Birch

Oh this is GOOD! I was figuring myself some of the "mechanics" and what I figured pretty much lines up with what you posted. Very nice confirmation of my perspective Isn't this stuff great when it starts getting cross-cultural? I think so, anyway.

Well, there has to be a benefit announced, otherwise who would do it? In some cases actually go through so much "again"? Although I now consider it to be the "real" only time I go through because before I wasn't. In fact part of me exists only to avoid the very experience of living! But that maybe doesn't sound as clear as I would like it to sound. I love meanings and I love having them drop off because sometimes they are useless and ugly, especially the beautiful ones. I wrote the last part to show off a little And I still need to contemplate it. Drop it off itself. If that's not clear then I can try better to explain later.

Well that's just typical Yeah I'm finding it hard to define where mundane, cultural, spiritual, political, religious (and the rest) all "stop". I reckon they don't stop anywhere they just bleed into each other. In fact as soon as I see a border between one or the other I know it's BS.

Dude, just don't think you are, know you are

So what's pointless about it? Unless you are having sexual intercourse with yourself (or the earth as another person suggested as a devotional practice) or able to reproduce asexually? I have to apologise, I'm getting more and more lost theses days when we take this type of discussion very far "spiritually" and neglect (IMO) some of the more mundane concerns. But if you don't want to talk about it, it's fine by me. My opinion is far from settled on the subject!

Ah TTB's = blunt knife Alright, so admitting that the last idea on my part (not me;-)) was "narrow", how do you want to approach the issue? We do seem to go down the "men this/women that" generalization route often enough that I suspect we might not get much more out of it except maybe to help some people who are having a tough time with the opposite sex make up some more reasons to validate the way they feel. I certainly find comfort in the idea that it's someone/something else's fault;-) I did hear something cool (sort of) this morning concerning the use of precepts about sexuality by religion(s). It went along the lines "to control the men, control the women." THAT seems more of a big deal to me, but if your immediate concern is getting laid then it probably won't help

Alright. "Future ailments"? What kind? If they are the kind mostly caused by your own actions. Stop doing them. I think those are the only kind you can really avoid. If you're looking at a practice to get rid of prior effects of action, I think there are other techniques that might help more, especially when it comes to a) realizing the effects of your actions and um, same as a)?

"IMO. qigong IS a meditative practice. and proper meditation IS qigong." THIS! Think/don't think(not think) about it. That other thread also about the what/who what/who is inside your spine or your chakra or your big toe when you/what/who do qi-gong. THAT! Thank you Hundun! Have you ever been away!

What I about men is exactly how varied and different they all are. Trying to generalize about them is like trying to generalize about snowflakes

How's she dealing with it? Maybe in college, surrounded by cute guys ? I think all those other suggestions were good. I know that if I had my twenties back I wouldn't have stuck myself in that long relationship - um no. But we don't get the second chance Do we? So is the question about celibacy or trying not to cheat on your GF? Really about how to drive yourself spiritually? If it's the latter then the other replies were still better

Yes I guess I threw that first saying out there too fast, and I did also add that idea about relative power. It just happened that the idea of "corruption" hit me upside the head right this minute and that I'm wondering if "corruption" is just an effect of power itself (of any kind, just to throw it back again to explain I'm fine with all the definitions.)and nothing at all to do with character. I will have to go contemplate it.

"I think what scares them is the hypergamous urge many women have of only being interested in men at the top of the social hierarchy, even if said status comes about from negative selfish behavior." Ah well, I must be different for I do not care one bit for "men at the top of the social hierarchy, even if said status comes about from negative selfish behavior." because of the behaviour that might go with. Because perhaps this behaviour would almost certainly also be directed at yours truly. Nah, I don't go for that. Don't enjoy those boys Can't much do with the neurotics either

Ooh Trunk! Just the guy I was looking for. Yes, I have been spinning small currents around in my head spontaneously, then I read that other thread about it not being very safe (how not if spontaneous, BTW?)so then I'll drop it down to feet or LDT. I've also been reading that we generally ought to do "closing" but I've been wayward and having just continued on with various spontaneous stuff throughout the day.It could all be useless,but maybe not. What do you reckon? Thanks! Kate

According to that big pink qi-gong book it's chi collecting where it probably shouldn't. They suggest an antidote to it in the appendix. Places to collect and stock chi have been discussed at length but maybe we could talk about why it may or may not be a good idea to have it hanging around in specific areas too long.

