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Hi Dwai, Thanks for jumping in! I agree about Meredith's abbreviations. They don't have intuitive meaning the way regular words do. Even if he just chose different words, it would be easier than the acronyms. The guy speaks Japanese and Chinese, so maybe inventing a new language is easier for him than it is for the rest of us to pick it up. What I didn't like much at first is the manga/cartoon illustrations. When I read Meredith was sidelining the Juice sequel to finish a comic book on tai chi, I was bummed. But last night I realized that those cartoons carry a ton of info, "a picture being worth a thousand words," and pictures of chi being rather hard to get :-).... the manga illustrations really work! So now I'm really looking forward to his manga taichi comic book! Here's a sample manga image on his Sept blog:http://cattanga.typepad.com/tabby_cat_gamespace/2013/09/index.html I'm so glad you commented on the deep tension triggering wild reactions. Do you also trigger those responses with light (energetic) touch? I'm actually wondering what "deep tension" means in this context. Meredith's a bit hunched (as are most of us, especially as we age), which looks like habitual contraction to me. Yet he claims he's eliminated most of his own deep tension. As a bodyworker, I tend to assume I know what he means by deep tension, but now I'm wondering if we're talking about the same thing. Is this deep tension something I would actually feel when I do deep tissue work? Or is it more an energetic/wiring thing? Most people can't just relax a deep habitual contraction, but some people with obvious postural contractions are able to release them fairly quickly on the table. I'm puzzled. Any comments? Also, you write that in Temple Style tai chi, you store chi in the bone marrow. Where does Meredith store it? Isn't it just a continuous earth/niwan connection, the flow facilitated by continuously eliminating that deep tension (aka relaxing)? Is the difference battery storage/power vs. being continuously plugged in to the mains? Not clear on that bit, guess it's back to the book for me. Again, thanks for joining in!

Hey CD, I think you're missing the jist of the question here, and I KNOW you're underestimating Meredith! He replies to your post on his blog here: http://cattanga.typepad.com/tabby_cat_gamespace/2013/09/index.html Lots of interesting vids to check out... May open your perspective a bit! Come on, CD, Jump IN! This chi stuff is FUN!

Try using this format in a google search field: site:thetaobums.com Mopai Jim

Hi BKA, Can you guess at what percentage of reports actually require significant moderator time? What would you say does generate the heaviest loads on moderators' time and energy?

Thank you for putting this down in words, Trunk. I feel a little presumptuous jumping in here with no other replies, but I assume that, by opening a thread separate from the locked document, you're inviting feedback. So here goes. I see moderator burn-out as a heavy burden on the board, and this statement of the Three Founding Principles can be a big step towards easing the moderation load on the mods. Moderators are generous fellow users who volunteer their services to support the board. They work really hard at it, spending a lot of time on board issues. The burden of moderation uses up their time and good will, and they resign, often not even posting much after leaving moderation. This makes me sad, as I see the relative thanklessness of a job which to me is such a critical part of the board's being the outstanding resource that it is. When mods burn out, we lose experienced moderation, and often great posting as well. And the pool of willing/able mod volunteers shrinks as more end up burnt out. If the board keeps burning out mods, who will want the job? Will we end up having to move to paid mods and a pay-to-post format? Considering all this, I think we need to find ways to ease the toll the job seems to take on these generous people. I imagine that's what being addressed when you write: "The staff (admins, moderators) also deserve and have protection against uncivility and against abuse of staff resources. Staff protection is enforced at the discretion of the admin." I would like to see that statement expanded to give examples of "abuse of staff resources". I think some posters get stuck in an anti-authoritarian stance, viewing moderators as police; they see rules as laws to be pushed against and resisted. That attitude hurts the board. We need to move toward a "moderators R US" attitude, an understanding that these *fellow board members* are doing all of us a HUGE favor by taking on this unpaid and often thankless role, and that they deserve our help and support in every way... which INCLUDES submitting thoughtfully worded posts that do not require moderation! One way we might shift more of the load of moderation off the moderators onto users themselves is to tally the "mod hours" on users. The vast majority of users don't need moderation, but I imagine that some users get more reports on their posts and thus take up a lot of moderation hours. I know there is a system of warning points, I guess when it's determined that a user actually stepped over the line. But I wonder if there could also be a way of tallying "moderation load" on users who get reported a lot. If someone is using a lot of the moderators' TIME, even if they don't actually step over the line, maybe they need a break from posting, to ponder the Three Foundations, and adjust their posting style toward greater civility, as well as more consideration for the moderators' time and energy. (And then there may be users who constantly report others, and maybe they need a moderator load count too!)

