Pranaman

i agree with him

what is a good book to start with by Aurobindo? I'd like to start reading work in regards to and beginning and grounded in the physical, and then moving up. thank you

I think this might be a little misleading, what about entering the emptiness, there are so many different ways that this practice is seen.... becoming a link and expression of the source, clearing the mind, transcending thought, etc.... many which are not particular and are rooted at higher more abstract "layers" of reality.

I second the folks that suggested grounding and working out the muscles. I'm still recuperating from a seemingly permanent and uncontrollable psychological negativity surrounding paranoia, sexuality, anger, sadness, numbness, etc that was wired up and burned into my brain due to hallucinogenic drugs. I'm doing a million times better now. It's been less then a year of taoist practices, and I hardly notice the residual effects anymore. This is what I did: 1) Zhan Zhuang for grounding, improving blood circulation (invigorating nerves), emptying mind, and building confidence 2) Yiquan (a martial art/moving meditation) 3) bodyweight exercises to enliven the body and build willpower If you want, I can PM you the sequence of exercises, and how-to's and maybe a video or two of exactly what I did for the last many months to alleviate the suffering that post-traumatic stress put on my mind and heart. Best wishes friend.

the mythology surrounding Lemuria came long before the theory of evolution. as far as Ramtha, I don't care if it's fake or not, if it works. I've heard two people that are very intelligent and resonate a great and radiant happiness say that Ramtha's school was what did it for them. One of them said, if you don't want to mess around, go to Ramtha. I choose not to believe any of the things I hear, but I at least listen. If they are happy and Ramtha helped, then so be it.

When I throw a punch, it feels like my skin ripples up my body and then shakes my eyes. It causes headaches. My head is probably shaking but when I try to keep it still the same thing happens. maybe if I strengthen my neck muscles? Do you know what could help?

I have been casually searching for scientific, or experiential data related to long duration(30mins to X-hours) isometric exercises. I can't find anything. I'm curious as to if there is a reason this practice isn't common through the boxing and MMA world. I practice it, I love it, and I can see martial improvement even though I only practice it for 5 minutes a day(in horse stance, soon enough I'll have to push myself farther). In the isometric community, I found something about Jay Schroeder preaching 5 minute isometric holds. Everyone else says 10 seconds or so. So yeah, if you know of any information on this type of training, how it is useful, and what it does to your body, muscle tissue, etc.... please comment.

I had a teacher for a few months. I will try lightly punch, if I can't fix the mechanics then I'll quit and just do baseline, standing, and form till I am back with teacher.

thanks all. and I forgot to mention, my daily punching drills starts out slower than taiji, then slowly accelerates to full speed, then mixing up speeds. From slow to medium speed there is no jerking around of my vision. full speed is different. i'll post back after my drills tonight.

no bag, want get one though.

my muscles are too weak to stand in low horse stance while being relaxed. My old sifu on the other hand, has strong enough muscles for the low horse stance to actually be a relaxing position to be in. For now, i'm experiencing isometrics until my muscles adapt to it, then it will be a relaxing position. Thing is, i'm supposed to let go of the isometric tension and not make a big mental deal out of the pain. I have "stand still, be fit" very good video.

Vajrasattva's work seems to me a down to earth practice.

I agree with you one hundred percent. That is the definite difference. In Zhan Zhuang you don't try to reach maximum contraction like in isometrics, but as you said, work on relaxing in times that work is needed. Grandmaster Wang Xiangzhai said somewhere that if you practice other martial arts, practice them through the principles of Yiquan. Who I learned ZZ from practices kung-fu, yang/chen taiji, xingyiquan, and many other arts. He most strongly believes in Yiquan and learned from a few of Wang Xiangzhai's direct students. He taught me to practice ZZ through the low horse stance, so eventually I do hit a place where I need heavy contraction to stay up. I try to relax when this happens. I did not intend to say that LKC's method is incomplete by any means. From what i've experienced his method is good as it is. I have just learned in ZZ to add one "mind picture" for you to use your muscles to resist against, then add another, and another, and another, etc... using every muscle that you can, in every way you can, for every individual mental picture. This teaches you to be able to control every little muscle in your body, as well as recruiting your entire body for every action. I'd say it is a martial add-on to the already martial and health aspects of the practice. I'm just a beginner, but I feel like this is a good method.

I USED TO think that inorder to release tension in my chest, I should breath as deep as possible, no matter how much tension it caused, because that was just the muscle stretching. You may all know that this is terribly wrong. Now my breath is screwed up and different parts of my torso are at different levels of tightness. Breathing should never cause tension. so, will Ken Cohen's "The Beginner's Guide to Healthy Breathing" help me fix my issue. Any other suggestions?

what is the full video called? I've seen it before and it's very good. I practice zen which is very very similar to anapanasati(actually identical in a stage after what i'm doing). One reason I want to learn dantien breathing and embyronic breath is because I practice taiji and yiquan. Practicing both i'm sure is healthy.

