Mandrake

Isn't it that trauma is connected to shock -physical or mental - or intense negative emotion? In that case, in the modern world, bouts of excessive self-hatred, doubt or loathing would in effect be like depositing a big chunk of dump inside oneself. Even if it is done in one's teenage year it just makes it easier to assimilate and become blind to. Self-destructiveness is rampant in the modern world, so it would make sense. I had a physical accident that gelled my left, and then my right side. After a couple of years, while practicing the Nine bottle wind, the right side just released and cleared up. It was marvellous. Felt like I was two bottles of water where the right became clear and limpid and the left stayed muddy, still is. I tried to figure out what the Yuen method is about through the homepage, with little success. Care to give a short summary K? Mandrake

Nilo, K, What are you using now to target the more subtle tensions and issues? Have you found anything complementary or better? Mandrake

I second this. Mahayana buddhism already has the buddhist sub-forum. "Non-dual" means a lot of different things in different traditions, so it makes more sense to allow the traditions to expound their views without interruptions. In this way, it is also easier to get a coherent picture of that said tradition. Mandrake

This is why I believe it is good to practice two different methods from different categories simultaneously, if one has time (morning, evening). It also has to do with knowing what works in certain conditions: if you are very upset, you may need another method; if you are tired, something else may work better, and so on. Some people have affinities for methods that are not as suitable for others. A monk told me of an acquintance who had been a photographer, he had difficulties in his meditation until he was assigned a contemplation using space as an object, after which he made quick, quick progress. He had basically stared through a camera lens throughout his professional life, having a circle of space as an object. Different meditations also have different effects on your qi. Some may kickstart it in a way other methods don't do it for you. For me, the white skeleton meditation gave me tons of progress when I added it to my practice and did it in a disciplined fashion for a period. It may not for you, I don't know. With breathing practices counting works for some, for me it was adding a layer of moving conceptualization that long run didn't work for me; counting seems to be an phase for building up enough concentration. For some the area under the nose works great, for some the dan tian; for some non-localized awareness of the breath is the thing. I don't think dan tian breathing is hazardous. It helps you calm activity in bodily areas where you usually in today's world have a mayhem. From that calm you can forget your whole body if you wish to. Mandrake

In that case I did not misunderstand it. The earlier remark, for me, implies that you don't transform the body in buddhism, which is not the case. What Daoist schools make the claim - name them, what teachers? With that in hand the readers can go and discuss with those, examining if they got their concepts and definitions in order, or if this is just another misunderstanding/superiority-complex throughout the Daoist-Buddhist mutual history. But just stating "Anonymous X claims that you did Y" is a form of reasoning/accusation that would wither in any court or valid argument. Second, the words "spirit" and "enlightenment" does not exist in the buddhist texts (pali, sanskrit), so to state that some schools start from the buddhist enlightenment is similar to stating that Africa's Siberia is better than Russia's. There are designations such as stream entry, the Arhats Nirvana and higher stages of realization. Even Arhats can cultivate all kinds of bodily powers and transformations that necessitate that the body is completely transformed, not to speak of the higher stages or realization. And I have enough experience to not just parrot another's words. Mandrake

This is misleading information. I hope that nobody new to the Buddhist schools of cultivation are influenced by the quoted statement. To the OP, Everything: Could I suggest that you think about what you are going to use your concentration meditation for, integrated into a larger system? Depending on the context, some methods are more suitable than others. One school may use extensive visualizations as a foundation which they build upon with succeeding methods. This may be obvious for you, I just wanted to point it out. Other than that, be sure that you increase your relaxation at each step on the way. Some methods will just build up a lot of tension if you arrive with a stressed body and psyche. Good luck! Mandrake PS. A teacher is of enormous help, and can help you with suitable methods, and save you a lot of time. DS.