Hi TzuJanLi, Interesting comments, especially as seen from the perspective of a professional judge! Meredith has quoted part of your post and responds (somewhat) on his blog: http://cattanga.typepad.com/tabby_cat_gamespace/2013/08/index.html I don't practice tai chi or push hands (knee challenges), but am very interested in the energy Meredith claims to be using. Since you have a professional eye and have seen the videos, I'm eager to hear your opinion on his claims and methods, especially if you have read the book, or at least know what he says about what he does. Even if you haven't read the book, what do you think of his claim? He says he's using a very light touch to trigger his opponent's deep tension in a way that causes the OPPONENT to basically spring away from him. He says the response depends on how much deep tension the opponent harbors, and how much taiji energy he (Meredith) uses. He doesn't want anybody to get hurt, so he holds on to the opponent to keep him from flying off. Meredith is not interested in strict form, and I understand him to be saying that tai chi is a tool for connection to your own internal energy, and that the prime directive in finding it is relaxation as you move. So he does claim to be very relaxed, at least in terms of his own "deep tension." From my bodyworker perspective, his posture is rather hunched, which looks like deep tension to me. But, non-taichi person that I am, none of these factors preclude his actually doing what he says. So I am interested in what you see. Can you say a little about what you are looking at/for when evaluating internal skill? Can it look like little internal skill from the outside and still be powerful from the opponent's experience? Sure wish someone would jump in here who has actually pushed with Meredith so we could hear what it feels like.... PS Please, anyone, if I am mischaracterizing what Meredith says/claims, please jump in and set me straight!

Interesting article written by 30-year practitioner. Nudan Practice and the Modern Woman, by Althea Northage-Orr http://www.transformationaltechniques.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Final-Draft-Paper-for-Neidan-Conference-05_17_101.pdf Northage-Orr's bio here: http://www.transformationaltechniques.com/altheas-bio/ "Dont euthanize yourself. Youthen-ize yourself. Begin by telling yourself: Im going to become an Immortal, or I will die trying."

Here you go Dagon:http://thetaobums.com/topic/18164-celestial-neigong-practices-insights-comments-etc/ Howd I do that? Searching like this on google works really well for TTB and most other sites, few of which have adequate internal search. site:thetaobums.com Dagon tree

Here's another great article, with English commentary. The author has redrawn the Nei Jing Tu to better illustrate the elements depicted! http://www.duversity.org/PDF/Elixir.pdf

I'm up for trying the new editing for awhile, see how it sits with us, see if it improves some aspects of the board. That with the caveat that anyone can edit their own PPF anytime. I often find old threads I never noticed before, or new interests that have been discussed on the board, sometimes WAAAY back. It's frustrating to have part of those threads removed so that the sense of it is missing. I remember how disgusted I was some years back when I noticed a member had removed every post he ever made, leaving gigantic holes in many interesting threads. I don't think I've ever read another of his posts! I do think about a poster having changed their mind about something, or realizing there's a serious error in the post, frustrated at not being able to correct the post right there, realizing some folks will be misled, or have to find the correction later in the thread.... What about an edit function that can only ADD to the post. So you could post corrections or updates, but not change the original text. Is that even possible?

