Ting Jin is one of the deepest philosophies in martial arts, often referred to as the martial art of listening.
This means going beyond the body-mind physicality into the metaphysical plane of heightened awareness and consciousness. Ting Jin has taught us to listen, not just with our ears but with our whole being, allowing us deep perception into the vibratory essence of the world around us. Here we will explore what Ting Jin really means and how it can transform your view and ideas about the world.
Ting Jin: The Essence
Ting Jin is a concept deeply rooted in the notion of attentive listening. It goes beyond the conventional understanding of hearing words; instead, it urges one to listen to the unspoken energy that underlies all things. Basically, it is being connected with the world at a level deeper than the reach of language and thought.
Diverting Our Attention Inward
Imagine seeing the world with just 2% of your vision while 98% of it faces inward. Ting Jin, in a nutshell, allows us to learn how to focus our attention away from external distractions and have a self-dialogue with ourselves. In this space, profound realizations and self-awareness can occur.
Conquering the Self-Talk
Overcoming this constant internal dialogue is one of the critical tenets of Ting Jin. It would appear that our minds never shut off but are always manufacturing thoughts and judgments of one kind or another. This constant chattering can interfere with our capacity to truly relate to the world outside ourselves. Ting Jin provides an exit from this cycle by shifting our listening capability outwardly.
Listening to What You Can’t Hear
Embarking on the path of Ting Jin, we will learn to listen to that which cannot be heard: subtle energies, unspoken emotions, and underlying truths. Through this exercise, we can empty ourselves of expectations or notions that have already been formed. We open up to the power of the unexpected, surprising, and profound.
Listening to Your Breath
Ting Jin calls us to listen to our breathing—the essence of life itself. Through our breath, our attention shifts away from the mind into pure awareness. Listening to the breath carries one beyond the prison of thought into higher states of consciousness.
Finding the Surprises Within
In Ting Jin, we let go of the need for expectation and let ourselves be surprised by what arises within us. This is a transformative journey of deepening into ourselves and the world.
Whisperings of the Dragon
The philosophy of Ting Jin is explored at great depths in the book Whisperings of the Dragon by Lujan Matus. It’s a deep dive into the depths of Ting Jin—plus invaluable insights and practices to set one upon one’s journey while attaining an elevated state of awareness. If you’d like to go even deeper into the philosophy of Ting Jin and its applications in practice, we recommend watching the video below, in which Lujan shares his wisdom and experiences.
In simple terms, Ting Jin is a martial art and a way of life, allowing one to listen with an open heart and mind to the world. Perhaps it is one of those deep transformation practices that could create a coherent theory of ourselves and our connection to the universe. Go ahead and unleash your power of listening, forging that journey of self-discovery.
We are now accepting registrations for Lo Ban Pai training with Lujan Matus online and in Sedona, AZ.
To register, please visit the link below: