TheSongsofDistantEarth

Auto-erotic asphyxiation? Not much dignity in that. If true, or not disproved, it will be what he will be most remembered for, eclipsing his life and accomplishments...a bizarre footnote. Very very sad.

Oh, do tell!

Yes!!

Jeez, obviously, a big overdose of heroin would be quite a bit more painless, albeit slower. No secret there, but they could still wake you up with Narcan. And you might be brain damaged/dead from anoxia, not exactly heaven on earth. Enough already with the methods...

I must take issue with 'half baked' notions of karmic retribution. Most all spiritual traditions have something to say about the wrongness of suicide, and many do suggest that the act itself has karmic and spiritual consequence. I think this notion that there may be a consequence for taking one's own life and that it is spiritually forbidden by all wisdom teachings is a huge deterrent for many, many people.

I've been told I need to get a knee replacement, and have had varying success at rehabbing and strengthening my leg, but it' really bothering me know, and I'm beginning to consider just having it done and getting on with life. Anyone have any experience with joint (knee, hip) replacement and how it affects cultivation and energy flow in the body, especially with Zhan Zhuang?

Used Teaguarden's herbs about 12 years ago when I was on the verge of burning out from work. Very expensive for some of what he described as the most powerful herbs and fauna (such as ants)..bought a whole bunch of specially prepared herb pouches for a lotta money, very marginal benefit. Got them at his emporium in Southern California, met him in person, very nice man, but man did he look way older than he was, NO CHI at all in his aura... that's when I decided that putting things in your mouth for chi and health is not the way to go; qi comes from qi gong, nei gung, et al, too much tonics for too long drains your life force, perhaps cause you neglect real cultivation, I sez to myself, I sez...YMMV, ya know?

Have more than thou showest; Speak less than thou knowest... -Shakespeare, King Lear, Act I, Scene 4

Last spiritual book you will need. The Highest practice to Enlightened Awareness. Do this 10 week practice and your search will end: by Michael Brown: Practicing Presence http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0825305373 If you don't like the book, I'll buy it from you... have been turning elected people to it. Goes wWAY beyond Tolle's approach... now that Oprah people are reading him, good for them, good for the world... If you want to go into a monk like practice, you can also work with this excellent book: http://www.amazon.com/DIRECT-RAPID-MEANS-E...f_tit_1_rdssss0 Will keep you going deeper... clear and succinct... and lastly, for additional reading if you must, AFTER COMPLETING Brown's Practice: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/159179577X...ptu#reader-link Then quit reading "spiritual books " and deepen your practice. Read GOOD fiction: I HIGHLY recommend 'Shantaram'... Movie due out next year w/ J.Depp, (miscast, I think)... It'll knock you out, baed on a guy' reallife experience ecaping prion in Autralia, then fleeing to an amazing life a a fugitive in Bombay. Lot'sa good fighting innit, for you warriors...Anyone else read it?

YouTube is turning out to be a wonderful source of footage of High Being and unusual spiritual footage... of course you have to search through a lot of drek. Check out the Presence emanating fro Georges Gurdjieff, and if you haven't seen the clip of Sacred Dance movement from the movie 'Meeting with Remarkable Men', you're in for a treat! If he were alive today, I'd be studying with him... But then, these three are my real teachers: Anyone else got links to share?

Paramahansa Yogananda http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71OloCDXuHg...feature=related with Ramana Maharshi Swami Rudrananda ('Rudi') Nityananda http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFlBf--DyCI Neem Karoli Baba http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lyxx15dq_k Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche various Karmapas, including the Great Soul, Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov http://www.youtube.com/results?search_quer...0&oq=omraam Nisargadatta Maharaj http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUyLIYVrd5U I'm sure many more...

Nice. Thanks...

Anything by JASON AUGUSTUS NEWCOMB... http://www.amazon.com/21st-Century-Mage-Br..._txt_18_rdssss0 http://www.amazon.com/Magick-Power-Jason-A.../ref=pd_sim_b_1 http://www.amazon.com/New-Hermetics-Centur...d_bxgy_b_text_b Although young, writes clearly, powerfully and usefully. Knows his stuff. Check it.

Brugh Joy M.D. ha been teaching Transformational Psychology in retreat for many year, and does a Darkness retreat. He is a brilliant man and a brilliant teacher. Books include 'Joy's Way', which is about his early work with energy, more recent is 'Avalanche'... not sure if a prerequisite i his 2 week Foundational Conference, but I cannot recommend him more highly. Keeps a low profile, tho a number of LA celebs have studied with him. READ HIS BOOK "TRAVELS', which is his fascinating autobiographical account of various world travels and explorations into the esoteric. There' a chapter on his Foundational experience with Brugh. I can't stand hi popular novels AT ALL, but this book is well-written and I have reread it numerous time. A GREAT read anyway. A Darkside conference confronts one's own darkness in a profound way, energetically, ritually, and with deep dreamwork interpretation... www.brughjoy.com

May I suggest a treehouse nest for Julia Butterfly Hill to nestle in your canopy? I'd bet she'd come for a visit if you are a very very good and noble tree...