The author, Yu Yong Nian, taught Lam Kam Chuen who has several much less expensive books on the topic, but I think they leave out the fullest extent of the practice. Yu Yong Nian is also one of the teachers of the man that I learned zhan zhuang from, I expect it to be better then LKC's books. After I have enough money I'll definitley buy it and post a review.

I will definitley get this. i'll be checking that out too. thanks for the posts

your intention changed from physical motion, to the conclusion. Thinking about throwing a punch slows down the action. The change in your intention eliminated this factor. My view on the punch... Mass X acceleration = force (balance and optimize this ratio) one steady speed will generate less force then the peak of acceleration being just before the point of contact. there is a split second between the movement of your muscle, and your skeleton. Your tendons connect the two. This is why isometric exercises that place most of the work on the tendons is important. Unity in muscle and skeleton equals better mechanics and better control over acceleration. standing practice in order to recruit as many muscles as possible to any particular movement = greater mass. All muscles united in movement + tendons uniting muscle and skeleton = a body with flow. Without thinking of the punch, just simply being grounded in the present moment, then instinctually throwing the punch without thought, that is key and is what I believe you have found. just in my mildly experienced opinion.

I love very short stories that are extremely "witty", metaphoric, or something else that I can't yet name. here is an example: “Why must I meditate in order to achieve enlightenment?” demanded the prince of the teacher. “I can study, I can pray. I can think on issues clearly. Why this silly emptying of mind?” “I will show you,” said the teacher, taking a bucket of water into the garden under the full moon. “Now I stir the surface and what do you see?” “Ribbons of light,” answered the prince. “Now wait,” said the teacher setting the bucket down. Both teacher and boy watched the calming surface of the water in the bamboo bucket for many minutes. “Now what do you see?” asked the teacher. “The moon,” replied the prince. “So, too, young master, the only way to grasp enlightenment is through a calm and settled mind.” Anyone know of a good resource or book that has many tales like this? (are they called fables?)

I've noticed that my bad decisions were made from certain mindsets and parts of my brain that were based and grounded outside of my heart. I thought I was farther then I really am. So, to break free of my minds manipulation (illusion), and to plant my feet firmly into my heart.... will practicing Zen and standing, yiquan, and taiji, and Tolle's the power of now... will these things bring me where I want to be? Maybe I don't see the full picture, but I see my practices clearing my mind, and thus dealing with illusion. What about my heart?

Visualizations don't do anything for me but make me slightly high. meditations on the breath seem to be where it's at. Visualization qigong seems to do less for me than Movement and Breath qigong. (Springforest mixes the two, as well as emptiness, this system is one that I respect) Stillness helps me teach myself. Body and mind are equal. I looked a person in the face, who gave me her heart, all of her trust, and love. Then I lied to her. Now, how does she know that she can trust me? This is my first true hard felt lesson on honesty. I'm reorganizing my philosophy on life to include this virtue. I will act from a place of honesty in every step I take and every word I speak. I want to be trusted again by the person who I love the most in this world. Service to others helps me experience a good harmony. That's where i'm at. Please add your lessons, or comment on mine.

always helpful, thank you.

hahahaha(the kind of laughing you get from solving a puzzle). I see that now, the mind and body is very slick. I know of a lady who focuses not on breath, or visualization, just intent. she uses her desire to guide her Yi. She makes cool feelings and hot floods down to the feet in me when she intends on healing. I have tried tactile imaging. In a sense I use it all the time, when I focus on my body and senses during every day activities, as well as standing, drills, and form. Energy goes where attention flows? cool man that sounds brilliant. Like throwing a punch, relaxed but filled with intention and content. I don't think it's okay to lie to anyone besides the police. I lied to protect myself from losing what I have and to protect someone from feeling bad, and that broke the trust she had in me. It was stupid. I made out with this girl when I was thinking about seeing other people. I just told my girlfriend about it, but told a few lies. I've come completely clean on all of them though. I know the point you're making. I've just experienced something else. You are right joe, honesty with myself is definitely an issue. I tend to see clearly after I feel emotional pain. I feel more alive and "pure"... energetically, like my heart got washed out or something. It's time for me to experience these things. I hope to see more people post some of their learnings on this thread. I thank everyone for their time.

Bagauzhang Master Lu Zijian at 93 years, he's 116 now I believe. Grandmaster of Praying Mantis was 91 in this video. they both are two examples of people who have lived a long and healthy good life while smoking many times everyday. what's going on here is that tobacco doesn't destroy your body unless it is COMMERCIALLY produced tobacco, with chemicals and additives. think,"ayauhuasceros", "sacred tobacco". I don't know, that's just my rap anyway, who knows.

my girl told me that she believes I do not care about her, I don't think of her or care FOR her, I don't show compassion for her, I don't do things out of the blue for her. I don't make her feel special at all. I fought the idea at first, but now with her out of the room, I accept that it's true. I'll drop the ego and just ask, are there any exercises that'll help me focus on her and others far more regularly and consistently? thank you