Fate

I agree with Michael, it doesn't necessarily have to come from fear. Indeed, I figure only those who have "gone beyond death" would even have a chance at whatever physical immortality there happens to be

This makes a LOT of what I've been going through lately make sense on an energetic level! hahahahha Off to the nearby river!

http://www.bipolarORwakingUP.com Very useful website and series of videos. I've come to the conclusion that everyone is bipolar, every has those two poles and people that go through manic episodes simply have gone a lot farther than most on the natural Ecstasy spectrum. Find something that resonates with you. If you don't watch all the videos linked above the advice that sticks with me is "Bipolar is kind of like "I can't be me-syndrome." The manic episode breaks free of all these limiting patterns that we had thought were us and stuck ourselves in, its a very healing experience. So whatever form you are drawn to, as mentioned before, choose it and stick to it. Balancing your energies each day with a dedicated practice-it goes without saying that this helps keep one grounded!

I've had experiences with many different healing modalities and will share my thoughts with them, I will try not to repeat truths already revealed in this thread (we manifest our own problems and have the ability to heal them etc.) Trager- Trager is a legend of a man who performed all sorts of amazing healings to people long forgotten as paralyzed and quadriplegic. His approach was to always go lighter when you encounter resistance, and to use "hook up" to get in touch with the present moment before ever approaching the body. He really was one of the pioneers of treating the Mind as the source of the problem rather than focusing on the physical. Receiving Trager for the first time my mind got in the way. It was only due to Spirit (because when I arrived to receive the session the practitioner was searching for keys in a butterfly shaped case) and the symbolism of everything allowing me to enter into that "ceremony" mind that allowed me to let go and surrender to the healing. Otherwise Trager uses gentle movements to give the client the "feeling of lightness" in their body, that is usually long forgotten. This is done by moving the body within its range of motion (not TO the extremes, just where it is comfortable) such that the mind experiences this weightlessness and relaxes patterns of tension held to experience more of it. The work we do in Stillness-Movement Neigong was powerful enough for me to enter the lineage and work with it every day as my spiritual practice. There isn't much in the way of Ceremony here, but the results are tremendous all the same. Off body projection is what really blew my mind as I felt tangible changes when someone wasn't even "laying on hands." The hands on work we do is Taoism at its finest: We do nothing yet nothing is left undone. This is such a wonderful approach to healing, I am never ceased to be brought joy by holding space for someone and "channeling the universe" as Spotless calls it and such wonderful results manifest. Basically the entire aim of this work is what was mentioned earlier in this thread about "reminding someone of their divine selves" and re-aligning them with their Destiny. Their whole life can change after this work! Shamanic work has always been the most profound for me. Working with higher level beings called in and all sorts of New Age stuff (this was a remote session by the way!) I was able to release a lot of negative energy patterns and things I had picked up and also understand why they were manifesting to me. Its in describable how light and wonderful I felt after this sessions. I unfortunately have to admit that soon after these sessions I fell back into old patterns but I've been working on the pattern of learning lessons "the hard way" which has always come in the form of wake up calls for me. This thread has been very helpful for me. You have been words on concepts that I had not yet organized, such as Ceremony and Pretending, and childlike mind. Thank you for all you do manitou! I have been on the edge between how society sees healers/massage therapists (people who fix your problems, etc.) and how I've felt real healing can and does take place (energy work, pattern releasing, shamanic ritual). I feel reinvigorated to continue on this path, especially with the re-confirmation that healers will attract those that they are capable of healing and promoting myself beyond that is not the Way.

To continue on the non-neurosis enlightened train of thought- an awakened mind is ok with what is all this talk of what if or needs doesn't seem to fit What you need is right in front of you

ah, I better understand what you mean now. I should've just started out with sharing my mom's wisdom because she says great things sometimes (one of my friends says she channels wise spirits and I could see that): "You need someone who both always loves you and accepts you as you are and also challenges you to grow at the same time. Someone who you're always interested in learning more about, and can keep exploring their depth. Most of all, respect is needed." -Paraphrased I did appreciate the paradox of someone always accepting you and yet still wanting you to grow and seeing your potential as well. Takes a very evolved world view to do both I think. They don't have to do be into the same sort of things but meditating with your partner is definitely a wow experience! (so hopefuly they'd be willing to try it out!)

