oak

Yes rainbowvein, I've experienced that peppermint reduces sexual drive. My doubt I guess is that if peppermint reduces sexual drive would it decrease the natural production of jing in the body ? Some foods and herbs increase very much the sexual drive. I remember for example the first time I stopped eating meat and replaced it very much with eggs. My sexual drive increased a lot. The same thing is true with superfoods in general like garlic. So, what I'm trying to figure out is, that if it is at all productive taking such foods and ending up losing so much jing. Don't think it's sensitiveness but awareness rainbowvein. Maybe the ideal would be a good balance between the effects of foods/herds in the production of jing. Have your scrambled eggs, but don't forget taking a cup of peppermint tea afterwards : )

Peppermint tea is also known as a great helper in reducing the sexual drive. Will that affect the quality of the jing itself? That I don't know... Just a doubt and an hint for cultivators.

Found this amazing interview yesterday, the wise words of a lao-tzu (old master). Hope it gives you as much peace as it gave me.

Thanks man, great music!

Brilliant James...

Sometimes there's wisdom in crowds, rarely though... at least in my opinion. You put together a group of nice, peaceful dogs and they become a wolfpack. Again,just my observations of nature. Can't remember that part you mentioned about the expression "flesh eating demon", if you can tell me exactly where it is... For me there's great hope in his message since he lived so many adventures, so many up's and downs, and all was part of it, of the education he had to receive... Another thing is the expression of the wisdom of the Tao te ching in the words of this lao-tzu (old master). Someone who may never read the book and get's to the same conclusions. There's a sample of one of his books in googlebooks. His writting is however more christian/biblical influenced which is understandable. The message is there just the same. If you aspire to live in wilderness and removed from the world you may like the following video. Another one of my favourites

Hi dustybeijing I can relate very well to your present situation right now _ maybe a time to forget time and focus in the present moment (?). I guess that's my main reason of wanting to seriously practice tai chi, knowing that it will help me in staying in that "moment" where freedom and answers come from. Hope too that your year improves and you find new answers and solutions in tai chi or somewhere else. Take good care of yourself. Oak

Great to have you as a tai chi friend, Steve! I will PM you soon. Thanks

My look is as clear as a sunflower. I usually wander the roads Looking to the right and to the left, And once in a while looking back… And what I see at each moment Is what I’ve never seen before, And I know it very well… I know how to have the initial awe Which a child would have if, being born, Would notice truly it was born… I feel born at every moment To the eternal novelty of the world… I believe in the world as I do in a sunflower, Because I see it. But I don’t think about it Because thinking is not understanding… The World was not made for us to think about it (Thinking is being eye sick) But for us to look at him and agree… I don’t have a philosophy: I have senses… If I speak about Nature it’s not because I know what it is, But because I love it, and I love it because of this, Because the one who loves never knows what he loves Neither does he know why he loves, or what loving is… Loving is the eternal innocence, And the only innocence is not thinking… Alberto Caeiro in "The Keeper of Sheep" (1914)

That's how life is, you get stuck and unstuck, clean, dirty and clean again... Not concerned if people comment or don't comment, I just knew I had to share what did me so well.There, very spontaneously. It will reach those that has to reach. Symbols... What I believe about symbols is that finding their deep meaning is proportional to the effort or interest one puts in the investigation. Not as easy as road signs, no Hope John is still in Russia in some remote place far from the crowd.

“The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.” ― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Thank you Spectrum

Really happy that I could share something as beautiful as this interview with someone : ) We will come back to it many times in our lives, right? Like those favourite books we keep reading... Can relate to being stuck in the mud... thank you for sharing your adventure. I think John lives in England, yes. It really gave me much peace... and hope! It reached us for some reason...

There's a place in us where there's no fear. I usually get there with walking meditation.

Welcome Lee people here are nice.

Wow Taomeow! When someone validates what you're feeling with their own experience and words it's just overwhelming... Thank you so much for your encouragment my friend and for that special "penny". I will hardly ever forget it! All the best, oak

Hi sagebrush! Good that you are enjoying John Butler's message. There's so much in it that seems coming out directly from the dao de jing that I felt the need to post it here in the dao bums forum. It's giving me hope in difficult times of shenpa - as now I've learned with you, thanks : ) Would like to achieve those peaceful moments during work hours more as you do...but rarely. Get "here and now" mostly when I have time to dedicate to practice. Sound of bells... humans will be humans and bells, bells... as my zen master didn't use to say...

It can only be a cultivation reminder...

Welcome Ladykai. Hope you find here at the bums the love and wisdom you seem to need right now.

Welcome to the Bums merwin64!

"...Darkness within darkness. The gate to all mystery" TTC 1

Hi Drifting_Through_Infinity, Astral Projection is something I definately feel isn't for everyone, even for people who can do it easely like me. That was something I found out in my teens. Even so, I've waited to meet the right people to start doing it _ experienced astral projectors. The results weren't at all what I was expecting for and due to not being able to control energies as they would arise violently the result was a spiritual crisis that made me lose some of the best years of my life. So, even today it continues to be easy for me but I abstain from it.

Welcome lovecraftssiren

Hello everyone! Thank you very much for letting me join this community. I'm sure it will be a great learning experience.