cloud_hidden

@TaoNow One dream I am glad to share (and also “brief”): I find myself in a wooden structure, some monks or priests gathered to train… The master, whose spiritual presence was striking, releases a single resounding palm strike to the large wooden support beam near him. The energy released by the strike expanded into the wooden structure and seemed to permeate up and through my being. That’s pretty much all I remember. I enjoyed the experience and the “sound” of the wood and the strike simply had a mysterious energy which seemed to transcend the dream-state and permeated my waking awareness. Like a transmission of information beyond the comprehension of the conscious mind. Something subtle, but I am changed from this dream. My favorite dream thus far involved learning stepping variations for a specific form within my system, they stepping methods were quite practical when I applied them in training the next day, it was actually quite helpful. When I mentioned them to my Sifu he then shared a few experiences like mine which resulted from his training. Are you aware of the theory of Morphic Fields as postulated by Rupert Sheldrake?

Hey G, I’ve enjoyed learning and practicing the role of the nervous system in all things digestion. We could say Taoist alchemy deals with the nervous system, perhaps indirectly, or in the sense of the body and especially the nervous system being the “seat” of internal alchemy. (Take this all with a grain of salt if you need salt on your food) So much of the digestive process is regulated by the nervous system. I suppose another way of stating this is that the mindset or approach to nutrition, food, water is as relevant as the actual food or nutrition itself. And of course the mindfulness of nutrition, eating, and drinking is important in an age where people eat while they drive, netflix, or work… This is embodied by the classic Taoist praxis of chewing food very well to mix it with saliva, which helps signal the organs in various ways to initiate enzyme secretion and so on. But there is so much more. I will say, concerning the latest, that my approach to nutrition is different than most “spiritualists” in that I am not a vegetarian at this time. I can see how I could reach a state of subsisting on herbs and elixirs and maybe even Qi, but these days I kind of just realized I wasn’t happy with my physical health and decided to try something different—so long story short, I have been intermittent fasting for 3-4 years and eat what I call a “north american diet” consisting of pastured animals, organ meats, broths, and a fair amount of local produce. Kind of Keto, but I seem to maintain around 10-15% carbohydrate on average compared to the standard 5% or less of the keto praxis. I appreciate the wisdom of a western doctor, Dr. Gabrielle Lyons and her research on skeletal muscle as an endocrine organ and what could be an epidemic of malnutrition especially in skeletal muscle. She does work with the Navy SEALs, an organization I have a tremendous amount of respect for and some of the most legitimate Martial Artists in every sense of the word. So apart from eating meat I consider Movement itself to be an essential spirit-nutrient, maybe even a way of extracting energy from the Void… So I did ramble a bit there, but I hope its of use to the experimentalists out there. - Dan

Hello new friend, welcome to the forum.. I myself am pretty new here, although I have lurked for more than 6 years. I look forward to a new epoch on daobums as I also was observing that many threads are up to 10 years old. So cheers to that! As far as “cleansing” that is a subject I can speak about with some confidence as I am a certified nutritionist and long-time devotee to the ways of peak performance. When you speak of Sila or skillful means, that is what I mean by “Peak Performance.” Though I consider myself a Taoist, I have “been around” and crossed paths with many traditions mundane and of stellar origin alike, I remain dedicated to the “way of primordial spirit” or as we also say “Dao”. I look forward to conversing with you about other topics, so without further ado, the ice must be broken! Blessings and Luck, Dan

Greetings! I also appreciate general discussion with as you say “qigongers”—of varied topics as well, perhaps the common theme of qi gives us a common language or perception of the world that enables greater and more effective communication. That’s cool you are being taught in your dreams. I have had a few very high-value lessons there myself, some of the most profound qigong and taoist lessons in fact. I hope to explore this further. I’ve been trained (in dream) even in the specific system I practice, which was most welcome. The Flying Phoenix is a cool qigong, never experienced anything quite like it. I was also deeply inspired by the Flying Phoenix thread, and Mr. Dunn’s discussion of the inner thigh was quite illuminating. P.s. I commented here especially hoping to connect with newer members of this forum, some of the discussion areas haven’t had posts in years or even a decade—so here’s to a new wave of discussion! Blessings and Luck, Dan

