Aetherous

"It is the doom of men that they forget."

I'm not sure...doesn't Theravada have walking meditation? Whereas I'm not sure Tibetan Buddhism has any exercise at all aside from prostrations (which are not necessarily continued after a certain number, but should be).

Not saying this writing is definitive for all of what we can call magic, but it's an interesting perspective. ...oh whoops, I guess this isn't hardly dark enough material to be in here. lol

I didn't...thanks. Felt strange how candidly the author (who I thought was him) was speaking, compared to previous times.

Greatest post this forum has ever seen!

Not speaking from a Taoist alchemy school, but just general layman's experience... In one of Eva Wong's books on Taoist alchemy, "yellow sprouts" and "golden sparks flying from behind the navel" (I think they're the same thing) are said to be a sign that the lower dantian is filled/activated/working/however you want to say it. This is pretty obvious to anyone who practices this stuff...you feel a new sort of qi, going out from the dantian as you try to keep it and your attention in there, and there's nothing you can do about it. I think it starts to be taken in to the extraordinary vessels, and you start to feel it flowing along those pathways in general...up the back and spine especially. So that's a sign of at least some progress in this method. People on the internet can nitpick it however much they want...practitioners can doubt their own experience however much they want. But a new qi is being produced regardless, if you practice lower dantian filling. Other markers of progress...your body basically becoming golden and soft looking if you look in the mirror. Means your jing is full for the time being. Your body feeling like one energy, united...no front, side, back, top, bottom...just one thing, like light...in addition your aura is basically very strong and extends past your skin. You basically are your aura and so is your body. One thing. This aura is partly due to wei qi. So you're very likely not becoming sick ever, and feel more youthful. Visualization can definitely make it stronger, if you do it right. But visualization also strongly activates the upper dantian...as does spatially locating your awareness someplace in the body, or an object of visualization. This becomes obvious to anyone who practices such methods for a while. Something less UDT-activating, is to "just feel what's going on" in the lower dantian area. Not to spatially relocate awareness. Just feeling what's going on, or gently meditating on the sensations of the lower belly, doesn't active the upper so much. I think there are more problems than simply this, by relocating awareness...basically the spirit is leaving its center when this is done. Also, stagnation is being built up in the new area of awareness...not good to have stagnation in the lower dantian. Or especially the heart area, if you were to try methods involving that. It's also not good to put attention inside of the body, in my opinion, since the body is what holds karma and the unconscious...so you're bringing up shit to a certain extent. These are just things I've noticed...but they're easy to deal with for people who really want to practice this. I think where the hands are, can help where the qi goes (look at the homunculus figure, our brain is most aware of the hands)...so for instance the stillness-movement seated hand position would help cause the lower dantian to fill. Kunlun Nei Gung has the same position for "closing down" after other methods. It's interesting to research the acupuncture points in that area, below the navel and above the pubic bone. Just random stuff to think about, not at all advanced or legitimate.

http://themindunleashed.org/2013/12/glass-sphere-might-revolutionize-solar-power-earth.html

The ideas are widespread because they are posted numerous times in a row, and in a bunch of different websites. It's basically spamming the internet with personal opinions...rather than simply sharing them at one time, in one place, like normal people do. It's like a bad marketing campaign with no product. There is some truth to the idea that if you masturbate a lot you're depleted...but that's about it as far as where I go in agreement with him. A lot of what he says is in actuality false and wrong. But he's a character and it can be interesting to consider his ideas...just don't blindly believe them! Seek legitimate sources, as well as your own experience rather than his.

"Apana" comes from Ayurvedic science, in my understanding. I could be wrong. Your ideas are interesting...no problem to disagree.

Good to be aware! Also, good to focus on the good and feed it, while observing the bad.

Truth!

Really nice, Effilang!

So...did anyone else have literally the worst Christmas of all time, too?

It's a really important subject to consider, of how to stay calm and cultivate beneficial things when in public. Really important. I just wanted to mention that judging people that you don't know/spirit fighting/killing negative robotic energies/doing things that might harm people on a subtle level and then hoping (but not knowing) that it's made up for by setting an intent, etc...that's all potentially very self destructive. It drains the life from the heart, or in other words destroys the soul. In my experience. It'd be good to have something else to focus on during those times when you notice you're getting in that mindset. One option would be a beneficial mantra that you "listen" to. Basically anything that will take your focus away from non-beneficial things. Just saying this to help out since it's kind of a serious issue, in my view. Maybe what I think will resonate with you, or maybe not.

Silent Night ya'll

(warning: violence in the following movie clip) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW0cchQw_F4

There are some things you guys need to know about this topic... Chuck Norris got his drivers license at the age of 16. Seconds. Thou shalt not kill. Chuck Norris exists for this purpose. Math was invented by Chuck Norris as a body-count system. Chuck Norris's belly button is actually a power outlet. In the beginning, Chuck Norris told God to make him something to play with and gave Him a seven day deadline. Gravity is the scientific term for the attractive force of Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris was trained by Bruce Lee, who was in turn trained by a time traveling Chuck Norris thus completing the circle. Chuck Norris makes onions cry. Chuck Norris thinks of the Laws of Physics as 'friendly suggestions. Just thought you should be aware.

