liminal_luke

I´m not sure what her understanding was. She changed her own style of practice from Zen Shiatsu to Pauline Sasaki´s Quantum Shiatsu so that may have something to do with her evolving view. (As an aside, I´m generally not a fan of spiritual and wellness modalities that call themselves "quantum" this and "quantum" that though, who knows, perhaps the term makes sense in this context.) Clearly, this is a complicated subject and I don´t think popular views do it justice. I asked Gemini how the conception of chi differs between practitioners of Zen Shiatsu and Quantum Shiatsu and got this interesting answer... The primary difference in the view of Chi (or Ki in Japanese) between Zen Shiatsu and Quantum Shiatsu is one of dimension and focus: 1. Zen Shiatsu's View of Chi (Ki) Zen Shiatsu, pioneered by Shizuto Masunaga, views Chi primarily through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles, emphasizing its flow through the meridian system and its manifestation in the physical and psychological body. Dimensionality: Focuses on the Chi that flows through the 12 main meridians as pathways that connect to the organ systems and emotional/mental states. Quality and Balance: Chi is diagnosed in terms of Kyo (deficiency/empty) and Jitsu (excess/fullness) along these meridian lines, particularly through palpation of the hara (abdomen). Treatment Goal: The aim is to harmonize and balance the flow of Chi by tonifying Kyo (deficient) areas and sedating Jitsu (excessive) areas along the meridians to restore the body's natural energetic balance. 2. Quantum Shiatsu's View of Chi (Ki) Quantum Shiatsu, developed by Pauline Sasaki, expands the concept of Chi by incorporating ideas from Quantum Physics and the understanding of a multi-dimensional energetic body. Dimensionality: Views Chi not just as flowing through meridians in the physical body, but as multi-dimensional, holographic energetic fields that extend beyond the physical form, including the "Light Body." Quality and Coherence: Focuses on the activation of anti-pathogenic Ki (healthy Chi), emphasizing the body's inherent health and ability to heal, rather than solely focusing on eliminating pathological or problematic Chi. Treatment Goal: The goal is to achieve "Quantum Coherence"—a process of unifying the energy within the physical body with the surrounding expansive energy field. The treatment aims to access and amplify this higher, vital energy and foster the dominance of the Light Body, often using faster and lighter touch to access these non-physical dimensions. This approach may also simplify the meridian system into a "One Meridian system," reflecting the interconnectedness of all energetic flows.

Stock market contrarians will tell you that by the time ordinary people on the street are saying to invest in X, it´s time to get out. Opinions are like that too: if everybody believes it, it´s probably no longer true.

Lindy Ferringo, an old shiatsu teacher of mine, once said that she no longer thought chi "traveled" through the meridians. Which isn´t to say that she didn´t believe in chi or the meridian channels because she did. I was intrigued by the statement and wish that I´d asked her more. Maybe the MCO exists but the idea of some sort of esoteric substance traveling through it is a misunderstanding.

The Lovers I was always afraid of the next card the psychic would turn over for us— Forgive me for not knowing how we were every card in the deck. --Timothy Liu

Jenny Lamb´s DVD appears to be available as an online download here, Eastern Internal Arts Institute

All true. The basic Kunlun practice is essentially the same as Sufi Jenny Lamb´s yigong. Max has added other practices to it to make his "system." I´m not sure if it´s still possible to purchase Jenny Lamb´s Qigong for Self Healing dvd. (Perhaps it´s available now for online download?) This dvd covers the basic yigong practice as well as some preparatory qigong warmup exercises as well as practices to do after the spontaneous movement. Recommended. Is Yamu still offering seminars? If a person is able and willing to attend a seminar with Yamu, I´d count this as a major advantage of stillness movement. Being able to plug into a living tradition and get instruction in person -- no small beans. Alternatively, one could seek instruction from Max, but, as forestofclarity notes, Max´s personality isn´t for everyone. I´d feel more comfortable with Yamu. My partner was having some health problems and Yamu offered to do a distance healing on him for free. We didn´t take him up on the offer, but I was impressed by his compassion.

