liminal_luke

I´m sure Lessdaomorebum will do what he wants regardless. Sharing opinions and advice is kind of par for the course here. Oftentimes very good advice is lost on the person it was actually meant for, but useful to someone else who comes around later. I don´t always agree with Aetherous´s point of view (is being hated for no good reason a sign of spiritual progress?), but I find a lot of what he says useful and all of it well-meant.

He´s either really that way or pretending to be. I think the people who support Trump like him because of -- rather than in spite of -- his apparent immaturity. Many of us find bravado and bluster appealing. Narcissism is widely seen as strength; sensitivity as weakness. Maybe it´s validating to see a presidential candidate embody our lowest-common-denominator impulses.

Agreed. I think of Brian´s avatar as his "spirit pic." It may not be what he actually looks like in so-called real life, but it captures who he is here well enough.

I´m not in a position to know personally, but I´ve always gotten a very public-service vibe from Dao Bums. Guess it´s like anywhere: you discover who you enjoy talking with, who has something to teach you, whose opinion you respect -- and those are the people you hang with. To the pit (metaphorically and/or literally) with everyone else.

I´ve met those kinds of people here too. But I´ve also met incredibly knowledgable people who are happy to share what they know. Fortunately, it´s very easy to tell the difference.

Hi Ned123, It did hurt, but no lasting bruises. And no, I wasn´t really put off from doing Healing Tao practices. Like TheLerner, I gravitated more toward Michael Winn´s material. He´s basically the head honcho for the US branch of what is now the Universal Tao. Every summer he coordinates a massive "Tao University" retreat with lots of different residential weekly workshops. I´ve been to several of them and found them useful. As far as practices, I think you can´t go wrong with the very basics -- inner smile and healing sounds. If you sign up for Michael Winn´s email list (http://www.healingtaousa.com/) you´ll be able to download his ebook on the inner smile. Highly recommended. He also has a bunch of dvd´s you can order. He´s on youtube if you´d like to check out his stuff a bit for free and get a feel for him.

Years ago, I attended a Chi Nei Tsang (Taoist bodywork) workshop with Mantak Chia. He asked for volunteers. Thinking this was a once in a lifetime chance, I eagerly raised my hand. I lay down on the massage table and he proceeded to dig his knuckles into my sternum until I started to cry. When it was finally over and I got up, a long-time teaching assistant leaned over to me and said "yeah, everyone tries that once."

Hi Easternmost Frontier. You might be interested in the thread on minimalism active right now in the Off Topic section. There´s also Taomeow´s earlier thread referencing the Konmari method, also in Off Topic. It will probably come up if you search under "Konmari."

When we ask about the origin of mankind, what are we really getting at? Apart from whatever the scientific facts might be, I think we want to know how connected we are to the rest of the universe. Am I just this little person sitting here alone, or am I existentially tethered to the farthest reaches of the universe? It´s comforting to look out at a starry sky and imagine that who we are is related in some deep and fundamental way with the vastness of space out there. And yet there´s something a little disloyal about saying we´re really from some other solar system, a distant star far, far away. I mean, what´s so bad about being from the earth anyway? My partner and I have this little game. When one of us does something a little strange (often something strangely wonderful) the other will ask, "are you from this planet?" The implication is that we´re not from this planet -- and that that´s a good thing. Turns out the grass is always greener one galaxy over. Maybe there´s a way to feel ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. To embrace the earth as our true mother and know that we aren´t in any way less than creatures from other solar systems. To know that we can connect energetically with the all space and time without leaving, in mind or body, this little planet we call home.

Hi Jah2075, I like Jenny Lamb´s Self-Healing dvd, and think the practice might be good for you. That said, I´d wait for an answer from her. If it´s not prohibitively expensive (and it might be) you could consider purchasing a skype session from her to get guidance for your particular situation. Even so, I´m not convinced that finding SFQ "dull" is a good reason to quit that system. No matter what practice you do, you´re going to run into resistance. Your body/mind will find seemingly good reasons to stop -- often right as you´re set to make real progress. So I´d look more closely at this feeling of "dullness." Perhaps consider it the first of many challenges to your resolve to keep going. Feeling bored is a sign that part of you isn´t paying attention. The more focused and aware you are, the more interested you´ll be. Even just sitting and breathing can be fascinating if you´re tracking your sensations closely. My suggestion would be to continue with the SFQ and pay attention to that feeling of dullness. Maybe regard it as an old friend. "Oh there´s that feeling of dullness again, here to try to trick me into stopping my practice." And then pay attention.

It´s very difficult to say Christians are this or that because, inevitably, some are and some aren´t. They are a pretty varied group -- it´s not like they all agree with each other. Among their ranks you´ll find both haters and lovers, close-minded fanatics and mystics with wisdom ocean-deep.

Buddhist teacher Sharon Salzburg has a lot of wisdom to share about cultivating kindness and compassion. Because of this thread, I was inspired to look her up again and found this podcast. If this subject interests you, I think it´s worth a listen. http://www.sharonsalzberg.com/brahma-viharas-metta-hour-podcast/

Of all the common Daoist practices a person might undertake, I think Tai Chi is among the most difficult to learn without a teacher. As Aeran points out, there are so many subtle nuances. Are you absolutely set on Tai Chi specifically? If so, please don´t let me discourage you. You likely won´t get as far on your own as you would with a teacher, but perhaps this is your path and who knows where it will lead you. But if you´re just looking for a form to cultivate your chi, if you want to feel energy and get stronger and fortify your health -- in that case I´d recommend chi gung instead. There are many forms you could explore. Here too a teacher can be helpful, of course, but learning chi gung from a video is much easier.

This isn´t really my area but I´ll offer two thoughts anyway. First, this seems like a very nifty thing to be able to do. If you´ve trained yourself to the point where you have that kind of control, kudos to you. Second, I think it´s possible to integrate this very proactive take-charge position with the hands-off just noting-what-is ethos of the some traditions: you could passively observe yourself commanding your mind.

Yes, it occured to me that people might take my comment as a criticism of Buddism as well, so I think I´d better get out ahead of that. I don´t mean to criticize Buddhism and actually think that Buddhism offers a very genuine path toward heartful compassionate living. So please, Buddhists, I hope you won´t be offended. Take the practice of Metta. I think there´s something to it. If someone wants to become a kinder person and deligently repeats the metta phrases (may all beings be happy, etc), then something good is bound to eventually happen: kindness will take root in the heart. Can compassion be cultivated? I absolutely believe that it can, and Buddhism offers the best roadmap I know to get there. That said, I often wonder about the Buddhist conversations here on Taobums. Perhaps they are just conversations between advanced practitioners that I really shouldn´t be privy to because I don´t understand. I read all these words and it just seems so intellectual, so analytical -- so divorced from the heart. Hopefully, all this techincal jargon connects somehow with the willingness to actually act compassionately in the real world.

If I was a better artist, I´d draw a cartoon. Maybe a picture of a woman drowning and a bunch of would-be Buddhists argueing with each other on the riverbank about the nature of compassion. Buddhist number one: Does anybody want to jump in and save that woman? Buddhist number two: It wouldn´t be a truly compassionate act because I¨m still acting from a place of EGO. Buddhist number three: Life saving only seems compassionate in a relative samsaric sense. Lets continue to meditate in emptiness.

Does weight lifting open the channels? I´m no expert but I bet it´s better than sitting on the couch watching TV. Seems to me that anything that gets us in touch with our bodies has got to help. So it´s probably best if done mindfully, connecting awareness to the physical sensations. And I agree with Aetherous here -- moderation is key.

Thanks Wu Ming Jen! That´s quite the vote of confidence. I don´t know about awesome though; mostly I´m shooting for good enough. I´m not sure where the club of awesome meets, but perhaps I can interest you in the club of good-enough-with-occasional-awesome-moments? If you´d like to join, come on down. We´re a lively bunch with varied interests and quirky (sometimes multiple) personalities. Welcome!

I once belonged to a group whose members included present-day reincarnations of Jesus and other Biblical characters of note. Or so they said. Sadly, I wasn´t nominated for sainthood by the psychic powers that were. While everyone else was enjoying the last supper, I was probably stuck in the kitchen doing dishes. I still don´t know who I am, but I try not to let that stop me from being happy and doing a little good here and there.

A great deal of what is reported in the media is true. And yet exposing oneself to the media will give a person a very distorted view of the world. You might think that the only things going on are crime, terrorism, and major league sports. Life is so much more.

What a great opportunity. I wouldn´t worry about the reintegration or anything else, just enjoy. The only advise I can share from personal experience is this: don´t fall silently in love with the hot meditator a few rows down. Then again, that was probably an idiosyncratic personal problem. You´ll do fine. Liminal

Luke raises hand. I´m inclined to think feeling chi is good for pretty much everything, but I´ve found it particularly useful giving massage.

Wuji without schmooji is just empty.

Sounds like a plan to me Kar3n. Looks like what Michael said about the US border region providing a "springboard for powerful action" and leading to "greater strength" is already starting to happen. We haven´t even got there yet and already invitations for uplifting connection are pouring in. Liminal

Wow, so much to say about that reading. Thank you Michael! You mentioned that the Lovers could indicate I´ve already decided. And yep, in my mind I´ve already moved. It´s just a matter of overcoming the inertia of staying here where I am indeed comfortable (if unhappy), and facing the difficulties the move would entail. I foresee two main areas of difficulty. The first is financial. We´d be moving from one of the cheaper areas of Mexico to one of the more expensive ones. Also the move itself would be expensive. The other Devil we´d need to deal with is my partners paranoia. He´s getting better but still has paranoid thoughts about being spied on, followed, etc. These thoughts make the idea of moving very scary for him. It´s more comfortable for him to stay here in the city he grew up in, and where he still has all of his family. The issue of security is complicated a bit by the fact that there really is more danger of crime in Tijuana. So the combination of irrational fears in his head, and the reality of being in a bigger city with more crime might push him over the edge. And yet, there are so many reasons to think the move would ultimately be good for us. We both love being near the ocean. Tijuana is a more sophisticated city with a growing art scene. My partner, who is an artist, would have more opportunities there to take art classes and sell his art for reasonable prices. I´d be able to see my friends and also take advantage, being so close, of all the US has to offer. Here in Zacatecas, my partner has his family but even that is a mixed blessing. They provide some social support but are also sort of a crutch. Because he has his family there´s not so much motivation to get out in the world and make a broader circle of friends. Maybe in Tijuana we would do that. We are indeed at a crossroads and I´m feeling sort of stuck. Decisive action would be good right now, for sure. Otherwise we just stay here in a state of suspension, as you say, and slowly wilt away from lack of opportunity and fun. Thank you so much for this reading, Michael. It confirms a lot that I´d already known about, but hearing it all put forth so plainly from an objective third party gives me confidence and courage. Liminal