Trunk

I've an aquaintance - whom I respect - who studied with Sifu McNeil. From what little I've heard, he is serious and from lineage. .. I know that doesn't really add to what you've already said, but they're big points, and more than can be said about many.

I've got a bunch of thoughts that I'm going to throw at the wall. Let me know what sticks. Semen retention is a side path, an adjunct to support deeper work. So far, you've said that you have frequent sexual activity and that you retain ... it seems that you've taken up a side path as your main path, and that's a recipe for trouble (link). Without the deeper work, there's not a sufficient basis to transform what you are storing. Do you have alignment with an enlightened lineage? Do you have a practice of steady lower tan tien breathing? Accomplished to where it's smooth like butter? Clearly you've learned to shuttle sexual energy out of the lower tan tien, but have you kept the lower tan tien itself supple and in good circulation? (link) Are you awakening the centers, or just stimulating them? Do you know the difference? (link) Are you practicing some system of physical vertical integration? Still standing? Internal martial art? (link) Obviously you're circulating sexual energy up, but are you sufficiently moving the higher energies down (so that the lower centers become more supple)? (link)

I take your comment as partly a genuine recommendation, and partly a jibe at the complexity of stuff I'm recommending to a beginner (and to the community at large). I hadn't actually heard of that book, and it looks pretty interesting. (link) I know that channels and acupoints theory, and application, is overwhelming at first glance. I mention it for a number of reasons. First, acupressure is much more accessible than acupuncture. You don't have to "pinpoint" an acupoint, you just need to be nearby, and search and massage at a place of tenderness / soreness. Second, we're all - meaning the community in general - in over our head, here. We've been fed very popular-level methods and some people make it through ok, but the way is also littered with injured aspirants. There's hardly anyone to go to for remedial help. And, if you've been into a for a few years, you're probably in it for life, with whatever consequences that might bring: give up the notion that you're "an amateur, just dabbling". If that's the case, if you're in it for the rest of your life, the faster that you can get past the shallow injury-prone pop-level bullshit, the better. I don't know how old Gino is now (how old are you?), but let's assume he's in his late teens ~ early 20's, so he's been doing this through most of puberty. He's in deep. Probably he'll be doing this for the next 40 - 60 years. If he (and not just him, I'm not trying to single you out, Gino, just as an example) tinkers with Chinese medical theory over the next few years, at a pace that is easy-going, then he'll have a good tool for his well being for decades. And, yeah, definately, if sustained aerobic exercise (running, etc.) and maybe a couple of yoga classes a week solves it for him in a month or so - hey, great.

In addition to a balanced routine, and progressive investigation into qi gong (moving and still), I find self-acupressure (link) to be critically helpful in circulating the channels. ~ later edit ~ If you're going to be into qi gong for the long haul, it's worth while to get the english-language acupoint reference: Peter Deadman's "A Manual of Acupuncture", hardback (link), or CD (link).

Some lingering thoughts on the pua community... Seems to me that this whole topic of pua community is rife with shen theory examples (vis-a-vis the centers). The average american male, growing up, gets no map or method of recognizing, awakening, and integrating our centers (aesthetics, agenda, impulses). Everyone pretty much just works it out by themselves - and since there is no real wisdom nor skill passed on about these things - harmonius integration is a clumsy roll of the dice. It seems the pua community has developed a map of some things; I'm curious how shen theory cross-references with their map of common social developmental blunders. For an AFC (average frustrated chump), what center/s are making the aesthtic rules and social decisions? Which centers are shut down/out? How does that show up? Same questions for an "evil pua" and "decent pua". Pietro, I'd be really interested in your feedback thoughts on any of the above. ~ later ~ I bet a lot of the conversation earlier in this thread could be looked at through shen theory.

