kudos100
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Everything posted by kudos100
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Approaches which combine a cognitive element with tools from meditation/mindfulness can be more balanced IMO. Traditional CBT in many cases can be a bit rigid. Perhaps a better example would be ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceptance_and_commitment_therapy My own personal experience has shown that it is more about the person than the specific therapy, with the caveat that some therapeutic methods work better for certain things. Some therapists will hide behind the model, which is why I like to ask lots of questions and try and get a feel for what a person is like as a human being. Someone may have a bunch of fancy degrees and achievements, but if I do not resonate with them as a person I will find it hard to trust them and open up.
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Finding a good therapist can be a minefield. In my opinion the first thing to do is to decide what it is you are wanting to work with. Narrowing it down can help with finding the right therapeutic approach. Therapy models usually work in the either a top down approach (starting with the mind and not focusing so much on the body) or a down up approach (focusing on the body and not engaging the mind so much) or a mixture of the two. I am not a fan of traditional psychoanalysis type models, as I feel they can be somewhat unbalanced. More modern approaches like mindfulness based CBT and core process mentioned above, can be more well rounded. I've found the best way to find a therapist who resonates is to call up a few and ask them lots of questions. Essentially interviewing the therapist for the job, before spending any money. Most will not expect this, as they are used to people talking about themselves, but it's worth doing this as you can get a feel for what they are like. The ones who are willing to open up and talk about their own experiences are usually a good starting point.
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You could put up a sign. "Lost libido, last seen after eating masses of steak and eggs. 100$ reward" In all seriousness, libido is something that fluctuates. If you want to increase it, start by lifting weights and abstain from beating off. If after a month of no release and lifting heavy weights twice a week, you are not foaming at the mouth when you see a pretty woman, I will eat my hat.
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78-year-Âold Masafumi Nagasaki is the sole resident of a tropical island located at the southern tip of Okinawa, Japan. He would rather obey the demands of nature than of another person, which is what led him to escape civilization and live on Sotobanari Island. We decided to go and find out exactly what kind of lifestyle he's leading, and why he chooses not to wear clothes.
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My favourite way is to meditate in total darkness. I'm not sure why, perhaps it's the lack of artificial light.
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My path/Lineage/internal art is better than yours.......
kudos100 posted a topic in Daoist Discussion
As I'm learning more about Taoism and internal arts, I see this coming up a lot. People claiming their way is the true way, and rubbishing other peoples path. Previously, I had only read and practised Buddhist philosophy. While there is squabbling, it is not on the same level as with Taoist practices. What is the deal with this and why is there so much of it about? It reminds me of religious fundamentalism or kids in the playground. Seems to conflict with the very essence of Taoism............ -
My path/Lineage/internal art is better than yours.......
kudos100 replied to kudos100's topic in Daoist Discussion
My original post was about Taoist arts and my experiences of teachers picking holes in other schools or practices. I made the unhelpful comment of comparing these experiences to those I have from Buddhist groups and teachers, which was a mistake. As this thread has shown there is plenty of squabbling in Buddhism! It seems that path of Taoism can be a complicated one with very few schools teaching it. Some people are teaching internal arts without fully understanding them or having a good grounding of Taoist philosophy as a whole. Other teachers who are very keen on lineage and the correct way perhaps do not take kindly to this. With so many different practices and confusion about the path, it is no wonder that there can be dogma and mistrust from teachers, same as in other spiritual disciplines. Taoism just seems that little bit more complex to follow. -
That is part of the reason it is so great. No-one is safe!! Unlike the usual hollywood nonsense, the hero in GOT often ends up dead and the villains triumph.
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Thanks, I had forgotten about this. Great site.
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Love GOT. Wish they would hurry up with season 5, I have withdrawals......
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My path/Lineage/internal art is better than yours.......
kudos100 replied to kudos100's topic in Daoist Discussion
Maybe due to very few schools, this leads to less people learning the same stuff and possibly more confusion? Could it be the lack of structure causes people to be more dogmatic about what they are practising? I realise that with the opening post. In hindsight perhaps I should have left it out. I am more drawn to Taoism and the arts than any other spiritual philosophy or practice, but this is something i've experienced a number of times and I'm slightly baffled by it. Personally, I believe that most spiritual practices and arts end up in a similar place and that there are many paths to follow. -
My path/Lineage/internal art is better than yours.......
kudos100 replied to kudos100's topic in Daoist Discussion
Yes, when I've been to different Buddhist groups I haven't had it as much. Not to say it isn't there, but I've noticed it more since I have been looking into the Taoist arts. On the internet, squabbling seems to be pretty much a given, regardless of topic -
My path/Lineage/internal art is better than yours.......
kudos100 replied to kudos100's topic in Daoist Discussion
Perhaps I should have been more clear, I'm not just talking about the internet. Books, teachers, students. I've met a number of teachers, who are highly skilled. They may be great practitioners and teachers, but they can't seem to help but subtly point out the flaws and problems with other practices. I have also read things in books where the author does a similar thing. Granted it is not near the level of bickering and squabbling that you will find on any forum, but it is still there. I have not had this experience with Buddhism so much, and I'm curious why it seems more prevalent in Taoist practices? Insecurity, lack of structure, money, morals? -
What works for me is to do any cultivation/energetic practices during the day and then only do mindfulness meditations in the evening. I think the most important thing is to try and find something that suits you personally. Just because something works for one person, doesn't mean it will work for another.
