure, and it was difficult for me to go on with my training. I felt like my body was falling asleep and felt coldness throughout my body. When I went to a hospital to get a checkup, they told me that I had six benign tumors. The doctor told me that I had to have the largest ones surgically removed.

After the surgery, someone recommended Brain Wave Vibration to me, so I started the training as a member at a Dahn Yoga Center. The first day, I learned Dahn-jon Clapping (Abdominal Vibration, page 146) and practiced Brain Wave Vibration for about twenty minutes.

In Eastern thought, there is the saving, “Where the mind goes, energy follows.” In other words, energy travel* exactly where your mind wants it to go. Everything we accomplish in this world begins with a conscious thought.

This is not as esoteric or magical as it might seem; it is just the common sense way that things happen. For example, if you admire a tall building in the middle of the city, you can be certain that it all began in the mind of the architect working in tandem with the investors, contractors, and workers who brought it into being. As all these minds came together, energy began to flow toward the fulfillment of the vision. In that way, imagination became reality. Every space mission, every classic piece of art, every saintly act began as a thought in someone’s mind.

You can think of your life as being a little like knitting. When you first begin, there is no shape to it, but you keep knitting with some goal in rnind—to make a sweater, a sock, or whatever.

If you are experiencing or recovering from an extended illness…
You can still practice Brain Wave Vibration, but you should take steps to conserve your energy during practice. You can easily practice from a lying position, and you can do it with the help of a caregiver. Lie down comfortably, relax your body, and close your eves. The caregiver should hold both of your feet and lift up your legs slightly. The caregiver can then begin to shake the feet and bounce the legs gently up and down. You will feel the vibration starting from the feet and spreading to the whole body. Lying in bed for a long time can stagnate the energy circulation if the body, so practicing a mild vibration of this sort can make the body feels refreshed and lighter. If you have arthritis or other joint problems…

Pain in your joints may become distracting or discourage you from practice. To combat this, start with very slight movements in the joints to bring increased circulation to these parts. Also, if you do feel pain, concentrate on exhaling the pain along with the breath. Visualize healing energy from the brain stem traveling through the body to the joints. As the pain decreases, increase your vibration to envelop the entire body.