Nuralshamal

Okay, thanks

Yes, I've heard a lot about Shivabala yogi. I depends on your vasanas and samskaras from your past life. For some it will happen within weeks, for others it will take years. However, what I can recommend is getting your agna chakra empowered routinely by a master. This greatly speeds up the process. The students I've taught get an empowerment every single time they come for meditation (I transfer energy to their chakra of meditation, e.g. agnya, muladhara or sahasrara , depending on how far along they are). This is how the SKY system does it. The reason I've heard about Shivabala Yogi is because Steven Sai Sadleir (who's also a SKY master) learnt from both Shiva Bala Yogi, Vethathiri Maharishi and a kriya yoga guru. You can also see some of his videos if you wish, where he talks about what he learnt from each, his experiences with the sadhana and tapas they gave him etc. I just went through the meditation page on the two weblinks you gave me, and I have a question for you: 1) Have you received a diksha/initiation by a living, physical guru physically touching your agnya chakra? If yes, simply keep meditating and get empowerment routinely, it's a matter of time. If no, I highly suggest getting an initation from an authentic guru. The guru provides the kick-start, without this kick-start, it could take much, much longer to see results. My second question: 2) How long have you been meditating daily, and how much time do you meditate daily? (e.g. 1 year, 20 minutes per day, or 3 months 30 minutes per day etc) If you answer these questions, I can more easily help you along and give better guidance Be blessed by the Divine!

@Pak_Satrio Thanks for your post bro Yes, it's very interesting. When you do the tasleem "salaam/peace to the right/left" what have you heard about the meaning of this? I always thought it was for that feeling of community, recognizing your brothers praying next to you. However, when I was in a weekly sufi dhikr circle at the first half of this year, they said that you're greeting and recognizing the two angels walking with you, writing down your good and bad deeds.

Auras? I started perceiving auras and energies in "my minds eye" (after practicing meditation, mindfulness, qigong, mantras etc for now almost 10 years). Meaning that I would perceive these things with my physical eyes closed. Just like when you visualise something in your mind. It's like there's a screen inside your head. When you close your physical eyes, it's dark. Except when this phenomenon start to happen, it's like you see these things where there would normally be only darkness. However, in the past 2 years, it would sometimes happen that I with my physical eyes would see "shimmering / energetic disturbances" around people. Almost like when you look into nature on a very hot day, and you can see the heat creating vapor, which then rises through the air, and somehow waves/shimmers just above the ground. This would only happen sometimes. When outside at night, when it's completely dark, I would see a hint of color around people's silhouettes (which were otherwise dark/black/grey because it was night). Just last week, I read a post on a hindu spiritual blog website, which claimed that everyone can see auras in only 3-5 attempts, no matter if they've ever practiced any meditation, mantras or anything. Even a complete newb can do it. I was quite curious, because the claim sounded a bit too fantastic. However, I did the exercise, and I was shocked! You just sit with your hands pointing towards each other, and you put a white piece of paper behind them. Then you let your eyes "unfocus" or "zone out", "gaze into the empty space" or "use your peripheral vision". I tried it, and after a few minutes, I saw a white outline around my fingers. Because you're "zoned out" with your eyes, it doesn't really feel real. It feels like maybe your eyes are playing a trick on you. However, in the next part of the exercise, when you've seen the white outline, you slowly move the fingers away from each other. It takes a few tries, because as soon as you move, you automatically start looking "normally" with your eyes, instead of the "unfocused" or "peripheral" way. But once you get it, you move your fingers, and the white outline remains all throughout. After I managed to do it a few times, suddenly the white "beam" of light between my fingers got flooded with colors. I was blown away! I made my girlfriend do it, who hasn't really done much spiritually, and after 3 days of spending 2-10 minutes each day, she had the same experience of the beam of white light between the fingers getting flooded with colors as well. I find this very curious, and almost can't believe that it's true everyone can see auras so easily. I always believed that it's a natural byproduct of a genuine and authentic spiritual practice for many years (e.g. qigong, yoga meditation, mantras etc). Not that anyone can just gaze at their fingers and get it in a matter of a week's time. I've been doing the exercise each day for the past 4 days now, and I can see that it becomes easier to "switch into" this unfocused way of looking. Further, I can now see the outline around my whole hand when doing it (instead of just the finger tip). However, if I turn my hands in certain ways, I don't see the colors, but just the white outline. I am continuing the experiment, and trying to add a more difficult "progression" each day. Looking at each finger, then the whole hand, holding them in different manners etc. I hope to be able to progress to see it around every part of my own body (with the white paper background), and then maybe start trying to see it on others who stand against a background of a white wall. And then of course slowly progress to see it no matter the lighting or background, and around all living beings (if the current progression rate continues, it's probably going to take between 2-6 months of daily practice to reach that goal). I just wanted to share this peculiar experience, and see if any one else feels like partaking in this experiment? Can it really be that easy? Let me know how it goes, if you decide to try it PS: Here's the link to the blog where I read about it: https://psychologicallyastrology.com/2019/07/14/seeing-energy-learn-to-see-your-aura/ God bless you

I've become a SKY master and have initiated about 20 people now. Out of these 20 people, about 7 started having visions during the initation, and also when meditating at home. They also got messages in dreams. They would see their past lives, glimpses of the future, symbols communicating messages to them, the energy/auras of people around them, dead relatives coming to visit them and giving them messages (during meditation) and much more. I was personally very surprised, as I personally didn't experience this from the beginning. It comes after many years of practice. Also, these phenomenon weren't taught in the official SKY courses. Further, it wasn't everyone who experienced this, only some of them. My current explanation is that it's due to positive karma from previous life times. There is already a strong seed for spiritual practice in these people (a vasana / samskara in sanskrit), so as soon as they get the boost of energy during the initiation, the seed sprouts immediately. Compare this to other people who've never done any spiritual cultivation: for them, the initiation is the planting of a seed. They then need to water it themselves over time through daily practice and moral living. I take it your question is an attempt to kind of "measure" the power of SKY compared to your previous knowledge of cultivation. The light emerging between the eyebrows is a stage well-described in qigong cultivation. It's up to you what kind of cultivation you do. I have practiced SKY daily for 5 years and qigong daily for 7 years. For me the main difference is that qigong focuses more on standing meditation as well as standing exercises, whereas SKY focuses more on deep meditation from the very beginning. From the people I've taught, I can see that people who are naturally drawn more to meditation, SKY can take them very deep very quickly. However, for more active and restless people, the more physically oriented qigong practices of standing meditation and standing qigong in general is a better starting point for them. I've seen people regaining health and strength from both SKY and qigong. I've seen people progressing spiritually from both SKY and qigong. I've seen people coming into a more balanced life from both SKY and qigong. So, both are great systems. It all comes down to the individual. We're all different, therefore we need different things, so my best suggestion is to follow your own natural inclinations.

Hey Chan Dao Ling, Yes, after meditating for a while (it depends on the person how long it takes) you will see lights or other things when meditating. If not at the beginning, then especially when you start the lamp and mirror gazing. If you still don't see it with the lamp and mirror gazing, you will start seeing something when you reach the last stage of "divine state meditation". Then you will see many things in meditation. Also in your dreams.

I stumbled upon this website actually giving out a way to open the third eye. There is a long description of the third eye in nature, animals, different religions and cultures which I think is really good. After, there are some quotes from the Qur'an which are interpreted to be about the third eye. I personally don't find these interpretations so convincing, but to each his own At the very bottom of the answer is a salaawat which when recited 101 times at night before sleep will over time open your third eye. From my personal research, it seems this salawaat is taken from the very famous Dala'il al-Khayrat (a famous collection of prayers saluting the prophet). It's in Dala'il al-Khayrat section 4 line/verse 11. However, this is my personal research. On the webpage they don't give out a source. If any of you wish to experiment with it, these are my recommendations: 1) Obtain the guidance, protection and permission/ijaazat from a shaykh/guru/teacher before reciting 2) Follow the guidance given on the webpage about the times and conditions for reciting This is the link: https://en.roohanialoom.com/2020/07/third-eye-and-holy-quranhow-to-activate-third-eye/

Asalaamu aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh, may peace, mercy and blessings of Almighty God be upon you Update on this post: I tried the method listed for 3 months. It works! I started having visions while doing the salawaat, getting answers to current life problems while doing the salawaat, as well as getting feelings of peace, energy vibrations, joy etc during the recitation. Furthermore, I grew more intuitive in everyday life, as well as got very clear and vivid dreams. When I woke up in the morning I intuitively understood their spiritual meaning and got life guidance from them. This was something that happened progressively during the 3 months. I got clear and vivid dreams in just 2-3 days, but it wasn't until after 2-3 weeks that I started clearly understanding their messages. Lastly, and very interestingly, all my close loved ones starting getting dreams, intutions and guidance as well! Just from me doing it, it spread to them. My girlfriend, my sister, my mother (all live in their own separate homes far from each other, except my girlfriend who lives with me) would tell me of clear and vivid dreams they were having. They did this independently of each other. Further, they also mentioned that they found this unusual and that they had never experienced this before. Normally they didn't remember their dreams, and if they did it was foggy. Now it was crystal clear, and they got guidance. No one knew I did the salawaat, they just naturally mentioned these experiences when we talked. I stopped it after 3 months because I had reached satisfaction for my curiosity about the method. It works. Further, I started seeing the outlines of spiritual beings around me and in the house at night and evening time. I know this is what will happen with third eye opening, and if you're a person of good morals and sufficiently pure spiritual energy, you'll be protected from any evil. However, I still feel like I have some way to go before I'm ready to see these kinds of things. So, I stopped the method, for now. I know it works, and I can always go back to it in the future, if I wish to work more on my spiritual vision. Ma'a salaam, go with peace my friends.

Since my last post, I've made two new observations related to my aura. 1) Hindu Prayer Ritual - Mahaganapati Panchopachara Puja (5 offerings to the Elephant God of the Muladhara Chakra), 2) Hindu Fire Ritual - Chandi Devi Homa (Offerings put into the fire to the Warrior Goddess of the Navel Chakra) 1) Hindu Prayer Ritual - Mahaganapati Panchopachara Puja (5 offerings to the Elephant God of the Muladhara Chakra) Firstly, I've performed a hindu prayer ritual called pancopachara puja to MahaGanapati (the elephant God). This I've done daily since my last post. The ritual consists of different prayers, mantras, mudras, offerings and visualisations. It is done using specific materials. In my case: Plates made of pure copper and some in pure silver, A bell of pure silver, A clay lamp lit with ghee and a cotton wick, A pure silver incense stand, Herbal incense, Red or yellow roseflowers (different colors on different days), Sandalwood powder in a pure silver container, Silver spoon and vessel, Food offering (dates, bananas or apples), Fresh water, Camphor, Tambulan (suger and herbs wrapped in a herbal leaf) Brass statue of Mahaganapati. You say different mantras and do different mudras and visualisations, as you place an offering representing each of the five elements to the Mahaganapati statue (flower for akash/energy, sandalwood powder for earth, incense for air, flame for fire, food offering for water, tambulan and camphor for the mind) What I've noticed is, since doing this daily 10 minute ritual, the rainbow between my fingers has been wrapped in a golden color. My understanding and experience is that the ritual activates all 7 chakras, encourage a feeling of devotion as well as is educational (in how you use the 5 elements, understanding how the forces of nature operate using these 5 elements, in the natural world as well as in your body). When I read online, the golden color is usually associated with the Divine. So I'm pretty impressed that a small 10 minute ritual can connect your energy field to the divine energy field! (in case we accept this meaning of the golden color). I approach these hindu rituals with a qigong mindset, simply as a way of working with your energy and the energy of nature and the universe. The energy present in the offerings are also made available to you, as you offer them to the deity, the deity mirrors the energy back to you. It's simply a tool for cultivating your energy to higher levels. All the worship and pujas are simply in the beginning, because most people are naturally externally oriented. When you go to the highest level, you realize the Divine within through internal means (meditation). But until then, why not do both, experience the benefits as well as learn something new in the end, you feel the presence of the Divine to be all pervading (internal and external merge as one). 2) Hindu Fire Ritual - Chandi Devi Homa (Offerings put into the fire to the Warrior Goddess of the Navel Chakra) I've performed a single hindu fire ritual known as "homa" this week. I did it to Chandi Devi (Durga/Chamunda). She is related to the navel chakra. This chakra is associated with yellow color and the element of fire. After performing this fire ritual (it's been 3 days now since the ritual), the yellow in the rainbow of all my fingers' aura has increased manifold in sharpness and clarity of color. Furthermore, now it is as if the rainbow itself is enwrapped/engulfed in a clear, yellow color. This has been consistent everyday for the last 3 days (after the homa). Pretty interesting! Conclusion I simply take it to mean that these different rituals actually have a powerful energetic effect on your system. I'm continuing my reasearch Invitation Anyone out there, I'm inviting your to share in this experiment. Try to see the aura between your fingertips, note down the colors each day and try to associate it with your mood, energy levels, spiritual practice etc. Then see if you can match the changes in color with the spiritual practices you do. I would love to discuss our observations so we can help each other grow in spirituality and understanding of the workings of energy and the aura (so we can better use our skills and knowledge with precision when healing ourselves and others). God bless you