Illustrations, translation, and bilingual text of Nei Jing Tu: http://wangfengyi.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/neichingtu1.pdf

Re: Tom Bisio's book: Decoding the Dao, Nine Lessons... You can read excerpts from lessons eight and nine at his website: http://www.internalartsinternational.com/free/daoist-meditation-lesson-eight-theory-golden-fluid-the-micro-cosmic-orbit/#Hormones_Jing_and_The_Endocrine_System and http://www.internalartsinternational.com/free/daoist-meditation-lesson-nine-theory-golden-fluid-returning-to-dantian-meditation/ What cha think, Chang? Is that enough for you to tell if it looks like a rehash? Edit: Actually, it looks like Bisio has generously posted most, if not all, of the nine lessons on his website. There's much more to the book than the lessons, but scroll through here if you want more of them: http://www.internalartsinternational.com/free/

Re: Bisio's book: Decoding the Dao, Nine Lessons... You can read excerpts from lessons eight and nine at his website: http://www.internalartsinternational.com/free/daoist-meditation-lesson-eight-theory-golden-fluid-the-micro-cosmic-orbit/#Hormones_Jing_and_The_Endocrine_System and http://www.internalartsinternational.com/free/daoist-meditation-lesson-nine-theory-golden-fluid-returning-to-dantian-meditation/

Hi Chang, Here's the blurb on Decoding the Dao from the web: does it still sound to you like a rehash of the Chinese National Chi Kung Institute Chi Kung Correspondence Program? I have a couple of Bisio's books. They are not expensive and packed with info, so I am very curious about this one. "Decoding the Dao: Nine Lessons in Daoist Meditation by Tom Bisio: A Complete and Comprehensive Guide To Daoist Meditation At its heart, Daoist meditation is a simple and practical method of establishing unity between our internal environment and the external world so that we can engage with life in a clear and present way. In Decoding the Dao: Nine Lessons in Daoist Meditation, author Tom Bisio introduces the reader to the poetry and pragmatism of Daoist meditation and the practice of Internal Alchemy. The first half of this unique book consists of nine progressive lessons that guide the reader step by step through the practice of Daoist meditation, ending with an introduction to Daoist Internal Alchemy. The nine lessons teach the reader how to observe and transform their own internal landscape, in order to rejuvenate and replenish the bodys innate energies, thereby promoting health and nourishing life and spirit. The lessons can be practiced in sequence or individually, providing the reader with a veritable toolbox of meditative practices that can be used flexibly to address different situations and circumstances. Each lesson contains both practice exercises and discussions of relevant topics to flesh out the reasoning behind the various methods of meditation and help the reader more deeply understand the principles and theories that underlie the practice. Beyond the nine lessons, additional chapters introduce advanced practices like the Greater Heavenly Orbit Meditation and other traditional Daoist methods of promoting health and longevity. This is followed by an unique discussion of Daoist symbolism and imagery and its relationship to meditation and internal alchemy. Daoist symbols and images act as a kind of code that, when decoded and understood, aid the meditator, giving him or her an alternative and imagery-rich language which bypasses habitual mental constructs and perceptual habits, facilitating the perception of subtle movements and changes within the body. This book cracks the code, enabling the reader to fully engage with this ancient and powerful tradition of transformation and transcendence. The book also includes a translation of Daoist practice methods written by the famous Ba Gua practitioner, Sun Xi Kun. Sun includes a very interesting section on Daoist meditation practices for women."

Hi thelerner, Kind of funny, since I spent a good part of the afternoon reading up on dantien rotation. Then I check out new posts and find yours. Dang if I know where it is! I've only recently started having spontaneous experience of it. The first thing I think to answer is that I experience it in a chi state, which is a different state of consciousness than normal, and the dantien is located in the energy body, which varies. Actually, that sounds familiar, and I realize I read that in Meredith's Juice book, but he was talking about locating the niwan in the head. He says it's not a physical location, but a point in the energetic body, so not to fixate on a specific physical location, as the energetic body and physical body slide around a bit (my words). But now I have the experience when I'm in the chi state, and I don't have the energetic sensation when I'm not in that state, so hard to locate physically. I'll try to switch back and forth fast enough to see if I can locate it in the physical realm, but I got a feeling it's not gonna happen that way. It's a very physical sensation, but not identifyable as a specific location. Curious... In Ki-aikido, did you experience a physical energetic sensation in tantien, or was it more a theoretical thing?

