The Art of Song: Releasing Tension in Body and Mind
Kung Fu systems talk of an important concept called “Song.” Song doesn’t have a direct translation in English – it can be likened to the idea of releasing or letting go.
As I teach it:
First, we begin releasing by songing the body; we unconsciously hold a lot of tension in our muscles and joints. It is easier to notice the tension that we hold in our shoulders or our jaw. But the further away from our surface the muscle is, the more difficult it is to recognise tension. Song is the process of directing our attention to areas of holding in our body and actively using our intention to cease the holding and allow our muscles and flesh to release.
Song also occurs at the level of the mind. This is a deeper practice and isn’t initially done consciously – But the training, if done correctly, does this from day one.
The trauma and unskilful mental patterns built over our life begin to appear to us as things we are clinging to. It becomes evident that we are spending vast amounts of energy keeping these mental knots tied tightly. When we see this, we can begin to just song or release and allow them to unravel.
Then there is what the Chinese call Shen or consciousness. Shen is not something we can release or song, as it doesn’t belong to us. It is received from the heavenly realm; it is the divine, entering our realm and experiencing reality.
At this level, the small you is singing or being released into the great mind that is beyond division and which is the real you and the real me.
