Aetherous

Hey sis.

Yes! You and Hagar both "got it", I think. Maybe Unconditioned, too. This is good for everyone to consider. It's good to be able to toss all the spiritual shit out from our minds, and think clearly about our lives and the meaning we give it. To snap out of it!

That it is. We use these linguistic constructs to communicate points and meaning to others. Without a point, what's the use of discussion? "False objects" are just concepts, which help in constructing a point. Each concept can portray a lot of meaning...that's why there are multiple definitions given in dictionaries, because one word doesn't always mean one thing, and it isn't always referring to an object in "space" (another concept). It is totally valid to use concepts and objects together...this is how people talk. However, none of this talk has to do with what's actually being discussed in this topic...Hagar's video was more to the point.

A female alchemist, who is into herbalism...now that is really cool. Welcome!

Sloppy Zhang, What do you enjoy in life? Looking up at the stars...having a cup of tea...laughing with friends...hot steamy sex with Megan Fox...the answer can be anything! But it's not an option to say "life is meaningless", because it's not an honest answer. You are still philosophizing too much, and not coming to terms with your own real life situation. Why do you get out of bed in the morning, if everything is meaningless? If it's truly meaningless, then stay in bed for the rest of your life doing nothing until you die. What difference does it make? If you don't like that option, that means there is some meaning you've given to your life...a reason for getting up! What is that?

Me too...thanks Marblehead.

That's a good point. I recommend this very forum for a beginner. It's free...and as confusing and vast as it seems, the subject in question is MUCH more so. I don't recommend any book (at least as an introduction...there are couple of books that are pretty cool just to get extra knowledge). And I especially don't recommend any qigong DVDs from Amazon! I guess the question is: do you want to waste your time buying little things here and there which won't serve you well? If so, then don't listen to people who are trying to give you good advice, based on their time money and experience. Soon enough, you will have your own stack of qigong DVDs and books collecting dust, and a bunch of ineffective practices that you won't want to practice...and you'll be short at least the same amount of cash. So, to each their own. I'm done arguing this point. ... By the way: the Tao Te Ching, where most people started in Taoism, is online for free. Just google it. I don't think it's helpful, but some people like it.

I can't think of how to answer my own question... The point was to cut to the heart of the matter: what satisfies us? The exercise of imagining we're all enlightened was just to do away with all the spiritual BS, so we could see through it and think clearly about our lives. Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water...yet we also enjoy things, and prefer things. I like having fun with friends, for instance...it brings meaning to my life to enjoy spending time with people... So after enlightenment, do the work and also...do what you prefer. A point in thinking of this is to consider it DURING our path, so that we don't forsake the things that really matter for things that don't.

I'm not a KAP student, but $333 is not a rip off for personal instruction and a complete path. I mean just to buy a plane ticket to go see a teacher you can spend much more than that...and then there are the costs of a seminar, lodging and meals... To buy 33 books (I have many, many more) at about 10 dollars each (they usually cost more), it's the same price...and you won't get a complete path or personal instruction. Also, you must consider that if someone is putting in the time to put together a personally guided internet course for 12 weeks...well that's like 28 dollars a week for them. That's like 3 meals out...so it's not like they're getting really rich. For those who sincerely want to learn, cultivate, and don't want to waste their time...then pay attention to the advice given here by people who know! ... Edit: whoops. Secularfuture edited his post, and changed it to be more polite...so what I said really doesn't apply. Oh well.

I think the best thing for a beginner is to look at the different systems that are out there, and learn practices from a teacher. There is really no need to read a bunch of info when you have practices. I think any of the following paths are good... Spring Forest Kundalini Awakening Process Stillness Movement Kunlun Of course there are other good ones that I failed to mention... You could study the endless definitions of what "Taoism" is supposed to be about, and gain an intellectual understanding which may or may not be right...but it's better to have direct experience. If someone describes the taste of a banana to you in very specific details, despite describing it in a very clear way, you still might imagine a different taste than what it actually is. Then when you actually try a banana, the imagined taste you had will be useless...because you finally know for yourself. Why collect a bunch of different theories on how bananas taste (by a lot of people who haven't even tasted one), when you can just peel and bite for yourself?