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I have suffered with anxiety and insomnia for years. LDT breathing is great, but I have had most success with stillness/emptiness meditation for these problems. I find cultivation practices can stir up energy, which is not always helpful if the nervous system is over-active. My advice would be to experiment a mindfulness or stillness meditation practice and compare it to breathing into the LDT and see what suits you best. I cannot do LDT breathing or any cultivation in the evening, as it stirs up the energy in my head and makes my insomnia worse.
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Am I physically capable of spiritual evolution?
kudos100 replied to Audiohealing's topic in General Discussion
Be careful of labels. Sometimes they can be helpful, sometime not. I'd agree with what others have said, you seem to have too much insight to have narcissistic personality disorder. I have an ex girlfriend who most likely has this this and let me tell you, she has no insight whatsoever. It is as if her brain is unable to even entertain the possibility that she could possibly have any flaws. It is quite astounding. Her mother calls her "queen of the f**cking universe," I'm not joking. You seem to have some traits you don't like about yourself. This can definitely come as a shock when it slaps you in the face and you realise that you may actually be different to how you perceive yourself. I know it did for me. My suggestion would be to try and be kind to yourself. Easier said than done and something I struggle with a lot. It does help though. -
I have tried for many years to improve a health condition using a variety of alternative therapies and have had little success. Over the last while I have been exploring Qi gong healing and have researched a number of high level Qi gong masters who do healing sessions. My thoughts are the combination of a self practice and a high level healer/teacher will give me the best results. One of these masters charges 1000 dollars for a session. At the time this did not register, perhaps because I am so desperate to improve my condition. Afterwards I though about it and really could not understand how someone could charge so much for healing. I've tried to reconcile this in my mind and really can't come up with anything other than greed. Now the thing is I have actually considered paying for it, as if it helped then it would be worth it. I am not rich (1000 dollars is about a months salary) On the one hand this person has a good reputation, but it seems to go against Taoist principles to charge so much money, so I find it difficult to understand. What do you think about someone charging so much?
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I enquired about this and it seems only the rich get access to the treatment. As much as I would like to believe it would help, I cannot help questioning the morals of the healer so will have to look elsewhere.
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I'm in a pretty bad place at the moment. A variety of mental and physical health problems, combined with being in pain has ground me down to a point where I have lost hope and am struggling to see a way forward. I try to maintain the view that it can take months and years of chipping away to see real changes, but feel overwhelmed by the amount of difficulties I am up against and that so many practices make some of my problems worse. Rather than asking for healing, I would like to ask members to post either their own or other people's stories of healing using the practices discussed on this forum. Breakthroughs you have made, obstacles along the way and stories of your progress along the path are most welcome. Thanks.
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Positive stories of healing from pain and illness using taoist, buddhist or other practices please
kudos100 replied to kudos100's topic in General Discussion
Thanks for the personal stories, really helps to hear about other peoples journeys. -
Positive stories of healing from pain and illness using taoist, buddhist or other practices please
kudos100 replied to kudos100's topic in General Discussion
Self healing, although I'd imagine that healing others is essentially the same. -
What would you tell your 20 year old self?
kudos100 replied to qvrmy11vz's topic in General Discussion
Listen to what your body and mind are telling you. It is amazing the ability we have to ignore the signs that there is a problem. ALWAYS get a second opinion when it comes to health. There is no such thing as a quick fix. Learn to accept this and be wary of anything that suggests otherwise. Fuck what society, your parents, your peers or anyone else tells you should do with your life. Don't follow the herd and take time to find out who you are and what you are really about. Learn to meditate. Your health is the greatest thing you will own. Take care of it, as you will miss it when it is gone. -
No, but I have tried many things over the last 5 years and I believe the problem to be an energetic one, which has lead me to Qi gong. My problem is that most of the healing modalities I have tried do not help and when I practice Qi gong, my problem gets worse rather than better. I do not expect anyone to 'heal' me and make my problem go away. What I hope is that a high level Qi Gong master may be see/feel the energetic problem and point my body in the right direction with the healing process. Then teach me some practices which I can do to heal myself without upsetting my symptoms. So far I have not had much luck with this and it has been going on 5 years, which is why I am considering spending such a huge amount of money.
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This is the root of the problem. All of the energetic/cultivation practices I have tried have made the energy in my head worse and I end up sleeping only 2-3 hours a night. It is all good a well healing yourself, but if the healing system exacerbates the symptoms then trying to find skilled healers/teachers is a way to try and work with this problem. It is very frustrating as I feel like I am benefiting in some ways, but my main problem gets worse
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I tend to agree with this to a point, which is why I think it is fair that people are compensated for their work. The problem arises that the healing seems to be based around one session. As Ya Mu and others have pointed out it normally takes a few sessions to find out if something is working and perhaps a number of sessions to really get the benefit. Lets say nothing happens, I now have to stump up another 1000 dollars for another session? Seems a bit pie in the sky to me. If this person had a bad reputation then I would have no problem with thinking it was a scam. The thing is they are highly respected as a healer and teacher, but charge an extortionate amount. They also teach many Taoist practices, which is why I am having a difficult time with understanding the huge price.