[ News
| Homes
| Life
| Entertainment
| History
| Science
| Community
| Shop ]
| Sport
| Culture
| Cars
| Money
| Broadband
| Learning
| Health
| Dating
| Games ]
[ Text Only: Homepage ]
[ Graphical: Channel4 Homepage ]
During the course of their holiday, some of our celebs drank their own urine and others imbibed powerful hallucinogenic concoctions. Others dangled from a cliff while performing t'ai chi.
Far from being random acts of madness, everything our celebs did was dictated by the philosophy of their particular course. Learn a little more about t'ai chi, Taoism, yoga and shamanism here.
What is t'ai chi?
T'ai Chi originates from Chinese Taoism philosophy – a system of beliefs that encourage us to live and grow with the environment around us. The philosophy advocates a combination of physical fitness and a good lifestyle for a longer lifespan. The idea is that a healthy mind and body will lead to a more fulfilling life.
What's the big Idea?
The I-Ching, also known as 'The Book of Change', which was discovered in China in 4000 BC, was a major influence on Tao philosophy. It suggested how our physical lives interact with and are affected by everyday natural forces. It pointed out that harmony could not be achieved by thinking alone – the world we live in is physical not mental. By living and practising t'ai chi, we could truly connect between the two.
What does it do for the body?
T'ai chi is a combination of gently flowing and rotating static postures based on a series of moves thought to stem from Taoist hermits who lived in the mountains of China. Many of the hermits were former soldiers and were expert at a range of martial art styles, elements of which they incorporated into their daily fitness regimes. Their belief was that a regime of physical fitness and a good lifestyle would lead to a longer life. The moves are designed to improve mobility, flexibility and breathing. The overall effect is increased suppleness, energy and balance, leading to a boosted immune system.
What does it do for the mind?
T'ai chi aims to unclog the mind by focusing on communication between us, nature and other people. Many of our day-to-day problems stem from poor communication with others. T'ai chi encourages us to listen to others – applying the Ting Jing, or listening skill – so that we can understand more of what a person is saying and so be able to talk to each other more effectively. It also believes that problems are not just there to be overcome but that they can be valuable tools in helping us move forward. That is why Taoism has also been called 'The Way of Water'; teaching us that we should not resist life but, like water, flow around obstacles.
Words of wisdom
'Surrender to the cycle of things. Give yourselves to the wave of the Great Change. Neither happy nor afraid. And when it is time to go – then simply go without any unnecessary fuss.' (T'ao Ch'ien, 4th-century Taoist)
What is Tao?
Tao, the Chinese word for 'way', is a volume of teachings written by the ancient Chinese sage Lao Tzu whose name means 'Old Master'. Rather than founding his teachings on the 'right' and 'wrong' ways to live, Tzu believed in the power of instinct. Rather then resist life; he believed that we should go along with it, following its natural way.
What's the big Idea?
Lao Tzu devised his philosophy over 25 centuries ago. It was essentially a guide for leaders. He believed that wise leadership could only be achieved via a wise life, and that the way to achieve this was by striving to live in harmony with nature. According to Tzu, how we live in relation to the environment around us has lasting effect and if we get the balance between the two right, we will find peace within ourselves and in our immediate environment. Central to the Tao philosophy is understanding the true nature of our characters and behaving spontaneously. It is not what is happening within and around us, he said, but the way we perceive things. Life, opined Tzu, is a process. The world and all those in it are continually changing – the Tao says follow that changing path and see change as the way ahead.
What can it do for the body?
The gentle, flowing movements of t'ai chi are related to the Taoist philosophy. Tao can be applied to an array of physical improvement practices, from martial-arts inspired methods to sexual, or Tantric, development. Practice involves moving and still meditations focused on centring the body, leading to greater body-awareness and so energising body and mind. The results include increased vitality and stamina, and a stronger immune system. Tao also uses meditation to increase focus on the power of love, both physically and spiritually, in the belief that sexual energy can release huge internal power. According to Tao, by reconciling body and spirit – and rediscovering eroticism – we achieve deeper sexual understanding and more fulfilling sex.
What can it do for the mind?
The Tao encourages us to let go of negative thoughts and to learn to feel better about ourselves. By nourishing the spirit we can have a more creative approach to life that is not restricted by or dictated to by circumstance.
