Phosphorose

I would love to hear about that as well.

I have had two Skype sessions with Sifu Max, and my friend had one as well. We both tried to record the Skype sessions, not in order to distribute it, just so we could revisit the conversation and learn from it... it's hard to remember that much information, the hour goes by so quickly. Anyways, the recordings failed every time for both of us. My friends computer completely fried, it was unusable after. When I tried it the first time I tested it out before and everything was working, but when I later opened the video it was simply missing. Only the audio was there. I tried it again with different software recently and again tested it right before. Well I had this strange dream the night before the Skype that the recording wouldn't work and I turned my webcam off in my dream. When I started the Skype with Max my webcam just wouldn't turn on, which has never happened before, and again the software I had just tested failed after 5 minutes of recording right before he showed me a bunch of amazing pictures that are not online. Interesting stuff. Obviously could be coincidence, but I've experienced weirder things in my life. Anyways, the point is it is helpful to be able to entertain two sides of an argument, even if you are absolutely sure of the truth. So, you've all had plenty of practice with the argument that he is a fake, but why not try the opposite perspective just for fun. Imagine he actually was a master, and that all of these things were possible. Imagine he has experienced his own body as well as Dianas and Kans bodies disappearing. So he knows it is real. Now, what if they don't know much about cameras... and they take a photo with long exposure and their body looks transparent. It wouldn't be difficult for them to think the photos are just capturing what they have seen before. Not saying this is the case, but it is a middle ground between the photos being real or the photos being purposely faked in order to deceive. Also, I am a graphic designer and use Photoshop all the time. The photos were not edited in any major way, except perhaps some increased contrast and brightness adjustments. But again, these photos are nothing compared to more recent ones. Just go pay a small amount, meet him and his wife in person, and do the practices. What's the worst that could happen? They are incredibly kind and fun people. I have been practicing Kunlun and Red Phoenix for almost two years now. They are wonderful practices. One of you mentioned that they gave you nightmares... well a laxative makes you poop, but would you rather it inside or outside you XD . Meditation heals in many different ways, unfortunately some of them are not pleasant. In the beginning of my training I also got very sick, and it was a result of me holding on too much to what the meditation was trying to release from my body and mind. Panic attacks, fever, chronic type ailments... went to the doctor a few times and they said there was nothing wrong. Also had the nightmares, sleepless nights etc. It can be scary, which is why it's good to have good friends and teachers on the path. That being said, some problems that can occur from meditation is from the energy getting stuck in parts of your body, especially the head and brain. This can be serious. Make sure you are bringing the energy back down after every practice and spend at least five minutes with your hands over your navel with a light relaxed awareness on that area of your lower dan tien. Allow the energy to flow back down from your head and other parts of your body into this center. Many problems can be avoided by remembering this. If your practice is giving you panic, ringing in the ears, heat in the head or insomnia make sure you do this. If focusing on the navel doesn't help try first focusing on the ming men point on the lower back. It is the point directly opposite of the navel. This point regulates the energy going up and down the spine and is like a release valve that will make sure you dont have too much energetic pressure in any part of your body. Focus here, then focus on the navel or lower dan tien. Just some thoughts. Make sure you keep up with your own studies, practice and explore. Questioning is good, but don't let yourself get sucked down into cynicism and over critical states of mind. Open up, have fun, and whatever you are practicing.. give it your all while you are doing it. 99% of your success depends on your mental state and has nothing to do with your lineage or practice anyways. Hope this helps, Phosphorose

Since this seems to have derailed into general UFO sightings, I just wrote up a short story of an experience I had when I was a kid and would love if you read it. It's entirely true, and still not sure what I saw that day. You all may find it interesting. https://medium.com/@BrandonUnglaub/stranger-things-a-true-story-7de48d4bab05