You want to argue rather than see where I could be correct (which I am). That's cool, but I'm not going to continue engaging you. I'll consider what you said about my practice being wrong. Also, regarding tummo practitioners in the Himalayas, if I remember correctly they do some stuff outdoors but the drying of towels is done inside some kind of cave or room. I'm not at that point in my Buddhist learning yet, so I can't really say much more that's authentic about it. Its purpose is to open channels, so...

If a person's wei qi is strong, they can handle it...for instance I haven't been sick at all in like 5 years or something. But the channels are quite open and this does mean cold wind is very noticeable. So then you simply do what it takes to protect against that. If I don't protect against it, and walk with some normal person who also doesn't...they will get sick and I won't. But I will notice it more, and thus it affects me more. Hope that makes sense. All Taoists emphasized protecting against the six pernicious influences, acting in harmony with the seasons, etc. They didn't say, "practice neigong and you should go walk around naked in a blizzard for hours". Real practitioners aren't obsessed with the phenomenon, which aren't even the true phenomenon but simply things that appear to be supernormal. They hardly are. People can do that stuff of course (Wim Hoff trained some kid to do the same things for instance, soldiers do it all the time), but regardless of anything they are harming themselves. Cold closes the channels, regardless of who you are...wind disturbs vata dosha regardless of who you are. It is possible to be harmed and not notice it...in fact this is the state of being of most people. Only the sensitive notice a problem and are able to correct it. Anyway, my point of view on this is not at all newage. It's from actual Taoism, Buddhism (for instance Master Nan Huai Chin), Ayurveda (cold closes the srotas which brings ill health, ama blocks the channels and thus decreases sensitivity in normal people), and Chinese medicine. And it's based on how things actually work...not on theories that if you train in "the real deal" you'll be invulnerable. The latter is probably the main reason why you see "masters" dying at age 60...they think because they have increased immunity and feel young on the inside they can do anything and neglect the Taoist teachings they've been exposed to. You're basically saying that yuan qi and wei qi are strengthened from neigong practices...and these would help prevent illness from cold wind. True. But I'm saying every neigong system opens the channels (you're trying to tell me that your neigong system does not? lol), which leads to increased sensitivity to the external. The micro and macrocosms merge, so there is no inner and outer...the body is experienced like a mirage and is the same as anything else around it. This means the channels are open. Such an accomplished person walking out in the winter wind, will feel it going through them completely as if they barely had a body...much more than a normal person. Anyway, don't believe me? I don't care. You will see one day if you practice anything.

There are a lot of false methods out there. It's easy to see why people would make the connection. Literally any internal energy practice will cause your channels to open more than someone else, making you more sensitive to the external environment. This also means you're healthier. I am, if they are reading this. lol

This makes sense to me...

Just fyi. It might be true that there is a yin qi you get only when seated on the bare earth...but apana vayu is something else. It is a vata subdosha inside of the body, that deals with the movements of air and ether elements for the purposes of excretion, urination, ejaculation, to an extent being grounded and calm, etc. It resides in the large intestine and anus. If apana were yin chi, you could simply treat apana vayu so that it's working 100% optimally, and not have to sit on the earth for those practices. Sitting on the earth might help with apana vayu, since it is the earth element which will bring balance to the air and ether elements (vata). ... About the cold...some of the problem has to do with wind. If there's no wind out and it's cold, no problem...but get a little breeze and you will really feel how cold it is. Especially for a person whose channels are open as a result of practices, they will need to protect themselves against the wind...moreso than average Joe. I personally got a North Face Windwall 1 jacket...just a fleece...if sinched up at the bottom, with a good neck gaitor, good gloves, good hat, good layers for the pants...I'm toasty. It lets in about 2% of the wind...whereas if you had no jacket you'd be getting 100% of it...so basically no wind gets in. This jacket also is fine indoors, like a sweatshirt. It's very breathable while being windproof. I wear it basically all day everyday from fall to spring. Shovel snow with it on, or go for walks in Wisconsin, and am fine. Tummo style breathing will open the channels in a strong way. You might feel warm, but that cold wind is going to penetrate regardless and cause problems. Also, I think it's just a side effect that tummo is warming...it's main purpose is tantric. Sometimes you won't get the warmth from it. And there are different methods of doing tummo.

@ :43 the student moves before actually being affected.

This is a really tough part of the path, but you will work it out, because you have the desire to do so. It may seem like you now have this problem which you didn't before. But awareness of a problem is the first stage of its healing...previously to this, you were not so acutely aware of what the mind was doing outside of your control. Now, this problem is on the chopping block. Things that can help: tonglen and Buddhist mind training, ho'oponopono, reminding yourself of your own faults and how you don't want others to punish you for what they perceive as mistakes (or similar types of reminders), praying for people's well being, and most importantly letting go...this is hard to describe, but basically not being too hard on yourself that your mind naturally does this, but to open up and relax instead. Kind of let it happen actually, and acknowledge that it's not something you're doing...it's not your will. Waging war against a portion of yourself that you don't want, be prepared for a formidable battle. Better not to wage war, at least in a direct way.

http://www.ucg.org/bible-faq/when-was-jesus-christ-born-was-jesus-born-december-25-christmas-day