I've noticed the same thing...although not as powerful or controllable. For instance, healing a person of minor ailments by having a flash of intuition on what to do, from a distance. These things are possible, so if you're actually interested, keep an open mind. Skepticism is always good, but that's a totally different thing than insulting a teacher because they won't show you a video of them levitating or something. Don't be so demanding...chill out, practice a spiritual path, and interesting things might happen. That's the only way to find out if this stuff is true.

I suppose this is the only trace of truth.

Yeah Paula shouldn't be writing books on the subject. None of what she said was true.

Steve F, I like your reply. Blasto, Thanks for compiling these definitions!

You have to ask yourself as well...what impact do orbs make in my personal life? "My teacher has a bunch of orbs around him" is just a way to give yourself a false sense of satisfaction. It's not like these orbs, real or not, actually improve anything...so who cares?

IchBinEin, What practices do you do? That's more important than any of this. Because some practices are for spiritual awakening, some are for emotional balancing, some are for health, etc. Depending on what your goals are, you should take up those corresponding practices. If your goal is to feel normal and not drained from sex, then you should look at calming and healthy practices. A simple thing that very few people do is a daily belly breathing practice. Yet it can take care of so much, and is probably the one thing that most people here are looking for, in terms of results. If you do it sometime after sex, you will refine and transmute the energies that have been shared. If you do it at another time of day, it will prevent the drained and depressed feelings that every day sex brings. And when you feel drained and depressed, it will take those emotions and feelings and change them into neutral. ...Also, I think jogging is really good for if you're doing energy work or cultivation practices, so keep it up!

You should find out, man!

What if? Then we are free to live as we choose.

Whoops...I didn't mean to argue with you or imply those things about you, vortex! I think you're a great person. I was just putting thoughts out there.

Okay...some Buddhists are honest with themselves, and some have realization. I shouldn't have called those who parrot the teachings ignorantly, Buddhists. That disrespects the actual tradition, when really I am only intending to disrespect their misguidedness. And there is no hatred, or ignorance (about this issue) on my part. It is an attempt to help people snap out of it. Peace.

It would give me great reassurance if the skipper somehow saved our lives. Doing that would involve mental clarity and not dwelling on his emotional response (for instance, pissing his pants and crying). Just acting on pure instinct in the moment. But if he was too unattached to his emotional response, and chose instead to sit there, contemplate the situation and its karmic repercussions, and do nothing...then we'd all die. And what's the point of that? For instance, if "durkrhod chogori" was our skipper, he would look at us and say "these people all have a karmic debt, and they deserve what's coming to them, as do I, therefore I will not act and our karma will be brought back into balance." ...remind me to never get on a ship with a Buddhist.

CowTao, Well, luckily I'm not Buddhist, and am not hiding behind any holy texts, or notions of "karmic consequences." I am therefore able to act freely and naturally, from the heart. Buddhism shouldn't be about a philosophy that you learn and then apply to your life. If that's all it is for you, then you have a bad teacher who doesn't represent the actual tradition. In a more real type of Buddhism, you're supposed to practice meditation so that you realize intuitively what the philosophy is all about...not learn the philosophy and repeat it like a parrot, remaining unchanged. It should not be something you have to consider each moment...because then your mind is disjointed, and actually worse off than before you even began.

That is a good point. But, a couple things... We aren't animals. It's human nature to recognize suffering in another (even in a fish), and want it to end for them. If someone doesn't have that, then they probably have some sort of psychiatric condition. Not saying CowTao does...I think he's just misguided about what spirituality and philosophy is all about... People who are overly conceptual will ignore their own instincts, just because of the idea, "nature is cruel." Especially when combined with nihilistic/pseudo-spiritual ideas. Funny how that makes them less human, and less animal. Oh well, all it takes is a dose of reality to snap them out of it. Something else about nature: when animals kill they usually tend to do it in a way that doesn't torture the prey. They will snap the neck or something. It's about survival for them, not about some trendy form of dining out, where you keep the prey alive so it can witness itself being consumed and laughed at. Sure it isn't an instant death for the prey being killed in the wild, but I still think it's better than what was shown in the video! Peace.

Ya Mu's Stillness Movement seems like a good choice for you. "Ya Mu" is Michael's screenname on here. You can find info at: http://www.qigongamerica.com/ His website is kind of weird right now...maybe it's being updated. I haven't personally trained with him yet (plan to), but can see the value of what he does. ... By the way, I like how you have your priorities straight...work, sports and family are all great things which shouldn't be sacrificed for a spiritual path. That is awesome. Welcome!