I'm glad to hear that

It's very simple to understand, yet extremely difficult to do. You need to be a meditation master. That same state of "emptiness" that we enter unconsciously in deep sleep, you need to be able to enter that same state conciously in meditation. In the morning when you wake up, you are in that state (if you have morning wood). The erection remains, as long as you remain in that state. It's not the morning wood that's special that you need to utilise. It's the "emptiness" state of mind that you need to be able to go to and remain in, even when a juicy and tight vagina plunges onto your rock hard erection. For a women it's exactly the same: they get to an extremely aroused state during deep sleep, sometimes they can also orgasm in their sleep. Sometimes they can also wake up extremely aroused. It's all due to the "emptiness" state of deep sleep on the mind and the beneficial effects this state of mind has on the body and energy. So, it's the same phenomenon. They enter the state of extreme arousal (i.e. wet ass p****) when entering the state of emptiness. We all go to "deep meditation" each night, because the physical, energy and spiritual body need that state in order to live and function. Without going into it at least once per 24 hours, we can't rebuild ourselves. So we all enter it unconciously each and every single night. Through meditation we can learn to get into that same state, yet conciously, and derive thousand fold benefits. So it's more a matter of practicing and mastering meditation. Because all humans go there, yet only expert meditators go there consciously.

Hey guys, it's been some time now, did anyone actually try the aura reading experiment? Let me know what you're experiencing I have been practicing 2-10 minutes each day, and I must say I'm quite impressed. Each day the colors change, and it follows with the moods and energy levels. I only have a week or two of observations now, so I can't yet start connecting it completely. However, when the energy levels are high, the colors are stronger and clearer. When the energy levels are low, it's more white, and the colors are not as clear. I have also noticed that the energy of each finger is slighty different from each other. This is something I would like to investigate of course I've been reading online about aura colors etc, but I only find a limited amount of the sites actually credible. In Master Wu's qigong the pinky is the spiritually the water element, the ring finger is wood, middle finger is fire, index finger is metal and thumb is earth. In yoga mudras, the ring finger is earth, pinky is water, thumb is fire, index is air and middle finger is akash (energy/space). I can't really make a connection between either of the theories of the fingers' elements (neither Wu nor Yoga mudras) and my own aura color observations yet. When I meditate and all chakras are strong, all colors of the rainbow are present on each finger. When I'm very sexually active, the thumb gets a lot of red energy in the "rainbow" of colors. Furthermore, my ring finger's energy is always much stronger and clearer than the others (every single day so far). The other fingers' energy varies each day (with the thumb changing with more sexual activity). Further with more sexual activity, the index finger get's more yellow energy in the rainbow. Those are the only patterns I've noticed so far. Does anyone of you guys have a theory as to explain the observation of patterns below? 1) all colors of the rainbow present on all fingers, 2) ring finger's energy is always stronger and clearer than the rest, 3) when tired, the energy is more whitish (it's a rainbow, but it's like it's wrapped in white instead of clear and sparkly colors) 4) when sexually active the thumb has more red, and the index has more yellow (in their respective rainbows) 5) when in a more "personal" mood, when I'm going deep through my own soul, memories etc, the rainbow disappears, and the color is either deep and calming green, or a deep and beautiful blue for a while. As soon as I return to my normal state, the rainbow colors are back. Looking forward to hear your guys' experiences with the aura reading experiment, or theories about the patterns I've observed in the colors God bless you!

