Aetherous

I'm straight, and have some gay acquaintances. They are good people. I don't know what makes them gay, or me straight...if it's something in the mind, in the genes, or whatever. It doesn't matter. What matters is that they aren't treated like shit.

Thanks for responding, Pamela. Truly a good story. An extremely challenging thing to learn. Hardyg, I like that explanation!

Slightly off topic, but what do you think the difference is, Pamela?

There are lots of tips on lucid dreaming online... Years ago, I thought this website was good: http://ld4all.com/ Thanks for bringing this up, because I've been wanting to get back into this again. I've only had a couple of real lucid dreams, so it's something to work on.

Nice. Although it's still true that we require at a minimum 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5 days per week. Walking counts.

I think stories of these feats shouldn't be taken too literally...maybe these things don't work in the way that we assume at first. But I guess you never know.

Very nice interview!

Maybe returning everything to its origin.

Discipline.

A piece of toast. Then I eat more after the run.

Good question.

Thanks apepch7! You too.

Something else I just noticed... http://www.primordialalchemist.com/gallery/kunlun_photos.html Look at the third photo in. His elbow has vanished, but his forearm and hand appear stationary and fading. This specific effect would be impossible to do with only a slow shutter speed...it would require photoshop.

One problem is that we can still see your head moving around. It's totally possible that the photos were faked and put up to just open our minds to possibilities. Or some other reason. Or it's possible that they're real. Whatever is true, it has no impact on my practice or my life...so I see no problem continuing this discussion. Even if Max thinks taobums is just a bunch of people who badmouth teachers, and who don't practice. I like this place and the people here, and see no problem with discussing things, finding truths and helping one another.

I will appreciate it, admit that I really don't know, and that they possibly are forgeries. Best I can do, being skeptical of everything.

I really don't. It'd be much easier for me to think I am accomplishing great things in my practice, and not have to look up to the high task of disappearing in order to be truly accomplished. It puts me in my place. More work to do...shit! I'm not simply a Kunluner. I'm a Scott first of all. So just because I'm arguing against your point of view, please don't lump me into some category. I'm a very skeptical person, and stand on my own when it comes down to it. My whole point here is to actually question...not just assume we've debunked it, when people have only offered simple explanations, and move on...in my opinion, so far nothing has been shown to be fake. There have just been some decent arguments. What I want to see is someone who will post photos of themselves or a friend achieving the same effect. Not a similar effect, as ninpo just posted above. I don't believe that a slow shutter speed could cause the effect that was in Kan's tea pictures. His arm is see through, and there's no evidence of him moving it. His head is completely gone. His feet appear to be off the ground and relaxed, meaning that he would have to be moving his head wildly in order to not be seen while keeping the feet in that position...challenging! This would HAVE to be photoshopped. There are more things which make it questionable... I've taken a few photography classes, myself. So if you want to try and prove your point, emulate the photos accurately...don't just tell me about how I don't know anything. This is a potentially good point.

I remember reading some new age thing that said 11 represent a passage to a new life...kind of like a gate to walk through. Makes sense. I think Baolin Wu's feng shui book equates the number two with death...so two towers standing alone together is not good feng shui (at least according to that book).

To drive that point home I'll share a personal story... I was in the Guard, and ever since I have done Kunlun, I just moved further and further from it. Things were happening like... I got shin splints which would simply not go away, so I couldn't participate fully. So it seemed like continuing in the Guard was just not the way to go...but I was living in fear, thinking I had to continue until my contract was up otherwise they'd ruin my future, by giving me a bad discharge. Well it got to the point where I just couldn't even put on the uniform anymore. For many reasons...but basically I have turned completely against the military way of life. So I had to choose...stick it out and suffer, or leave on my own terms and finally enjoy life. So I decided to quit. That night, I cried for the first time in years. I had very positive dreams. Woke up feeling refreshed, finally. Ever since then, my heart has been more open...crying basically at least once a week, when I feel for someone's suffering. Laughing more fully. Flowing in my life...not holding on so tight... Turns out I am just getting a general discharge and owe like 400 bucks. Totally worth it. So, at some point you have to just give in to the spiritual way of life. At some point, it will probably be too hard to maintain the negative way of life you choose, and your heart will finally open a bit more. Then, instead of being a blissful idiot, you will be a more fearless, levelheaded and good person. With less stupid cares, and more care about the important things. Once again, just thoughts from a dumbass.

Also, contained within nightmares are some of the more powerful teachings and practices.

About doubting every practice you take up, Astral...just find practices which seem to do something for you, ones which interest you, and go for it! Find out what you want to achieve with this stuff, and use the practices that help you with that. I personally don't like the kunlun level 1 practice. So I do other things from the system. You may not like the entire system. That's totally fine, it's your path So, best of luck to you in finding what you are passionate about. That's all that matters. ... Ralis, your nightmares...I had them too. This path requires you to be light hearted. That means making huge changes in your life so that you're not so...harsh. They say that in this path, once you stop looking for "it", it comes to you (the bliss, the powers, enlightenment, etc). You can't achieve success without changing who you are...that which holds "you". It's important to let go of the energies you are used to. You don't have to give up your logic, but you do have to give up what binds you to your logic...what makes you act this way, your actual way of being...in order to progress. You are essentially getting what you are choosing each moment. You choose to take everything seriously, question everything, being tenacious...and you get the results of that way of life. It's not a bad thing. I think it means you have more compassion, because you're able to go places that bliss junkies are unwilling to go, for the sake of the greater good. But you have to ask yourself...is it good to remain this way? What's better? Being at peace, or being right? It's a personal choice. If you like how you are and don't desire change, then you should know that these practices will just be hard on you. They are opening up the depths of your heart...all of the disgusting shit will just pile up. To maintain a certain way about yourself requires that you push other ways down deep. "I don't want to be like those blissful idiots" = another way of controlling and not surrendering to your personal evolution. They say that you can progress 100 years in an hour, 1000 years in a minute, 10,000 years in a second. What this means is: the practice is powerful, but it does nothing if you're unwilling to change. To let go of the things which serve you no longer. Just some ideas. Your path is your choice...and I'm just a 25 year old dumbass putting forth some suggestions.

If they are faked, it seems unlikely that it's just Kan moving at a slow shutter speed. His body is seeming to disappear in a random way that would be impossible to do using that method. How do his legs appear fairly solid, while his face is completely gone? This would have to be photo-shopped in the way Ralis described in order to achieve that effect (cutting Kan out, fading his image in different areas, blending it back with the image of the chair). But then if you cut Kan out, how does the chair which was behind Kan appear solid? You would have to take another photo without Kan, and blend the empty chair back into the original picture. It's actually pretty tricky. To actually emulate this effect would require a professional. Don't believe me? Try it yourself using whatever photography skills you have, and see if you can achieve the same thing...

Are you sure?

Are you sure?

We are told to wear long sleeves in order to retain energy. Clothes act as our "second skin". This is just practice related, though...not necessarily an explanation for anything to do with GDB.

I've used photoshop...although I'm not skilled at it. Actually, thinking more about it, I think you're right. The doubt still lingers in my mind, though...