I understand the attraction and can see how you justify hers as a grounding presence to balance the "floaty spiritual" nonsense that comes about. I have to disagree with the word "empirical." I have been trying for many years to explain things in a rational way, and that is the best I came come up with. A sort of Rational, Alan Watts Philosophy style way of explaining spirituality. Even then, you sort of can only point in the direction of it. Also subjective experiences of a spiritual plane are beautifully and it simply is not a good feeling when your significant other who you are most vulnerable with laughs at that and refers to (for example) spirit animals as your imaginary friends. Yes they may very well be (the grounding part) but its very real to you! Empirical is lagging very far behind spirituality. They are arriving just now at quantumn "theories" of the universe that have been experienced by ancients for thousands of years. Maybe I am speaking from ignorance here (I don't try to come up with scientific ways to explain myself anymore. One either knows or doesn't, if one knows then laugh, if one doesn't then silence is kept). But the latest empirical evidence is the higgs bolson wherein they can look at the data one of two ways, either the universe is on the verge of chaos and about to dissolve, or in perfect order and harmony? How can you empirically prove something, when by definition empirical science tries to observe nature as if we were something separate than it!

I attended a workshop of Jeff's back in 2014. it was a very attractive option to get CEU credits cheaply for massage therapists, and I received about 4 advertisements in the mail before I said "I'll go check it out" (I didn't actually need the CEU credits so it was out of curiosity at this point) I suppose I am of the camp that "wow he got me introduced to Qi Gong!" As the Qi was definitely the most palpable I have ever felt. It was like literally floating, there was no effort in doing the forms. I got a spiritual high that broke me of a long depression and out of many patterns that I had gotten myself into. As a result of these shifts I was "healed" of my eczema that I had dealt with all my life up to that point. It seems to be in remission but I do not have it as a constant as I did before. I also had my eyes opened to organizing the world in terms of the 5 elemental theory which I am grateful, as well as the Food Healing System that I still use for smoothie recipes. I won't comment on the darker sides of Jeff's personality that have come to light in this thread. I can't say they come as too much a surprise given what that amount of money has the power to do to someone. As for the masters he stated many times that he flew in a lot of masters from China to Florida and learned from them, even though he didn't mention them all by name. I also met a wonderful person at that seminar who is still dear to my heart. All in all I am grateful that Jeff does the work he does even if his approach and system is questionable and controversial. As for the forms themselves I can only compare them to Stillness-Movement Nei Gong. At first I thought SM was not as powerful because I was not floating in a sea of qi, which I attributed to there being only 10% of the people in attendance. However Michael told me it was a "different vibration" and that was completely right. Jeff's System does seem designed in an American fashion at "wowing!" the attendees by promising them they will feel qi, so the whole system is designed around this wow factor. S-M is designed around attuning to the Breath of Tao and being in harmony with that, so naturally it is a more subtle vibration but profound in its own way. Jeff's system sent me into an extreme inbalance of Fire energy though I do not know if this was due to my own make-up and having been extreme Water and Metal for so long or a combination of both (as many others attended the workshop and did not go through the difficulties in reintegrating that I seemed to). After this I DID get a lot of wrong misconceptions about Qi Gong that I never looked into or researched. I thought it was all about building up energy, and I wanted to avoid that because I had too much after his workshop. I didn't know anything about its potential to ground and balance energy centers. I eventually made my way back to Qi Gong through a wandering that Nath describes but Jeff did at least open the door. My honest opinion is that if you are on this site reading about Qi Gong, don't go to Jeff's seminars haha! Unless you need CEUs and do not have other options available because of money, really his seems to be designed, either through his own business aims or the Universe's plan of wanting to raise awareness through him-at spreading the art of Qi Gong and energy cultivation to the masses.

There are abilities showcased in that show which may develop with practice Such as when Gon masks his presence and the one that goes in hand with this which is detecting other's presences. Usually by expanding your energetic field and being able to feel others inside. Also picking up on "Intents" or strong emotions in the area around you. When Gon and Killua train themselves to keep some awareness even when sleeping. There are things like that that can develop when you hack into how your own mind/body connection works. I agree with Old Chi though that the overt "Dragon Ball Z" type manipulations of energy generally aren't allowed/possible, but I wouldn't really see the point in those either. I'm glad you posted this thread because I love Hunter X Hunter and how they deal with energy, seeing, and all that! Especially important is how the "types" of energy manipulation are organized, and each person having their own affinity-even though they can technically practice all the types.

What doesn't make sense? 1. With compassion you are alive. To feel with, as Marble says, to able to feel is to be alive. To be 'moved' by something is life. Life is just movement isn't it? Vibration all the way down, and compassion is the highest form of love in Eastern thought. 2. With frugality you are rich. You can have all the money in the world but without frugality you're just burning larger and larger fires that have to go out. And you're so scared it will run out, terrified and "having not" that you aren't even really aware of what you have anymore. Frugality makes you satisfied to enjoy what you have and what you really need 3. Humility.... maybe someone else can take a stab at this one. To be at the top of a mountain is very lonely, to have created an identity that stands above all the rest-or is striving for that-takes one out of compassion and community. If "YOU" are something great and prideful, than you can forget what IS which is all of it, and you're just this seamless manifestation of all o fit, and it gives you awe. There's awe in looking out and up at the universe. There's pride and arrogance in looking down.