Surya, Best wishes for you and your dad and your entire family. I think it says something good about you that you were willing to reach out and be in touch. LL

I don´t fancy myself a reader of "past lives" but it´s easy to imagine you as a swaggering sailor out of Moby Dick.

If it´s any consolation, I miss the Current Events section too. (Though, to be honest, I did suggest it be abolished and thus cannot complain.)

Standing without expectations or demands on myself (or others) sounds great. Actually, doing anything that way would be wonderful, but standing is probably a good place to start. Harder than it sounds, at least for me.

Nothing if not helpful.

Born to Run made such a big splash that it´s now spawned professional detractors. Health guru Mark Sisson recently came out his latest cheekily named tome, Born to Walk, in which he argues that walking, not running, is the locomotive motion of choice. Surely "Born to Crawl" can´t be far behind.

double post

The subject of this thread is beyond me (so please excuse the interruption), but I´m grateful that my abilities in English, such as they are, have not turned me into the queen of England or Noam Chomsky.

Welcome back. I often think the Golden Era of Taobums is behind us, but reading about bears and Egyptian magic, I´m not sure if things have changed at all.

I also got a reading from Eric about some health issues I was having. He struck me as a nice guy, well-intentioned, and knowledgable about ayurveda and the body in general. I will say, however, that his psychic take on what was going on for me did not match up with diagnostic lab work I received a few days after my reading.

Ursinically speaking, it sounds like Portugal is a pretty barren country.

For whatever reason, this forum occasionally attracts people with psychiatric issues. The best we can do, imo, is encourage such people to get medical care. I suspect few heed this advice but it´s better than feeding delusional thinking with endless engagement. This is the way I see it anyways. Your advice to seek professional help was, in my opinion, spot on.

Agreed. I see a lot of the same red flags you do (even if I occasionally ignore them ).

For better or worse, my approach has been less rigorous and pure. It´s a style that suits me, though my progress is no doubt more meandering than it might have been otherwise. Much respect for your perspective.

I think much depends on the nature of the student / teacher relationship. These relationships can be very deep, familial even, as when a student commits to a particular path that the teacher exemplifies and represents. There can be an emotional bond on both sides that is central to the teaching endeavor. In this case, I think you´re spot-on that it´s crucial to consider the character of the teacher. But there are many teachers who we can learn bits and pieces from who maybe we don´t like in some ways. Like many others, I find Damo Mitchell´s cigar smoking bro-culture ways a little off-putting. I´m not tempted to join his academy. As for Max, one would be wise to take some of his stories with a mine full of salt. Neither of these teachers will ever be anything like a heart-guru for me. But, for all their imperfections, I believe both of them have valuable things to share. When I can, I try to take what feels worthwhile -- without going all-in on the fake Tibetan spiritual trappings, imported Habanos, and promises of everlasting life.

Max says that his system is not the same as his teachers, meaning, I think, that "kunlun" is not the same as "yi gong." Having received instructions for both practices, I can´t say I see the difference. But what is glaringly true is that Max (Kunlun) and Jenny Lamb (Yi Gong) have wildly different personalities and approaches. Max is flamboyant, a self-proclaimed "coyote" given to telling wild stories. Jenny is grounded, circumspect. I think it would be a mistake to dismiss Kunlun / yigong based on an appraisal of Max´s character. Those who don´t like Max will likely like Jenny, and vice versa. I´m positive that Yigong is grounded in a spiritual tradition, though not one that is easily accessed, especially now that Jenny is retired. My intuitive sense is that the tradition can best be accessed through committed practice. It´s possible that the best teachers are not presently embodied in human form, but nevertheless actively guide the diligent student. Just my guess.

I haven´t read those old threads for years, but I´m sure you´re right that much of it is about Max´s credibility as a person. Not so useful. My own view is that it´s the practice that counts -- not the likeability / trustworthiness of the teacher. If you undertake the practice, you´ll develop your own educated opinion about it. In the end, that´s all that matters.

Nope, not me. I know nothing about a Men´s Rights / Honey Badger connection and, uhh, claim the fifth.

trans issues climate change Charlie Kirk nondualism Took me a few tries, but I finally came up with a good one!