Aetherous

Could be that you're just trying to please the wrong people (the unpleasables).

Bodyoflight, What exactly are the results you're seeking? What is the difference between the enlightenment you plan on achieving, and how you are right now?

Very good advice.

It really sucks to hold all of these false opinions about sex/relationships/gender differences. Totally holds you back. You might want to just take a break from the endless thinking, and join a dating website or something. Meet some different girls, and actually get to know them a little. Just an idea...I know it's not the best of ideas. But anything to get you into reality, and out of the false labeling of how you think reality is.

Very nice.

She seems like fun.

Hilarious Onion News video. While I think a lot of these relationship problems are in fact problems in the world...I see that keeping them in mind does us no good. It's a nearly endless cycle of failure...why perpetuate it? Better to just move forward and ignore the status quo. If you get knocked down, just get back up and remember there are millions of "fish in the sea". Yeah...I agree. Also sorting out your life (making sure you can survive, etc).

Rock on, Goldleaf! Welcome.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080713082534AARTbMt

If I get a job soon...maybe!

Well, this is something I disagree with. For instance, running a few miles has different effects from watching a few hours of TV. Positive and negative things can potentially be said of both activities, but in trying to achieve certain goals (like weightloss) running would be more advantageous. To relax and learn something, watching a documentary would be more advantagous than running. From the standpoint of spiritual growth, running and TV watching both have different effects as well... Many of these fancy practices such as Kunlun have different effects from eachother. People often speak of neigung and alchemy here...the Kunlun practice falls into this category. It alters one's internal energy, as well as mind and emotion. People sometimes seek things like ascension/light body work, development of siddhis, etc. The Kunlun practice can fall into these categories, and these things can sometimes occur spontaneously, as well as gradually develop. It is said that the Kunlun practice causes a merging of micro and macrocosm, and I can attest that this is true especially from this and other practices...synchronous things can happen more often in nature, which mirror the mind. Much different from doing the dishes. For a person who is seeking a serene state of mind, in some ways the Kunlun practice accomplishes this as well. In a way, it is stronger than simply sitting still meditating. Energy is temporarily harmonized as a result of the posture, having profound effects on the body and mind. At least in my experience, I feel like life is more in flow and have a sense of blissful emptiness (inadequate and misleading description but whatever). It can have strange effects on one's surroundings, as well as interactions with other people. So a lot of stuff is happening under the hood, which can be ignored...or explored. The effects can change...so that instead of the practice cultivating serenity, it cultivates whatever is on your mind.... I think the main issues with the practice are: how we relate to it, and how it's practiced. The following are just my own ideas, and don't necessarily represent the school's ideas: If we don't first calm the mind and create a sacred space, then we are simply mirroring and amplifying our issues through the practice. So some ideas can be smudging (juniper or sage work well), taking a purifying bath beforehand (lukewarm or cool water), relaxed breathing, lighting some candles around you, maybe some prayer, perhaps doing a protection ritual, etc. The room you practice in should be clean, and healing to be in...a sacred space. It can help to have a feng shui type fountain, with fresh water running through it...or nature sounds of something similar. I think it's good to have fresh air circulating, and also to be close to the ground in the room where you practice. (Side note: Where you practice is actually really important, since the practice will tend to attract different types of spirits...some of which may be inherent to the place you're practicing and not necessarily inherent to you or the practice itself...it can have a disturbing effect on your state of mind). All of these types of considerations will help one to have a much more positive effect on the practice. Afterwards, you might want to spend time in a more meditative state, rather than having to go somewhere quickly and interact with other people, which will easily disturb the energy and inward state of mind you have just cultivated. The reason why many have spoken of Kunlun as spiritual crack here is because of the way they treat it. For instance if you have the coca plant, and take it in a traditional way, it can give you positive effects. But if you make it into cocaine it can start to get dangerous. If you then do crazy wannabe chemist shit to it, then it becomes very damaging! A problem is that many starting out are already wannabe chemists, or they are already trying to make Kunlun into something it's not by their desires and also what they bring to it. So the coca example can be the same with this spiritual practice...if treated with the appropriate respect, the results can be beneficial. Also, how you feel about the practice has an effect on your results with it...if you approach it with fear, guess what's going to be amplified and projected during the session. If you feel positive about it, then that will reflect in your practice. So following one's own intuition is paramount. Cultivating positive emotion in daily life, and perhaps through different meditations, is recommended... Another thing about a strong spiritual practice. If you don't balance your own life and simply spend all of your time on spiritual stuff and inner work, instead of focusing on: love life, exercise and nutrition, career, travel and fun, friends and talking about world issues, etc...well then your life will be unbalanced as a result of your own actions. Part of awareness development is not just becoming more aware of awareness...it's about becoming aware of things in your life and becoming a decision maker. Taking responsibility to shape it. This is the basic idea of magick. A practice which has the potential to dismantle your life (as a result of decreased awareness of aspects of it) can lead us to this potential for magick, and reveal how we aren't using our capabilities (something even as simple as planning how to earn more money, and working towards it). In our world, it's probably most beneficial to spend 90% of our time focused on outer activities, and reserve a special 10% to spiritual escapades! Just how I feel about it... So now to how Kunlun is practiced: I was personally taught that once you feel the energy, then that is all you need from the practice. "If you steep tea for too long it becomes bitter". For myself, most of the time if I simply think of the posture I feel a slight blissfulness rise through me...a slight straightening of the spine. That can be enough. If you do too much and look for some sensation to occur, you can become desensitized and it will seem like a pointless exercise. "Less is more." For myself, it's a very subtle feeling, and I get more from other practices. I was also taught to not flail around...to go within the heart instead, and breathe. Most importantly: to let go. To just practice until the moment you feel something occuring, then to forget about it and do the close down. Not to pine after things. I was also taught that it's necessary to have an exercise routine in addition to the practice. The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity per day for maintaining wellbeing. From studying exercise physiology, I can say that aerobic activity such as taking long hikes, biking or jogging can be much more restorative than intense exercise such as weight lifting or sprinting. Another thing I really like is cold water therapy...going to a fresh river or waterfall with cool water, or simply going under the shower for a minute or two. It helps with the detoxing effects which occur, and benefits the kidneys. So all of these suggestions can relieve a lot of the negative symptoms associated with the practice. Anyway, I think it's not a practice which we can reasonably say: might as well do the dishes/it has no substantial effects. There is definitely more to explore here, in my experience.