I'm a sailor (from birth more or less) and I understand some of what you've written in this post as being similar to the surprise/anticipation I feel when I see the wind before me shifting on the waves before I lead my boat into them. I don't know anything about Thoth, but I figure him as a 3rd chakra dude;-) A willful and a will in action. I'd say he's an animus to Hathor. Just as strong as she is. So nothing to fear;-) As I go on, my meetings with men are getting much less antagonistic. I figure all the sex dreams I'm having are integration. From the eroticism of them, of course ;-) All lovely.

"Just do it" for me has a bitter taste. There are some things I just don't want to "just do." I grew up somewhat broken (or gnarly) at the hands of people who figured they were both doing their best and loved and cared for me, even if that meant in practice breaking my will and subduing me on several levels (they had variable successes ;-)) In resonance to the pain this ultimately caused me and them, I continued on for a few years doing my own "breaking and remaking" of myself (some people call this the "personal development," "self-help" or the "therapy" industry) with the clear goal of finally fitting in somewhere. This done, I believed I would feel happier about myself. But I never quite got there Thankfully along the way I fell into Tao and I-ching qi-gong and KAP and TTB's and a whole bunch of other things and I can't say which of those things exactly helped the most but it's been a hell of a lot more useful than the other stuff I've tried. Maybe because many of these modalities ask us to accept ourselves BEFORE attempting to change anything?

I know that religion and spirituality overlap. I also consider that religions are primarily sociocultural solutions for dealing with ways to live (and prosper) in our lives altogther. As soon as any religion (or overlapping spiritual practice) includes precepts concerning sexuality and reproduction, I gotta ask myself some questions about why such precepts came into being and how they have been considered and used in the past and how they are being considered and used in the present. I'd defer to Witch for some of her very clear explanations of different types of female orgasm and what states of mind they put women in. Some societies go so far as to restrict female sexual pleasure. Some of them do it via barbaric physical methods. Some of them via barbaric social methods. Why?

I've been trying the start-stop approach. Observe a thought/feeling (or circuit of such), catch it, stop it, then start it again on purpose. Then do it again. I think for this one it helps to have grounding and sinking/refining chi techniques at hand. In fact I'd say that having those on hand is a good thing in general. It means you can give yourself a "safety" if things get to be too much. Which in my limited experience they can! I read that post about Vipassana being very tough on even advanced meditators and I'd have to say I'd probably be one of the first to leave such a place Any ideas why "hardcore" might be better for some people and not others?

Ok I try it! The apple reds. What about negatives? And is "going to" a cheat? Like "I not going to get up early"

Oh wow! Seinfeld references even! Just for vague competitiveness, I've already gone 18 months nothing at all. How's that for a "dry spell" But I'd never would have thunk it that it was a big deal Maybe I ought to start considering this stuff otherwise? Love, affection and eum, I guess that would be "my problem" with "retention".

"Wet towel"??? Awesome sounding practice

"It's good to remind folks that Taoism is about becoming comfortable with yourself, in this life. To that end, before we get to superpowers or enlightenment some of us have very mundane problems like anxiety or rage or ptsd or depression, loss etc, that need to be dealt with first. I think it is a testament to Taoism that we can overcome those base issues with this ancient and wonderful tradition of self healing" I like this. Also what TaoMeow was saying. Also what many people here TTB's come first for. Also remembering that when "other stuff happens" "I'm still in this world" even if I have knowledge of others and especially so SFjane, I am glad to read you again! Kate

Nice! Tea-cup mudra! Brain is nice Heart is nice Gut is nice Put em all together, what do you get? I'm t3mpted to answer but don't believe it Not helping OP. Sorry! So, the "green" is "heart" colour. That's all I know. Makes one consider trees and such maybe? Seriously, as far as I know, dreams are your own. It's your interpretation that counts. Possibly some collective interpretations abound. And this would be valid whether one is asleep or awake IMO.

ooohh, hardly veiled Mr Blast;-) Anyhoo, green things, what do they mean to the OP? Women aside.

I'll 32nd that OP! Great great people here.