This is an interesting book that opens one up to the possibility of magick in one's life through the use of L.V. Carnie's book of Chi Kung. She does choose not to reveal that she is a transsexual, partnered with the woman she was once married to as a man. Somehow, upon learning this, this book lost a lot of power for me: no judgement about it, perhaps because she does not mention this in the book and I was stunned when learning about it in an internet search. No judgement, I think if she had been upfront about who she is in the book, It wouldn't have mattered, but she is very coy and non-revealing in the book, so it made me wonder if projection and fantasy were a big part of her chi kung presentation. This was just my reaction, I lost interest in what she had to say because I became unsure what was her experience, and what may have been embellished storytelling. Others may still find it valuable, she appears to have a soul that appreciates life and beauty and the magic that can be found in everyday experience.

This stuff is worth a try. I am a licsenced physician (M.D.), and my statements here do not constitute diagnosis and treatment, but merely am reporting from experiences and my learning. The average Family Practice doctor, Internist, ER doc, etc., are woefully unaware of musculoskeletal problems, they may offer a cortisone injection, but generally diagnose EVERYTHING as a strain or sprain, do not have skills in palpation, evaluation of musculoskeletal dysfunction. We just are not rained for that in depth in medical school. (Same goes for Dermatolgy...beyond the 7-8 common recognizable lesions and pre-cancers, the body can manifest local and systemic illness through the skin...and a good Dermatoligist is the only one who should evaluate any suspicious skin lesions). The Orthopedists are SURGEONS, and as such they OPERATE, and while experts in anatomy and function, are generally only interested in doing surgery, because that is what pays the bills for them. Any doctor should realize their limitations and refer to a good Physical Therapist. There is a wide variation in what PT's know and practice as individuals, some are very straight by the book, others have learned many additional modalities, some from the 'alternative' world. Make sure your PT is not practicing 1950's style therapy, but should be hip to various manipulative therapies, of which there are many. I will refer patients for 'PT' to several Chiropractors I now and trust, better yet, an Osteopath (look them up in Wikipedia) is a trained medical professional, equivalent to a M.D., with additional training in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. 90% practice exactly as M.D.'s do, having left behind their roots to practice cardiology, neurosurgery, Internal Medicine, etc., but the ones who have maintained and expanded their skills, or better yet, have specialized in Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy, in my experience are extremely effective, knowledgeable in diagnosis and treatment, and can still prescribe medicines or order an MRI if indicated. My point is such that if you feel you have a serious problem, such as a rotator-cuff tear, go see your doctor and if they are not particularly skilled, ask for a referral to see a physical therapist, who can often diagnose just with their exam the seriousness of the injury. Or get a good manipulating D.O. (osteopath) as yor family doctor. Most training injuries are not surgical and are amenable to experimenting with self treatment with things such as the Cisus I mentioned. Sure beats getting Cortisone shots, which do not treat the dysfunction, but just kill inflammation with a powerful substance. Dirty Punk, I am only putting out general advise for people, not specific medical advise, which you are right is NOT appropriate for any internet forum. However, in moving through the medical maize, knowledge [ [/i] power, and you actualy might be able to enlighten your doctor with the things you have found out. Most doctors have to keep up with an intense, changing knowledge base, even the specialists, but there is much legitimate research out there supporting many alternative therapies, and Integrative Medicine Fellowships for doctors are being established at many of the top medical schools, to create a physician who can integrate Allopathic medicine with evidenced based alternative therapies. Steven

DirtyPunk, A regular physician knows precious little about musculoskeletal dysfunction,WAY less than a good physical theapist, a doc few MIGHT offer 1 or 2 cortisone injections (you choose if that seems right), PT has less than 50% chance of helping, and rotator cuff problem will probably return when activity starts again. And an Orthopedic SURGEON operates, that's how he makes his living, so his world-view is scalpel-oriented. Try the Cissus, a good accupiuncturist a good PT, get an MRI to see if you actually have a complete tear (the only situation in which I would visit the surgeon). Most regular FP's will throw an antiinflammatory at it, mis diagnosis it as anything or 'shoulder strain' and give muscle relaxants, even though there is no spasm present. A wise one will at least prescribe PT. A GOOD Chiropractor or a good Osteopath who specializes in manipulation can also be the ticket.

Google CISSUS QUADRANGULARIS and 'shoulder' or 'rotator cuff' and read up on some of the Bodybuilding Forums. Get some Bulk Cissus from BulkNutrition.com or S.AN. BoneBoost, or USPLabs SuperCissus Rx. I'm tellin' you all, TRY this before coco butter oil pancha karma. Those bodybuilders have some creative researchers and they come up with stuff and it either sinks or swims. I've personally had GREAT results with Cissus, and another friend has too.

The bodybuilding community seems to be getting great results from the use of Cissus Quadrangularis, do a search for it and check various bodybuilding suppliers. BulkNutrition's website also has a forum, as well as user's product evaluations. Definitely worth a try, can order it from various suppliers.

