freeform

Learn to make a good stock and use it in everything. I won't go through the whole recipe (plenty to be found online) but I have a few tips. I tend to buy beef bones - all different types, from big marrow bones to the rib offcuts. I buy LOTS for very cheap at farmers markets or butchers and I use a huge pot. If you can get knuckles, joints and bits with tendon, then all the better. I make sure they're from grass fed cows. The 'meaty' bones (as in ones that have some meat remaining) I grill on a high heat before puttin in the pot. This adds flavour. I put the bones in cold water with a bit of vinegar (a table spoon or two) for an hr before heating as this gets more goodies out of the bones. I cook it for 48hrs minimum (up to 72). If unattended, I just get the pot to a strong boil and put it into an insulator bag I created - this keeps it simmering for hours without a heat source - I pop it back on the stove once Im home again. When it's ready, I usually simmer the stock down to get it a bit more concentrated. Once cool I pour it into individual portion ziplock bags that I pop in the freezer. If I've made a lot, I simmer down a few portions worth to a very thick concentrated consistency... it's usually darkish and gloopy... then I pour that super concentrated stock into ice cube bags and freeze. You can then use one or two ice cubes in your cooking (pop one in some rice, bulgur or stew or even towards the end of a stir fry. It will take a couple of goes before you get your stock spot on. This stuff, when made well, is like a jing elixir. I'm convinced that it's extremely good for you. And its delicious.

you may be eating something that causes this and/or you may be eating too late.

There are certain points of transformation. Some of these transformations tend to happen on all levels and are not reversible just as a butterfly won't become a caterpillar again. That being said, these points of transformation take many years of concerted daily practice. This usually means practicing for at least 4hrs a day, not just a couple of hours a week. By this stage what you consider practice and what you consider not practice will have shifted. For example in the beginning you might need to put practice into staying rooted, being anchored in your body or having a loose, unrestricted flow of attention - many years later this may become your normal way of being. 'Practice' at this point would be a way of life.

Thanks Michael. I do miss this place sometimes! I'm glad to see lots of the old-timers still hanging around Yes indeed. In fact once the LDT starts spinning well, you'll have plenty of spontaneous movements which will get all sorts of energetic processes moving in your energy body. It's important to slowly stop, close down and store any freed up qi or you'll go nuts

Chainer, it's hard to ascertain from words on a forum, but it seems to me that you're going too 'physical' with this. LDT rotation may indeed feel quite physical at times, but it doesn't always. The physical aspect is the result of an energetic movement, and not normally the cause of it. Go and see Damo in person - he will get your LDT spinning in no time (especially as you've already got such extensive experience in zen practice). This would be the fastest route to 'get' this properly.

Thanks man - I am well. I do still pop in once in a while good to see some lively discussions

As has been mentioned - you're already present. Each moment is constantly in a state of birth. Past and future are also in the present. There's no place to get to - you can't get to the present - it's more a case of stopping that which obscures this. Speaking more practically, there are indeed many 'levels' to being present. Just like there are many levels to your being. Some suggestions above are related to the sensory awareness 'level'. Become aware of sounds, sensations and your vision all at once. This can certainly bring you into the present to some degree. And in fact for most people living in the western world it actually has a very profound effect. This is the same sort of present that a deer is, all of the time... We also have the 'consciousness' level... the part of us we often define as the monkeymind. The ever creative, ever ingenious conscious mind. This is the part of us that mostly pulls us out of the present (or - in reality - obscures the present moment)... Using awareness (as above) only pushes the conscious mind out of your limited attention temporarily - but your monkeymind is still there, still trying to make itself important. Ever seen The Dog Whisperer? I love that show. I love it as a metaphor for training your mind. Cesar, the host, usually comes into a household with a dog that thinks it's the pack leader. It's obviously not equipped to lead a pack of humans... but it's been put in a position where it MUST, it would rather die than let down its human companions. It also doesn't really want the job - it's stressful! Especially for a being so underequiped for this. What Cesar does is he pays attention. He pays attention to very subtle signals (remember - it's a metaphor for training your mind)... he doesn't 'try to change the dog' - he just stays centered and attentive, and makes very slight, subtle actions that very quickly let the dog relax and discover that it really doesn't need to control everyone and everything - and the result is a calm, relaxed state... with the dog still able to be a dog and play when it's apropriate... So once you have your awareness and your consciousness, still, stable and flexible, you'll be 90% there... The feeling is one of no seperation. Of complete stillness and a soft, untangled but extrordinarily powerful focus. You and the universe are the same... you feel and hear and sense the leaves move in the wind - but it's not leaves it's not trees and there's no wind, it's all you. If there's a task in hand the task is completed effortlessly - there's no thinking or planning or evaluating options, it's just done spontaneously. So the question is what's the easiest way to experience this... Of course there are many ways from many cultural backgrounds, and they all involve hard work... although there is a loophole! The easiest way is rather simple. Put yourself in a dangerous situation. Any high risk situation will do normally. Then don't let panic take over - and you'll pop into a very present flow state. I've had this happen a number of times... being involved in a car crash for example. Also solo rock climbing (without a rope/harness)... being near a gunfight did it too... For me this has been the easiest, most repeatable way of becoming present. I suspect certain adventure sports would get you there... surfing, sky diving, hang gliding, high speed snow boarding etc. I used to get it climbing difficult trees when I was little. I've also seen people doing that slacklining (I think it's called) - I suspect that would work if it's high enough to create a sense of danger. But I've also had this experience from doing my practices, and from being in the presence of highly achieved teachers

Several people have mentioned this, so I think it deserves a thread of its own. All the talk of magnetic qi in the Kunlun circles makes this particularly relevant. Peter Ragnar's page here discussion of magnetic qigong on the HT forum here

You don't breathe in a particular way whilst doing spontaneous practices - the breathing, as well as everything else will take care of itself. Outside of spontaneous practice you should follow your teacher's recommendations - so if you do kunlun, then the one breath is the best way to go. Please know that spontaneous movement is certainly not exclusive to kunlun. There are very many schools that use that method. But in terms of overall path and development, kunlun as a full system is a very unique and powerful one. Don't spend too long 'window shopping' for practices. Start one and get on the path wholeheartedly - eventually you will find that the correct teachers and practices will present themselves to you at the right time, and other practices will drop away as you develop further. It's wasted time to be planning ahead too far - focus on the present and work diligently right now

Yup - over thinking will not do much. It's much simpler than what we *think*. I 'ask it' to start up - but even that sounds too complicated... It's a simple case of will - there's a cup of water and the impulse that is used to pick it up and drink it is the same impulse you use to start the energy. Maybe I've been doing it for long enough that it's as simple as that... Let me try it... Right - so this happens in a millisecond, but it's like tuning into a frequency already inside... tuning to it, hearing/feeling it and allowing it to spread and take over. That's the best I can do in words. The mind (for me) doesn't *have to* drop into the heart - I can carry on with mental arithmatic and let the energy do its thing. But as the mind does drop, a tangible sense of great depth unvails itself. The energy can then penetrate deeper and I'm able to surrender more and more.

Scott - are you still refraining from the spontaneous movement part of the practice?

Great opportunity to meet Jenny in Europe. I'm definitely interested.

You'd need to learn it directly to be able to practice. But just theoretically - what goes down must come up again.

Hey Michael - I appreciate your advice to Greenchild (and I used to be a fan of that series!) However, any system that 'mentalises' energy movement/flow/structure etc, naturally elicits an upward flow in your system. (of course this isn't strictly true - it can be done without using the 'mind' but this isn't a 'normal' skill... let's just say someone able to do this without bringing energy up wouldn't have asked the original question) Snowmonki's first suggestion is the only real way to tap the downward flow (relax, let go, realise it's already there and that a part of you can tap into it, then just get out of the way and let go more and more). Seems so simple right? That first suggestion isn't necessarily 'rooting' or 'grounding' - (although it may have that as a side effect) Rooting and grounding may indeed help bring your qi down, but it's certainly not the same as 'the downward flow' or 'downward kundalini'.

