soaring crane

I like the parts of the post that you highlighted, too. In fact, i like them a lot, they're quite beautiful and poignant. The thing is (there's always a 'thing') is that they stand very nicely on their own, independent of the discussion on karma.

That actually made me laugh outloud, or at least chuckle a little, I'm not sure why Anyway, philosophical, theological and cultural interpretations aside, the practical application of Karma (are you supposed leave out the "h"? I always get that wrong) in people who live with it daily results in insecurity and anxiety. It's no different than superstition. They find themselves relying on imperfect advisors (maybe today that means internet forums?) to help them sort out the puzzles. And that's a risky position to find yourself in. This is an exceptionally grotesque example of what I mean: The Vietnamese could be cruel captors, but their Confucian heritage left them open to educational reform. In Cambodia, by contrast, Buddhism encouraged a belief in the ineluctability of karma and the idea that evil suffered is evil deserved. "The idea of karma goes very deep in this society, and I think that was part of the mentality of the Khmer Rouge when they were massacring people," said Francois Ponchaud, a priest who first went to Cambodia in 1965. "They believed their victims had made errors, political errors, and that killing them would allow them to be reborn as better people in their next lives." The link: The Darkness of Cambodia

Hi - no disrespect but, it's a struggle for me to identify a more limiting concept than kharma. In fact, if i were to put some effort into creating a system of psychological limit on human development, i don't think i could do better than kharma. It causes anxiety in many people who try so hard to remain in that 'center'.

just imagine what could happen if you succeed!

Hey there Bums, I'd like to know what a first Qigong (Taiji-Qigong would count as well) session with raw, adult beginners would look like where you live. Let's say the group is 10 or 15 middle-aged folks, none of whom have any clue what Qigong is, and no experience with anything Asian outside of a Chinese menu, if that. Let's say they read about it in a brief newspaper article and are just curious to see if it's something for them or not (and some of them are pretty skepitcal, let's just assume that, too). What would be demonstrated or taught in that first encounter? Or, from another angle, what was your first lesson like? What was the main focus? What was the mood like? Thank you for any input, Your, Soaring Crane Grus Grus

Oh, but they will, they will. Or at least, they said they will That was quite a good answer, and not too Sloppy at all, lol. Thank you Goodnight from the GMT+1

hah, well, the pure ceramic cost 20 or 30euro more. I could have gotten silver or gold color for cheaper, but I want natural-looking teeth (TBH, metal teeth here would be associated with soviet-era Russians - they virtually all have gold teeth, real gold). According to my dentist, the silver-color crown is totally neutral, medically speaking. I guess it's some kind of stainless steel? I really don't know. And the gold is the same thing, just gold-colored. I don't think I'd worry about it one way or another from a health perspective. The thing about bacteria is interesting, never heard that one. I think bacteria mostly like micropores, scratches they can latch onto firmly. I doubt (but am actualy clueless) that metal would be worse than ceramic. Ceramic is molecularly very simlar to metal. I'm getting the amalgam out because it's all so old, some fillings are blackening around the edges. I just want this stuff out of my mouth. And since insurance is paying for the bulk of it, well, what the hey

That's good news My comment was again strictly anecdotal (I was referring to kids of friends in the US, but obviously I don't know everybody over there...). I was under the impression that the attitude was that, since they're "just milk teeth", it really doesn't matter, fill 'em with lead. But if the trend is toward ceramic, then that's great news! I'm in the process of getting all the amalgam out of my mouth now, so it's kind of a current topic with me. Got my first of four ceramic crowns yesterday.

I'd say the Taoist ontology is given, whereas the practice is problematic. TTC 42 is so slick and streamlined, it's pretty tough to modify or improve upon. But the interpretation and expression of one's findings within that ontology (can I just say "philosophy"?) can take many forms, and it's done just that over the millenia. It's because early Chinese spiritualists were so experimental and open to other prespectives, that they eventually took a back seat to the Buddhists. If it isn't flexible, it isn't Tao(ism). Bend, but please don't break.

I remembered something - I actually am American, or at least I spent the first 30 years of my life being one, meaning, my wisdom teeth grew up with me long before I left the States, and no American dentist yanked them out. Not even in the Army. Regarding tooth care in other countries - well, tooth cleanings in the US probably are the non-plus-ultra, but I learned that they still use amalgam in kids' teeth, something that would be unthinkable here (at least, in my experience). And teeth cleanings here, at least at our dentist, are about as good as you can get. I mean, it's a tooth cleaning, not Daoist Alchemy. Also, our dentist uses a laser wherever she can. So, my daughter hasn't been traumatised with a drill, or ever had amalgam in her mouth. More than I can say for the American kids I know...