It's a more complex topic than you are suspecting. First, read the orbit section at the site I referenced. Second, employ the TaoBums advance search engine (link). Here's the results I got for searching "orbit" (link). Read through the threads. This has been discussed before. Digest all that for a while, re-read as you like, digest some more - then come back and let's see where you're at. ~ later edit ~ I know you wanted a simple answer, so here's the simple version. No.Someone said sometime back, something like "those that haven't practiced previous systems are considered lucky, cause they're not screwed up" - and it's true. Throw away your Chia books, don't look back, and save yourself years of trouble. Scott Sonnon's intu-flow is a simple system that's healthy, and is good prep for later Taoist work, if you later find an authentic teacher. (Though his online community is, I hear, wacky - but you don't need that, just follow the dvd.) That and some very simple meditation, like following your breath. (And if you want more info on intu-flow, search TaoBums threads for "Sonnon".)

Agreed. I've had only limited experience with hydro-colonics (did it once), but have never heard of a mucoid-plaque (link) poo-rope coming out as a result, though I suppose it's possible and what-do-I-know. I do think that you'd have to make one serious home-made hydro thingy to get even remotely those sorts of results. But, why? - the clay and psylium seem to do the trick quite impressively. So, bottom line: agreed with what Yoda said.

I've studied with several otherwise unrelated southern california internal-arts teachers who consistently put my jaw on the floor and eyebrows on the ceiling, and each charged about $100 / month. At least one of those overtly stated that if that was beyond someone's means, that something could be worked out. My experience is that there are often local, profoundly advanced, teachers - that aren't particularly famous and are teaching to small groups.

I'm reviewing this thread, and searching the web, in prep for super-brewing my next colonblow. This link, Homemade Colon Cleanse Recipes (and its linked articles), seems to clearly summarize a lot of info that recurs elsewhere. Anyone else have any choice links? .. or additions to what has already been said here? Also, are the epsom salts that you ingest the same that you buy at the regular market, in the milk-carton sized container? I've always only used that to add to a bath, as a muscle-relaxant, and didn't know that you could take it internally...

I've been hanging out with this cyber-community for longer than I want to admit - some yrs - and I must say that we've uncovered more injurious bullshit, half-truths, and mis-direction in Chia's system than you can shake a stick at. It's really around every corner. When there's been attempts by students to address concerns, they're met with slick protectionism at the expense of truth and students' welfare. AlchemicalTaoism.com has some of the community archives, some good information, in a much more polite tone, all free. (I'm the webmaster there.) A considerable improvement, but even that is students-helping-students. David Shen Verdesi's Foundation Training Forum has made a splash around here lately. SeanDenty was an envoy of that, here, and if you read through his posts in the John Chang Video thread, that should help. Also, Sunshine has taken one of the foundation courses and is keeping a blog, worth reading. Hope this helps.

In his autobiography he mentioned two paranormal events, that I recall: 1. Early in their marriage, his wife had fallen while ice skating, and was bedridden for some time - no one was able to help her. A healer came to town and someone said, "we've tried everyone else, let's try the quack". They did, and the healer was very clearly talented. Immediately partially healed her, said the cure was partial and that he'd reached the limits of his ability, and described what he thought her probable permanent condition would be - and, viewing from near the end of his life, Twain said that the healer had been correct. Twain asked the guy how the healing worked, and the guy said that he didn't know, but that he thought it was some kind of electricity. 2. Twain had a vivid prescient dream about his brother's death.

Plenty of methods, theory, at AlchemicalTaoism.com, all free. It's sort of an archive of this community's conversations, over the years.

colonblow report: My order arrived Friday. Saturday I fasted (except for a small bowl of soup), and had the colonblow breakfast, lunch, dinner times. Basically just like the package recommended. I liked the herbs blended with it - tasted good, plus felt good. I did drink a ton of water on Saturday, btw. I felt something stuck loosen up, a couple of times. Sunday am was the first 'special shit', on schedule. But it wasn't that special. Yeah, a little weird, but not much of it - certainly not like a three foot long snake. 2nd poop a little weird, also, but 3rd was close to normal. My energy level changed: couldn't sleep Sunday night. Got like 2 hours sleep; very unusual for me. I just felt alert and awake. Today, Monday, I seem to be holding up ok, despite the lack of sleep. Unusual. I think that the next time I'm going to try the "super duper home colonbrew", per Yoda. I think I can definately get a lot more out of this, but probably need a stronger dose. I know my colon is not as clean as a whistle; there's gunk there. Gonna wait 10 days, more or less, like the instructions say. I bought some friendly bacteria in a bottle, liquid, and have been chugging it several times.