Alan Watts spoke on this topic, and I appreciate the comparison he makes. He was a bit disillusioned as you seem to be when he first traveled to the East and met these Water masters. Where were there siddhis? Why didn't they manifest whatever they wanted etc.? Its because they've thought it through all the way to the end, whereas Western Fire methods don't take that into account. "You can manifest your own reality!" the underlying assumption here is that is power we even truly want. Hell I'll let the man speak for himself: This isn't to say Fire isn't in Eastern or Daoist path. I mean they are called Taoist Hermit Wizards for a reason! I'm of the personal opinion that these things aren't to be shared publicly, so how would you know? For what purpose would they display them? But suppose they come across a situation where being able to float down the mountain would enable them to "get where they need to be" in the Wu Wei. Also I don't see any of them ending up in hospital beds clinging to life, so who is to say they don't manifest their own death? That's Laozi's legend, that he realized it was the time to go and went off into the mountains.

It is extremely difficult to share a life with someone who does not experience reality in the same way as you-in so far as Energy, chi, and meditation are concerned. This is what I figure the OP means by " a spiritual partner." Not necessarily one that, we'll use Christianity as an example, quotes bible passages or lessons and golden roles to follow. Or in the case of New Age constantly refers to spirit guides, karma, past lives, etc. but someone you can say "wow the vibration of this place is quite beautifully" and your partner is immersed in this it as well. Or any other phenomenon or experience not yet "proven" by science (aka that we can interact with vibrations beyond the 5 senses and have real experiences with that spectrum). From personal experience trying to stay with a partner after waking up that reality almost froze my growth. Its akin to staying in Plato's cave after you have seen the outside world because your partner is there and you're hoping they'll see but in the meantime you're in that cave with them. Leave the cave and explore, you never know who you'll run into. As far as partners go beyond that I'm working on what Spotless mentioned in this thread about being with someone "as integrated and as vibrant as you" because of how my energy is affected by certain people. At this point even if your partner is spiritual it can even be unhealthy for you to share a psychic space with them given their point in life.

Its fun

"Be in the world but not of the world. Like a withered tree on a cliff"-something like that by someone

I actually participated in the Munay-ki mentioned and the author of that book. Interestingly enough I now study under Michael Lomax as mentioned in the second post! During the rite I felt a wave of energy go down my left shoulder as it relaxed. Since that time I have "seen" energy only at certain times and never consistently, an aura here, colorful waves of lights dancing playfully when I was trying the method mentioned in the Golden Flower sutras with half closed eyes, etc. I much prefer Lomax's description of "seeing" as a totality of perception. Even in Alberto's workshops you are taught to trust "however seeing manifests for you" -some people pick up on certain scents that are not physically present, songs play in their head that describe the atmosphere or energetic information they are picking up, etc. I have begun to trust this and relax. Seeing energy was definitely "cool" when it did happen for me, but this is just another carrot on the stick that I don't think one should be too caught up with getting. If/when you do unlock seeing, it will be another dimension to your world that you will adjust to. There are also things you may wish you could unsee! I did not continue with the daily practice of third eye and heart necklace connection, though I'm sure there is something to be said for creating those pathways. I found it not to be in line with Daoism and just letting things be as they are, and watching as perfection unfolds naturally.

Have to say that its interesting that translations can differ so much. Jonathan Star's passage reads as such: The overall theme of the Fool and the immortality he gains through spiritual innocence is the same, but its not arrived at through numerology since 13 isn't mentioned in this translation. Anyone fluent with the Chinese version have a better take on it?

Well you helped me remember to unpack my quartz crystal into my room which caused a shift in energy!　Just like those items, you can never know what purpose your actions serve until another time/place maybe

This thread has been helpful with intersecting Taoism and Tarot for me. Especially this: Thanks Apech. I've always thought true Daoism was about embodying the Fool (0) card and living in complete harmony with oneself. Then the Shaman (Magus) arrived out of the 0, with the High Priestess to balance him, and from 2 came 10,000 things right? I continue to explore the bolded and why I'm not satisfied with just being the fool and go around messing with things beyond me.

