Aetherous

I don't think so. Everyone still says "Oh, they're working on MooNiNite's car." They don't say, "The mechanics are working on MooNiNite's array of materials that would be a car if it had four wheels attached." Dictionaries are created based on how people speak, and not the other way around. To get back to the male thing, I think it requires careful reading of that Google dictionary entry, which is written poorly. A male is not an entire physiological sex; a male is an individual member of that group. It's good to consult multiple dictionaries in the case of one being poorly written.

If it's in the shop, and for some reason they took all the wheels off to do a repair, are they no longer working on your car? Your "car" suddenly vanishes from existence! That would suck.

It certainly seems more true when you believe it to be true. Best to just go with the idea that this isn't happening here.

That's just one perspective on the matter. Other perspectives don't view the mind as something in the way.

Yes to those things. Or having a gratitude journal, like OP mentioned. It definitely is cultivation. Every moment of our lives is cultivation...what we focus on is what we, or our lives, become.

Any activity that promotes positive feelings.

I've found this to be quite the interesting little book...better than other stuff Manly P Hall wrote. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/55687/55687-h/55687-h.htm

Sounds like good forms of cultivation. A potential problem with cultivating positive emotions... Think metaphorically of all emotions as being like clouds in the sky. Positive ones are bright and fluffy. Negative ones are dark and overcast. We know that clouds are made up of miniature water droplets...and in those water droplets, on bright fluffy cloud days, the light of the sky (your natural bliss) gets reflected off of each little particle. On overcast days, there's much less reflection of light. So when you have those bright fluffy cloud days, or majestic looking cloud days, or to speak precisely - those times when you're having positive uplifting emotions - the positivity you feel is a reflection of that bliss of samadhi...but it's a reflection and it isn't the thing itself. Why? Because it's also true that clouds come and go...whereas the natural bliss doesn't fluctuate. It's impossible for someone to be positive emotionally all of the time...just like it's impossible to always have our favorite clouds in the sky. But it's always true that the sun is in the vast expanse of the heavens...some things don't change. If our cultivation depends on being happy, then we develop an attachment to that and an aversion away from the darker cloud days, or negative feelings...and attachment/aversion are, according to the Buddhists, some of the root causes of negative emotions. Someone who can't handle any negativity isn't doing well at all on the path. So the trick here is that the key to being positive emotionally, is to not need to be that way. To be unattached to it. But positive emotion cultivation is a great thing. I think our natural bliss tends to come forth in the midst of positive conditions...so despite the "bright fluffy clouds" (positive conditions) merely being reflections of true bliss, they also coincide closely with it...whereas the dark days, or negative emotions, have the opposite effect. When we're peaceful, we can more effectively realize our natural bliss compared to when we're emotionally distraught. So...I see nothing wrong with positive emotion cultivation, and I do indeed think it helps us with our ultimate attainment, whatever that is. It's just important to remember that positive emotions come and go, and it's not good positive cultivation to let that bother us.

In addition to the above, some other issues that come up... I think we've seen multiple people coming to the forums with depersonalization/derealization issues resulting from their meditation. This can especially happen with meditation practices that seek to realize that the sense of self is an illusion...the practitioners misunderstand the purpose of such teachings, and end up causing depersonalization, where they feel like they are observing the body as if it's not them etc, which is not the correct result and is a disorder that causes major problems in their life. Derealization can also happen with meditation, where the person feels like the world isn't real and everything seems fake. These are not achievements, although misunderstanding various spiritual teachings can definitely lead one to believe they are...some of these teachings are quite easy to misunderstand. And I think various "spiritual teachers" in the marketplace sometimes have these disorders - such as the neo-advaitans who give satsangs. I personally had a frightening time resulting from energy practices done incorrectly, ended up in two psych wards for a few days each, and had strong experiences of "ideas of reference", which for a short time I mistook to be real (and therefore had "delusions of reference"). I've seen one other person come to the forum with that same issue, and I tried to help them...but it's extremely challenging to reason with a person whose mind isn't functioning optimally, who is in a heightened state of emotions, and who believes what they're experiencing. What helped me recover psychologically from my experience was practicing the attention training methods from Dr. Amit Sood's book Train your Brain etc, in addition to other basic ideas like getting into a normal sleep schedule, etc. It was challenging to ultimately overcome the ideas of reference, but it's possible and these days I basically never experience such things...my mind got back to normal. Sorry this isn't really well referenced on the subject of deviations, but it's some of what we've seen at the forum and my own experience, with some clear diagnoses (only licensed professionals can diagnose) for these particular issues. I'm sometimes not a fan of psychiatry, but in these disorders I think they're spot on.

I'd say that it's important to just tell this guy he's crossing your boundaries and he doesn't have your permission to do so, that you aren't twin flames and that you have zero interest in him, and that you think he's being an energetic vampire and he must leave you alone - not just physically, but even energetically. Then stay away from him in the real world; break off all communication for the rest of your life. Things will get better.

Eight Verses of Training the Mind by Geshe Langri Thangpa By thinking of all sentient beings As more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel For accomplishing the highest aim, I will always hold them dear. Whenever I’m in the company of others, I will regard myself as the lowest among all, And from the depths of my heart Cherish others as supreme. In my every action, I will watch my mind, And the moment destructive emotions arise, I will confront them strongly and avert them, Since they will hurt both me and others. Whenever I see ill-natured beings, Or those overwhelmed by heavy misdeeds or suffering, I will cherish them as something rare, As though I’d found a priceless treasure. Whenever someone out of envy Does me wrong by attacking or belittling me, I will take defeat upon myself, And give the victory to others. Even when someone I have helped, Or in whom I have placed great hopes Mistreats me very unjustly, I will view that person as a true spiritual teacher. In brief, directly or indirectly, I will offer help and happiness to all my mothers, And secretly take upon myself All their hurt and suffering. I will learn to keep all these practices Untainted by thoughts of the eight worldly concerns. May I recognize all things as like illusions, And, without attachment, gain freedom from bondage. | Rigpa Translations. Revised 2012. Taken from: https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/geshe-langri-thangpa/eight-verses-training-mind

There are bone stim devices that they use in Western medicine. I recall reading that it has quite good results, but a friend tried it and it didn't work for her...look into it. Ya Mu appears to have not visited the forum for over a year now...but maybe he'll return if you private message him (because it'll likely notify his email).