... we would be hearing from SeanDenty if it were the Dragon Gate Wang Li Ping.

Damn!, I can't go to sleep without answering this... The fulcrum here is balance, aka harmony. If you look at jing gong (sexual energy cultivation), you might look at it in three levels: 1. Healing jing gong 2. Healthy jing gong 3. Advanced " Way outa balance is 1, 2 is more in balance, and three is actually advanced (it's dangerous and not many people actually do it well). Some people are really apt with qi & jing gong; you give them a few decent methods and bing-bang-boom - all of a sudden they're off in a cave living off of sunlight. Most people, however, budge very little from the given predelictions, and the jing gong - at best - can help smooth out their own rough edges a big, learn to sort of trim the sail and ride the waves better. Just as often (more often, actually) people choose methods that are incorrect from them, plus the principles are poorly understood in popular Taoism. In short, it's a mess. So, the first thing to say is that if the guy doesn't relatively quickly come into some sort of hormonal balance & harmony through adjustments in lifestyle, and a little qi gong, then drop the special diet. So, there's a risk of imbalance, and all the jing gong isn't as neat and easy as it's marketed to be. However, it's true, there is opportunity - in that if he is able to turn it into balanced healthy fuel, and toward whatever life works for him... way cool, more power to him. First things I'd recommend to read are: - Dangers - Dealing with the Force - Sacral Pulsing - Some sort of meditation Trunk

I could be wrong, but it doesn't sound like THE Wang Li Ping's story. THE Wang Li Ping was not taught by a relative, but by three old men from far away... who meditated, all three sensed him psychically, when they were considering who would be the next lineage holder. The Wang Li Ping in the video, it says that he was trained by his grandfather. Could be I don't know the whole story, or the video is simply mis-spoken and it is the guy, or whatever...

I have no picture of anyone doing still standing in the Iron Shirt section of alchemicaltaoism.com. Rather than having to pick one or two, I think I'll have a whole big page, of just zhan zhuang (still standing, standing post) pictures. I want to include the link of the webpage that the picture came from, and the name of the person standing (if that's available). So, wanna help? Find a pic, post it with name & link. (Yoda, I'm expecting a "gunslinging" posture.) I'm first. from: http://www.taijiquan.info/zhuang.htm name: Min Ou Yang Trunk

That's a still posture??

I just read a little about Iran over at ThinkProgress. Looks like some in the Bush admin want to bomb Iran. I kind of thought that it couldn't get any worse, and that we were down to having to wait 2 more years to get a new administration. Where's the eject button???

If you are implying that Pietro said that hooker sex is "trivial", you ought to re-read or search the thread. Certainly the last few posts have been about that it's not nourishing (for either party, I bet). You oughta quote what your commenting on, so it won't sound like you're twisting things out of thin air.

This page at AlchemicalTaoism.com. It's the last page in the IS1 section.

I haven't followed this thread in detail, so I don't know vs you & Pietro, maybe a segue, loosely related. Generalizations of men are true to some extent, but I think that's a very simplistic view of what's satisfying - even for men. Honestly. What's satisfying? Take out genuine affection & fun, the make-out session, sleeping together.. Satisfying sex is a rich & complex thing... enough that most people are at least a little puzzled, I think, even about their own.

I would think that a survival skill in that profession is to shut down emotionally and energetically while having sex. Very different from two people who meet and want to smile, touch, kiss, share, open, explore, have fun together.

Surprise. Delight. Relief.

Wow. Just had to quote the whole thing. (and mess with the lettering) That's worth reading three times.