adept

Nothing further needs to be said on this.

Wonderful post.

Keep up the good work MH.

So anyway, is there anyone around who would like to discuss Taoist concepts?

 

Peace & Love!

Yes, but there aren't many of us.

You know, I used to have a liking for some forms of Buddhism (Chan, Zen, Son). But the constant fundamentalist preaching by Vaj and a few others on here has made me realize that it's not for me. True buddhists wouldn't even argue or claim superiority over other points of view.

How sad.

MANDALA

What did I do today?

I exercised. I said good-bye

To a departing friend.

I went to market, ate my meals.

Took a walk. Took out the garbage.

Read a little. Meditated. Slept.

This was my mandala.

A mandala is most commonly a diagram or painting that one uses during meditation. the painting is usually brightly colored and extremely complicated. By beginning at the outer perimeter of the picture and gradually working inwards (sometimes pausing at certain parts to contemplate), the meditator becomes completely absorbed. By the time that the center is reached, all normal egoistic notions should have been dissolved and the profundities of the mind should have been opened.

Other religions have various other ways : mass, chanting, sacrament, reciting holy scripture, contemplating. These too become their mandala -- their objects of worship.

But it is not enough to go to church or temple once a week, or to read a bit of a holy book every morning. Can Tao be confined to such simple rituals? No. We could fly to the very height of the cosmos, plunge to the greatest depth, swim the length and breadth of eternity, and still not come to the limits of Tao. Therefore, we should look for Tao in every day. We should ask ourselves each day how Tao manifested itself to us. Our daily activities are our mandala.

Tao reveals itself to us in our mundane doings.

Excellent Drew. Thanks for sharing.

GRATITUDE

When you drink water,

Remember its source.

If your spiritual understanding is sound, then you will constantly be aware of the subtleties of life. If you fritter away your concentration on minor entertainment and trivial distractions, then you will never attain a profound level of awareness.

It is not the grand sweeping religious celebrations and heroic moments in life that are the only important spiritual occasions. Every ordinary moment, every little detail should be a celebration of your personal understanding. Your smallest act should be permeated with reverence.

One of our most basic acts is drinking water. Without it, we could not sustain ourselves. Water cleanses us, cools us, and is an essential component of most of our biological processes. But when we drink it, are we aware of what it does? Do we think of its source and all the efforts that make it possible for us to have this simple glass of water?

Being spiritual means not taking things for granted. Quite the opposite, you remember how everything that comes to you fits into an overall scheme. You acknowledge the precious quality of everyday things. An you maintain a gratitude for both the good and the bad in your life.

SEARCHING

Where is Tao right now?

You say that it is all around me, but I

Only see my surroundings, only feel my own heartbeat.

Can you show me Tao without reasoning it out in my mind?

Can you help me see it here and now?

Can you help me feel it as doubtlessly as I touch?

You argue that Tao is beyond the senses,

But how do I know it exists?

You say that Tao is beyond definitions,

Then how will I understand it?

It is hard enough understanding the economy, my relationships,

The bewilderment of world events, violence, crime,

Drug abuse, political repression, and war.

With all these things requiring years to fathom,

How can I understand something that is

Colorless, nameless, flavorless, intangible, and silent?

Show me Tao! Show me Tao!

Look within, beyond the physical body; you have the faculties to do so. Focus your mind away from sensual input, and you will discover a new mode of perception. With this mode of perception, you can sense Tao. Once you search in this way, you will find Tao and have no doubts about it.

Lovely stuff as usual Marblehead.

Thanks.

J.P. Lau's Yiquan Research website is awesome. You can find it here

Xingyiquan's San Ti Shi here

IMMEDIACY

When washing your face, can you see your true self?

When urinating, can you remember true purity?

When eating, can you remember the cycles of all things?

When walking, can you feel the rotation of heaven?

When working, are you happy with what you do?

When speaking, are your words without guile?

When you shop, are you aware of your needs?

When you meet the suffering, do you help?

When confronted with death, are you unafraid and lucid?

When you meet conflict, do you work toward harmony?

When with your family, do you express benevolence?

When raising children, are you tender but firm?

When facing problems, are you far-seeing and tenacious?

When you are finished with work, do you take time to rest?

When preparing for rest, do you know how to settle your mind?

When sleeping, do you slip into absolute void?

I've always thought the heart was haaaAAAhhh. Its presented that way in the Healing Tao system, as well as a few other Chinese presentations. It also connects to some Kabalic sacred sound system I work with.

 

For the liver I'm used to SShhhhhhhhhh. Sometimes, particularly translating the Chinese spellings are strange, but the sound is actually the same. Or maybe its like the Animal Frolicking series of chi gung exercises where different systems are an animal or two apart.

