Ryan T.

Mainly I just try to read and learn. No one has "cornered the market" on wisdom so I find crumbs from everyone...and I mean everyone. So many times it hardly does any good to get into arguments about this or that. A person may have the answers another person needs, but until that other person is ready to hear/see those answers they will say that person is wrong and such. I look at TTB as more of an all-you-can eat buffet. There are many offerings, some good and some bad. Even if I get something that is not as good I can always go back for something else. And what tastes good to me might not taste good to anyone else.

Any system, martial or otherwise, practiced and honed to a high level will ultimately have spiritual benefits. Krav Maga, specifically, when studied and learned properly allows a person to see what the clear path might be in any given situation, especially when faced with a combat situation. A person of a high level will, of course, apply to this to various or all aspects of their life. I find that to be quite spiritual.

I don't think it necessarily has anything to do with chi. I feel it has more to do with the power of our bodies to heal. If we believe in something(placebo effect) we let our bodies do what they do naturally, heal. Our own minds are our biggest impediment to health, happiness and success.

I study Yang style as it has come down through Cheng Man Ching to T.T. Liang. Any good system of Taiji will be as you say "in between". I personally find the stances in Chen to be a bit too low and thus hard on the knees in the long-term. But as I understand it, one of the common themes in any style of Taiji is the slow movements. Do not at all under-estimate the effectiveness of a style just because the movements of the form are slow. The main thing, IMO, would be to look for a good teacher that has the whole system. Form, weapons, push-hands and chi kung. Lineage is generally considered a good thing as well, but not required for a quality teacher. You might also look into Liu Ho Ba Fa. 6 Harmonies/8 Methods system is another terrifically effective internal style that would have what you are looking.

I would say to take a step back from "energy movement". There should be no problem with going either direction. It can be different for most people. But as far as the the step back is concerned, I would say stop moving energy and just locate and focus on the various points in a sequential order. That will just help you find the path without any "real" energy involved. Once you can identify/imagine these points without too much trouble then start moving energy to each of the points. Taoist meditation is much more about preparation than people seem to want to focus on. Prepare the points for the energy to come and you will be fine.

Exactly! You need to visit with a TCMP in person for them to fully define your pattern of disharmony. Pulses, tongue, facial color...all this and more go into a proper diagnosis. Please do not self-diagnose, you may be doing yourself a huge disservice. Trained healers are just that...TRAINED. You don't just learn TCM from reading a couple of books and some stuff on the internet.

While I understand perfectly the rationale for wanting to go vegetarian or even vegan(been there, done that!) I cannot help but see some of this stemming from a slightly irrational point-of-view. While I do believe that the animals that people consume have a consciousness and an energy that must be celebrated and respected, I do not understand why most do not acknowledge a similar consciousness for the plants and vegetables that we also consume. I personally refuse to summarily draw a line in the sand and say that this type of life is more important than this type of life(at least as it relates to food-stufffs.). The plants breathe and relate to the world and each other. Just because we don't have the abilities, currently, to see that the same way we see that in the animal kingdom does not at all invalidate it. As far as eating goes, I believe we should eat what our environment provides for us, seasonally wherever possible. We should only eat things that exist. Sorry no creatine for me. I prefer food. And definitely no soy, unless it is properly prepared with some type of ferment involved. People need to just get better in tune with their bodies and know that we all have different needs and different ways of satisfying those needs from the foods that nature provides. My personal dietary path has me looking for ways better regulate my internal economy in order to maximize what I consume and hopefully consume less. I also think people need to look at if they are eating the correct foods at the correct times of day and in relation to their workouts.

I am sure his head was sawed off several hours ago and is in a cryogenic freezer somewhere.

Soy is the devil's work. A myth perpetuated on mostly natural food shoppers and now on consumers as a whole by agri-companies like Monsanto and Northrup King. And this idea that we don't need vitamins is total rubbish. I have known too many nutritionist and naturopaths that would whole-heartedly disagree. It is nice to think that we can get everything we need from the food we eat but the ground is over-used. It is very depleted. Even organic farming still doesn't generate the nutrition in fruits and vegetables that was available even 50 years ago. Most people should absolutely be taking supplements. A person should not live on them but there are very few people who wouldn't benefit from them. I know it sounds very Taoist to believe that nature can produce what are bodies need and it can. But that requires a much more removed existence than what most can have currently. Most of us have so much pulled from our bodies due to over-exertion, stress and our environmental factors. Unless you retreat from society supplements are must. And keep in mind there are supplements and then there are supplements. I tend to only trust a few brands from natural food stores such as the coops or Whole Foods.

It's a plot to kill all the fat people. It is a front set up by a cabal of American insurance company interests. Either that or it's the other part of Obama's healthcare plan that hasn't quite made it into the press just yet.

I think things like this are actually quite important. Bringing many different techniques/definitions together from numerous sources seems like a very masterly thing to do. Masters, on their path, always look for many different teachers. Learn from them all and transform that learning into something new. Usually it will be something greater than the sum of its parts. If you do it deliberately and do it well. Then yes. It is needed!

I'm drinking a cup of black right now. The cheap stuff!

A bizarre footnote? Yes. Is that what he will be remembered for? No. It will just that, a bizarre footnote to a man's life that was filled with highs and lows with great accomplishments and some bad decisions. In fact, I know quite a few people that will hold him in higher regard for trying to satisfy his desires/kinks, especially at 72. He would have to have been discovered as a serial killer going to Thailand for years and killing prostitutes for the world's view to change much of him. Most people are aware that he was a VERY active heroin user during at least season 2 of Kung Fu. I think people still respect him the impact the show had on their lives, not even concerning themselves with the fact that he was high most of the time.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring is one of my absolute favorite films. I was so blown away when I saw it in the theatre. I bought it as soon as it came out on DVD. Other films not mentioned: How to Cook Your Life is terrific. Kind of a Zen of cooking movie. Very highly recommended! is stunning and well worth the 2 1/2+ hours to watch.

