Chinese medicine holds that a person's body is connected with the sun, moon, planets, magnetic fields, and the rest of the universe. There are certain rhythms that affect all of us. If you regularly sit at noon and midnight, you may become out of balance with the natural rhythms of the universe, and it could lead to sickness. But if it is an occasional thing, then there won't be any problems. Also, if the practitioner is experienced, there also won't be any problems.

Regarding when to sit, you shouldn't make yourself sit when you don't want to. If you force it, you'll come to hate it. If after ten minutes you realize it was definitely the wrong time to sit ─ not just a few scattered thoughts telling you so ─ then get up. Do some exercises and then try again. Don't force it. Make sure that you allocate some time to sit and tell yourself you will enjoy doing it. If you feel bad about it during this time, get up and do some exercises and then try again when you feel better. Once your time is up, you can stop. I usually tell beginners to sit for twenty-five to thirty minute periods.

STUDENT:

What you said earlier about just sitting and letting thoughts go sounds more like Soto Zen or Ts'ao-tung Ch'an. Usually you teach methods that seem more structured. Here it sounds like what I've read in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind.

SHIH-FU: