Trunk

5*'s!

The link I gave to that section of my site is the best that I know of right now. Tip: If you just have fun exploring, and keep a loose balance of treating left/right, up/down, front/back - then you'll be in (loosely) balanced treatment territory. Even if you don't know exactly which points & channels you're treating. Then you can get more techy as you have the time and interest.

Sah-weeeet picture! What does the phrase mean? Couple of related wiki articles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_new_year and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_astrology#Luni-solar_calendar

I've found that self-acupressure has been a critical tool that took me way too long to find. In Taoism, there is the work of "opening all of the channels". I had some major classic openings when I was younger, lots of energy etc but, looking back, I'd still say that I had a lot of work to do as far as opening the 12 regular and 8 extraordinary channels. Having those open or, rather, working to gradually open them further in a balanced way - is a major major tool in assisting your body to digest and integrate the powerful refined energetics that get accessed through esoteric practice. - Trunk

Good example. I've seen this happen with very advanced teachers. My first meditation teacher had a psychotherapy practice which he discontinued after a certain point, and talked about his reasoning in front of the meditation group. He just didn't have (much of) the emotional and psychological content of a normal human being. He had lost his personal internal reference to be able to relate well to clients in a psychotherapeutic setting. This doesn't mean that he wasn't still a human in some ways. My observation is that it's a mistaken assumption that enlightenment means "perfection in all actions" or "perfection of all the virtues" or some such. Basically it means that one is developed in integration with Light. Doesn't necesarily imply anything else. An enlightened Teacher can misunderstand what a student says, or make a mis-statement him/her self. Also, an enlightened Teacher is generally good at some things, not so good at some other things - like any other individual. That's my observation after spending time around several very mystically advanced teachers. (Like mind-blowing, gahhhh , advanced.) - Trunk

Eugene, Welcome! I suggest that you copy your intro post ?s and post as a new topic in the main discussion section. You'll get more answers there. The lobby gets used pretty much just for intros and is not checked as much. cheers, Trunk

Most important is simply to still your mind and meditate in their presence, especially while they are meditating. The transference of refined vibe, enlightened consciousness, and the osmotic learning process of "how an enlightened body is" takes place mostly during meditation. That's the most critical part of being with an enlightened Teacher, ime. The conceptual framework that you get with Q&A - that's helpful and important, but you'll pick up pieces of that from lots of places. The real prize of being with an enlightened Teacher is to simply be with them. (Hopefully regularly for an extended period of time.) Example, this school.

Hi Marc, Welcome. From a Chinese medical perspective, certainly Liver~GallBladder issues involved. You might try self-acupressure on those channels as well as seeing a dr of Ch. medicine. - Trunk

To add to the many good answers already... Some practices are energizing, some are soothing. Example. Sometimes I do standing practices in the morning because I feel very strong afterwards and more ready for the day. Then stretching at night, to relax in prep for sleep. Similar things with different breathing practices, as you've noticed.

Basically agreed. I've been noticing lately that if I have some stored tension~heat that I want to expel that it best comes out the mouth. If I am mostly harmonized then both in~out through the nose is fine. My comfort level naturally guides me to which is more appropriate... though I start with the inhale through the nose for most things that I'm doing. - Trunk

Good work, Blasto. I have similar considerations about mixing techniques and exploring (both of which I do a lot). I'm surprised that anyone opens their leg channels without acupressure. Well, lots of different methods, lots of different people.

Welcome. Nice avatar. Reminds me of Andrew Goldsworthy's work. - Trunk

Foo Dog Really Fu_Dog, Welcome back! - Trunk

~~~ TheTaoBums Moderation Team ~~~ A couple of things: 1. Moderation issues re: this thread have been addressed and resolved in private conversation. 2. Please. Everyone. Be gracious with each other. Life has it's rough spots for everyone and I for one am glad that some of my less graceful moments are private, not (mis-)presented in a newspaper article for people to wave in my face years & years later. Let's have some sensitivity and generosity with each other. Kindness. Let's get on with current productive topics. - Trunk ~~~ Mod Squad out ~~~

J, Welcome! Recent thread re: jade pillow. - Trunk

Welcome!

Taotao, Welcome! - Trunk

Wow! How cool is that!?! (except for that it's no longer in production, i mean) Thank you!

There's not just one point. There's several channels involved that go through the genitals. And much experimentation can be done by working on your own channels, regardless of which gender you are.

Detail missing: Should be able to click on the banner and be taken back to TTBs homepage.

Well, the description of pt location in that blog is vague. When people say "hips" sometimes they mean the illiac crest, sometimes they mean the hip joints (where the femurs attach to the pelvis). Given that the key description here is "sides of the buttocks", the only acupoints I see that match are GB-30 HuanTiao (though it's more at 9&3 than 10&2). GB-30 is in the center of the concave space on the sides of the buttocks. There's a "well" there. You're massaging the posterior portion of the hip joint. Still, even that doesn't really match with his description - and I don't see any acupoint that really does. GB-29 is on the anterior portion of that joint, but it's harder to get to. The GB channel is integral with the girdling vessel and both are an interesting study re: the lower jiao. I can't recommend A Manual of Acupuncture enough. Either hardback or digital. Indespensable reference, co$ts but a solid investment. - Trunk p.s. btw, there is not any single acupoint that "does it" (regardless of what you define "it" to be). The channels are all interwoven, integral. In fact all of the channels pass through all three jiaos. ... but the Liver and GallBladder channels are not bad places to start.

His aura is so bright! His chakras are so tight! He's so swee-eee-eet and Buuuuudhist, ahhhhhhh

Cool. Sent it to friends.

Yeah, but it feels like you can and that's good enough. You're drawing the chi from the air to different places and chi~air feel so similar that we talk about them as if they were the same thing. p.s. This gets more and more fun as you progress, like inhaling through the bottom of your feet!

"Healing Love" dangers (link).