Hi XiaoYaoYou Have you had a chance to check out Twicken's book yet? The section on Nei Dan inner meditation is very simple, yet has been very helpful to my practice, and I'm interested in other folks' experience with his methods. Obviously the paths are the same as in other methods, Taoist Yoga (which I've heard called "Ten Breaths, Eight Mai") and MacRitchie's. Twicken uses more, ah, breath dredging?, combined with spiraling and some focus/attention practices that remind me of Robert Bruce's methods. Simple but effective. Like to hear your take on it when you get around to it!

If the sheet is not connected properly, it will increase the charge on you, as it will act as an antenna if it's not grounding. But the instructions tell you how to test the sheet, how to test yourself with and without the sheet to see if it lowers the charge on you. It lowered the charge on me to almost normal (wierd house wiring), so I use it all the time.

Hi billb Yes, you can ground the mat via the building's electrical system, which is grounded. You have to check that the plug's grounding is correct (very easy) and then plug your grounding system into the ground on the plug (the third hole). I prefer the actual pole-in-the-ground method, mostly because the electrical in my house was installed by a mad scientist, and the meters test really high next to the plugs. But I do use both methods for two beds and the computer.

Anybody else working with David Twicken's Nei Dan meditation from his new book on the Eight Extraordinary Channels? The practices are deceptively simple, and I was initially disappointed: "Is that all?" I guess I was kind of expecting the secrets of the universe. However, I've started working with his Nei Dan, and I am truly impressed! And grateful! Just in a couple weeks, this has brought startling advances in my inner energy work. As usual, reading about the method does not reveal the secrets. DOING IT is the ticket, Rumi's ring in the door! Twicken's practices will be very accessible to those who have worked with Robert Bruce's methods, although I don't think they came from there at all. I don't know if my success with this is mostly a readiness factor, or if others will be similarly impressed, and I'm looking forward to reports from others who've read the book and/or tried the practices.

"to allow the energy to move my body during the form rather than doing it with my mind per se"

Hi taiwabbit, Love to hear you expand a bit on how you go about doing this... taiwabbit wrote: In that space between the two is where I have learned that I can insert and focus the energy directed through the “Grand Martial Circulation” (as taught by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming) to allow the energy to move my body during the form rather than doing it with my mind per se. William. C.C. Chen was the first person I had heard that spoke of letting the energy move you during the form rather than the mind. So using the mysterious pass is the gate for me to move the circulating energy into my form and it has made A LOT of differences in a lot of ways. I am still exploring the area.

Hey there Turtle Shell! I thought of you today too, just like RV, and now here you are! TTB must be going up on psychic quotient or something. Great to see you back on the board!

Random suggestions I've come across: No flickering screen lights for at least an hour (preferably two!) before bed. That means no TV, no computer, no e-reader. Don't eat for 3 hours before bed. Get a grounding mat or bracelet to sleep with (plug it into the electric ground in a hotel, out the window and into the ground, if you happen to live near some ground...) Bruce Frantzis says to rotate your ankles 60 times in each direction. (I've tried this. 60 times is a LOT!) Also, somewhere on TTB there's a post by Mark Foote about his idiosyncratic way of getting to sleep. It was a consciousness/perspective shift. Ah, here's the thread: look for Mark's post: http://thetaobums.com/topic/24441-methods-to-enter-deep-sleep/ and here's his description of his method: http://www.zenmudra.com/zenmudra-waking-up-and-falling-asleep.html Good luck!

Chopsticks with your OTHER hand!

For those of you who bought the book, Meredith is writing a sequel, and inviting "substantive" questions. I definitely got questions! He writes on his blog: "So I'm now deep into the sequel: JUICE CONCENTRATE: More Radical Energetics. It will continue the treatment of Taiji (advanced topics) and get into other related stuff as well. If any of you blog readers who actually ponied out for the book have interesting substantive questions you'd like to hear my crazy take on, send those on in and if they're a fit they'll maybe appear (unattributed though). Email me seeotter g mail dot com." He just sold the Japanese translation of Juice to a Japanesse publishing house! Check out his June 20th blog post for a fun story about a Juice "demo" in Tokyo: http://cattanga.typepad.com/tabby_cat_gamespace/2013/06/index.html