Haha, no it's true you really can't

Sexual meditation is something I've been really wanting to try. I have done the karmamudra practices as taught by Dr Nida Chenagtsang (with a visualised partner) and I was really impressed. First I did the tummo for some months (as advised by him) which I was very impressed by, then I did the karmamudra practices, and eventually build up to the visualised partner. You can really tell that it has a profound effect on the physical body, the chakras, the energy body and channels, as well as of course the mind. I felt great peace and pleasure, as well as an increase in energy (from all the breath holding). I also felt it strengthened the muladhara chakra and sahasrara chakra, as well as helped a lot in opening and clearing the sushumna channel. What he teaches works, I also tried his lucid dreaming. His practices were the only ones that ever worked for me. I've tried the practices of 2-3 other tibetan lamas, nothing ever worked. However, his bon meditation before sleep did the job for me in just 1-2 weeks. However, I never tried the partnered karmamudra practices he recommended. What he teaches on the partnered practices is actually in opposition to what my daoist lovemaking teacher taught me. My sexual qigong and daoist lovemaking teacher taught me that in order to be able to do sexual meditation, you need to be able to go so deep into the emptiness in meditation that you get a "morning erection". We go into the emptiness at night in deep sleep, and it's during that state that the body automatically produces an erection. That's why we wake up with one. However, as soon as you notice it, you get out of the meditative state, and the erection goes down. It goes up due to the highly beneficial energetic effects on the body of the emptiness state. You need to be able to go into that state at will, get an erection, let your partner sit on it, and then maintain your meditation. If you both stay in the emptiness together, with her on top of you, the jing of both partners will be rebuilt to a state of youth in a matter of weeks. That's what he taught me. However, it's been 7 years now of sexual qigong and lovemaking, and 10 years of daily meditation, yet I have still not reached that ability! But I have a degree of trust in what he said is true, I really do, and I hope to try it one day, and test it out for myself It sounds really neat This sexual qigong and daoist lovemaking teacher by the way had 2 main gurus: a female tibetan lama, and a male chinese daoist. There were also some secrets parts of the sexual meditation, where you need to say different mantras at different times. However, he never taught me this. Unfortunately. I feel like this thread is back on topic now exchange of personal experiences and teachings on sexual qigong and daoist lovemaking. Keep it rolling guys keep it coming

I think the two approaches being outlined are: 1) Via positiva (the way of affirming) 2) Via negativa (the way of negating) Many spiritual schools employ either the one or the other. I was myself on via negativa until just one year ago. It's a way of continuously negating everything: the body, emotions, mind, food, relationships, art, sex, money, everything. You negate and you negate, until you reach the very ground of Being itself. The undifferentiated Absolute, the Dao, Brahman, the "la" in Al-la-hu, the unmanifest and undifferentiated aspect of God. I feel that's the way you're all arguing for: negate and negate and negate, until there's nothing left to negate. I did that my entire life, and it works using that method, I too reached the Absolute through SKY meditation the past couple of years. It's the journey of ascent, ascending through successive layers of existence, until you reach the highest possible, actually the one outside of creation, yet holding creation and everpresent in all of creation. What I was arguing in this thread is the "via positiva". After all the negating, after the ascension, after reaching the Absolute, I'm now on the journey of descent, affirming that the ground of Being is also active in my body. It's also active in my emotions. It's also active in my mind. It's also right there with me when making love, making money etc. That's why it seems we're opposed to each other. We're both pointing towards the Ground of Being and discussing how to get there. Yet we're arguing for two different ways: via positiva and via negativa. I recommend both. I've travelled the one, it worked. Now I'm travelling the other - it also works If you're feeling more drawn to the via negativa, negating sex etc, go for it. I'm arguing for the via positiva in this thread. Actually the point of this thread was to exchange experiences with sexual qigong and daoist lovemaking in order for all of us to grow. To grow and appreciate the fullness of life, including lovemaking, on the via positiva. Yet somehow the thread took a turn and ended up putting the via negativa up against the via positiva, with both sides arguing for the via they're personally on. Let's sit back and enjoy the bigger perspective, with all of us as unique souls on our own personal journey back to Truth, some on the via negativa, some on the via positiva, yet all of us brothers in spirit, all part of the indivisible whole that is Almighty God.

@Wu Ming Jen I agree with you, in my opinion, all of the sex stuff should only start after a solid foundation of: 1) Ethics and morals, 2) Physical strength and health from exercise & qigong 3) Emotional and mental balance from meditation After this foundation, the sexual qigong would just be an extra layer to your daily practice regimen. Eating, drinking, sleeping, walking, showering - all of this can be turned into qigong. The same with lovemaking, it can be a part of your practice.