Self esteem. It's composed of two things - Confidence and Competence. Confidence is the belief that you can do something. Competence is the actual ability to do something. An amateur boxer can be hugely confident - he truly believes he can knock out any oponent. But if his competence lags behind, he can get into a ring and be quickly beaten. Another boxer can be hugely competent - he has truly honed his skills and is an effective fighter. But if his confidence is too low, he can get into the ring and be scared off by a confident oponent. Self esteem is a gradual process - it's the leapfrogging of confidence then competence. You believe that you can get a good grade (cofidence) - so you study and work hard to have that happen (competence). The key is to over-reach slightly with your confidence - believe that you're slightly better than you are - then let competence catch up and take over... then again build confidence and believe you're slightly better than that - and again let competence catch up and overtake it. In Non's case - you seem to be more competent than confident. So for you it's a case of having a little bit of confidence (over-reaching slightly - not massively). Confidence, by it's nature is 'faking it'. It's a belief - a mental construct. So 'a lack' of confidence is as much faking it as over-cofidence is. If you over-reach slightly, and actually put it into practice you will notice your competence will grow... as it grows you take another step with your confidence and again go out and put it into practice and competence will catch up. There is no magic bullet as Thelerner mentioned - it's a case of consistent, step by step progress. Alexandrov has displayed this perfectly. He aknowledged where he was at (terrible with women, nervous about walking up and talking to them etc.) and knowing that, and expecting nothing more he went out and put it into action - approaching women, being nervous, shy etc... but as he did it more and more he noticed himself improving - his competence went up... which raised his confidence... which raised his competence... which raised his confidence etc - it's a viscious cycle to increasing your self esteem - and it's applicable to learning an instrument as well as to socialising. Now personally doing 'cold approaches' is not for me - and it might not be for you. Being able to connect to other humans and have an interaction is a skill applicable to all areas of life. So instead of approaching women to try and get their number or a kiss or sex, why not make it into an ability to connect with people. You could start out with just smiling to someone passing by and holding eye contact. Once you gain competence there, you could start saying hello, then you could actually say more than hello, then you could crack a joke, then you could actually ask them for something (the time, directions, whether they know of a good bookshop, where they grew up as a child etc etc)... Simple, small steps. You will see that once you start taking these tiny steps it becomes very easy. You'll find yourself making conversation with people - connecting with them and becoming curious about them. And little by little this will extend into the more romantic aspects of your life. You say you've not much experience with women. But then you claim to know exactly what they want and intend... Let me tell you that you're limiting yourself and half the world's population - yes some women like rich, 'succesful', muscly men... but some women really dislike that - they like depth, creativity and sensitivity in a man. It's a huge falacy that women don't like shy guys - an honest, unedited shyness is hugely endearing. And as long as you can also display a level of self-esteem, it's actually very attractive. I've had a number of attractive, intelligent and interesting girlfriends who actually avoided 'alpha males'. I understand that you get to feel 'special' by having all these seemingly unsolvable problems - but just consider the possibility that you're holding onto these problems - and they're actually serving you in some way (making you feel special and different, keeping you from potential painful situations and emotions, keeping you in your comfort zone). Just bare that in mind, and every time you notice yourself sabotaging or holding back from making progress, notice that in some way you're protecting yourself... You have been given many solutions that have worked for people in your situation, so now it's a case of applying them. Of course you'll have reservations or disagreements, or objections, or hold-ups, or just procrastination - and no matter how logical, real and important they all seem, they're just protection mechanisms designed to keep you from progressing and growing - your mind will have all maner of clever ways to hold you back - and if for any reason you're held back in any way, know that it's your mind's way of trying to protect you from the unknown.

For those of us who thought enlightenment was unlimited... well we've finally been set straight!

I'm happy to hear this!

I was referring to the Red Sun practice, not Red Pheonix. Red Sun is not one of the 'core' practices. The core practices for most practitioners are kunlun spontaneous, red pheonix, standing postures and one breath - there are several other powerful practices that can be incorporated.

I must've come across like I'm trying to convince you of something - it's not my intention, and I apologise if you've felt preached at. The nature of a public forum is such that I often write for many people at the same time - even when having a conversation with someone in particular. I enjoy your posts and reflections and I'm glad to see more from you here

Hahaha... well - the energy is a magnetic, watery sort of energy at certain points - which can make you physically magnetised to water, trees, and anything else you can think of... especially if you focus your awareness there, you'll be pulled towards it. The Bushmen start with a fiery energy, and they're often pulled towards and attracted by the fire - similar. The fur isolates your electric energy from the ground - this way the electric energy stays in your body during the practice... the magnetic aspect of the energy on the other hand can penetrate into the ground through the fur as it needs. A repulsion to the practice can happen - I'm not saying this is the case with you - but often the ego fights for control - the 'fight' can be quite intense for some people - this is the purification phase - it's important to go through. Of course there could be many other reasons why you didn't like the practice - I'm not sure who your facilitator was, and what kind of crowd he attracted - that might have something to do with it. Certainly spending time with Max is always fun - he's always kind, gentle and playful. Michael is also a great teacher - again teaching something very similar in a similar way - and certainly worth meeting him if you can. (btw Keeney often talks about songs/music - I haven't heard Michael play, but he's in a band! And Max's chanting and intense drumming on a spirited horse-skin drum is out of this world!)

Yes - in these controversial threads people's heads become completely disconnected with the heart, and so we see this dry, heartless conversation... notice how when this happens many of the people with open hearts stop posting and move on - it's painful to have an open heart in a room full of angry heads. I know

