Trunk

Good for when you're eating crackers in bed. Just riffle the flaps and all the crumbs fall through, no clean-up needed! I bet it has one of those catch-trays underneath, like a toaster over!

It's tricky to answer you because the community itself is in a quandry, but we've at least found out that pretty much all of the popularly available material on jing cultivation out there is bs... usually harmful in the long run (though lots of fun for the first few years). So, the ideal situation of "this book, that dvd, this sequence - and you're set" is totally unavailable. The marketing is a total mis-match to the reality. So, what to do? The kunlun method is actually pretty good for basic harmonization, much better than other things we've been sifting through for years (decades, some of us). Take that, plus whatever physical exercise works for you, plus a stillness meditation, and you've got a pretty good gig. If you venture into more serious jing cultivation projects, realize that you're taking up a risky proposition of R&D (research & discovery) with no garuntees, and with the popular knowledge base as bunk. That's my 2 cents.

Nice quote, well said.

Here's Fox News' spin on why Ron Paul should be excluded from Republican debates . bFYqtDL50AM Here's the original clip from the MAY 15, 2007 REPUBLICAN DEBATE where Ron Paul talked about the U.S. activity in the middle east that resulted in unintended consequence ("blowback") of animosity of those in the middle east toward the US. RP's scholarly assertion immediately got spun as we "invited" the attack, and now fox news is spinning it further. AD7dnFDdwu0 Ron Paul, in the following days, cited several books - including the 9/11 Commission Report that supported his position (link).

ok, so I'm becoming a "whole body vibration" nut. I have my soloflex wbv in my living room, haven't really done much on it with my stomach, so thought I'd just lie face-down on it. Got a pillow from the couch and took a little vibration nap. Snoozzzzzze. After a while, I experimented a little with breathing. Inhaled for a count of 5 to produce a "bubble belly" against the wbv, then held for a count of 2-3, then comfortable exhale. Repeat continuously. Very nice chi-nei-tsangy massage for the very lazy.

I grew up in L.A., lived other places for some years, and live back here in L.A. now. There's been a large influx of asians in the last few decades, and part of what encourages me is to see folks in the local parks practicing qi gong and tai chi. Mostly asians, but some white folks mixed in. Sometimes singly, sometimes in classes. I see at least some small smattering of qi gong in all of the park areas now. I take walks with my father, who is in his 80s and grew up in all-white culture. There's often a tai chi sword group in the park, led by a teacher. The exercise philosophy is totally foreign to my father, and it's not in his personal make-up for him to get into that stuff himself at all, but still he remarks every time, "it's so graceful", the beauty is so right there.

Here's a nice Ron Paul video. Ron Paul in The Situation Room w/ Wolf Blitzer 1-2-08

Well, for many years I've been one of the harshest critics of iron shirt packing breathing, but ... I've been experimenting with all sorts of qi gong on my whole body vibration platform. Haven't done IS1 packing breathing for years, and this morning thought, "hey..?", and tried it while on the wbv:

This might help some... If the upper torso has stored heat and tension, then jing is inhibited from naturally rising and mixing from the lower into upper torso. The various acupoints along the inside edge of the scapula and next to the spine, those points generally clear heat and stagnation from deep within the upper torso, and thus allow jing to come up into the torso more freely and nourish deeply. Could be helpful to use the back nobber before retiring. "back nobber" massage tool

Those practices are not for people who are new to this sort of work. Early stages, imo, in general consist of a long course of more moderate methods and inquiry that are about opening your channels, harmonizing your energy, and stabilizing your attention.

Y'all're welcome. Thanks'f'yer kindness. Happy, happy to you & yours.

Here.

I've had my soloflex vibration platform for a little less than 2 months, and the results have been ... well, "impressive" hardly begins to cover it. I believe that it's pertinent to a post that SeanDenty made about a year ago (bold, mine): My current assertion is that the average joe schmuck qi gong experimenter, by the use of the vibration platform, could avoid the above unfortunate situation (as well as a host of other miscellaneous). I know that I'm making this assertion with only a very narrow basis of experience, but hey. So, I've put the vibration platform (link) in alchemicaltaoism.com, with various reference links.

Hey! I was just looking for some recommended & inspirational reading along similar lines. I need a new infusion of hope, someone I haven't read before... more recommendations? (I was also thinking of A People's History.. by Zinn. I'll make a short list and go for a bookstore browse.) Similar things I've been looking at... The Story of Stuff (website video ~ 20 min's) also Paul Hawken on "Blessed Unrest" youtube vid ~ 6 min

I mean, basically, "sexual tension". Whether you are going the "desireless celibate" route or the "arouse and then save" route, you are going to have some sexual tension that you'll need to refine/transform. One of the results of a good practice session is that your jing becomes soft, sweet, supple, cool, "kind" (rather than hot, stubbornly aggressive, tense). ~ later edit ~ I really encourage people to review the dangers section (link) at alchemicaltoaism.com. Knowing the dangers will help you to avoid them. Also, if you're serious about retention but find it to be a problematic area for you (i.e. you're left with stubborn tension) I suggest that you consider getting a vibration platform (link) and use it a couple of times a week (in addition to whatever your daily practice is). I know it sounds expensive, but it'll save you from the worst of the dangers ... the trip to hell and back that some of us here in the community have unfortunately gone through.

Untransformed residual sexual tension in all the various tissues inhibits flow of qi, blood. If you're unable to transform all that you've saved: you've got trouble. People vary: age, constitution, genetics, astrologically, temperment, life experience, dents / benefits, training, development, specific harmonies, dis-harmonies. Respect your own condition, practice discernment.

Semen retention dangers (link). * hurumph *

Ho-ho-ho!

Unwinding the Belly (link) gets mentioned occasionally here in the community, always very positively.

This is part of the "next phase", imo. Relatively non-sectarian and non-hierarchical spiritual groups. In living communities as well as small informal local meet-up groups of all variety. Much like TheTaoBums, but "in real life". Probably exists to varying degrees. There are a number of Buddhist monasteries that've been in the states for decades. I'd be surprised if some of them haven't gradually developed a broad curriculum. Also, the intentional community movement (link) has been developing for some decades. The "organic farming community" model is a good one, and a very active social movement.

The conversation in a "school setting" compared to "unaffiliated bums" has some really fundamental differences. Each valuable, each has its +'s and -'s, they complement each other, both in the same place make each less than they could be, imo.

Nice one. I like the term "third world squats"; they've got it all over us. I've been enjoying squating on my vibration platform.

Not that there still wouldn't still be some kunlun discussion here, of course, but in addition to TTBs, a kunlun forum would be a good idea - for the ideas mentioned. Just for the record, it was never my intent to have kunlun discussion stop here, nor for Mantra to "leave" (even though I worded harshly at one point)... but a kunlun forum in addition. As others have said, seems like a healthy natural progression that'll happen by & by.

woot-woot! go sean!

Sweeeeeet.