For me personally, this is one of the most beautiful teachings in Buddhism. ... Yesterday, a friend of mine told me about the Chris Watts murder case. I've already had a hard time lately forgiving others for their faults lately, but with what this guy did, I find it impossible to forgive. Normally I could apply an antidote like the Prayer of St Francis (obviously not Buddhist), or just focusing on some of the good that a person has done, and "get right" internally, wishing them well...but I think that prayer and those methods are too weak for such strong negativity. It seems to me like this stronger negativity has been encroaching our world, and human nature, lately. Are we entering a darker era? The Eight Verses still do the trick for me, even in this horrific case. I can't say I feel anything positive for this Chris guy, given what he did and who he is, but the eight verses at least transform my mind away from the desire to establish justice, and more toward a loving attitude. ... I think the eight verses require having some knowledge of the Tibetan Buddhist path. Things like "to all my mothers" definitely aren't understood without that.

When qi is used to harm others, it becomes destructive to the user. Most often it's a subtle destruction, and it doesn't end their life right away or something. Every practitioner should protect themselves against this by choosing to be peaceful rather than violent. Having a negative attitude turns qi into something damaging...having true virtue and being good toward others keeps it healthy. Some people are able to harm others by invisible means, either intentionally or unintentionally. Intentionally, they could do things like curses. Unintentionally, their negativity could simply be strong and could become attached to you by accident. The way to protect yourself from that is to have a large enough qi field that everything just bounces or sluffs off of it, and doesn't affect you. Another way is by having spiritual connections...friends in high places. A simple way of doing this would be to pray, and intend for it to go to the highest and most beneficent beings who want to help you...for the monotheist, it could be God. Regardless of what one believes, it's true that genuine prayer changes the heart of the person doing it...having virtue as a result of praying is a protection. So: be positive and good, develop yourself through practices, and have spiritual help and virtue. It's good to exercise so that one isn't completely physically weak. But there will always be someone who could defeat you...in reality, the legal system prevents them from doing it very often. Sometimes the means to winning a fight is to never have the fight start in the first place. You said, "they decide to attack you"...the question is, why would they? Let's say you could be walking down a dark alley in a bad part of a violent city...okay maybe someone will decide to attack you then, because they want money. Or let's say you're talking trash to some stranger at the bar...they might decide to attack you and teach you not to be so rude. Or you broke apart a marriage by seducing some wife...yeah you're probably going to get attacked, because that's horrible behavior. So don't do things that would make being attacked more likely. There's a chance that you could be attacked without you being at fault, too. Life throws all sorts of curveballs at us. I tend to think that spiritual cultivation prevents even this...not only preventing invisible negativity from impacting you, but it also keeps the violent away from you, or even changes them in your presence. But sometimes despite our cultivation, and despite not doing things that would make being attacked more likely, things happen to us. It can be a frightening experience...but you will probably find that you're still standing after it, so: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Best to not do things that would provoke such an event. For instance, don't be showy. Be respectful. Don't infringe on others in any way. Stay positive, virtuous, and connected to your friends in high places. I think we often tend to run across information we need when we need it...so you'll figure it out, and will more or less learn what helps in such a situation, in the moment.

I may do this on spring equinox. Get some spring cleaning in.

Yes. You don't stop being male when you're elderly for instance.

Bujinkan is very interesting. Will you train with your friend now?

Yes, some of what he does indeed appears creepy. I don't personally think in a "creep" like sexual kind of way (despite what youtube commenters tend to say below his videos), but just in a mysterious oddness kind of way. I do know of healing methods where the healer will connect to a higher type of qi by inhaling in particular ways, and then can transmit it to a patient by breathing that special kind of qi on them...there are different types of breathing depending on the result. I can't say more. I haven't heard of these methods coming from China as well, but apparently they do. I've also seen breathing onto people done during shaktipat demonstrations. I've seen shamans do the opposite method, where they'll inhale sick qi out of the patient's body...China had a lot of shamanism early on, and is close to Siberia and Mongolia where it's more or less continued to this day. Perhaps they would also exhale onto people's bodies, too.

Not Daoist but ancient: https://medicineloom.com/2016/03/12/circulating-the-vital-breath-the-xing-qi-jade-inscription/

I'll be interested to hear of your experiences with this after a while. I wonder where the info originally came from?

Wow, very interesting to see the video of the reading becoming super high in the shower.

I was able to see this one. It primarily has to do with your intuition. You sense the exact thing to do in the moment that the person needs and then do that. At least this was my understanding of it.

Focus on what makes 100% sense. If it doesn't make sense, it's either something that you don't understand yet, or something false that people are repeating without understand it themselves. If it's false, then it's really worth ignoring. If it's just something you don't yet grasp, then it's worth ignoring for now. You'll understand it when the time is right. In the meantime, don't ignore what's clear.

Me either, but if I had my post wouldn't have sounded like it did.

I encourage you to keep reading the post, and actually do what it says to do. That will address all questions.