Michael

There are different ways of pronouncing the sounds, I'm just highlighting one method.

There are others here.

No Zen stuff anymore?

Well, a lot of Chinese Zen (Ch'an) practitioners also used Daoist methods to keep the body fit, strong and healthy, which obviously helped in their meditation.

When we remove the 'labels', there just IS.

AUSTERITIES

Self-discipline leads to higher spiritual states

Only if practiced with understanding.

The clearer the goal,

The greater the result.

We must distinguish between discipline with a purpose and blind discipline. Discipline with a purpose is merely a means to an end and is healthy. Blind discipline does not have a true purpose and so becomes fanaticism. In the past, there were many spiritual people who believed in harsh asceticism. They would flog themselves, live in cold and damp caves, twist themselves into uncomfortable postures, fast for dangerous periods of time. All too often, these people lost sight of their goals. We must be strongly disciplined, but we must not lose sight of our inner meaning.

Austere living with a clear understanding of why and how we are doing things does not require esoteric practices. Few of us mind going through extra effort and even hardship if we know that we will gain something better for it. That is all that discipline and austerity are about : You make extra efforts to gain a better life.

In this post I mentioned opening up another thread dealing with the above topic.

Well, here goes.

These all look good qualities to have when written down and contemplated on, but how do we actually go about putting them into practice ?

1. Mercy

2. Gentleness

3. Patience

4. Non-Attachment

5. Control

6. Skill

7. Joy

8. Spiritual Love

9. Humility

10. Reflection

11. Restfulness

12. Seriousness

13. Effort

14. Controlled Emotion

15. Magnanimity

16. Concentration

Is it possible for a human to possess all these, at all times ?

I highly doubt it.

However, it certainly gives us something to aim for.

Dao Chang Lu Tzu Chueh – Daoist Secret of the Six Healing Sounds.Six Healing Sounds.

1) Ho = Heart.
2) Hu = Spleen.
3) Szu (i.e. ssss) = Lungs.
4) Hsu (i.e. xu) = Liver.
5) His (i.e. hissss) = Stomuch.
6) Ch’ui (i.e. chu-way) = Kidneys.

This exercise is performed in a seated position, with natural breathing throughout. Clean, fresh qi, or ‘vital energy’ is breathed into each of the six organs, and old qi is breathed out. The ancient text advises that one faces east – the direction where all things begin. The window should be open, but draughts should be avoided. The exercise should be performed between midnight and midday, the positive yang – but anytime can be beneficial. For best results however, between midnight and midday is preferred.

With the thumb and finger of the right hand, rub all the fingers of the left hand. With the thumb and finger of the left hand, rub all the fingers of the right hand. Massage the face, nose and eyes by gently rubbing with the fingers of both hands, including the ear area. Place the palms over the ears, with the fingers resting on the back of the head. With the index fingers tap 6 or 36 times on the back of the neck.

Knock the teetn together 6 or 36 times. Move the tongue around the mouth 6 or 36 times, making and retaining saliva in the mouth. Swallow the saliva in three gulps and imagine in your Mind’s Eye, the saliva as a ball of qi energy travelling down to beneath the navel.

You are now ready to perform the breaths. Breath in fully through the nose, and then exhale making the elongated sound of ‘ho’. As you do so, you will feel as if negative energy is leaving the heart area, and being replaced by positive energy. Perform the sound 6 or 36 times, depending upon requirement. It is exactly the same for the other 5 sounds. The sound maybe loud or gentle. When the exercise is completed, remain seated for a few minutes breathing in and out the nose. You may then go about your day.

This exercise was developed by Daoist immortals who lived in the hills of ancient China. They were used to keep the Mind and body fit when in seclusion, particularly if that seclusion was harsh, with cold weather and lack of food. Results maybe expect more or less straightaway. The organs are cleaned and invigorated.

Lineage: Daoist Master Chao Pi Ch’en (born 1860).
Charles Luk (Lu Kuan Yu) studied and presents this masters works in his book ‘Taoist Yoga’ – translated from the Chinese. Luk also translates important Daoist texts is his The Secret of Chinese Meditation.
Richard Hunn (Wen Shu) preserved and passed on Luk’s teachings to Shi Da Dao (Heng Yu).

Here we go again !

Popcorn at the ready :lol:

FIELDS

Worship by cultivating nine fields :

Diet. Herbs. Clothing. Recitation.

Movement. Meditation. Creativity. Teaching.

And most important : Compassion.

Worship is not a matter of making an obeisance to a god. It is a matter of achieving godlike qualities in yourself. This is done through the cultivation of nine areas :

Diet should be moderate, healthy, and of living foods. If you want to be sustained, eat things that themselves sustained life.

