SriChi

Introversion and Extroversion really have to do with where you get your energy from. I am an introvert, and my ex was an extrovert. I LOVE solitude and I get recharged after spending time with myself. She LOVES going out and gets recharged by interacting with people. There is a certain connotation associated with introversion and I might not fit that. For example, last St. Patrick's day, I met up with a bunch of random guys and we went to this outdoor bar that had a band playing and everyone was just sitting around. I went centerstage and started doing the Irish jig (a brown guy doing Irish jigs mind you ) That was a fun night. Love, Sri

Highly appreciate the replies. Thanks! Love, Sri

Nice info, thanks luke. Any sources you can recommend? Books, websites, DVDs? Thanks! Thanks dawei, I'll check these out after I get back home. You mention about knowing how much to purge and tonifying. Are there resources that will help me understand these? Thanks joeblast. What's been your personal experience with this, and what have been your sources?

I believe talented artists will make great art under altered perception. It is because these medicines put you in that creative space. My dance and my poetry flow more freely when I'm altered than some of my sober (?) times. Actually, thinking about this now, I consider the creative state itself to be an altered state. So actually, I'm never sober when creative and I believe most artists might agree with me

Antares, you could start by reading the KAP website and review here on TTB. Dr. Glenn Morris formulated the technique by self-experimentation. How do you think the very first Yogis did it? Blessings.

I love ecstatic dancing and shaking. I let the dance flow through as I drop into the music. I channel dance I am ecstatically grateful that there are so many dances to go to here. I completely resonate with your feelings of unfettered joy. Keep dancing!

Totally geeking out on this thread

I'd actually be interested in those esoteric study sites you mention, but I guess it is easier to find subject-specific forums than something that I'm looking for. For example, my interests consist of Shamanism, Sufism, Taoism, Hinduism, Magick, Pagan, New Age, Kabbalah etc. But then, I find that this place is pretty open to discussion of non-Taoist topics, which I highly appreciate about TTB. For instance, I saw someone post about Melchizadek and the Merkaba. Love it.

While I don't completely agree with the specific subject of alcohol (it just numbs me down), I certainly agree with the title of this thread. Pleasure/Joy is the True North for me. Do what feels good to my heart. I don't think pleasure-seeking and dependency is the same thing. One might lead to another, but that is dependent on other factors. It is all about how aware you are, at the end. I've never felt the "loss of inhibition leading to involuntary spilling of secrets and diarrhea of truth" with alcohol. Because, when I'm drunk, I know I am drunk - I'm noticing myself being drunk. Love is God, God is Love, and Love is Pleasure. I'd agree that "the alcohol path" is not for everyone though. We each have our own path. We are our path.

^ Hi CT, are you equating dependency and pleasure-seeking?

Hiya bums, I admit I'm not a Taoist or a Buddhist. Far from it. My spiritual path is simply Unconditional Love. Reading many threads here, I keep stumbling across this goal of ending rebirth which is a very common goal from all the religions I've had knowledge of. My question is Why? In many of the spiritual circles I hang out with, there is this constant struggle to "ascend", "escape samsara" etc. Personally, I love being human and experiencing life. In fact experience is the whole point, all the varying kinds. It leads me deeper and deeper into myself. Knowing myself more and thus understanding reality at a deeper level is what my spiritual practice entails. I got into QiGong recently because I wanted to connect with my body and my own internal energies and understand more about health, life force, qi and all such awesomeness. Returning to the Void, or however you want to put it is not on my bucketlist. But it is on so many of yours. And I want to understand more. Because I love you all Thanks, Sri

Thank you!

It is only suffering if you resist the experience you are having. I have absolutely no clue about the Buddhist saying: "All of life is suffering" Dude Buddha must've been having a bad trip that day :/

Mary is great. I got to a point where I was overdoing it. She asked me to back off. I did. I'll get back when she calls me back. It's a courtship *sigh*

It's all about Lurve.... and all you do is keep milking it bowl by bowl. Here's yours:

^ Me likey. Meow!

Thanks, turtle brother

Fantastic Nikolai. The purest hedonist is indeed the saint Just feel it out. I don't care much for alcohol, but that's because I have heard the "gong" a couple of times, and didn't really find too much repeatable value in that stupor. However, I'm glad I experienced it. I agree about what you said about depth and breadth. If we have not experienced something, we don't really have a choice but are just deluding ourselves in thinking that our way is the way. Balance is wisdom. And, before reaching equilibrium, the pendulum has to swing. Swing it, babeh!

