Aetherous

And somehow, kitchen knives are still totally legal.

You're calling me a 12 year old, and you don't even know how to spell lineage? Anyway...I didn't mean it as if we're personally enemies or I'm trolling you or anything. I just laugh at the ancient Chinese secret nonsense. If we were discussing someone who is worthy of respect, or whose teachings are worthy of respect, who happens to be called a grandmaster and is Chinese, then it's another story. They get my respect, because they're worthy of respect. A title, silk pajamas, and being told you're a grandmaster by someone who was called a grandmaster before...these things are outer trappings and can be almost entirely meaningless. Anyway, as I understand it, this thread is just a laid back reflection on the forum, so I was really just cracking jokes with friends...and didn't mean to make you think I dislike you and think little of your opinions or something.

Tearing out throats is actually the opposite of Tao.

So true. Only Asian people that other Asian people give silk pajamas to inside of doors, are masters who belong to the lineague of shadows.

Silk pajamas.

In that case, we shall know you as an immortal! (because mastery is a continual process, not a destination)

I was also sitting and forgetting about that.

How will I determine what is newage and what isn't, now that thundergooch is unable to tell me?!

Good point. The Tao has protected your ass yet again!

Why did someone threaten your life? Do you think they're being serious?

That's impossible for you, ChiDragon!

I realize it's probably asking too much for a clear answer, when the topic is creative and mysterious...but what are the numbers about, 9th? Why 10 to the power of 9? Why 10 of 9 resolved into 7. Why the name, 9th? Danke.

People like the freedom to make mistakes, and learn on their own. They hate being forced to do the right thing, and being told what's correct. To take that free will away from them can create problems for yourself. If you want your free will to be respected rather than subverted or controlled, you have to give others the same privilege. This is a hard thing for me to learn, personally.

Looks almost exactly like my meth addict ex girlfriend. No thanks!

Wow, sorry to offend your sensibilities with some relevant humor, guys!

It's challenging to wield power and authority. The higher we rise, the harder we fall.

It can help to eat some beef and go for a long walk, even though it's the middle of the night. Better than trying to force yourself to sleep, which doesn't work. A lukewarm bath also can help calm the nervous system down.

I think craniosacral therapy would do the trick...no drilling holes necessary. Although, interesting topic!

Not just advertising for his system, but for medical qigong in general, which would be a great thing. We could have more people interested in becoming healers, more patients getting the help they need, more medical professionals aware of this or practicing it. Ya Mu has posted a bunch of case studies on here...but in terms of convincing people that doesn't cut it. Why? Because any teacher can make extraordinary claims, and then it's up to the potential students if they will believe him or not. But not every teacher works in coordination with Mayo Clinic, though...for instance, as Chunyi Lin has done for years. Not every teacher has their results independently studied and published in a peer reviewed journal. The claim has been made for his medical qigong, that they have like a 90% success rate (if I remember correctly)...imagine if that was proven independently. The media would eat it up, and everyone would be obsessed with medical qigong.

Eccentricity can be awesome. I don't really do anything on purpose to shock people, but as the days and years go by, I care less and less what critics have to say (these might be my closest friends and family, or someone with credentials, etc)...and see more and more how being eccentric can actually be the best thing to do in life. Be whoever you want! For instance, what if people told JK Rowling that writing about magic and "hogwarts" and stuff was just too weird? I'm sure they did tell her...but what if she listened to these idiots? She wouldn't have her money and fame now...both of which are good things. I think most people are more weird than they show themselves to be, anyway. The ones who are normal, are probably just afraid of being called abnormal. But what a pointless existence, to live in fear of the opinions of others. Yours is the only one that matters to you.

The most challenging part of celibacy for me has been just before going to sleep. All throughout the day, I'm busy, so it's beyond easy to avoid masturbation. But just before bed, you're no longer busy at all. You're no longer in a public place, so no one is watching what you do. It's totally natural to masturbate then. Furthermore, it helps one fall asleep faster, to masturbate. This is my most common excuse if I'm lying in bed for over half an hour without passing out. And unfortunately for someone attempting to limit lust, it works really well. So the trick is to read books before bed. Preferably fiction, so you can get engrossed in a story (which is similar to dreaming, and is relaxing), and not be planning for the future like with nonfiction books. Thinking about real things and planning for your future, keeps you awake. Lying in bed trying to fall asleep keeps you awake. But reading drifts you off. Setting aside an hour of reading time, with one light providing just enough illumination to read, helps a person get tired. Staring at a screen will keep you awake long after you stop...so it's important to read an actual book. This is because of the blue light in screens and extra ambient lights...you want to minimize the blue light as much as possible while having enough visibility to read the words. That's it. Set aside time to read before bed, so you can pass out easily, and avoid the masturbation trap. Not that there is something wrong with sexuality...this is only for people trying to transmute it.

There's this basic qigong move that will likely help... Palms facing upward, out at your sides, inhale and they raise up to above your head and slightly forward. At the end of the inhale, have the palms facing down...as if you've flipped over and cupped some clouds into your hands that you are about to draw down. Exhale and the palms face your body and travel downward till they are in front of your belly. At the end of the exhale, turn the palms upward. Now it's as if your hands have drawn the clouds down through you, and you relax. Repeat over and over for like 10 minutes at a time. More is not needed. The cloud idea isn't necessary to visualize or anything...it's just a way of describing the hand movement...all that's important is moving the hands with the breath in the basic way described. It should help within a day or two...if not, then it's not the right method for your particular problem.

If you keep experiencing this, it might help to get craniosacral therapy done. If you experience a kind of gentle wind-like sensation at the upper forehead/hairline area, then PM me and I'll tell you some basic things that have worked for dealing with that.