mouse

Pranaman, Suggest you don't get caught upin channels or meridians etc. To drive a car you do not need to know how the ignition happens, or how what the brake fluids do etc. Is good to know but doesn't affect the ability to drive. Some may disagree but just my thoughts. Enjoy your practice. mouse

Santiago, From what I understand, there is no surrendering for Buddha but a constant fight with Mara at every mind moment in order to reach enlightenment. This is confirmed by the biographies of a couple of Arahants of the process of nibbana. The creator you speak off is not the same as the Tao or Buddha. Creator in the sense of Allah is still a sentient being bounded by samsara. Believe this to be the Buddhist equivalent to Brahma. Brahma is still subject to death and decay. The Brahma-nimantanika Sutta expounds this quite clearly and can be found here. The thing here is that I cannot personally prove the existance of Brahma or Buddha or the Tao. It is not important. The only thing I have verified by myself is the efficacy of the Dhamma (teachings) and the process of mind development through the practices. I cannot speak of any other point definitively as there is no way to verify any phenomena outside of my own heart. Again, power is not something I actively seek. It does come with its own sets of attachments. Seeking nibbana indeed is an attachment in itself. This is very true. However, like my teacher always says, it is an attachment to end all attachments. Going with the flow is counter to our practice. It is the equivalent to giving in to the kilesas (defilements) hold on us at every mind moment. It binds and chains you to samsara. No creator or other sentient being can practice for you. Your own mind development can be guided and shaped but the actions and efforts can only be of your own. Hope this does not offend anyone's right to their own views. This is only for explaining my own stand on surrender which was put forward to me. On another note, if this does not hijack the thread, can you share your own experience with the Creator and your own practice? I am sure it has been of great benefit to you for you to have such faith in it. I am also unfamiliar on Shakti you speak of. Can you define it more? Enjoy your practice, mouse

Santiago, No offense was taken. I enjoy your posts and understand where you're coming from. On your end, I hope you don't mind me saying that we do not focus on the divine or the creator. In fact, our goal is nibbana. To rid the defilements of the mind. Taiji being a training method for that. We seek refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha and connect to that. In our hearts, there is no higher. We don't seek power, it is an attachment in itself. I really can't speak for anyone else in the school system but I find surrendering counter to my practice. Understanding the nature of the citta requires much concentration and mindfulness. Enjoy your practice, mouse

In our school system, we seldom if ever touch on chi. The main focus is on awareness and intention. Yi leads chi. Without proper intergration of the physical bodies as a foundation in practice, you can't transcend to the stage where form is irrelevant. Good points raised in the tread. Enjoy your practice, mouse

Mike, My practice has certainly been shaped and influenced greatly by my respected teachers. I have not claimed otherwise. mouse

Yielding in the proper sense of the Taiji classics means yielding into your structure. This causes the energy issued upon you to go through your structure into the ground and with "4 ounces" can be rebounded through the opponent's center. From the classics: Anyone who has spent years of practice and still cannot neutralize, and is always controlled by his opponent, has not apprehended the fault of double-weightedness. To adhere means to yield. To yield means to adhere. I think the texts are pretty literal and can be accomplished through the right foundational training. From the form there is always a transfer of energy from one foot to the other foot constantly. Likewise, there is always (1) a yielding into the structure [rear foot normally] then (2) Neutralising into the ground and then (3) an issue through to the front foot [normally]. Not many understand this or achieve it and hence claim the classics are hiding secret teachings... it really is quite literal. Enjoy your practice, mouse

Taomeow, Actually it would be 修 xiu1 not gong1.

Andy, Moved back to Perth after Sydney because of work. Practice and training both coming along well. Been to a Taiji group a couple of days back this week to look for a training partner but dissapointed at what I saw. Is hard to find proper Taiji over in WA and need partner to work on some things on my end. mouse

Mal, Great that your sifu can correct your stance. Horse stance shouldn't hurt the knees if done correctly. The tendons and skeletonal structure hold the stance. Not the muscles. I'm working on my own stance now and the increment in time is significant daily espcially if you use it as a mind training. Your sifu is a very diplomatic man. Maybe Your Si Gung will give more insight. Keep us posted on your progress! You have good determination. Am puzzled with the obsession with chocolate though. Enjoy your practice, mouse

Hi Andy! Long time no see. Heard from Sifu that your school in Melbourne is coming along real well. Congratulations. Also I heard about the Karate guy who tested your iron robe. Why didn't he train with you after? Would love to catch up with you if I drop by Melbourne. Take it easy! mouse

