Aetherous

I stopped running for a few years entirely, due to bad shin splints. The chi running principles are helping me get back into it slowly, thankfully. I really do need to work on making the calves healthy and flexible, though...since now all the force is transfered through the achilles and triceps surae, instead of the front of the shin. I was inspired by a forum member who in the past year or so went from small jogs to running a 50 mile marathon (I think), using chi running. I think his screenname might still be Taiji Bum.

Well, I disagree completely.

I think it truly can be a neurological problem, when you have so much spiritual energy that it causes your face to do unnatural things, and makes you literally lose your mind (go into silence) when you're trying to use it. Getting lost in pure awareness. But is that a good thing? IMO, depends on what you're after. For me, it's extremely annoying when I lose all train of thought during a conversation. But others are more willing to sacrifice things for what is considered to be spiritual.

Yeah, but for a doctor to not treat someone based on a faulty idea of karma is ridiculous.

Personally, I won't form an opinion on something like the afterlife until it's based on real science, real logic, or my own experience. We simply can't know otherwise. To me, your explanation is just as likely as if this doctor actually did fly up to heaven. Not saying that being critical of this story is bad (I am critical of it too), or that you aren't free to believe whatever you do. Just saying...sometimes we come up with explanations that seem plausible, when really they're not. An uninformed person might call your explanation scientific, or realistic. But it's not based on any science whatsoever, and therefore it's not realistic. Anyway...

Here's an idea: interfering with bad karma creates good karma.

Awesome.

Looks like it has been delayed until at least tomorrow morning some time, weather permitting.

Lol, interesting example. I see what you mean...I guess it comes down to school or personal preference. I kind of enjoy life with all of its movement...my perspective of course doesn't represent Taoism.

I typically get ungrounded-as-fuck watching him...

Option B:

I'm not sure we can say for all of Taoism that the mind must NOT be transformed, only emptied. Studying the TTC for instance can be transformative. To take notes from Buddhism...they have relative and absolute bodhicitta...relative is like transformation into a more compassionate mind, and absolute is more like emptying, since it has to do with realization. Also...is there such a separation between mind and body? When the body transforms, the mind is transformed as a byproduct...and vice versa. Taoists might benefit from taking both a transformative (cultivation) approach in addition to the emptying approach.

When they wear clothes like that, you know you should be running away...

I suspect that one will end up saving my life. Thanks for the share!

Hmmm...what can we do to brighten his/her day?

Yes, seriously.

She will do anything to remain relevant...lol.

I have. The fact is, I do worry for you, tulku. And anyone who has a similar state of mind. Take it easy.

Each idea comes from the Bible itself. Yeah, it'd be nice if more so called Christians lived the life. Glad you liked it.

So, you are saying that in a few years you're going to go around literally tearing the faces off of everyone that you think is evil? Do we need to report you to the FBI or something, to prevent another mass murder?

I love this kind of stuff.

This happens in all similar systems, but the way it's discussed coming from the mo pai tradition, they make it seem as if it's something unique to the school. People can believe whatever they want, but if you study the world's traditions, you will come to find that it is not unique. For instance, in Indian kundalini schools they speak of bringing apana up to the navel to unite with prana and samana. In my personal experience, from a method that was simply a visualization in the lower dantien and nothing more, it caused qi to descend to the perineum naturally, and form a connection. It just happens when the dantien is filled. If you simply become aware of the perineum area and open it up, relaxing any tension that's there, it will bring earth energy into the body. Any method that involves lower body awareness (not just perineum, but feet for instance) will connect with earth. Yin qi is magnetic, yeah? The entire lower body corresponds with magnetic. There are methods which boost this energy throughout the body in an incredible way...but people love their chosen lineages and don't care to hear about anything that deviates from the illustrious mo pai (which isn't even a real school of Taoism, but an offshoot). It's all good, practice whatever way you like...but please only speak from personal experience and don't mislead people with what is simply a closed minded attitude. Edit: Also, an earthing cord (grounding device like more pie guy uses) can be good for health, but it hardly increases magnetic energy in the body. It connects whatever magnetic energy you have to the larger field of the earth, and this will slightly decrease your electric energy (voltage). It's good for health to ground any EMFs, but for the purposes of increasing one's personal yin qi...I don't know. Oh yeah, also...it's said that touching the bare earth while practicing can drain your kidneys.

The Buddhists for instance say the same exact thing...body, speech, MIND. Everything we do has a repercussion, for better or worse. As a practicing Christian, I am of the opinion that the guilt tripping is useless. "The Law" is supposed to be for our benefit, and we are not supposed to act as burdened slaves of it, but rather to use it as a way of improving our lives. This is illustrated by Jesus breaking the sabbath to help people. If you know that laying down in a fire will burn you, then it's beneficial that you don't do that. If you would really enjoy laying down in a fire...then it's unfortunate that you now know how harmful it can be...but the 'rules' are there to help you out. To avoid feeling the consequences of doing something harmful. Not to make you feel horrible about your life...live your life, make mistakes, have fun! What else is life for, but to enjoy yourself? It's said that mercy triumphs over judgement, and that we are supposed to treat our neighbor as ourselves (so, not better, not worse, but exactly the same). So being able to forgive yourself for being imperfect...nothing wrong with that. That's actually adding merit and mending errors. Jesus was big on teaching forgiveness of others, and asking for forgiveness for oneself. The key is to create more good will in the real world...not to put a burden on people, as the church has done at times. Yes, it is a 'departure from the Tao'...it is not loving God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, as the first commandment says to do...to be absorbed in lustful thoughts. Another way we could say it is: you're not meditating when you think of having sex with someone. Duh. lol There may be subtle issues with it...like you're creating an energetic or mind connection with that person, against their will. Our thoughts are not merely contained within our skulls! When you connect with someone, you share your mental space...your karma. So what if you're bringing someone bad luck, by thinking about having sex with them...in that light, then yeah it's not a positive thing to be doing. So saying that it's bad to fantasize...well, that's just trying to help you lead a rewarding life, in my opinion. One without negative consequences. It's like saying, you should meditate and let go, it will help you. Or like saying, there might be negative consequences down to the road, when you do that...instead you should develop these positive qualities, like mercy, peace, etc. If you start guilt tripping about anything, then of course, you're doubly worse off. The only way to remove the guilt is to do a lot more good. Sorry, kind of rambling and unstructured post.

It depends. You weren't given power...do you think you were given protection?

tulku, I definitely do not.