Learn to use herbs, for they heal and maintain health

Be moderate in your clothing; wear natural fibers. What you wear is an expression of your state of mind

Recitation includes prayer, song, chanting, and finally, the practice of silence. What you say becomes reality

Stretch, move, and exercise every day. The universe moves; so too should the energy within your body

Meditate every day -- once in the morning and once in the evening, if possible. Only then will you attain tranquility and triumph over your dilemmas

Be creative. Thus we contribute, and thus we elevate our souls

Acquire a good education. Treasure what you learn, and preserve it so that it may be passed on to others. Never be selfish with what you know

Above all, be compassionate. This is a stand against all evil, and it opens your spirit

People ask, "How can I worship properly?" Cultivate these nine fields

Though I've been Buddhist for many lifetimes

Oh dear ! :lol:

Actually you are! You always cite your belief system as the most complete, subtle, profound etc. while Taoism is not complete.

 

Buddhism never saved the world, or any ism!

 

 

ralis

Well said ralis. This guy won't listen to any of us so why don't we just ignore him. He ruins every thread he visits with his fundamentalist preaching. Page after page of ego driven comments.

Like I said in a previous post, he has a 'superiority' complex.

I am also naive when it comes to these matters. I would also like to find out how you know when your dantien is full, or even a percentage full.

Good topic.

NONYIELDING

When in the arena,

Yield not to an aggressor.

When outside the arena,

Affirm compassion.

This world and this society are competitive. Tao uses the metaphor of the warrior to meet that competition. Warriors never yield to their opponents. They may sidestep, but they do not give way.

Whether you are a lawyer, police officer, fire fighter, doctor, businessperson, athlete, or any one of numerous other professions, you compete against either other people or natural forces. But there is a right way and a wrong way to compete. Avoid anger and greed. Use concentration and awareness.

Coincidentally, concentration and awareness are also necessary for spirituality. That is why the follower of Tao incorporates the way of the warrior into training. The warrior and the sage both seek to transcend emotion and petty thinking, to perfect themselves, and to live lives of the deepest truth.

But when outside the arena, do not forget to be kind. Leave behind competitive aggression. You must still have awareness, concentration, and reflex, but the expression will be different. Your compassion must not falter. That is why the combination of the way of the warrior with the way of Tao is the ultimate symbol of versatility. Such a follower of Tao commands the extremes of the universe.

I'd like to ask him how much royalties he pays to Drew for the blanket advertising of his system in all of Drew's posts.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Those who follow Tao believe in using sixteen attributes on behalf of others : mercy, gentleness, patience, nonattachment, control, skill, joy, spiritual love, humility, reflection, restfulness, seriousness, effort, controlled emotion, magnanimity, and concentration.

This quote could be the focus of another thread I think. Give me a few days and I'll sort something out.

CARING

Don't go out looking for good deeds to do,

But if one comes your way, do not refuse.

If you meet someone who is suffering,

You must help them.

What good is self-cultivation and wisdom if you just keep it for yourself? Knowledge is meant to be used, and if you can use it on behalf of others, you should.

There was once a man who prayed daily to a particular god among many in the temple. Eventually, he noticed that the incense he lit drifted over all -- other gods were getting the benefit of his efforts! He built a paper cone over the incense burner so that all the smoke would be directed right at the nose of his god. Unfortunately, this turned the face of his god black with soot.

Those who follow Tao believe in using sixteen attributes on behalf of others : mercy, gentleness, patience, nonattachment, control, skill, joy, spiritual love, humility, reflection, restfulness, seriousness, effort, controlled emotion, magnanimity, and concentration. Whenever you need to help another, draw upon these qualities. Notice that self-sacrifice is not included in this list. You do not need to destroy yourself to help another. Your overall obligation is to complete your own journey along your personal Tao. As long as you can offer solace to others on your same path, you have done the best that you can.

.

POINT

Make the mind.

A single point.

The key to any meditation is to concentrate the mind into a single point. There are many methods for doing this, from singing, to listening to holy words, to contemplative procedures. But the end result is the same : to focus our minds sharply.

A point has a definite position in space but neither size not shape.

A point marks an actual place in time, such as a point of departure.

A point is the very essence of something, as in the point of an idea.

A point is a coordinate for navigation.

A point is the dominant center, as in the principle point of perspective.

A point determines our outlook, as in point of view.

Once the mind is made into a single point, it takes on the above attributes. In contrast, a mind that is not focused is dispersed over a wide area. Its thoughts are scattered, its energies are in disarray, and it cannot move clearly in any direction. It is at the mercy of a thousand influences and is easily disoriented. The result is confusion, ignorance, unhappiness, and helplessness. A mind that is clearly focused, however, receives all things and can abide in utter tranquility. It is no exaggeration to say that its world revolves around it. It no longer has to chase after all that appears before it.