An interesting thing to consider is that thoughts spring forth from attachments. If you are attached to the body or mind, and identified with them, then you will be constantly trying to preserve them and to do that you will be thinking. So the question is how do you identify with something that does not need to be preserved? This will remove attachments and thoughts will lose their stickiness, you can think or not think - it doesn't matter. This is where people have different ways to remove these attachments. Some school work with the internal energy to actually erase them on an energetic level until you realize you are not the body and mind. Others work directly with the mind. Some work with the breath until it is detached from the body. Some go to the extreme and put their body and mind through extreme suffering. Buddha found the middle way is the best - the body is great, meant to be taken care of - but you are not the body. The mind is wonderful, it can do a myriad of things - but you are not the mind. So how will you realize it? You might think you know it, but until you know it the thoughts will keep popping up. It's really interesting actually to watch them - what are they telling you about yourself? If you can't stop thinking about cars, then you must think cars are going to give you something that preserves 'you'. Same with sex, relationships etc. Why are you thinking about them so much? Again, there is nothing wrong with thinking about sex.. but don't you want a choice? ___________ spiritmapper.com Find, share and learn about Earth's most sacred destinations.

I recommend joining a system of some sort, or reading something maybe by Damo Mitchel - his books are pretty good for understanding these different parts. It's a lot for me to explain in one post. Just keep in mind that these different parts are needed. There will be practices for each in most good systems. Purification Energy Some practices are chikung (major forms like lifting the sky or raising the moon), possibly some pranayama or breathing exercises like alternate nostril, or even Wim Hof In the beginning you might feel heat, sweat, move a little - signs of purification Build Energy Practices that either bring energy in from outside or build it from within. Energy will also build in silent meditation. A good starting point could be simple belly breathing with a light focus on the stomach, hands on the knees. There are many, many ways to go about this. You want to focus on purification of energy and lifestyle first, otherwise more energy will just be funneled into old habits and vices. Start slow. Circulating Energy Microcosmic orbit, chikung such at Spring Forest or forms you can find in books, Damo Mitchel's books. Need energy to circulate. Tonify the Body It is important to get your physical body up to good health - exercise and take care of it. If your body is unhealthy then you likely don't have a lot of energy to work with, and over working it can make you more unhealthy since it can draw from the organs. Purify the Mind Consecration of your motivations - be nice, joyful, helpful and try to be a good person Detach yourself from major grievances, fears, hatred - you will release stored energy that you can use for practice Your daily life consumes a lot of energy, mentally, emotionally and physically Yogananda would say meditating only when sitting down for an hour is like taking 'one step forward and two steps backwards' ___________ spiritmapper.com Find, share and learn about Earth's most sacred destinations.

I like that Tall Panda. Could be interpreted to mean, at first selflessness may not be natural, but then it becomes a part of you over time. A teacher of mine said that you wear your hat on your head, then as a aspirant you wear your hat upside down then as a master you wear it right side up again. I think you're right Orion - it takes a constant awareness to always keep some distance from thoughts that might re-identify you with the body and mind. Throughout the day it takes effort to stay selfless. It is true it is ironic, and sort of a catch 22 for the self to want to be selfless, but the effort has to start somewhere and no one knows anything beyond the ego at first. Therefore motives have to start impure, but you do your best and then you start to get glimpses of identification with something beyond the body. Then selflessness starts to come naturally, with a lot of work and awareness throughout the day. Nice question taoteching99. ___________ spiritmapper.com Find, share and learn about Earth's most sacred destinations.

I'm more familiar with 'Bindu' referring to a center point, and more often than not the pearl of light seen in meditation usually showing up when you start to achieve some purification. The posterior fontanelle is also called the Gate of Hecate, or Jade Pillow so you might find more information with those names. Good luck. ___________ spiritmapper.com Find and share sacred places around the world.

I suggest taking some time to digest what she said! It's really good stuff. If I could add, some traditions are also able to bring shen down and convert to chi then jing. Damo Mitchell has some great books if you'd like to really get a deeper understanding of these three energies; how they work together in the body; and how you can cultivate and purify them. ___________ spiritmapper.com Find, share and learn about Earth's most sacred destinations.

