Unconditioned

There are also some free programs that do the same if other's are interested in experimenting. The one I've used in the past is Brain Wave Generator. http://www.bwgen.com/ I've used entrainment tracks myself and find that they can have some noticable effects. My one 'complaint' is that it's a dependency. I'd rather be able to drop into a meditative state without needing headphones. But, when I'm at home in the morning or before sleep, I've combined the entrainment with other meditation techniques and have had some very interesting results. Some included open-eye visualizations (it looked like smoke was coming up all around me) and hearing odd things. Like all things, I believe these are just manefestations of the mind but they were very real seeming. Also, if you need a place host some files I have an FTP but if the bandwidth gets to be too much I'll have to turn it off. I have a website hosted for the band i'm in that has tons of space not being used. PM me if you're interested in hosting them there!

I think the scientific community could've done a lot better job of explaining the potentials of what they're trying to do. There are a lot of people who are against this experiment for many many reasons (political, religious, business, etc.) which may have driven some of the fears. Other factors are when someone says "they're going to make a blackhole in a lab" everyone pictures what they've seen on tv or science class of planets falling into blackness... sure if the black hole is bigger than planets. The particle collisions are enormously tiny, much much smaller than the components of atoms. I wish I had all the data with me here but I don't, I'm at work. But if you're really interested, this site has the facts: http://public.web.cern.ch/Public/en/LHC/Safety-en.html Long story short, the size of what they're trying to create is much much smaller than the size of an atom. The force of impact given the low mass of the partiles is the same as two mosquitos coliding together. Might not seem like much, but at the scale we're talking that's HUGE for somethign that is smaller than an atom. Unfortunately we'll still have to go to work after this one is done... bummer! EDIT: Here's anothersite that isn't published by CERN - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_of_the...Hadron_Collider EDIT 2: The article is wrong on the number of known dimensions. There are anywhere from 10-12 depending on how you define them. Yeah I'm a nerd =) Here's a cool article on 10 dimensions (4 of which are percievable). I love that there are things in science that we can't observe with our senses... eventually I think science and Truth may meet. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/dimensions.html

Sadly, I turn to the daily show to get a more objective look at news. So many contridictions... just playing the politcal game and it's even more sad how many people fall into their traps. It's like voting for highschool prom king/queen all over again... yuck. I want a candidate that starts "The War on Ignorance"... that'd I'd sign up for anyday.

What is behind it all? What is the motivation? Where is the source? Where are you? WHAT are you? Energy? In movement. Matter? In form. Mind? In thought. Deeper... Conciousness? You are not this. Deeper... What is left?? Awareness, the seat of concioiusness. Strip away everything and the only thing that can be left is what is true. Pursing endevors of power may lead to the goal but it creates that which must be stripped bare. Be naked. Be pure. Be complete awareness. Just BE. You will need no power, energy, mind, or matter. You are none of those, you are all of them. Know the source within and manifest from there to the without.

Here's a direct link to the complete works: http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/downloads/talks_full.zip This site has A LOT of free books / writings of Ramana: http://sriramanamaharshi.org/Allpub_demo.html He's one of my favorites =)

Wow, very inspirational post. It's comforting to know there are many people with some deep wisdom out there. I can somewhat relate to missing someone myself. My fiance is living 1300 miles away and we've been in a long distance relationship for 3 years. If you'd like to talk more feel free to PM me. All the best.

Fortunately you are not! The source, the Tao, is the source of everything and everyone. You are that source at your deepest core. Therefore you are part of everything that is, your true being is the cause of every manifestation including your body, mind, thoughts, etc. There is only one thing, everything, displayed in different forms/aspects. The closest analogy I can come up with is this: our bodies are like leaves on a tree. If you look at other leaves they are different shapes/sizes/etc. But, if you look deeper you'll notice that all the leaves are connected by the trunk of the tree. The same life/energy gets passed through the trunk to each branch and each individual leaf. The source is the same, the energy is the same, the manefestations appear differently. This doesn't quite work perfectly but I hope conveys the idea.

The ability to percieve different shades of pigment in the skin has what bearing on anything? I can't ignore the ignorance in a few of the statements in this thread. Regardless of what knowledge or power a master may have, if they truely think skin color and cultural stereotypes should be believed then they are lacking in wisdom. I mean no disrespect - I just think it's important to see past the actions and find their source.

So I've been reading a lot of the forums here and an observation I've made is that I see a lot of people focusing on the abilities that are possible when working with Qi. But what is the goal? Aside from being able to impress your friends (ego ego ego) what is the real point? I understand the goal of Buddhism, Yoga (meditative not physical), etc. but do not see much real use to spending years of training and meditating just to be able to harness energy. Is there a loftier goal of understanding what we are/aren't what reality is/isn't realization, transcendance, etc.? Perhaps I'm focusing too much on Yin energy and not enough on Yang but I tend to see a lot of egoism in pursuing these Qi arts. Please don't take this the wrong way, it's not a critique; just an observation from someone new to the forum and Taoism. Thank you.

I interpreted this quote to mean that rather than trying to address the sympthoms, solve the larger problem at hand and the sympthoms go away. In other books such as Why Lazurus Laughed he likens enlightenment to a person 'getting' a joke.. that spontaneous moment itself. I agree that his writings can be difficult but this was the first author that got me into eastern tradition/teachings. I used a lot of his words almost as a Koan and wrestled with them for a long time then put them in the back of my mind. As I grew in understanding, the meaning of what he was trying to say became clearer and clearer. Enough about me Open Secret is good but like most of Wu Wei Wu, takes a lot of patience.

