Aetherous

You must have missed this post of mine on page 4... So yeah, obviously I don't want anyone to break down. This is a tame discussion. If you feel it's not, those are your own feelings.

Yeah definitely...in a very real way.

Thanks for the heads up, gold. It's a good show! I especially liked the testing they did for the mind power guy.

I think this was entirely unnecessary. No one is ganging up on Mal trying to make him feel bad. He doesn't need anyone's support in showing that he's a good guy...that fact is obvious. You might want to go back and read the critical posts of him, and see that positive things were said! We're just discussing an issue which is still very debatable. It doesn't matter if it was months ago...months ahead is the future, and will the same thing occur then (someone getting suspended from the board for a questionable reason)? This is why we discuss it. To improve this place. Period. But maybe we should shut up, because you called us 3 year olds, and called our opinions silly? Maybe we shouldn't share our opinions with the moderating team, so that you guys can shape the board in whatever way you want, and the rest of the community can just put up with it? Because you guys are the valuable members here, and the rest of us are just ants in an ant farm, or people making a mess of Janitor Stig's bathroom. You might want to change your perspective!

Mal, I missed your post for some reason... I don't expect or need anything from you...but it just makes no sense to me how people can make choices without listening to others, and analyzing their own actions fully. When many people are saying "you were wrong", at least personally I'd start to wonder if I really was... If a moderator is biased about an issue, they should simply pass it onto another team member. Making a biased decision not only makes yourself look bad, it makes the entire moderating team look bad. Then we get more of these threads, where we talk about forum politics and eachother's imperfections, instead of talking about Taoism.

Sure, I can see that as well. But do I think it's moderation-worthy, even if it was meant in that way? Nope. Anyway that incident is basically the only thing that really confuses me about the moderation here. Other than that I think they're fairly invisible, and helpful. Also, I like each moderator personally (not like that fact matters).

I don't see how it is, at all. To me it just means that you are vocally supportive of something...which is the way it was originally used.

It blows my mind, Mal, how you can still support your decision of the cheerleader incident. Completely blows my mind.

Anyone that stays here longer than a month is a valued member. Newbies are cheerleaders.

Don't mean to be argumentative, but nothing in nature is still.

Yes, it's different...a more effective way of practicing.

There are different methods of standing, but if you just want to do one way: eyes open and relaxed looking at a 45 degree angle downward. Your attention should be within the dantien, and not in your eyes looking at the ground.

I think chanting (or something similar) is a good spiritual practice for anti-social people. You have to learn how to say what's on your mind more...how to use your mouth! When your spiritual practice resembles what you need to balance in your life, then social situations tend to become effortless. Life flows. You don't even need to try and solve your problem, because in truth it isn't there...it isn't in your true nature to be anti-social, it's just an illusion of the mind which you can either feed and manifest or starve and let pass...by doing the right practice for you, everything will fall into place.

Not to mention all of the other traditions around the globe that utilize very similar processes in the body.

Totally disagree.

I've heard that time of year plays a role. Consider that the locals are more sensitive, so it's good to pay attention to them and go within yourself during these months.

Berkey has flouride filters for their units.

One drink is actually considered a form of medicine, even in Western Medicine. More than one and it starts to be considered a form of poison.

I think sykkelpump was drunk when he made this thread.

Trunk's website is good: www.alchemicaltaoism.com

It might not be, at least for some methods. It might be that using insulation between helps the magnetic energy keep from leaking into the ground, even if it's warm. I'm not sure. Yogis even go further, by using kusa grass beneath their fur mats, which supposedly has radiation protective properties... Anyway, I know one big problem with winter for qigongers is the cold winds. So bundle up. Especially cover the back of the neck (jade pillow area). Practice in an area which doesn't have much wind. If you want to connect with nature, just look out the window as you practice. You can attune to the qi of the trees and stuff simply by being aware of them. Don't warm yourself too much in the winter. I've read that summer is the time to sweat, and winter you should try to keep your pores closed so that you don't drain your kidneys. Drinking a little wine is supposed to be good in the winter, as it increases circulation and heat. Or practicing lower dantien methods, which stimulate the inner fire. I've read that taking hot baths and showers drains the kidney qi, so a better idea would be using water that's barely warm. A more effective way to warm the body when you're cold is through light exercise. Another big thing in qigong is massaging your kidneys with your hands, especially in winter. I have no idea about a well lit area... When you exhale longer than inhale, you warm the body (and activate the parasympathetic nervous system).

For those who were confused by this video, it's only part 1 of 4. It's a nice interview. Thanks for your enthusiasm, More Pie Guy.

Exactly. This isn't a topic about being bored with people. It's an energetic thing occurring. I still don't know what it is, but it can happen around people even if you're not talking with them or looking at them or anything.

You should never get headaches from practice. If you do, you should stop what you're doing. Have you tried simply practicing zhan zhuang?

I wouldn't recommend the Yantra Yoga book, unless you are viewing it for free, or you plan on practicing the methods. The book I like is Healing with Form Energy and Light. Just my personal opinion.