Hilarious! I love this. Now I know that I'm not the only one in the world! Still laughing Mandrake

My sister has eczema since birth. Now in adult age it is getting worse, and results in cracks and wounds. It hurts me to watch her suffer from it, and I wish I could help somehow. It gets worse in stressful situations, and oils such as from evening primrose and flax alleviates it. Is there anybody who knows how to get rid of eczema? Can you do it permanently? Any people with experience or do you know people who have successfully helped others with it? Many thanks to all of you who help Mandrake

Thank you CowTao, I'll forward it. Mandrake

Thanks GiH and RiverRat, Mindset is important, yes, and therefore I am afraid that any more demanding and exotic measures won't make headway in this case. Will check out the video, RiverRat. Mandrake

It is customary to provide the sources for ones quotations; avoid giving the impression of copied text being your own work. Mandrake

The quote is from White Fat Cow, by Bill Bodri. Mandrake

Thank you everybody. I'll suggest to her that she visits a TCM clinic. Stress is the key in her case, but not everybody gets eczema when stressed, so there has to be an underlying base of sorts. I have thought about different types of detoxifications, and will show her some material. According to TCM, how is eczema classified? Many, many thanks Mandrake

Thanks for sharing Seth! Wish you all the best on you journey Mandrake

How much of the discussions on this site is really daoist? One of the charms with having everything thrown in the same bag is that the overall atmosphere becomes grounded. There are already sites covering philosophical discursion; the practical part is what should be lifted up. Mandrake

Shakyamuni discusses and answers rebirth in many suttas - The Kutuhalasala Sutta, the Vipaka Sutta, the Ittha Sutta, the Maha-kammavibhanga Sutta - to name some examples. Mandrake

Perhaps you misunderstood me. I don't automatically agree with the statement: "Capital creating capital basically. No work is done, just clever scheming and greed." However, the movie may well present arguments that I agree with, and this is what I asked for, and not for confirming any a priori stance toward the movie itself. On the other hand, one can't expect people to watch a 2:42 hour movie just to be able to continue discussing, just as we can't have a massive book list instead of pointing directly to the arguments, succinctly. Mandrake

Since I don't really agree with the original proposition, could somebody summarized the main points of the movie so that I have the arguments? Mandrake

Ummm Greece? Where people found ways to employ already dead people in order to extract rents? There was a lot of abuse and corruption in the system, still is. When I heard about how little some teachers have to work compared to their monthly salaries, my jaw dropped. M

Maybe not all those incredible minds are very incredible? Furthermore, this takes as a stance that all propositions, as above, are false, hence superstition; also, that the people have a moral agenda, and are just not trying to explain their findings; also, that there is no knowledge about the universe that can be discovered through subjective methods only; that knowledge is accessible to everybody, even rare incidents; begging the question of materialism/ignorance taken for status quo. Perhaps a lot of descriptions are like feeling the elephant? And maybe the universe is ugly? If there are causes which fruition into suffering in the future - are we to discard this just because of: "They're kind of evil, actually, because they blame the sufferers, and increase the "we are the righteous ones, who deserve to be on top" mentality, for those in privileged places." If we want to feel so comfortable, why not believe in a loving creator who takes everybody to happy heaven? The "we are the righteous ones, who deserve to be on top" - attitude completely misses the concept of karma,at least the buddhist one. One could instead feel increased compassion when understanding this whole process, since people at the top will end up in the shit; people in the shit will float up the top. That there are tons of reasons to feel compassion is relevant, no matter if we are speaking about a past or not. Mandrake

This presumes that there are only roughly 6 billion beings on this planet - there are more beings than just humans; presumes that there are only beings on this planet - enormous amounts in the universe; enormous amounts in the universe - infinite numbers in the multiverse/different planes. Mandrake PS. Ian Stevenson surely wasn't a believer initially; you've probably researched him already? May I also suggest these: http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/group.html_2063308730.html DS.

Thanks ShaktiMama. I was itching to hear some sources, so if you get hold of some in the future, I would be happy to be notified! Mandrake

Yeah, ttb is so much nicer than the cold altitudes of the Himalayas :-D