Nothing to bite on. Myopic and bullshit? Yep, I see it and saw it for what it was. Sorry just my opinion. And I also have no intention of continuing on with this conversation as you seem to have your stance and I have mine. But I do enjoy that the dialogue on this topic continues.

So who's being a smart ass? While I guess I appreciate the apology, I find your comment a bit condescending. Just because you and don't agree on the topic of suicide being discussed does not mean that I haven't looked at or thought my ideas on this subject out thoroughly. I have had people close to me die though some form of suicide. My understanding of people that may be suicidal is that most really just want to be acknowledged and/or appreciated. There literally is nothing you, me or anyone else could say on this forum that would make someone do something that they weren't already planning on doing. Like the "internets peoples killed my little boy" is just as silly as "the video games killed my little boy" or "black sabbath killed my little boy". I still find this odd. My take on this was to try to bring ideas into the light and have a dialogue about a topic that could be important to many people and you would have me looking at my "lack" of intent in my thoughts and words. Yet you seem to want to clamp down any dialogue due to your own personal fears about what could happen. When in reality we have no control over what a person does.

I think it would depend on the type of practices you are cultivating and what type of lifestyle you live otherwise. In general, protein in the morning is a good start as it helps finish the process of detox and rebuilding that your body goes through every night. High quality lean meats, fresh/frozen green vegetables, some fruit(in season when possible) and some(minimal) grains. All organic/local when possible.

So I went back and reread the OP's post and the few that came after it as well as my own post. I can't quite figure out where you read me being a smart ass. I feel like I thought my post out fairly logically. First, if this person really wants to kill themselves they have come to an odd forum to do so, as I am sure a person could easily find another forum that deals with such specific subject matter. And as he put in the context of spiritual searching, I tried to address what I saw as the error of his considerations on suicide vs. death. Plus, if the OP is really suicidal, is it really the best advice to just say "lock the thread" or "this is inappropriate"? Seems to me if the person really is suicidal an open, fairly compassionate conversation about the concept of suicide might do them some good. And I have seen some good posts along those lines in subsequent posts. If Sean sees this as a taboo subject then he should lock the thread. But just because I disagree with something you or someone else posts and I post that disagreement does not mean that I am necessarily being a smart ass. I am just stating my take on a given situation. I have yet to see anyone post anything that tells a person what is the easiest or most pain-free way to commit suicide, as was the OP's question. Thus far, I read responses that are trying to do just what you suggest.

First, let me say that I completely disagree with the OP's very lightly explained ideas about life and death as it relates to spirituality. But I find it interesting how quickly people seem to shut down on this topic. I know that suicide is very unacceptable here in the West but my understanding is that is quite different in other cultures, especially Japan. Suicide is actually quite common and very much a part of Japan's ancient culture. Although, due to the rash of suicides in recent years the government is trying to change things, laws and ideas around suicide. And to the OP: Meditation on death seems perfectly valid and from that myriad ways should come to your imagination. But I would suggest focusing on acceptance of death and not on taking your own life. Death is inevitable but there are serious "karmic" repercussions to suicide.

I find it interesting that you bring this up as I am toward the end of "Talent is Overrated" just now this week. I find the idea of "deliberate practice" to be quite profound for me personally. I am currently trying to come to some hard decisions regarding several practices that I want to excel in but as of yet have not put the "deliberate practice" into. I am actually doing a bit of soul-searching as to what is most important to me and what will need to be dropped or put on the back burner.

Yes. He is also a lineage disciple of T.T. Liang. And due to the murky nature of all the internal styles it would seem difficult to really pinpoint which came first. Hardly matters anyway, IMO.

6 harmonies, 8 methods style. One generally starts by learning the 12 animals forms as a basis for the system. Then there is the Main form, which is huge, and several other smaller forms. Here is a video of Here is more of a sample video of I don't which came first but Liu Ho Ba Fa seems like it took things from all the other internal styles and made the applications just a little more vicious. Terribly effective style!

Don't do Chen. Chen tends to have lower stances and hence be a bit harder on the knees. Try Yang style Taiji. Most forms of Yang have the lower/harder elements of Chen removed. The main thing to remember is never let the knee go beyond the "bubbling well" point on your foot(the metatarsal area). I would start with basic standing meditation and some good energy movement visualization. A lot of Taiji players get into trouble by not moving the energy into the floor. Especially if you already have knee issues you will get energy stuck in your knees, and just make the problem worse, unless you are very mindful of what you are doing. And check out the book, Framework by Nicholas DiNubile. It can help a ton with alignment/muscular skeletal stuff.

It is a good set of stories but that is all they are...stories. I was told that when a student of T.T. Liang, who was also learning chi kung from Kwan Sai-Hung, brought KSH to meet that Liang instantly knew he was a fake because of his dialect. But I have also been told that Kwan Sai-Hung's chi kung is top notch so maybe don't focus on the stories or the man but just the methods. The few sets that I have learned that were to have passed from KSH I find to be quite powerful. Paul Gallagher in Asheville, NC used to teach some of KSH's stuff and have some videos. Paul Gallagher is steeped in the Taoist arts if someone is looking for a good teacher in that part of the country.

I think there are probably quite a few people here who are qualified to speak about Buddhist practices in some detail. While there may better sites to go to, TTB is probably as good as any. I have seen much discussion across a wide array of disciplines.