Michael Sternbach

Neil Diamond

compression

Crown

My outlook is characterized by the Jungian concept of individualization as the goal of any spiritual path. It is further influenced by my experience as an astrologer, which shows me that every individual is different and has different requirements. I believe and observe that there is no "one size fits all" in spirituality! So I advise people to tailor a system to their own needs, not to tailor themselves to any system. To illustrate, I can say that I am a Daoist, Buddhist, Hermeticist, Kabbalist, as well as a couple of other "-ists", yet I am myself - and ever aspiring to become more so.

Regardie is an excellent guide to Hermeticism and the Kabbalah, especially in their more modern Western form. I sort of resonate with him not least because he was a therapist too. A Garden of Pomegranates and The Middle Pillar are very recommendable reads, even though it should be mentioned that Regardie was more of a practitioner than a theoreticist, all in all. If you are interested in metaphysical foundations, you best dive right into the old classics like the Sepher Yetzirah, the Corpus Hermeticum, and Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy (the latter has a subforum in the occult section, btw - alas, the associated study group didn't take it very far; maybe it could be revived?). All the later Hermeticists as well as Theosophists etc drew from those sources. For a historic perspective, I particularly recommend Frances A. Yates' Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition. Cough, cough... Additionally, you can always talk to your now "official" and ever supportive Tarot teacher. As for where ZYD is taking this thread, well, he already declared his intention to once again warn us all of the evils of Aleister Crowley. I understand that, after initial enthusiasm, he felt sort of led astray by him. However, The Book of Thoth can hardly be overrated in its importance for Tarot, and I value some of his other wrtings as well. I just wish that an occultist as knowledgeable as Donald wouldn't dedicate what time he has got for rants against a spiritual teachers who, whatever weaknesses he may have had, enriched the lifes of many by his contributions. It is a widespread inclination, to be sure...

Glad you like it. Having looked into many metaphysical systems over the years, I am of the opinion that they generally describe the same truths in different ways.

Kirran, Dao could indeed be thought of as static; it's the eye of the storm, so to speak. But it unfolds as De, which is dynamic: The unceasing action of opposite forces, whose prototype is yin and yang.

The word virtue (as De is usually translated) originally had a different meaning from how it is commonly understood today: It meant a power. This seems to be applicable here: De is the power, that is, the action of Dao.

Maybe.

I do think messing with the climate is problematic. One of the issues being the melting down of the polar ice. But that doesn't mean that there is no upside to it. Few things are simply black and white in reality (except zebras, of course).

I have heard that rolling the eyes is also a good exercise. Anyway, as my post implies, teachers who can convey the martial aspects are rare and far in-between. No kind of qigong is very palpable - for the majority of people.

The text actually elaborates on the importance of Platonic thought for Crowley, even though he may not have fully acknowledged it. Also, he seems to have occasionally given it his own twist (the privilege of an artistic writer), such as in the reduction of the quaternity of the frenzies to a trinity, which is actually quite interesting in light of earlier conversations we have had, Nungers.

While it is true that Crowley adopted the "neurological view" of magic at some stage, later he went far beyond it. However, he did always advocate a rational and scientific approach to occultism, which I find very commendable. https://books.google.ch/books?id=OFAMBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA517&lpg=PA517&dq=crowley+magic+neurology&source=bl&ots=B4GYjxWsrg&sig=tvWtnXTIQ2QnPo14Bddlpuiw_Y8&hl=de&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiA6d-476vMAhWLXRQKHcEbBPMQ6AEIQjAE#v=onepage&q=crowley%20magic%20neurology&f=false

I always have to smile when I hear people say that Taiji isn't effective as a martial art. As a matter of fact, it's one of the most effective (and potentially deadly) martial arts that you can find. However, it's understandable that people have this misconception, because for decades, Taiji has been advertised primarily as an exercise for health. Personally, I find the long form a superb form of Qigong. I don't know Jwing-Ming Yang's Taiji DVDs, even though I have a number of his other DVDs and many of his books. They are all excellent. However, I'm studying Taiji mostly with the Montaigues' material. Eli Montaigue is teaching the Old Yang form on a series of videos that address every minute detail. Here is a sample: If one can learn the form by this alone depends on the individual, I think. It works for me, but then again, I always enjoyed learning stuff on my own. Also, I have a background in other martial arts.

Parachute

Norway

I recommend trying homeopathy.

Reading suitable texts can be meditation by itself.

The Dao is Now

True, but this doesn't mean that the Daoism of the lineages is the more legit one than the "layman's". Traditions tend to get crystalized. Daoism by its very nature is formless. Whether one is a Daoist or not cannot be a matter of form.

The average American doesn't live in The Way.

Set a goal, then skilfully navigate to let the internal and external currents of your life take you there. Such is wu wei.

Odysseus

Hi Ginseng, I suppose that your LDT simply spontaneously started filling itself with chi. That's awesome. Try not to resist or tense up, just allow yourself to flow with the experience. As to the energy spirals you are sensing, well, a chakra is often considered to be some kind of vortex. There are many ways that chi can move and can be felt, and different people have different perceptions which may also change over time. It's all good, there is no right and wrong. And there is no need that your experience would conform to what system X or master Y says. It's natural that we seek confirmation and guidance when we are making new experiences. But your own living experience is more important than what somebody else may have said once. As long as you don't experience any real discomfort, things are going the right way.

Life Force