Not everyone.

The switchword idea is awesome. I think it's used quite often by the media to subtly persuade the masses. Much better when applied for our own personal benefit.

Interesting...

Belly breathing correctly for extended periods. Declaration of innocence/42 laws of Ma'at (from the book "Nine Eyes of Light"). Red phoenix.

I've heard it's good to burn them. Also heard that your belt and hat are not to be touched by others.

Trust your intuition and personal experience when it comes to practices, as well as your day to day activities. Do what seems right, don't do what is questionable. If you do something questionable, let it go and forgive yourself for being human. :-) Spend time each day writing down your ideas about your life. Your dreams, goals, things you dislike, everything... That will help bring clarity, as well as satisfaction when you are working towards what you want in life. For health, I like cold water therapy. Also, it's commonly known that we're supposed to get at least 30 minutes of cardio type exercise each day. Eat in moderation when you're hungry, and have a variety of different foods. Spend time outdoors. All of these things help us heal. Express yourself in whatever way you like (for instance I play guitar...used to skateboard). Very important to let your feelings and creativity flow in whatever way you prefer. Releasing thoughts is really good. Having no-mind in this moment is peaceful. Another good thing is contemplating on compassion, and increasing it through your actions. I think acting from the heart is a great sign of spiritual accomplishment. Anyway, you'll be fine, and you'll figure things out for yourself.

bodyoflight wrote: This is true. Recieving love from other people can be really enjoyable...more than most things in life. But it doesn't permanently fill the hole. Keeping this in perspective is wise. Being a loving person to others can be highly rewarding, and can help to fill the hole in a more lasting way. If we want a spouse in life, might as well do it and learn from the experience. Side note: I personally think it's healthier to be around people than to be alone.

.

Good points.

+1. It's hard to learn.

I like the points about creativity development... The only problem I see in video games is that you're still constrained by laws...for instance you can only go so far on the map, you can't fully design your own character, you can't decide to for instance not kill people in a shooter game. If kids are only doing video games, then they're going to unconsciously think "this is the way the world is, so it's the way I must behave". They will function based on 1s and 0s, rather than from their human design. I saw this in my good friend's kid last night. We were looking for a movie to watch, and the kid was playing a shooter game. I asked him jokingly, "Wow man, why are you so mean, killing so many people?" And he just responded saying something like that's what he has to do. When he grows up, he will find out that he doesn't have to listen to the lies. He can live free and follow his wishes. Our artwork is constrained by too many laws. We think that we have to use good paints and brushes. We think that our music has to be on guitars. We think we have to listen to others, and to learn their ways...when our ways are different. ...I think kids of the future are going to be smarter and more responsible than everyone here. But who knows.

Sitting in traffic is so enjoyable when we don't have to be anywhere else in that moment.