GicuPiticu

The same here...My experience is that you carry these with you all your life. You just learn to deal/live with it. Yet YMMV.

This is well said. This is golden

First of all....my humblest apologies for giving you the impression of wanting "to provoke an argument".. .Far be it from me ! It would defy my purpose of being on this forum: that is widening my horizon. That been said.... "I live in a small forested valley with a river running through it. It’s sparsely populated by humans but has an abundance of wildlife. My dwelling is a rustic pole-framed cabin which I’ve substantially built myself. I live a semi-reclusive lifestyle." I have so many time dreamed what you say....I don't have anymore the health, strength and sheer force of will to do that. That been said, my questions stand....just ignore my post if you don't find any relevance in these: 1. Please understand that while many people think of the results as perfect health, martial arts force and...maybe some siddhis... for me it would be real interesting how you describe/perceive these results...That's because of the extensive practice you have and the journey you had (still having ?). I also already know that not everyone will reach the same level/vision before he leaves this world. The path gets to be a lonely one when you reach for the peaks...that's what I glimpse. 2. I mentioned the book and that's my second question...let me give you a quote: "Many people who rejected Fundamental Wellbeing had one major thing in common: they had experienced rapid transitions that took them directly into Location 4. In one case, a person read a book about Fundamental Wellbeing, went to sleep, and woke up in Location 4. Despite being absorbed in a previously undreamt-of level of wellbeing and sense of freedom, he felt he’d traded his humanity for it. It is not uncommon for those who land in Location 4 without religious or spiritual moorings or a psychological frame of reference to feel this way. The lack of agency and emotion feels so different than what they had recognized as normal up to that point. The turning point for this person was looking across the breakfast table at his young daughter, and not feeling even the slightest tinge of parental love". Also...in the book there is a talk about a great split (Path of Freedom vs Path of Humanity) beyond the so called "Location 4" of Consciousness. To put it in a more "Daoistic" way...are you working at the level of Spirit or Self ? Once again...my humblest apologies if I gave you the impression of wanting "to provoke an argument". I came back with the 2 questions because I think/feel the answers would be interesting for many, not only me. Of course, feel totally free to ignore my post if you deem no relevance to it. All the best in your journey in the valley and the peaks !

Well, I'm not paralyzed, only pretty much Jing wasted....I know first hand what it feels to be sometimes almost unable to move your legs. I do not know about not moving your arms and I hope to God to never know. That been said....there is one technique/cultivation that can be done... not initiated from the physical/ethereal body yet strongly affecting these. That is sound....or Mantra Yoga if you prefer to call it that way. Uttering certain sounds in a certain disciplined way (especially with your inner voice) is a mentally initiated process that affects deeply and almost visibly the body part of your being. Now...this cultivation (by sound) can go either way: affecting mostly the body or mostly the mind. To put it in a more "Daoistic" way: if you get to vibrate certain sounds in a rythmic manner, vibrating in all your body....and the sound sustains itself in a calmly, focused, fully controlled manner....you get something akin to Microcosmic Orbit. While I am not familiar with M.O., I am familiar (to a very small extent) with that kind of self sustained sound power that cleans, balance and nourish your body. IMHO. Please do not hesitate to correct me.

Well, well, well....there's the look from the top of the mountain (seems to be yours)...and there's the look from here, down the ant hill (me). You have decades of practice and teach...I have not even a decade of practice...so the things are seen very different from my ant hill. I'll try to be brief: 1. No one can live your own life, do your practice etc. But a teacher giving you a good start, a clear overview of what are you getting into, hinting at you some mistakes you make...and gently stepping aside when you need to unfold by yourself...that's an invaluable person to cherish. 2. Damo Mitchell in no fool. Period. He knows these: - most people come to Qigong for health problems and are not interested in anything more. - for those that are interested in more... a "systemized", "linearized" map of the journey can do only good. Especially discouraging happy easy going idiots that get some first easy results from getting themselves into big trouble. - take a look at what Damo Mitchell have to say about Qi deviance and so on. There's no need to be in Daoist arts to get in such a mess. You could do Hatha-Yoga the wrong way and go straight to the looney asylum. - I just cannot see how anyone who has read at least one book of Damo Mitchell could associate him with "rather trying to overwrite people with a standard, one size fits all, Neidan cultivation model." 3. "I’ll await with long-term interest to see the results from people I know of who are currently using these methods before forming a definite opinion" says you. What results !? says me. I am indeed very much interested how would perceive/evaluate these results. Out of topic (or not so much): I am curious you if read "The Finders by Jeffery A. Martin". How would you relate the inner states described there (from a Western psychological perspective) with your own experience !?

Ok, Sketch, thank you very much for your input. While I'm unfamiliar with Alexander technique and Emilie Conrad's Continuum practices, I have tried Daoist six healing sounds and I found the bijas more powerful/effective. Now, two things in your reply resonate with my practice: 1. There's definitely focus/circulation of energy in body areas, tissues, bones for each bija. Like each one would activate a specific circuit, a particular modality. 2. Interior sound !? That's a deep one... Sometimes the bija is not so much sounded as thought/invoked before and beyond mere uttering. Secondly...I think I can talk to my body (the physical one) in a "language" that's before words...I can't put into words the feeling. Now, my practice as I have navigated through it: 1. I do it for 30-90 min at a time, 2-3 times a day. Possibly because of my health problems....I need a stronger dose. 2. First Stage: clarity in uttering the bija (inner sound, I do not use chanting). By clarity I mean the uttering has some crisp clear quality like outrightly speaking....and the bija vibrates all body. 3. Second Stage: bija starts repeating itself....I have reached this...from time to time. 4. Third Stage: mind (as in buddhist mind, that's all being) gets fully focused...eventually absorbed/immersed in the bija....I had only a glimpse of this. Basically....that's my experience...I must admit that sometimes I feel like there is a threshold I can't pass through...maybe the health interfering ?! I don't get Second Stage on a regularly basis....Third Stage remains only a dream for me. Any input on the above ?

So, this is my first post, I'm trying to be brief yet clear. Anyone in this forum has experience (as in in practicing) in bija mantras meditation ? By bija mantras I mean Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Om. They are traditionally associated with chakras, but that's a secondary aspect, actually they work on the Tattvas: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether, Mind. What I'm interested are these: 1. How long/intensive was/is your practice ? 2. How would you describe/prescribe the practice ? 3. What results have you achieved ? With no intent to be rude...please understand that I have no interest in replies from the books, but only in your experience.

Totally new to Qigong (which is my interes). Read some articles of Sifu Anthony Korahais and found this forum.