Hi sometimes: Yes, if done correctly the weight can be evenly balanced from front to back. In my form, we vary the weight position ever so slightly depending on “martial intent” or “nourishing life” but really even this is a matter of semantics—in my system we really only emphasize being totally natural, and upright (i.e. not leaning). Strengthening the legs does help, especially since the energy passes through the bubbling springs up through the legs into the dantian. The vessels AND meridians must be opened using the modus operandi of your system. As they say, the leg vessels are vast reservoirs of qi and also of course being the primary marrow building bones like the femur…And its the connective tissue which needs to be built up, as well as the slow-twitch muscle fibers. My Sifu taught me “springy-legs” exercises which utilize being on the ball of the foot, with lots of training the connective tissue becomes stronger and fuels the elasticity and softness, making way for “song”. Of course, this style of training might be a deviation from your system, at this point we are comparing rather than suggesting a specific course of training. The more strength I build up in my legs, the more I can relax and sink into the posture. I also enjoy holding the one-legged postures—such as the “ferocious tiger” in my system—its kind of like jam jong/zhan zhuang except with a multiplicity of shapes all based on the “one shape” of the system. Long story short, holding a one-legged posture for even 2-3 minutes per side is quite the ordeal! But imagine the strength being cultivated in your connective tissue in doing so! Cheers to good practice, inquiry, experimentation, and beyond! Also, homage to our respective teachers for showing us the way.. Dan

Made me happy to see Master Zhang being mentioned here. I have trained with Master Zhang and it was a life-changing eye opening experience. I fondly recall “flying kisses into the universe” if you have trained with him you will understand… When he began his Qi healing I immediately felt significant qi movement which caused me to feel “quite different” despite being about 300 miles apart. I know nothing about the other teachers (I have heard of them, thats it.) but there was NO DRAMA with Zhang Sifu and honestly, that is exactly the way I like it. I really respect Master Zhang’s Intent and vision as far as healing and transforming using Qi. Blessings and luck, Dan

I’ll share how I stand, if it helps: Firstly, I become aware of an elastic unity originating from my feet, through my legs, my hips, core, spine, and neck (the rest of the body as well) While doing this, I shift my weight forward so I come up on the balls of my feet, i.e. the “bubbling springs” with toes splayed naturally (knees are bent slightly). Then, I sink everything—the so-called “Song” and being deeply aware of my weight and my center of gravity in this elastic shape, my heels touch the ground lightly. If I do this right, I can feel my feet almost magnetize to the floor while remaining relaxed, empty, and elastic. Shifting weight onto your bubbling springs helps develop that elastic feeling as your foot and leg must become elastic in order to support you. The trick is to carry that feeling into being “Song” and your heel touching the floor. I hope this thought process will help reveal the depth of standing technique and encourage an experimental approach to finding your center and frame/form wherein there is power and healing for you. Blessings and luck, Dan

Hello, I am excited to finally join this forum after reading various posts from internet searches over the last few years. I am here to explore and share experiences with meditation and beyond. Currently I am reading a translation of the Cantong Qi by Fabrizio Pregadio. I started my training in the way about 12 years ago when I discovered the book Taoist Yoga by Lu K’uan Yu, which went over my head completely but inspired me and intrigued me no less. Since then I’ve reread that book at least 50 times and continue to be inspired by the clarity of Taoist teachings. I also appreciate reading different translations of the Tao Te Ching, my favorite translations include Henricks (Mawangtui based) and Red Pine’s translation for its commentary. When I discovered Taoist meditation, I was already familiar with different forms of yoga (such as Astanga and Kriya) . I consider all of these age old arts to be cultural treasures which are quite relevant in the 21st century, for example the the lines of the taoteching discussing government and the way the Ancients governed in the golden age. Anyway, I look forward to joining the discussion. Cheers, cloud_hidden