Stig, You are welcome to come down to the seminar to try for yourself. It would be great especially since you are a Taiji instructor too. No better way than to cross hands personally and verify. Watching clips or reading a test results will always still lead to doubt. I cannot speak for Sifu Adam on how this scientific experiment can be conducted. Perhaps you would like to propose the test criteria. mouse

xuesheng, Wonder why you think they are false demonstrations? If you wanna clarify on pm it would not sully the thread. I have felt the no touch stuff before on my first visit with Sifu Adam. It worked one time and didn't the other. He made me sit down from a distance but could not keep me down. It is just another skill to work on in your Taiji. Enjoy your practice, mouse

xuesheng, Having blindfolds on will make one more sensitive as restraining the sight will make someone reach out with their other senses. Sifu Adam doesn't use "sounds" for fa shen either. Enjoy your practice, mouse

Hi All, This may be off topic but here is an interesting link I stumbled upon showing McDonald's leading the way in internal cultivation methods. Immortal Burger mouse

Stigweard, The no touch stuff would come under "Fa Shen" not "Fa Jin". Would be great to see you at the seminars if possible. I read somewhere on the forum that you are a teacher of Taiji and I'm sure it'll be of great interest to you and your students to have a friendly push with someone from outside your school system. Where do you teach? mouse

Stigweard, Fa Jin can be easily demonstrated on a physical plane through proper alignment and structure. The actual words mean "issuing kenetic energy". This is most commonly formed by compression of the opponent's physical structure and your own structure through yielding and releasing it like a compressed spring. There is nothing magical about that. As for testing of fa jin by non-students, there is a short portion of a tung long guy being asked to try anything he wanted at one of the instructors during the seminar. Totally impromptu @ 1:42. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Best way is to cross hands and find out. Thats how I validated for myself. Enjoy your practice, mouse

Hi Sifu, Welcome to Taobums! Shon, Clips are on youtube. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Enjoy your practice. mouse

Hi Benjamin, I train with Sifu Adam whenever I can. I spent some time with him last month around Thailand. I have also spend time training with Cameron while I was living in Sydney. Enjoy your practice. Sifu can guide your practice spiritually as well which is the main goal of training as I'm sure you're already well aware off. mouse

Hi, Any Taobums here from Perth, Australia? mouse

rain, She's normally in Phuket but occasionally teaches in Chiang Mai as well so I guess both north and south are covered. Best if you drop her an email and check her schedule as she conducts seminars in Australia and the region twice a year so may be out of Thailand when you visit. Her website is www.mindbodyyoga.com.au Enjoy your practice mouse

Talking about Yoga in Thailand, if you're every up that way again you should look up Yogini Kim White from Mind Body Yoga. She is one of the few people I've met who do Yoga like a proper internal discipline and not just doing the shapes. Asanas are rooted and structure/alignment are all foundational in her lineage. Strict and demanding of her students so no spoon feeding there if you're only half serious about Yoga. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Enjoy your practice, mouse

I couldn't not click on the topic when someone claims to teach real taiji. Hi Benjamin, who do you train under and which school? Mal, hope you're doing well with your taiji training on your end. Hope you get to visit the school or the seminars if you can make it. Quite a few of the folks in HME have trained in the Tung Lung system with Malcolm Sue, you can check with your Sigung if you get to drop by that way. Enjoy your practice. mouse

You should meditate every waking moment. Not just a fixed time. Everytime your mind wanders from your breath bring it back. Do it without resentment or resistance. A newly harnessed horse will always be wild and cannot be put to use. Anapanasati does not need a set time. It is every passing moment. Even during sleep if you can manage that which is why it is a good practice to note your breath when you sleep. One practice to to note when your mind slips off into sleep, on the in breath or on the out breath. See if you can remember in the morning. Enjoy your practice. mouse

markern, Awareness meditation is noting "as it is." However, when stupor comes, you must still note with CLARITY. Not just a blind noting as you will drop off. Stupor and other emotions/feelings are to be noted as impermanent. They are conditioned. A meditation word used in your practice is just a tool. It uses one "thought" to counter other thoughts. The meditation word once you enter a state of concentration is normally dropped. In the terevada tradition, we use "Bud-dho" (Buddha), "Dham-mo" (Dhamma) or "Sang-ho" (Sangha) in time with the in and out breath. Using the tip of the nose where air enters is a common practice. The point is not relevant so long as it is in your body. (citta resides in body for now) You can choose the heart center or use the whole body as the meditation object. I found the tip of the nose good for me sometimes and other times not as good. I often use the heart centre now. A very simple method that is done when having problems with clarity or when your head starts to drop off is to do meditation with your eyes open. Use a soft gaze at the floor in front of you. Hope this helps. Give the various methods a go but try to stick with one long enough to find out if it is suitable for you. Flip flopping in the chasing various methods is counter-productive. Enjoy your practice. mouse

h.uriahr, I see you have a "point to make" in your comments. What next? grenades, or landmines or nukes? Can you please explain the rationale for your "query"? mouse