I made love to my beloved every day these past few weeks. My streak is almost one month now. And brothers... You have no idea where daoist lovemaking can take you. The states of body, energy, mind and soul to be reached are incredible. It's like the most profound meditation, yet the body and energy are also involved. Love in all its shapes and forms, pleasure, joy, satisfaction, peace, power, strength, vitality and fulfillment, all circulating through your body. I can see this thread is starting to move towards "detachment", "sex is not spiritual", "sex is harmful" etc, I just want to tell you all, this is not the only way. Actually, from what I've seen in my life, this attitude leads to problems; physically, emotionally, mentally, energetically and spiritually. Making love is the most natural thing there is. If you try to deny it, you'll get problems. Just like the myriad sex scandals with monks, nuns, priests etc (in both Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, as well as Daoist sects). If you deny sex, it's going to destroy you. If you become obsessed with it, it's also going to destroy you. So tread carefully my dear brothers, don't go to either of these extremes. Live naturally. Desire is not your enemy, it's a tool to further your soul's natural development. Just like you desire health, enlightenment, healing, spirituality, alchemy etc. It's the driving force of life and manifestation. Your parents created you out of desire. You started on the spiritual path out of desire. Satisfy all your desires. Supressing desire makes your body and spirit weak. Not fulfilling your desires slowly weakens you on all levels. Just make sure to: 1) Never produce thoughts, words nor deeds which can hurt yourself or others, physically or mentally, now or in the future, 2) Help alleviate the suffering of others when possible, 3) Employ limit and method when satisfying your desires (too much is bad, too little is bad, staying within the natural limit is healthy. Similarly, employing a wrong method in satisfying your desires is also harmful, use the correct method). Experiment and see for yourself. I've practiced strict and complete celibacy for 6 months, yes, it helps to focus on ONLY spirituality, but it damaged by body. My prostate and erection power grew weaker, and you become "a one trick pony". You only cultivate one side of your being. You are a sexual being, as well as a spiritual being. Then I've practiced "normal sex" with as much sex and masturbation as desired, and ejaculating every single time. This I found to be the most natural and healthy. However, losing so much sexual fluid will affect your system (depending on your strength and age). For me, I felt like my spiritual energy actually went down a bit, even though I felt that my physical energy went up and my emotions became much more balanced. Lastly, through the above experimentation, the best method I found for my body is as much sex and masturbation as wanted, yet regulating the ejaculation. It's healthy and natural for my body, keeps my mind relaxed, and strikes a balance between strengthening my physical body yet also strengthening my spiritual energy. I satisfy both my body and soul, as well as allow the energy to build up instead of just shooting it out every time. For me personally, this is the best method. Experiment and see for yourself. Don't just follow what others say blindly, putting it on a piedestal and worshipping it as superior and judging other ways as inferior. We're all different, our bodies, energies and minds are different, we all need something different to move towards our own unique balance of health. So experiment and see for yourself. God bless you

I would split spirituality into: 1) Body related 2) Breath related 3) Mantras 4) Mind related 5) Healing 6) Rituals Sri Vidya has given me rituals and mantras for all things life-related. SPQ I've kind of put on the back burner. I tried it, it was good, it worked, but I vibed more with some of the other systems. SKY gave me meditation and breath. Master Wu's qigong gave me body and healing. Sexual qigong is body related, just makes lovemaking more enjoyable and converts it from a qi-depleting activity, to a qi-building experience. So I really felt like learning each of these systems gave me something different. All together, I now feel empowered. No matter what I need, I feel like I know how to get it. No matter if it's body, energy, mind or even life related, I feel like I have the tools. Want more money? I have the mantras and rituals for it. Want more peace of mind? I know the meditation Want better sex? I got some handy skills Want healing? I know the exercises and mantras for that. So I bow down before Almighty God, and all of my teachers, for allowing me to use these systems for improving the harmony within my bodies (physical, energy, spiritual), the bodies of my friends and family, as well helping me and my friends and family in staying healthy, happy, whole and materially secure as well as spiritually uplifted. God bless you

