Michael Sternbach

The first thing that comes to mind is the Inner Smile exercise given by Mantak Chia: Mr Chia actually wrote a whole book about it. I also heard about Laughter Yoga: This was created by an Indian doctor. It's very popular today and you can find lots of videos about it on Youtube. There are seminars being held in many places. If nothing else, it must be valuable as a stress relief. Happy smiling and laughing!

############### Moderator Notice Well said, Liminal Luke. And while you didn't report this thread, others did. The topic is closed while under consideration by staff. ################

This may serve to illustrate what I mean by Taiji becoming increasingly complex at the more advanced levels. This is not to say that it doesn't become simple and natural eventually. It is just to demonstrate why I wouldn't consider Taiji one of the more simple methods of cultivation as per the OP.

I'm not sure why you consider Taiji one of the more simple systems. I love it, but I find it really complex - at least if we are talking about the more advanced level of yang style.

Talking about the arrow of time: Physicists are confused about its observed singular direction from the past to the future, because this direction is not apparent from the formulas which describe the physical processes: These could just as well be running in the opposite direction. Now I think that there are actually two arrows of time; in other words, that time also flows from the future to the past. Granted, this is not what we usually perceive, even though glimpses - and sometimes even elaborate visions - of the future can be had under certain circumstances. Feynman diagrams show positively charged particles (positrons) as moving backwards in time, so it seems conceivable that the positively charged atomic nuclei exist in negative time flow whereas the electrons orbiting it exist in positive time flow. Our physical perception may not reveal this because virtually all of it is directly or indirectly based on photons, or light particles emitted by orbital electrons. Here is another idea: What if the present is in truth the dynamic intersection of two time flows? What if it created from the future as much as it is created from the past? According to Aristotle, one of the four causes for something to come into being is its destination. That final cause, as he called it, takes effect backwards through time. A lot of spiritually oriented people feel that there is something like destiny or the fulfillment of preset patterns at work. This may yet be another question of faith to which there will be a scientific answer after all. Just some food for thoughts...

Today, I heard from my fellow moderator Wilfred that he decided to step down from this job. I regret this while at the same time I respect his reasons. Thank you, penguin, for your good volunteer work. It was fun collaborating with you!

Paradoxically, this ever-elusive present moment is all there is/has been/will be. The past exists in our more or less exact memory of it; the future is already there in our imagination - and sometimes a glimpse of it is being revealed by divination or clairvoyance. But none of this changes the fact that all we have direct experience of is this infinitely narrow line yet endlessly extended thing that we call the present. This is a fundamental insight which spiritual traditions like Zen speak to.

Whether you see these as positive or not depends on your agenda.

This can be answered in more way than one. I like to think of the realized self as entelechy, telos or Great Attractor inducing in your present personality the very processes that eventually lead to its manifestation. In Aristotle's theory, there are four kinds of causes for everything, one of them being the final cause which is acting backwards through time. Then again, time does not seem to exist outside the physical framework, so what you are intended to become is inside you now, talking to you through intuitions, visions, dreams. It's acting as a "higher self" as it were. There will be hints speaking to your potential in your daily life. This does not mean that there are no steps for you to take in your present reality towards this fulfillment - rather to the contrary. It does mean that spiritual evolution occurs not so much by the addition of thigs external to your being but by the unfolding of the potentials within you, much like a plant is growing from a seed which already contains the blueprint for its fully developed form in its genetic code.

Enlightened states and certain mental illnesses are the two sides of a coin (just like there is a narrow line separating genius from madness). Psychiatry is a child of the positivism of the nineteenth century and therefore doesn't understand that there are states of depersonalization etc that are sound and meaningful. In practical terms, the distinctive feature is if the person experiencing such a state remains balanced and constructive in their attitude towards self and their environment. And there are mixed states too.

The fish rather wanted to knock him out - smart little creature.

There is nothing wrong with setting a goal, then let Dao carry you there.

Although we must be careful regarding the exact definitions of terms in different schools of Hinduism, we can say that the Holy Spirit equals the Universal Soul that interweaves and interconnects all existence.

A small step for a man, but a giant leap for mankind!

This is incorrect - fajing means "explosive force." It is often issued at close distance.

Adjust the water temperature to what feels best.

I thought you were about to create your own religion? <confused>

Ultimately, we make your own heaven and hell. The safest way to the latter is believing in dualistic perspectives.

The way I look at spiritual evolution, it is the gradual actualization of your own potential self: That which you are meant to become - in fact, what you already are, even if in seminal form. All your seeking for truth has been motivated by this: Your potential self longing for actualization. But since this is about the realization of your own individuality, no particular cut and dried system can ultimately provide you with all the answers you require. Rather, use whatever knowledge you have accumulated, or that may still be out there, to formulate the answers that would satisfy your needs and fill the gaps in the jigsaw of your unique being. Now that is spiritual evolution for you.

Interestingly, it is believed that most of the water on Earth was brought here by comets as well, which were impacting our planet frequently during the early stages of the development of Earth and the solar system.

There are both Eastern and Western mystery traditions stating that Man came from both Heaven (read: the Cosmos, multidimensional space) and Earth, connecting the two with each other as mediator.

Why am I not surprised?

No problem... Just stay signed in!

That I may not be able to rigorously know anything doesn't keep me from making practical assumptions. Would you kindly reply to my first objection as well?