ValleyStream

As a person who takes a fancy to many different teas, i was wondering if anyone else enjoys the art of teas. What is your favorite type of tea? Fruit / herbal tisane? Gong Fu ceremony or just casual? Do you drink teas for health, social, meditation, or just for fun? Tea...

Opening the Dragon Gate: The Making of a Modern Taoist Wizard by Chen Kaiguo, Zheng Shunchao, and Thomas Cleary. "This authorized biography of the contemporary Taoist expert Wang Liping (1949 -) tells the true story of his apprenticeship in Taoist wizardry, as well as Taoist principles and secrets of inner transformation. The 18th-generation transmitter of Dragon Gate Taoism, Wang Liping is heir to a tradition of esoteric knowledge and practice accumulated and refined over eleven centuries. This is the first English translation by noted writer Thomas Cleary of the authorized biography by two longtime disciples of this living master of the Dragon Gate branch of the Complete Reality school of Taoism, which integrated Buddhism and Confucianism into a comprehensive new form of Taoism." I was just wondering if anyone has read this and had any thoughts concerning any subject of the book.

After reading a couple interpretations of this hexagram, I couldnt help but wonder what all of you fine individuals think of it. Hexagram #1 Heaven- "Force", "the creative", "strong action", "the key", and "god". What dos it mean to you to emulate the heavens?

With the new moon in sight we can appreciate this one... Hexagram #2 Earth- "Field", "the receptive", "acquiescence", and "the flow" What is your interpretation of this hexagram? (Celestial, Lunar, Personal, Meditative, etc.)

Qigong this morning (11/19/2014). 30 minutes.

Hey, everybody. There is such a wide variety of people on this forum and it is a thrill to read all the insights of different worldly perspectives. In light of the variety i would really enjoy seeing some pictures of your environment (Neighborhood, walking paths, gardens, streets, villages, temples, etc.) I am interested in the scenes that are inspiring to all of you. Feel free to share.

Lately I have been having some amazingly pertinent outcomes from my Yijing divinations. I cast using the 3 coin method and mainly refer to the Thomas Cleary translation of Liu I-ming's Commentary on the Yijing (1796). I was just wondering what resources people use for reference, what divination methods you use, and any good stories concerning advice from the Yijing. It is an amazing "book" and i just want to hear what you all have to to say.

Matcha is great stuff. Check it out! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matcha

Is it Matcha (powder) or leaves?

I totally agree. The flavor evolves after each steep and you really get to "know" your tea. Oolongs are my second choice (escpecially Tieguanyin) behind puerh.

It is simple...Deprive yourself of sex and you want sex. Receive sex and be satisfied. Proper sex, as i said. perhaps that is too basic. It has alot to do with semen retention too. When i was not retaining semen and not having sex i desired sex. When i was having sex and not retaining semen, i still desired sex. When i was having sex and retaining semen (what i call "proper" sexual activity) i felt as if i was accomplishing great feats. I was successful. My entire...life... reflected this new practice and became better. My sexual stamina skyrocketed and i felt like i could open the gates of life (or do a backflip). My jing energy was fueling me throughout the entire day. The specifics on how to properly use jing energy is complicated and has to do with pulling in the jing to your lower dantien during climax and then opening meridians for it to distribute to your entire body (rather than through the tip of your penis) . I dunno if what works for me will work for everyone but thanks to my wife and her yin energy i have had such great success cultivating energy within myself and within my home. Plus, i am no master of this. I am still learning and cultivating.

As a current student of Computer Engineering i have always wondered about the nature of reality (Yin & Yang) and the nature of computers (1's and 0's). I am seeking some Daoist-educated insight on how these two principles may relate. Also, i am wondering what place computers have in a Daoist lifestyle (beyond utilizing it for forums ). As computers become integrated in more aspects of our life (Internet of Things), can the utilization of computer technology aid or disrupt an alignment with the Dao?

i think it depends on your goals... if you want to run far, run. if you want to bike far, bike. if your want to lift heavy things, lift. if you want to walk through the mountains, walk through the mountains. if your want to keep a garden, keep that biz. All of these are exercise. People do think that they have to do strenuous activity to be fit but look how many of those people become injured. Strenuous activity may get you fit quicker but to what end? To look good? or to do the activity more effectively. Go for a hike if that is what you want to do well. You dont have to run or bike to hike well. oh yeah and stretch...always. always. but this is a thread about nutrition... got a bit off topic. XD

