Aeran

If they were going to go to that much effort to scam people, I would think they'd at least get a working website

ARJ Barker is a funny bastard Saw him live a few years back, great show.

Yeah I've met a couple of those A friend of mine who's really into the psychadelic/trance scene here took me to a 'meditation session' once, it was basically 2 hours of that video... Not really my scene :| But I don't get that vibe from many people here tbh.

Is there some vast population of new age people here that I'm not seeing? Do they post in their own private section or something?

Nope, NY resolutions always seem to end up being counterproductive. But I do have general hopes and plans for next year - exercise more, meditate more, study more, waste less time doing meaningless/unhealthy crap. If I can make as much improvement again next year as I have this year, I'll be pretty happy.

Do you do any kind of meditative/energetic practice? What's your diet like? Are you in a good state, mentally? Are you exposed to any chemicals in the environment? Do you take any medication or drugs?

Ahh well. I know I should avoid trying to make comparisons between the energies involved in different systems, but I just can't help myself from trying to put together some 'grand unifying model' of energetics every time this kind of discussion comes up. Logically there has to be a way to fit it all together, but even if there is I guess I'm nowhere near experienced enough to do it :/ Especially since so little is known about the underlying mechanics of a lot of systems, which makes them effectively impossible to compare. I still think (tying back to the original yin chi discussion) that there's a remarkable similarity between the description of yin/yang chi in the Magus of Java and the hermetic description of the magnetic/electric fluids within IIH. Whether they're actually the same energy is effectively impossible to establish, but it seems likely that they are at least incredibly similar - right down to the specifics of their experiences and effects, not to mention philosophically (although the differences in the method by which they are accessed/accumulated/utilized are substantial). First thing that comes to mind is: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.” -Genesis 1:1-9

Are there any descriptions anywhere of what Yin chi feels like to someone who's undergone the yin/yang merger?

^ Ugh, brain eating amoeba, that doesn't sound fun :| Cheers for the heads up! Neti pot is a possibility, but it's only the last few days that I've had this issue, so I was going for something a bit more short term. If the issue keeps up then I'll definitely nab one. I'll give this a shot. Thanks.

That's it, you're back to paying full price for the superpower manual

He's possibly referring to the rumor (perpetuated by Bardon's secretary and student Otti Votavovi) that Bardon was the reincarnation of Hermes Trismegistus. Which seems unlikely and, more to the point, not very relevant, to me.

I get that every time I read taobums :/

I'll invent my own system and designate myself as level 100, just don't tell MPG

Can I wear one of these if I do?

First thing that comes to mind reading this discussion is that the Tattvic name for water is Apas, with water being the element most associated with yin/magnetic energy - not sure if there's a language correlation or whether it's just pure coincidence, but it is interesting.

To me, it feels like a warm, tingling, slightly charged pressure*, simultaneously calming and energizing. *I've been thinking, and this word doesn't really fit. It's not so much a sense of pressure as it is of movement. I can feel something moving through my body, in the same way that I can feel the wind blowing on my skin (although obviously not the same sensation). And all of this is a bit hit and miss. Sometimes I get all of those sensations, so strongly that it feels like any other physical part of my body, other times I only get a few, or even none at all. I try to not obsess over the sensation of energy so much as it's effect. Although I'm definitely getting a lot better at feeling it.

Yes, and people who haven't experienced it first hand say the exact same thing about demonstrations of internal power. To most people on this planet, using alchemy to concoct a substance which can induce immortality is no more absurd than using life energy to attack people from a distance. All I'm saying is don't write something off unless you've personally investigated it.

But even that is restricted to closed circles. Putting aside the meaning and practical application of those early levels, and what they do or don't do compared to other systems, and the question of later progressive stages, the reality is that in effective terms they don't exist for 99.9% of people involved in energetic practices.

More so than immortal kung fu masters who kill people with energy blasts? And whether it actually functions or not, the physical alchemy is still a core aspect of European and Chinese esotericism.

Nobody is assuming anything, but the reality is that MP is effectively a closed lineage. Whatever it is or isn't about, their methods are inaccessible. It's interesting, and theoretically relevant, but in practical terms, it's entirely inconsequential.

yeah e-cigs are great. I used one for a couple months as a replacement for regular cigs, eventually just ran out of the juice and couldnt be bothered replacing it and quit alltogether. They're are literally a win/win.

Not to mention the millions of dollars corporations pour into lobbying to block GMO labeling legislation. If they genuinely believe that their products are safe and beneficial, why are they afraid to let people know what they're eating?

Nabbed the Kindle edition, I've been doing a bit of reading about alchemy lately and am quite keen to learn more. Thanks

I don't think many people have an issue with GM crops of this kind, what they do have an issue with is food being genetically tampered with without any kind of oversight, then sold in shops with no labeling, so you have no idea what you're eating or what effect it could have on you. People have the right to make an informed decision about what they eat.

Not according to the Magus of Java. From what I remember of the book, Chang and most of the people around him all smoked like chimneys.