I had that 'fishy' feeling before. Why would you demonstrate all these siddhis?! It's an obvious marketing ploy - and if they'e marketing like this, trying to pull me in, it means they have some ulterior motive, some kind of agenda (money? power? fame?) When I began learning from Max, it became much clearer. Max has a playful nature - he likes to joke around and really doesn't take himself too seriously at all. He is also very passionate about what he has to share with the world - he's as amazed with the practices he teaches as anyone would be. He really wants you to have it, to have that openness, joy, playfulness - to have access to the spirit and to eventually birth your golden dragon body. From his point of view he wants to share with you all these cool things that happen as a result of practices - both because he's genuinly excited that this is possible and to motivate you to practice! His agenda is to have you open to who you really are. He is not into marketing - he wants to share his passion and the people around him help him do that - he doesn't know the rules of marketing, so he hasn't attempted to doctor his 'message' in a way that is acceptable for most of us. The fishiness is our own projection... we see marketing, we see an agenda, and we easily project our own stuff into it. I do agree that the presentation itself fosters this; but I'm also astute enough to overlook this - to see it for what it is - which is easy once you meet Max - although it's far easier to read peoples interpretations of other peoples opinions which are in turn based on rumour and hearsay. Max isn't that good at the mundane world of politics, marketing, managing and other 'worldly' affairs - he's not a fan of using computers or driving. People will read into this whatever they want, but for me it's simple - I won't be taking driving lessons or marketing lessons from Max, but his amazing experience with the spiritual world is what interests me. I have found that Max facilitates in the following way - he gives you a spark in your dan tien - which helps clear your body and energy and eventually opens your heart (for some this is very quick - for others it takes time). Opening the heart is a major aspect of the practice... Next what he does is (using Bushman terminology) he literally connects and brings down the rope to God... This is a poetic term with a very direct reflection in your energetic body - you literally bring the rope down into your body, your central channel - and as your dan tiens are connected, you begin to climb the rope... People talk about 3rd eye practices. The base of the 3rd eye is the heart - it's a key step of the process to connect these two. Max often mentioned that when people see a bright light at the end of the tunnel, they're not actually looking up and out of the crown, but from the 'crystal cave' down to the heart, which is beaming this light. I wish for people to notice whether they're misinterpreting a genuine, child-like enthusiasm for all the possibilities, the wonder and mystery of this world. Because that's exactly what I did at first... and had I stayed in my head instead of listening to my intuition, I wouldn't have started one of the most powerful and profound practices I've come across.

Wudangquan is talking about the Red Sun practice - which involves breath-holding. This technique, if I remember correctly is available on this forum. He says he's done it 'several thousand times' - which is impressive as, if he followed the instructions and did the technique correctly would take him at least 38 years... that's assuming 'several' means 'two'... might mean 'eight'! This technique has been shared by Max only a couple of years ago... Also his explanation as to what occurs (oxygen deprivation, pineal stress etc.) is his own interpretation. There are many breath-holding practices around, and the explanations for how they work and what they do is usually very different from wudangquan's interpretation. So regarding these kinds of things (especially on the topic of kunlun) you need to use your own discernment - there is a lot misinformation and incorrect assumptions being made from hearsay and rumour. In the end it's a practice - try it sincerely - if it resonates, you'll love it, if not, then you'll move on. simples. Regarding finding a facilitator in Geneva - perhaps they don't like to teach, but I know several practitioners there. Germany is your best bet otherwise, as there are several experienced facilitators there.

Kunlun in many ways is a system that's about opening, flowing, surrendering to your higher energy. Most western occult traditions focus on directing, controlling, visualising, willing etc. For this reason these two practices would not go together so well. The western path is indeed an 'upwards' path - you're building, and constructing, whereas kunlun is dismantling and revealing, flowing down. Contrary to Michael's opinion I believe kunlun is indeed a complete system - there are many practices apart from the spontaneous movement practice (this aspect of kunlun you could learn from Jenny Lamb who has a dvd out) and Kunlun is designed to achieve 'the golden dragon body' - also known as 'the returnable rainbow body' in our lifetime. The reason you don't read much theory on kunlun techniques is because it reflects the system - which is about letting go and revealing your true self - nothing to do with thinking, logics and the intellect. You don't micromanage your energy, you leave that up to your higher aspect. If you are interested in kunlun, it is best to meet with a facilitator (you have some on the french side of geneva, or several others in germany) - once you've been taught the techniques and received the transmission, work with it exclusively for 100 days and evaluate it. If it's not something that's for you, then stop practising completely for a week or so before resuming other techniques.

Yes - completely. Also - most people never realise they're almost constantly in hunter mode... They need to take a holiday, or buy something, or 'pamper' themselves - with food/drugs/material goods to give themselves permission to to relax into passive mode. (The mind likes hunter mode, because the awareness is so narrow - this is similar to how the mind attends to the world.) I actually realised that calling it hunter mode gives the wrong impression about hunters, and their awareness - they attend to the present and the body - just with an intense laser-beam like focus... whereas most of us use the laser-beam like focus to attend to trivialities and illusions - usually outside of us. We use our ability to focus as a tool. The narrower and shallower the focus, the less present - the less present, the more predictable - the more predictable, the safer we feel... we trade in feeling safe for being awake.