This is a nice topic to have brought back. As one of Ya Mu's students, I'd like to affirm that Wai Qi Liao Fa or Healing with Qi Projection is a very legitimate demonstration of Qi abilities. While practicing on my father, who is very much a man of society and wants data and results to back this sort of thing up (while at the same time being sensitive to Qi and being able to feel the energy work I do on him), has encouraged me to team up with an Endocrinologist (cheaper than Neuroscience tests usually) to measure the effects of Qi projection. He says energy does not travel in the body without chemical transmissions as well, so it would be a great way to measure some of the positive benefits from receiving emitted qi. As a massage therapist who actually had a blood test the day I received a massage, I know for a fact that my Oxytocin levels shot through the roof (seems common sense, but there is still literature out there saying massage is all placebo effect). Back to Ya Mu's legitimate demonstrations that I believe bring the most benefit to the world while raising awareness: Ya Mu is able to bring in certain frequencies of qi that effect the entire room. This was at my first workshop with him when my natural skepticism was still in place. -Bringing in Calmness. This is a certain frequency that really just relaxed me, and the sensation is beyond words and difficult to describe. This sort of projection really helps bring the world back into balance, with people rushing around and on edge all the time. -Cosmic Joke projection. This is my name for it, as Michael did not describe what he was doing other than this was his trick for when people are depressed. He projected at a student about 5-6 feet to my left, and it radiated outward and I felt a wave of energy that caused me start laughing. This is another demonstration that can help those stuck in depression or who have lost the magic in life-the other extreme of the manic rushing that requires calmness. If more cultivators learned just these two frequencies and how to bring them into situations, the world would be a much smoother place more in harmony with the Tao imo.

Flowing Hands, between the extremes of magic tricks (lighting paper on fire, levitation, etc.) and body limiting spirit powers lies the healing arts and use of psychic powers to give spiritual guidance. What do the Immortals have to say about such things? Such as giving people a "taste of the Dao" when appropriate and energy healing?

The main track of this thread is more worthwhile though. I like to think I have come close to this infinite a few times, but without a proper teacher or method. Near the center the storm seems very intense, I have been blown away by madness a few times. This makes the way back marked with unconscious fears of that madness I'm sure. But now I have a teacher and method for ascent into space (metaphor). My post here is to remind others on the path that it is very beneficial (borderline necessary given society) to have someone who has gone there and back to help you break through to the eye of the storm. I agree that one who comes back even from the proximity I had (sometimes I think I unconsciously went the whole way since I have large black spots in consciousness and memory but) has a profound affect on how you walk in life.

Politics has always referred to the human game of power to me. In this way I appreciate Marbleheads stance that the two do not blend well in any form My guess is you are confusing (or applying different meanings) to governing and politics. Governing seems to be a better way to convey what the DDJ comments on and your concept of care, at least to my languages and Marbleheads.

This topic is entirely inspired by Son of the God's topic on light a month back. where-talking on the nature of Light- he said something along the lines of: Darkness is the opposite of Light the absence of Light. This produced a pretty significant deepening of understanding for me that has lead to a purification, and a letting go of many things in many ways. There was a lot of depth to this simple understanding. Thanks to Kingdom Hearts (but really my own ignorance) I used to think Light and Darkness were opposites, they were Yin and Yang that always had to go together. You couldn't have all Light! You had to have Darkness too! But this is not the nature of the relationship at all. Light obliterates Darkness, and Darkness cannot exist on the same plane as light at all. I realized that what I thought of Darkness was only Shadows, just tricks and illusions dancing. Then on a deeper level I began to question: what creates these shadows? This is harder to illustrate with words so I am hoping someone else will be able to chime in here: but humans create the shadows. We get in the way of Light with our filters and our blockages and this creates shadows, and we think of these shadows as Darkness and this can become some sort of identification we have-that we have evil intrinsically and this cannot be eradicated because you can't take Yin out of the Yin/Yang right? This level of thinking is really reflected in nature's that focus on our "sinful nature" and how we have base desires that can never be escaped from. Basically Light is beyond Duality and either this thread is "hmm about time you figured out" or hopefully it offers clarity to anyone else struggling to integrate parts darker parts of themselves and not thinking that Sagehood or purity is possible. The verse to meditate on from the DDJ: "What rises up appears bright What settles down appears dark Yet there is neither darkness not light just an unbroken dance of shadows"

Void as darkness and the entire universe as Light... Definitely want to process that for awhile haha. I suppose it is necessary to keep a Sage grounded to realize that instead of seeing himself as some holy pure Light being he is just (or even more so...) Emptiness and Darkness. Mu... Dark Light seems beyond my conception... spectrum of light and what not. Doesn't it go on forever in either direction? Are we just the middle point for which side is which? Where is the crossover point? We're clearly not static vibration beings so it would always be relative.

Bumping and marking this topic, thank you for the wisdom shared in this thread. I am grateful to have come across it today.