During my experience in the military i learned alot about how much sleep and food i need. The posts above here are righteous in my eyes. i believe that 5 hours of sleep is substantial if your are living a simple life (even with physical activity). A really important part of sleeping and waking is understanding your own rem patterns and not waking from a deep sleep (there is a word for the cycle that i cant remember). As for diet, of course organic and local foods are the best. As for the amount of food...you are either going to allow your food intake reflect your activity level or vice-versa. It is possible to eat much less than we are used to (the japanese people you were talking about) but the activity level will lower also. Not that lowered activity level is a bad thing, but if you want to get more physical things done in a day you may want to eat a bit more. We can sustain a simple life without excessive activity (output) and without eating too much (input). The modern day life-style in most places do not accommodate this type of input, output. Luckily i live in a rural community, life is easy going and allows me to be simple.

A great person to teach you about yin energy is a proper female partner. note: proper, as in, right for you. Not some bimbos. A spiritual partner. Through my experience i have found that proper sexual activity has given me more energy (rather than deplete it) and has allowed my sexual drive to decrease overall. I still practice semen retention and thus my jing is conserved. With the help of Mantak Chia's publications i have learned how to separate orgasm and ejaculation. By doing this i can "steam" my jing energy and distribute it to other parts of my body. If celibacy is the way for you then all the power to you, much respect. But know that there are ways to have a healthy sexual life while still cultivating energy (if that is what you ever decide to do).

Computer engineering is my major and i am required to take social sciences and humanities every year. I go to an engineering school and the "humanities" departments are very small compared to the sciences departments.

Its hard to say. Perhaps certain admin see it allowing the student to become "well rounded". Perhaps it is a tactic to charge more credit hours to students in order to increase school funding. I see every situation as an opportunity to learn something and i walk into my humanities with an open mind. one thing is for sure...you have to take them...so why not try and learn something. i know i have; and i am glad i have taken certain classes even though they are not applicable to my major.

oh, no, reverse. Editing my post. Peer review and proof reading is life saving.

I have had issues with a lack of ching energy cultivation in the past. My marriage was suffering because of it. Mantak Chia's book Toaist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy is a great resource concerning ching energy, how to properly cultivate it and how the woman’s yin based ching energy is meant to correspond to the man’s yang based ching energy. The books taught me that sexual abstinence is an effective method of ching cultivation but it is not the only way. A woman complements a man in the same way that yin complements yang. Through specific sexual practices ching energy is effectively cultivated and distributed through the entire body which in-turn improves all aspects of life. Good luck with your practice, dc9.

i would tell myself that she is worth it and that she is the yin to your yang.

Given the time of the lunar month I thought this hexagram would be befitting to study. Let us hear what the bums have to say... #43 - Displacement "Displacement" Other variations include "resoluteness", "parting", and "break-through"

The end of the Lunar month is a very powerful time. Let us look at the hexagram that corresponds with this. #63- "Settled" Also known as "Not Yet Fording". Other variations include "before completion" and "not yet completed" Does this hexagram mean anything significant to anyone?

I appreciate the information on the mechanics of changing between the Hexagrams. It is difficult to look at one without looking at the surroundings since they are always changing. Quick question though...Do we think of the flow of the yin and yang as fluid or as "blocky"? What i mean is, do the hexagrams change from 43 to 44 in an instant (like a clock) when that instant is proper or does it gradually transform into the next (like the moon waxing and waning)?

I feel your struggle. It seems to me that you would have gotten the promotion if that was the way it was supposed to be. In the long run, who knows where that promotion would lead somebody. I have seen people fail at the job they are given when they were successful in the job that they had. As for the finances issue; there is an unspeakable obsession with money in the world. Whenever i find myself desiring more monetary income, i sort out my priorities. If i feel as if my priorities are met, then i dismiss my desires. If i feel as if my priorities are not met, well, i dismiss my priorities. If "the way things are" fall short of what you want then perhaps you are wanting more than you need. This is what i do to handle my issues. Perhaps it can help yours. Good luck, dude.

This hexagram has multiple interpretations and applications. Any insight to personal interpretations is more than welcome! #56 "Sojourning", other variations include "the wanderer" and "traveling".