I've seen this often. I was at a Tantric meetup (pop-Tantra), and they had us embody the Feminine first by going through life stages of the little girl, the teenage girl, the mother and the crone. We all (men and women) enthusiastically took up the roles and acted out what we resonated with. The little girls tended to be cutesy and cuddly, the teenage girls were snobbish-dramatic, the mother was nurturing, soft and radiant and the crone was wise and accomplished. When we did the masculine versions, the little boys were bratty and rowdy (mine was joyful and bouncy), teenage boys were gung-ho (mine was shy and awkward), the fathers were negligent, hard, disempowered, confused, unsure, unconscious and the old man was pathetic, bitter and defeated. When I was embodying the father, I was feeling my own father and was channeling the Light, the direction, the support, the immense strength of his love and being. When I embodied the grandfather, I was feeling wise, peaceful, trickster-like letting the young ones make mistakes and yet with a watchful eye lest they make one too grave for my liking while at the same time not interfering with their lessons (in effect - wise from experience). I absolutely honor and worship the Feminine. I did as much in that meetup that day. In fact, because there were a shortage of women, I volunteered to embody the Feminine for the subsequent exercises. However, I was disturbed by how the general nudge in that little circle of ours was towards the shadow side of the Masculine. This was supposed to be a Tantric meetup. Where was the Sacred Masculine? I held space for the Divine Feminine and embodied the Sacred Masculine. There is no healing in shaming. Both the men and women suffer for this. I know some amazing men. In my men's circle, I have seen brave, open-hearted, tender, strong warriors living with their shadow in full sight and facing their fears and doubts head-on. I bask in the splendor of the Masculine. Mmmm...!

I think all this material awesomeness is well... awesome. The "suffering" happens when you want it too badly. When you can trust that it is all coming to you, or that you already have it because um... you are it, all of it... it's playtime. It really is all about Love. People who love themselves unconditionally can love everything and everyone in the same way and do not have to put up facades, and live in easy integrity resonating with all that Chi

What is suffering? See, when I subscribe to Unconditional Love, I automatically subscribe to Free Will and Choice. I believe everything that happens to me is my Soul nudging me to look deeper, to feel deeper into my reality and my Self. I look at people going through very difficult circumstances from the same perspective. I honor them for choosing such difficult lessons and pray that they find their answers and resolutions. I've had a particularly challenging year. It is not like it is over yet. I still feel scraps of irrational fear, self-doubt, lack and so on and so forth. I also choose to engage with all of this from a deep trust for myself and the present moment. Whilst my life might not be in shambles, I choose to not downplay my own personal pain by comparing myself to another's deeper tragedy. There is no love in that. I am compassionate for the people who suffer, and I also honor and respect them. I cannot change another person's life. All I can do is live my truth and maybe kindle others to find their own. So, wherever I'm next time, I know I will have chosen to be there and will embrace it for what it is. Let's just hope I don't forget (which is also part of the game, of course) Nailed it. There is this carrot and stick going on. With the carrot being non-existence and the stick being life! Free from? - oh I see. From Lord Yama. Hmm... all I have to say to that is OK. Because, I don't know! Ah, such a refreshingly different perspective! I look at ignorance as innocence and as a gift. If I were all-knowing, now that would be sad. Which is why reincarnation is so fun! Because, you never know what the next moment will bring.

Seeker of Tao said: Ah, see, that I dig! I just refer to that as an expanded awareness. In fact that's what I mean by knowing myself deeper and understanding reality. So, we are actually talking about the same thing! I'll read these references to 'rebirth' from this point of view from now. However, I still can't find myself craving it, because I took this human form to have this present human experience. There is so much to appreciate right now while also acknowledging my own capacity to experience so much more! Life is good

Haha, great read that blog.

Hiya Bums, So I went ape shit on Amazon and bought 11 books so far on qigong, ninjutsu and IMAs. I've also been to local Ninjutsu and Tai Chi classes. Tomorrow, I'll be checking out some Bagua. At this point, I'm kungfoozed My inner Dude is telling me I've to slow down and the Dude's always right. I need you bums to opine for me. What got me into this whole business was this need to reconnect with my body, befriend my body. So, I started doing Yoga, Shaking and Qigong. Then, it spilled over into some martial arts due to good ole Glenn Morris. And I kept on being pulled in My goals are: 1. Spiritual refinement with self-defense - which is what got me into Ninpo 2. Health, Vitality, Vigor, Virility - Qigong and sexual yoga 3. Energy work and healing - understanding my subtle body, meridians/chakras etc. With this in mind, and not wanting to trip myself up by cross-training in a bunch of things, what would you all advice? I get the feeling I might mess myself up by doing ninjutsu, taijiquan and bagua all at once Or should I just distance-train in Hoshinjutsu and call it good? What would you suggest for the goals that I mentioned? Cheers for reading, Sri

Thanks Brion