Hey @freeform, I really appreciate the exchange going on here in this thread! You're really sharing from your heart, you're giving us a piece of yourself. I appreciate that Likewise, let me share something about myself, which is somehow related to the above quote. Or at least what it activated in me. Like I said before, I have been "a straight shooter" morally my whole life due to religion. Even at 13 years of age, when hormones are running high, I was super strict, reading Christian and Hindu teachings about sex and masturbation, and how wrong it was. I have held myself back all this time, stayed on the "narrow path" of good morals. Only two times in my teenage years, and only thrice in my late 20s did I do something I felt was "off" this highly puritan view of morals I had (rooted in religion). I was searching for the impersonal, non-dual aspect of God, feeling that was what life was about. It was about dissolving my individuality and merging into the Absolute. Through SKY meditation, this happened a couple of years ago, and I finally felt like I had "hit home". I felt like everything fell into place. Now I would simply keep meditating, introspecting, removing bad habits and cultivate good habits, and then purify myself more and more for the rest of this life. I felt like things had come full circle, and my life of restraint had paid off. It was my restraint and morals which had allowed me to get sufficient good karma for coming into contact with SKY. However, 2 years ago something happened. For some reason, one summer, I decided to try to "get wild", just for the summer. I have a cousin who's your stereotypical hedonist. He's an eastern-orthodox-christian, typical slavic macho-man. Big muscles, tatoos, gold medals in martial arts, rides a motorbike, is a craftsman working with his hands, gold chains on the outside of the shirt, gold watch etc. He bangs new girls every single weekend. We love each other (due to our family ties) and hang out, eat food, talk about God, work out together etc. However, I always stayed away from the partying, going out, getting girls etc. He always felt sad, and kind of rejected that I didn't join his favorite activity, but I felt it was against morals and religion, and would disturb me spiritually. However, that summer, because I love him so much, I went with him "into his world". Just for a few months. I didn't drink, didn't go to clubs etc, but I went with him to meet girls during the daytime. On the beach, the gym, to the movies, at restaurants, in our houses etc. And I banged 3 different girls. And I really had a good time! I found a different kind of happiness. What I got through meditation was impersonal, yet banging these girls I felt the satisfaction I got was personal. It was like a different side of my "soul" was alive. As if the impersonal side was all satisfied, with the energy, philosophy and meditation, doing what's "sensible" etc. However, this "personal" side of myself was really different. And basic... I most say I just wanted to make money, build muscles, bang girls and hang out with friends. My spiritual and impersonal life was in order, so now it was time for the material and personal. I guess what I'm trying to say is, we're westerners. Our psyche is different from the East. The West is much more focused on our individuality, praising the individual soul, and underlining its importance. In the East, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Daoism, it's much more impersonal. Because their psyche is much more collectivistic and impersonal than ours. An easterner would probably feel full and eternal contentment with realizing the impersonal Absolute. However, I feel like we westerners need something different. At least I know I did. It's been 2 years now of me splitting my time 70/30 between spirituality and materialism, whereas for my entire life it was 90/10. And I actually feel more personally fulfilled now. I am still maintaining morals, my daily practice, giving to charity, spreading harmony every I go and so on, I just put in a bit more time to "focus on me", discovering my own individual soul. "God has created each of us unique, and not fully realizing this Divine individuality, is actually kind of flipping off God himself" - this was something that came to my mind these past 2 years. I was all about the Great, Impersonal God, but now I feel like I am not respecting his creation, by not realizing my own unique, divine individuality. You gave so much of yourself in your posts, so I just wanted to reciprocate that, to show how much I appreciate it maybe it's useful, maybe it's not, but it's a piece of me left out there in the open for you guys to feel a bit of the flavor of my journey and my experiences. God bless you

@freeform Hats of to you freeform! Respect I really feel you from that explanation. I understand you. I felt like I was there with you, doing drugs, banging chicks, as well as eating bland food in an unpleasant environment. I understand your reasoning completely. Your story is the complete reverse from my own! Hence our seeming disagreement earlier. After reading your story, I can clearly see we agree much more than I thought. I grew up very religious. I have been vegetarian for all of my adult years, I have only tried alcohol maybe 5 times as a teenager, I've never even tried smoking a cigarette. So I grew up "too" restrained, not seeing the good in healthy pleasure. Now, after all these years of repression, I'm having the reverse experience. I'm more accepting of the good side of pleasure. Instead of just judging ALL pleasure as BAD, I see it more nuanced. I can definitely see the bad side of pleasure, just like you mentioned. But for me personally, I have come to a much more balanced life and existence after accepting MORE pleasure in my life. Let's call it "permissible" pleasure, or healthy pleasure. That's why I was arguing for it, because I was projecting my own story onto you guys. I didn't even stop to realize, that for other people, it might be reverse. They might be coming from too much impermissible pleasure, hence they will come much more into balance by restraining themselves more. Just like you guys are advocating. I think that's the true genius of this kind of exchange. If we just share our conclusions, we might not understand each other. However, if we share more personally, our life experience, our observations and our reasoning process, it's much easier to truly grasp the message coming across.