I saw the topic, and I immediately thought, "Oh Boy! Squaredancing's coming back!!", but from what I can glean from the link, it doesn't seem like it's ready to take the USA by storm yet, as I have been waiting many years for this certain eventuality to occur. BUT THEN, I realized that the marriage of SquareDancng and Chi cultivation is a match made in heaven! Would be a system of self-development as well as a deadly martial art, and a big part of it's appeal is that it would be Martial Art 'of the Homeland', and, as such may appeal to some of our Mid-Western USA brethren and sisters who would 'be able to put it all together'...and have their tradition: Internal Chi development, plus a lethal martial art that strikes out at the opponent not only when they LEAST EXPECT it, but couldn't even CONCEIVE of it! Thus the added benefit of SURPRISE...I mean a square dance is a pretty wholesome scene, too wholesome, I think, and there may be nefarious elements infiltrating the SQ community to try and destroy it...why? Because the SQD'ers are happy, and the corruptive forces won't stand for that. I will call the System "the Golden System of Deadly Promenade for Chi Enlightment and Not Letting Things Ever Get out of Hand, Anywhere, Anytime'. Since I just invested this system, I guess that makes me the Sifu, so I better get busy and put together some sort of 'e-book' package consisting of a thin amount of material, a coupla 'advanced Square Dancing dvd's, such as 'Doh-Si-Doh Dim Mak', '"Swing Your Partner":Square Dance Grappling Techniques',... 'When Square Dancing Turns Violent: Deadly Street Fighting Techniques for the Elderly and Innocent'... and 'Use of Checkered Neckerchief, Gingham Skirts and Petticoats to Disguise your Intent and Conceal a Makeshift Deadly Weapon Improvised from the Corn Spit'... I, envision printing up a few inexpensive thin booklets of extra and sell it via the internet for $497 for the package. That would entail the "Open" portion of the Teachings, only those who continued further study at $997 would get them the closed, secret material and top-secret energy/development/fighting technique (Such as How to Transform a Fiddle into a Make-Shift Semi-Automatic Chi-Weapon/pool cue). Wow, I'm liking this. Anybody with significant money to invest who is accepted by me, would become #2 in the lineage and would also be bestowed with the deep honorific of respect, Sifu..(your name here).....of the Promenade Squaredance limited. Any readers on this forum who witnessed the birth of a modern and deadly martial art, healing method, enlightenment vehicle and access to a number of secret family recipes held in the family for GENERATIONS for Fried Chicken and a Pork rib marinade that will drop you to your knees singing His Praises in joy, will be offered membership in the dojo at 3/4 it's $1,000 yearly price. More to Follow, Sifu L.A. Scruggs III I guess since I'm the Sifu of Square Dance, I better dress better...how do I look?

Maca. Amazing.

Friend with Liver CA, probably with bone mets. If I ever had a similar situation, I would get me to the best Qi Gong master I could find and start a course of treatment. Baolin Wu is in Santa Monica and has some spectacular results with advanced cancer. I love his book, an I cna tell he's the real deal. Any other suggestions for some a powerful Qi Master with experience with cancer? Also, (I'm a medical doctor) if you have CA, had chemo, etc, I highly recommend getting on some IP-6. See lonks, search google. You can even buy it in a health food store. Can't hurt, and it looks like some interesting medical research on it, so it's not just somebody pushing the latest/greatest. http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/11/3778S http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi39.html http://www.whitecloudqigong.com/wu.php?section=interviews He's having a three x one day training on his qi gong, 9 Places System for the White Cloud Monastery, book if fantastic, but there needs to be clear manual to guide you through, otherwise, you have to follow the text, which is challenging to tease out the instructions . IP-6 would be recommended for those with history of cancer, family history of cancer, cancer in remission, past chemo...it's non propriatary, so you can get many different versions, but get one which is in combination with Inositol. Google this stuff, it can't hurt. Any other suggestions from Cancer Conquerers ( hate the term 'cancer survivor')? Think of another way to refer to that for when it's needed, but cancer survivor gives me a vibe of something like 'cancer victim' and now I identify with my cancer. NEVER introduce yourself as a cancer survivor, think of a new, private way to think of yourself, and let go of your identification with the role of 'cancer survivor'/victim. If you meet somone new, don't tell them about it unless its necessary (you wouldn't believe the number of new patients I see who tell me thay are a 'cancer survivor'... just ties you to the disease. Any other suggestions on CA from anyone? Report your experiences, suggestions. Steve (Shiva Das, a name I was given by Bhagavan Das, if you know who he is, and I use it semi-privately, but it taking it on has really connected me to my warrior energy and away from fear based negative thoughts/actions. Maybe consider taking on a private name of your choosing, or have a high teacher give you one...may change your life!

MIKE OLDFIELD"S Latest release, an Orchestral Work called 'Music of the Spheres'. http://youtube.com/watch?v=jYq3g_zhbTo