An Instagram influencer has captured footage of a group of elderly Chinese people meditating in a Shanghai Park - but it's not any ordinary meditation.
According to the Daily Mail, the owner of Instagram account Shanghai Observed was walking through a local park when he noticed the gathering.
The footage showed the group standing completely still, holding their arms out in front of them with their middle fingers pointing in the air.
- Taiwan prison inmates find peace in drumming
- The science of slow: Why we all need to take time out to breathe
The group are silent as they concentrate on their mediation.
The owner of the footage told Caters News he couldn't help thinking if they knew what the action meant in western culture.
"I'm not really sure if they know what the middle finger means... but it was surprising. They held it for minutes at a time," the man said, who is reportedly an American ex-pat.
According to meditation teacher Megan Monahan, the middle finger represents the element of fire.
"It is believed that by creating different hand positions via different configurations of your fingers, you are tapping into powerful energy," Monahan told lifestyle website Well and Good.
"You have within you the infinite organising power of the universe - no big deal."
- Life coaching with Camilla Sacre-Dallerup: Meditation
- Visualisation techniques to calm your mind when anxious
The video has gone viral on Instagram, with many social media influencers wishing they could take part in the meditation.
"I feel this energy can I join?" one user wrote.
"My kind of club!" another person said.
Meditation, or tai chi, groups in China are common, with people meeting up in parks and other green spaces to take part. They often occur early in the morning before the start of the workday.
Newshub.