Words of wisdom
'We allow basic bodily functions such as digestion to occur without 'doing' them. If we had to think about them it would be a great burden. Allow your personality to function just by itself. Don't assume the unnecessary burden of trying to manage your life – allow things simply to be what they are.' (The Complete Guide to World Mysticism, Alpha Books)
What is yoga?
Though generally thought to be a fashionable form of exercise practised by the likes of Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, yoga is more than just a set of co-ordinated movements designed to give celebs super-bendy bodies. Like most Eastern philosophies, the physical aspect of yoga works in conjunction with a sound philosophy. Yoga is the act of working towards spiritual liberation, and so whatever your perception of 'spiritual liberation' is can become your own personal yoga. Hence there are many types of yoga that can be practised. The idea is to free the mind from the apparent constraints of the body – the physical self – and to push boundaries both spiritually and mentally.
What's the big Idea?
According to yoga philosophy we should aim to rethink our existence in line with the evolution of nature – that we are one and the same. And so the way we feel inside affects the environment around us and vice versa. The idea is that the world around us is just an illusion and that our physical presence is part of that image – that our spirit is only encased in our body. Yoga encourages us to recognise our true nature – which, it says, is unchanging – and learn to live with it, in a harmonious way. The result? Spiritual liberation.
What can yoga do for the body?
There are varying yoga techniques suited to all ages and physical requirements.
Generally, yoga involves learning a series of slow-moving positions designed to promote stamina, strength, greater flexibility and good posture. Meditation and self-awareness are also part of the yoga technique. Learning to breathe slowly and rhythmically can also greatly assist the body in moving into and sustaining positions. Yoga encourages us to work at our own pace and regular practice can result in amazing progress. The physical imitations of yoga, in fact, are endless – some yogis are said to be able to levitate in mid-air, such is the power of their minds over their bodies.
What can it do for the mind?
Essentially, yoga aims to quieten the mind while it concentrates on physical moves. It encourages us to let go and relax. Freed of daily mental and physical restraint, we can focus on the soul. Discipline achieved through practice can result in good mind control. It is thought that through such meditation, we can merge with difficulties and problems and overcome them.
Words of wisdom
'There is a real core within the personality, a true Self which can be known and realised in experience, which is one with the spiritual reality beyond the universe.' (Advaita Vedanta, Yogi)
What is shamanism?
As the most ancient form of mystic practice, shamanism has been described as 'the bedrock of all religions'. In ancient times, a shaman was an individual who was singled out by a tribe as a gifted visionary; someone with special powers who could access other dimensions. The shaman aimed to break free of his physical identity and enter the spiritual world. He would do this by becoming immersed in a powerful trance, performing rituals, drumming and singing and concocting hallucinogenic brews. Today, shamanism is still practised throughout the world – from Siberia to Mexico.
What's the big Idea?
Shamans seek to act as a link between the physical world and the spiritual world. Communities often see them as their representative from this world to the next. The shaman's fundamental belief is that man and nature are one and need to work in partnership to achieve greater harmony and understanding. Life is seen as transitory and reincarnation is a given. Facing up to the idea of death is a major aspect of shamanism. Death rituals encourage individuals to conquer their fear of dying and in so doing, allow them to transcend their 'limited' physical self by freeing them from fear. Rituals can involve participants going off alone to dig their own graves where they will lie all night. Shamans also mix hallucinogenic potions using plants, which are drunk with the view that they will open the mind to the wonder of nature.
What can shamanism do for the body?
Unlike other mystic philosophies, shamanism does not centre on a series of physical moves. However, fasting is often undertaken in order to achieve spiritual and physical purification. Abstinence from sex and other stimulants, coupled with meditation, in the weeks leading up to rituals will also have the effect of cleansing mind and body. Participants will therefore be physically alert to the experiences they are about to face.
What can it do for the mind?
Shamanism promotes exploration of the mind and the quest to realise its potential to help us achieve spiritual fulfilment and to have a greater sense of our existence. Shamanism believes that fear exists only in the mind and that learning to conquer fear will free us from psychological restraints. Shamanism celebrates the power of life in all its forms.
Words of wisdom
'Peace comes within the souls of men when they realise their relationship with the universe and all its powers; and when they realise that at the centre of the universe dwells the oneness of the Great Spirit that is within each of us.' (Black Elk, Native American shaman).
Graphics version (includes layout and images)