Just anecdotal but I'm 46 and I have all of mine, and no problems. And no dentist in the 15 years I've been living in Germany has ever suggested that they come out. Why should they? My (German) wife had hers removed when they came in, but because they were a mess due to her narrow jaw. American dentists still try to rip out your teeth when there's no immediate need to do it? That's almost sounds superstitious. Like, Medeival or something. Canker sores? Never had one...

I remain seated Laptop wobbling on my knees Write another line

hah! And here I thought I'd have to upadate my GPS to find it. All ya need is Taobums. Thanks Joe (PS - knowing where it is and actually "finding" it... two different things )

hahahaha! Oh man, that's great, thank you, A7 Look for the Yellow Court, it's probably just around the corner, under the Gold Pavilion

lol, ok, I'll try to remember that. You pill Not sure if you're being sneaky with the question regarding Kan Li... afraid to move now. "From" Charles Luk, no, I don't think so, lol. Anyway, I fell asleep meditating on this and I'd say it's good. Very good. Things is a' tinglin' down there, sounds like a cold iron wok heating up. Tink Tink Tink.

Taomeow - why does the path through the wuxing pass through that small circle two times? What are the applications for kan li meditation and the pill? I think you know more than you're saying but I know there are some subjects you won't go into. Is this one of them?

Hi A7 - If you look at it as a meditation guide, then the path of the line leads you through the five organs, in the natural order, provided you turn the right direction when you get to that small junction. The diagram clearly means to indicate an area separate from the 5 organs. That point is called, in the text you added, the 'conjunction of water and fire', which tells me its a Kan and Li alchemy. The point that I would look for is the Huang Ting cavity, which is pretty elusive. I've been looking for it for a while, lol, and I know where to look, but it's a sneaky one :-) The diagram really does help, though.

So, this is a meditation chart froma specific school, something that had occured to me today while I was out shopping (and that the elucidation from the book that wasn't initally posted supports). Actually, my interpretation says exactly the same thing as the text Stig pasted, except I used railroad station speak, lol. So, Stig, where is the central soil located in the body? What exactly is it referring to? This is referrig to the Huang Ting cavity, isn't it? "conjunction of Water and Fire"? I want to compare the progression to the Golden Pavillion as described in M Saso's book, I expect there's going to be a similarity. Hmmm.... really interesting, thanks for bumping it, A7!

Could be, but that has nothing to do with vibrating sperm cells. The way Greenhorn asked it, he's concerned that his lack of sperm cells may mean he can't do the meditation, because, according to the quote, he can't generate Jing. I think it's phrased in a very unfortunate way, yet it sounds authorative coming from Mantak Chia. Again, for Greenhorn - Jing isn't generated by vibrating sperm cells. Neither is testosterone. In fact, the body is produced by the finer energies, not the other way round. Learn simple, really simple, basic Qigong to start with. Educate yourself about Qigong, learn all the terms and what they really mean before getting into the more esoteric and sometimes questionable and risky practices. Little1 has had success with his program, a lot of people have, but most don't. The reasons they fail can be many, but usually it's from being simply greedy and impatient. I think Little1 would agree with that. To be really blunt, this website is biased very strongly toward the more far-out of the far-out. So, read and enjoy, educate yourself, but be patient and try to resist the urge to go straight to the hard-stuff. In a nutshell, there's nothing about your body that will interfere with successful Qigong practice. Even castrated men are known for their extended lifespans. So, there's certainly hope for you PS: Reading my first reply, where I asked "How Green are you", I think it came out sounding incredibly sarcastic/patronizing. But I was only asking if you're actually a "greenhorn" or not, ie, do you have any prior experience at all?

nice That sums up the path I went.

Don't take that seriously, Greenhorn, it's absurd. How Green are you? You may be heading off down a rocky path if that book is your first experience with Qigong/Yoga, energy work. Try an author like Ken Cohen or Roger Jahnke (or about a dozen others that people here will mention) to get your feet wet, so to speak. I think Jahnke's book, Healing Power of Qi is an excellent introduction, and a pleasant read in itself.

Hey Appech7 - Thanks for posting the pic, I don't understand it, either, lol. Tao is at the top, and manifestation is at the bottom, it's TTC 42, but the the Wuxing in the middle has the order non-standard, and what is that small circle on the bottom? You can follow the path through Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood and the little circle functions like a switcher at the train station, sending you from Wood to Fire and from Metal to Water. I don't know where it comes from. With Earth in the middle, I only know it with Fire in the south/above, Water in the north/below, Wood east/left, Metal west/right. Qigong orientation. There's no elucidation in the book??? I'm looking forward to the answers, too.

only nine thousand nine hundred ninety nine more before I reach Tao edit: oooooopssss... messed that up... but I wanna leave it here: still there is one more then, after it's gone, perhaps I'll have another