My interpretation of this line is that this means complete surrender. When one surrenders the self it is similar to just letting go, emptying yourself, so that the Self can shine. For what it's worth, I have a .pdf of Ramana's complete works (700+ pages) that I can share with people if they'd like, just send me a message. I've personally found his methods of introspection a very powerful path.

I knew there was something evil about brushing my teeth as a kid! Very interesting... I don't know that I buy the conspiracy theory that someone is out to get us but at least I know the health effects - thanks for sharing!

I see where you're coming from. Goals differ for everyone I'm not going to get into the quantum debate lol all that does is cause arguments, make people angry, etc. It's like trying to convince someone that the color blue is better than the color red - a matter of beliefs and preferences. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, most appreciated!

Bravo, very well said!

Very interesting - do you have some more information on The Secret of the Golden Flower? As I've stated before, I am foreign to Taoism but have studied other eastern practices (yogic meditation, buddhism, and hinduism in particular). I guess I don't understand what the purpose of transforming the physical body into pure energy. Aren't we pure energy to begin with? Doesn't it just depend on your perception at the gross level vs. the internal level? What benefit does this have? Back to my original question: why? what is the goal of that? I tend to stray away from dogma as it is very easy to become attached to the system but I'm never shy when it comes to exploring and experiencing first hand before drawing any conclusions

No. To me it's just another label I don't come from a Taoist background so some of the usual terms are foreign to me. My point about "To where? From where?" is that to me there is no where to ascend to. We're already there, just need to be aware of our nature, confide in that infinite space (Tao), and ultimately drop the ego mind and merge with the Tao. All of which can be done through many means. I believe seadog said it best in the last post: Tools, guidance, and their labels have their purpose. But to hammer a nail into a board one doesn't need to know all the different shapes, sizes, uses, history, etc. of a hammer. I mean no disrespect to anyone here so I apologize if I have done so. Thanks for all the replies =)

Before I completely derail this topic, my intention was to point towards a bigger question. Why focus on the physical jewels of the masters when we can focus on the jewels of wisdom they're pointing us towards? That was where I was going =) ::puts the train back on the tracks:: Carry on, no ill intentions meant =)

To where? From where?

Who sees the Jewels? How can they be seen at all?

Ah, that makes more sense to me now I've heard of masters such as Sri Ramana Maharishi who never mentioned energy at all yet had reached the goal. Many paths to the mountain top but only one peak. Thank you =)

Hello! I have been studying various eastern philosophies/meditations/traditions/etc for the last couple of years now. I have come to understand a few Truths but do not know much about the pragmatic Taoist views or much about Taoism. As I understand it, what we are is consciousness itself... the pure energy from which all things manifest themselves... the source 'behind' all existence. This source is unconditioned, it is the purest of pure, it cannot be conceptualized as that only provides a label and does not do justice to what actually IS. So that said, is Qi/Chi/energy that unlimited source itself or is it a form/manifestation from the purest source... that which we really are? Also, as I understand it, Tai Chi is the art of using/understanding manifested energy - is that the case? I'd like to start exploring this area more than just through my daily meditation but right now I am using my own techniques from no guru or teacher... can someone help me understand what the practice of Taoism is? I hope this makes sense.... I know I'd probably be locked up if I talked about things like this with the people I know around me here in Boston =) Thank you =)

Yes - there are times when in deep meditation there is complete stillness and just this intense feeling of just existing... even that doesn't do justice what i'm trying to describe. Thanks for the reminder =) This is where I feel I am deficient - using the body to influence mind. Aside from breathing exercises and meditation, I have not explored other physical ways but as I replied to Steve's post, I am going to likely signup for Tai Chi when I move next week. It's extremely encouraging to hear of other people who understand. Sometimes I get the sense that this type of understanding is spreading more and more... at least that's my wish. Thank you for taking the time to reply and share your personal experience =)

I was/am a big skeptic. I've been naive in the past with religion so I basically started asking myself A LOT of questions.... made a lot of observations about myself, other people, etc. And had this intuitive feeling that there was something more. I disagreed with a lot of dogma and the reasons why were the labels themselves that can be so misleading. The question is more of 'what is this substance? this force? how does it work?' just a curiosity about this 'new thing' I've experienced. I believe you're right =) I occasionally have to work out the doubts that arise from time to time... then like a slap in the face I remember what's really going on and they dissolve. That was my intuition as well but when you're working alone in your room with no one else to talk to about what you're thinking.. well no one who you feel will understand.. skepticism kicks in and every now. Discussion helps me to validate to some degree but even then I have to strip opinions away and just let things be. I do not do any form of physical meditation at this point but may try a class in the fall. Sometimes, like in meditation, I wonder... but more and more I'm able to just be, live, etc. and am not getting caught up in mentation/labeling. So I'm hopeful that over time I will become less and less until 'I' is no more and I AM. Thank you for your comments, they have been very helpful to me =)

Thank you for being understanding $20 at a possibility of understanding some very profound things is a very small risk, thanks again!

Please understand that I am not intending my next question as argumentative. I have been manipulated through religion/paths in the past and always approach with caution. I get teh sense that this is very heavily marketed. Especially the images of glowing hands and body in the FAQ of the site. Is there a sample of the teachings available or something I could use for some additional validation before I go and explore this?