moment

“Death smiles at every man, and all a man can do is smile back.”--- Marcus Aurelius

The Medieval Dance of Death (Death is calling an Emperor) :Emperor, your sword won’t help you out :Sceptre and crown are worthless here :I’ve taken you by the hand :For you must come to my dance At the lower end of the ”Totentanz”, Death calls, for example, the peasant to dance, who answers: :I had to work very much and very hard :The sweat was running down my skin :I’d like to escape death nonetheless :But here I won’t have any luck The dance finishes (or sometimes starts) with a summary of the allegory’s main point: :”Wer war der Thor, wer der Weise[r],” ::”Who was the fool, who the wise [man], :”Wer der Bettler oder Kaiser?” ::who the beggar or the Emperor+? :”Ob arm, ob reich, im Tode gleich.” ::Whether rich or poor, [all are] equal in death.”

To know the Pien-Hua of things is the hallmark of spiritual knowledge. Knowing change (Pien) and knowing how to change oneself (Hua) is to be ling (spiritual); it is also what one calls the TAO. The saint becomes one with pien-hua. --- Chuang-tzu It is by mastering pien-hua, that one properly flows.--- Han K'ang-p'o

“You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns/When they all did tricks for you/You never understood that it ain’t no good/You shouldn’t let other people get your kicks for you.”--- Bob Dylan

We receive death at the same time that we receive life. The knots of death are obstacles to the vital current and must be overcome with breath techniques. Meditation and breath has all of the answers.

The source of death reside within ones' self and can only be overcome by meditation. - a paraphrase of the book of the Superior Transformations of the Cinnabar-Nine into the Essence of The Embryo.

T'ai-i is the subtle breath of transcendence--- Wei Ch'i

If forced to name the nameless Tao, it would be T'ai-i. --The Lu-shih ch' un-ch' iu quoting Lao-tzu.

Preserving the one is a synonym for concentration. In all your activities you must think of the one.In all of your emotions you must think of the one.

It is within the body that the fountain of life is found. But, it is a spiritual journey full of traps.

Merging of Difference and Unity The mind of the great sage of India is intimately transmitted from west to east. While human faculties are sharp or dull, the way has no northern or southern ancestors. The spiritual source shines clear in the light; the branching streams flow on in the dark. Grasping at things is surely delusion; according with sameness is still not enlightenment. All the objects of the senses interact and yet do not. Interacting brings involvement. Otherwise, each keeps its place. Sights vary in quality and form, sounds differ as pleasing or harsh. Refined and common speech come together in the dark, clear and murky phrases are distinguished in the light. The four elements return to their natures just as a child turns to its mother: fire heats, wind moves, water wets, earth is solid. Eye and sights, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes; thus with each and every thing, depending on these roots, the leaves spread forth. Trunk and branches share the essence; revered and common, each has its speech. In the light there is darkness, but don’t take it as darkness. In the dark there is light, but don’t see it as light. Light and dark oppose one another like the front and back foot in walking. Each of the myriad things has its merit, expressed according to function and place. Phenomena exist; box and lid fit. Principle responds; arrow points meet. Hearing the words, understand the meaning; don’t set up standards of your own. If you don’t understand the way right before you, how will you know the path as you walk? Progress is not a matter of far or near, but if you are confused, mountains and rivers block your way. I respectfully urge you who study the mystery, do not pass your days and nights in vain. Composed by Shitou Xiqian (Sekito Kisen), 700–790

I so much understand your cynicism, I truly do. I have been in the hell of the lost (at a very young age) my empathy is great for you and yours", continue to be you.

You and I have been forming a bond that I do not fully understand but, I am grateful for. Be well!

1. not relaxing enough 2. Knowing too much

The net that must be discarded once the prey has been captured. They intend to give form to the Formless by the word, and thus manifest the authentic and absolute Dao. Words are only steps to be climbed, and that once the highest point has been reached, no word applies anymore. There is a mechanism that surpasses them. This is not easy to explain, but one should comprehend beyond words.” --Li Daochun

The Alchemical Language, or the Effort to Say the Contradictory. Isabelle Robinet

If you know the origin and ignore the end, you cannot expand; if you know the end and ignore the origin, you cannot attain the foundation of subtlety. Isabelle Robinet

Yes, much depends upon a particular/subjective education and training, up to a point. Wellness, always.

I believe it is both. (and a third that is much harder to explain). But, I will let you take a stab at it.:) I can at any time use Sodarshan Chakra Kriya to generate energy from the root. Immediately afterwards, only 7 to 10 minutes of standing Zhan Zhuang with MCO can fill me with incredible amounts of energy that obliterates all negativity and on occasion will explode out of the top of my head in total bliss. But, I can ground it almost immediately with sets of Tai Chi. I have gotten to the point where it is consistent, stable and predictable. What kind of energy would you call that?

That is an interesting keyboard you have, what do you do? keep two or three ready or what? Also, I agree that it amounts to a lack of knowledge on at least two fronts.

Look into high mountain Jiaogulan/Gynostemma teas. There are growers throughout Asia/China that have been passing down the tradition for many generations. I have been drinking it for over forty years now. Very healthy and very tasty. I have my own private source but, I have been told that Immortalitea is a good accessible brand. BTW, it is a sweet green tea, if you get any bitter taste, you have brewed it too long.