Are you guys even having sex? Plus, did you even read my post? You're clearly projecting your prior understanding and prejudices about the subject onto me, instead of actually reading what I'm saying. Sex is a normal part of life, just like eating, drinking, sleeping and showering. By eating healthy food, taking care of sleep and hygiene, we're using our everyday activites to strengthen our health. This supports us and our journey. Sex is the same. We're all doing it anyway, you might as well do it in a proper way. I'm very surprised at how negatively predujiced you are against sex, yet I bet you're also having sex with the one you love. How is making love a negative experience, bad for your spirituality? It's not, it's the opposite. Having great sex is similar to having great food. It's healthy, it's strengthens you: your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies are strengthened by doing what is natural. Sex is the most natural thing, without it, we wouldn't even be here. Neither would you. Everything I'm sharing in every single post is from experience. I tried it, I tested it, I lived it. Only then did I make up my mind about these things. You're ideologizing, I'm actually exchanging experiences in order to benefit myself and others, hoping to learn and grow from the experiences of others. You're not sharing any experiences, you're just saying that what you do is right, what I do is wrong. It's not nuanced, it's black and white, no one can grow from reading it. It's just judgement, it's not exchange of experiences resulting in mutual growth. This is the feeling I get from your posts. Black/white judgement, empty theory, jumping to conclusions on the base of zero experience. It feels like ideologizing, not a scientific exchange of experience. Feel free to come in with some actual life experienes, what did you live, what did you experience, what did these experiences lead you to conclude? This is a scientific mindset, this is a daoist mindset. The daoists observed nature, then after observation and experience, they concluded. Take me along your reasoning process, experiences and observations, don't just give me your conclusion. If you don't take me along the reasoning process, you're not giving me a chance of understanding why you come to these conclusions.

Hey @Nungali Yes, I agree, the aim or main intention is definitely of paramount importance. For everything in life, including spirituality My own aim is harmony. Harmony in my bodies (physical, energy, spiritual), harmony in my relations (girlfriend, family, friends, collegues) and harmony with the universe (all living beings). Meditation and qigong helps with that, as well as introspection, getting rid of bad habits and cultivating good habits. I also see a use for aura reading here (in assisting with diagnosis of myself or others who need and ask for help). Yes, I agree about the "bridge". It all depends on the individual person and their development. For me personally, I feel one should reach a certain level of "mastery" of whatever practice one is doing (e.g. qigong, meditation, mantras, rituals etc), and only then start experimenting with these things (under the guidance and protection of your teacher) God bless you!

Hey @liminal_luke Yes, great point. I agree, there's always the ego trap hopefully the guidance of one's teacher can help here. I also agree about the "sign of progress". Thanks for sharing

Thanks for your comments @Lairg Do you have any interesting stories or experiences to share? Yes, I feel like it helps to be able to see things clearly (in yourself and in others' energy). It helps to know which small thing oneself or the other can do, that would give the most "bang for your buck". For instance, my own weakness is the kidney system. If I meditate on my kidneys or bladder, everything in my system improves. I still work on everything when I practice qigong and meditation, but it helps me when I'm pressed for time, to see what the "weakest link in the chain" is, and then target that.

I'm quite surprised at the somewhat negative response and general consensus that seeing auras is somehow a waste of time, not useful, "mindless fun" etc. The 5 physical senses we are endowed with, are what helps us navigate this life succesfully. E.g. something smells foul, you automatically steer clear of it, clean it up or get rid of it. Due to the information given to you by your sense of smell, you survive better in this life. On top of that, you even enjoy life better (nice aromas are actually "vapor qi" energizing you). Similarly with the sense of sight: seeing people's body language during conversation, seeing pedestrians and other people in trafic, it's what allows you to survive. On top of that, it gives joy and pleasure to look at the beauty of nature, the face of your beloved, majestic animals, cute kittens & puppies etc. This site is about qigong, working with the qi. If you can't feel the qi, if you can't sense it, it's like you're blind and mute in our physical world. You can't navigate properly, nor can you avoid bad things, nor can you fully enjoy life. Seeing energy is allowing you to penetrate into the world of qi, and actually see what's happening. It removes the dangers of blind faith in a false teacher, wrong practice for years and years etc. It helps you in steering clear of bad, and enjoying the good. Just like normal vision does for you in the physical world. It's a natural byproduct of correct qigong and meditation practice. You can see for yourself, whether your teacher really has qi or not. You can see whether the qigong and meditation you're doing really works for your energy.. or not. You can see if you or your loved ones fall sick due to weather, wrong foods, or even due to black magic and evil spirits. In short: you can see what's going on. No more guessing. Surely having the correct information is what allows you to take the correct decisions. Whether in physical life, or in the world of qi.