What is your previous experience? What were the teachings of your last teacher? What are your goals? ___________ spiritmapper.com Find, share and learn about Earth's most sacred destinations.

haha - this topic has derailed in so many wondrous ways. You can also make sense of what you are doing, and what you can do more of by separating it into necessary parts of yourself that you should work on for maximum progress. This is dependent upon your cultivation goals, but essentially: Purify your energy Build the energy Circulate the energy Purify the mind Tonify the body Tree hugging - not sure exactly what you are doing, but I'd assuming mixing your energy with the trees. This is great at purifying, building and circulating your energy. If you do this enough you should have good results. Vajrayana - you are likely doing a lot of visualization. Am I correct? A big practice on that path is assuming the form of a god. If this is what you are doing, then this should take care of much of the mental purification. You can incorporate some practices such as chi kung to circulate and build the energy more, and also help to strengthen your physical body - which is remember intertwined with your energy. I've had good success with Spring Forest Chikung, and it's fairly cheap. You can also find free videos online. Hope that helps. ___________ spiritmapper.com Find, share and learn about Earth's most sacred destinations.

There is a lot of good advice above about accepting it as it arises and building awareness of the issues. I believe that the root of most these issues is due to some degree of attachment or identification with the body and mind. If the attachment is too strong, then there is a lot of confusion. Buddha said 'ignorance is the root of all suffering.' Ignorance of who we really are - that is, mistakenly identifying with the body and mind. This is a very simple technique by Sadhguru, a yogi whose philosophy is very much to be in the world, but not of it. While breathing in repeat mentally, "I am not the body." While breathing out repeat, "I am not even the mind." Simple but powerful for loosening the chains of these attachments and gaining some inner space. Then you can use that inner space to go further in meditation, and in life. ___________ spiritmapper.com Find and share sacred places around the world.

Never felt banana pudding, but I have felt chocolate pudding. Only advice I can give is that it is ok to feel like you want to get up, or frustrated, or anything else. Before getting up right away as soon as you feel it, sit with it for just a little bit and notice what sensations are there in the body. Any thoughts? Emotions? Shine some awareness on these, no need to make any of them go away. ___________ spiritmapper.com Find and share sacred places around the world!

I think there is some good advice being offered here, but I wouldn't say it is one way or another. Scripture is powerful precisely because it holds more than one level of meaning all at once. You can learn a lot from it on a cultural, moral and esoteric level. On the moral level it is absolutely talking about keeping your focus and not serving 'two masters'. I think it is safe to say the two masters are referring to the two parts of ourselves that are constantly warring against each other. One part, which is a more subtle and spiritualized part, yearns to fulfill our true will. The other part is the desires created by our instincts which come from our body and mind. I'm sure you've felt both of these before. So serve your higher will, and don't serve the master of your lower desires and impulses. Then on another level this scripture speaks to us on a more esoteric level. "Whoever has ears, let them hear." Meaning if you have the wisdom and knowledge of the deeper spiritual science, you will understand the teachings between his words. I have no doubt that he is also teaching about the 'crystal palace' in the brain, as the Taoists call it. It will literally light up at a certain point when your mind finally comes under your control, you become its master, instead of the other way around. Hope this helps you dig deeper. ___________ spiritmapper.com Find and share sacred places around the world.

I've learned from one Yogi teacher, that not sitting in silence after practicing is like baking a cake then throwing it away. The real stillness and inner changes come from the silence after the meditation, not from the energetic practice itself. Definitely try that out, hope it helps. ___________ spiritmapper.com Find and share sacred places around the world.

Sounds annoying! Sorry you're dealing with that. When I was younger, I was very anxious and nervous and I remember one of the side effects was being easily startled. If a car honked while I was walking nearby, my body would be shocked way more than it should. I noticed that the more relaxed I became overall, especially with my nervousness and feeling of being judged - it slowly disappeared. I was also meditating and becoming healthier over this period of time, a lot of variables so I'm not sure which worked. I would say though that the cause was my nervous system was weak and not resilient. I think perhaps you may be stressed, and possibly high strung right now. Have you been straining too hard in your meditations, or not grounding enough afterwards. Hope you figure it out. ___________ spiritmapper.com Find and share sacred places around the world.