dwai

Yes very true. The skeptic will immediately say "extraordinary claims call for extraordinary evidence...the onus of proof is on you, not me" A key to success in any spiritual path (imho) is what's known as 'Shraddhā" in indian languages. It means trust, respect, and openness towards the knowledge and the transmitter of the knowledge. But in today's age, it is a very rare thing to find. However, let me be clear, I'm not skeptic bashing. I just made an observation...and moreover, everything happens for very specific reasons. Best not to resist!

I'm saying that they will always find some mental jugglery to discredit (in their own eyes) any higher experience they might have had. One most frequently used reason I've heard is "Its great, but it's just a mental thing". There's no thought on the fact that all experiences are also "mental things"... I had one friend (skeptic) experience a taiji ball (energy sphere). He could clearly feel it from 1 foot away. From 2 feet away. From 3 feet away. After a few days he tells me "You've figured out how to manipulate static electricity!!"

My master told me when I was initiated by him that people who get a transmission might feel terrible initially. That is because the transmission and teacher's presence triggers a detox (cleanse) which could be energetic, physical and emotional (all three are actually interrelated). How one receives the transmission depends on their level of preparedness. If your mind is full of crap (acquired ideas and concepts, negative patterns and habits), the transmission will begin to clear it up. As it gets cleared, it rises up and gets observed, which will cause issues (to state it mildly). That is why a teacher or experienced mentor is so important in this field. We need to have a rapport with the teacher/mentor such that we can share anything without fear of judgement. Good teachers and mentors are like that. They WANT to help us. They WANT us to evolve and develop into more complete and mature spiritual beings. They WANT us to wake up. I've shared presence with some people. Some get it, some don't get it. One person, whose path is purely the jnana yoga way (contemplative), has no sense of energetics and his heart level was not open yet. So he didn't feel anything. Yet, he tells me that meditation is easier for him when we're in the same space. Another person, who has had significant yoga and healing background, progressed very fast and might I say also had an awakening such that previously held negative tendencies were shed like dirty laundry. The most difficult are the skeptics. Those that are obsessed with their intellect and their preconceptions. Because the ego (mind) will find a way to neutralize the most profound of experiences in such people.

I agree that they are interrelated. By desire , if you mean sexual desire, then, in my experience, it generates the greatest amount of heat in the heart. The key then is not resistance but to let go. Passions are 100% rooted in the mind. If we are able to observe and detect the changes in the mind, we can let go of passions.

When we refer to Spiritual transmissions, it implies transmission of information. While there are many formats, such as books, videos, speech (ie teacher orally transmitting the knowledge) etc, the specific type of spiritual transmission I'm referring to (my understanding of the OP), is not a created knowledge (ie not produced by any individual or group of individuals). The knowledge is always there and always flowing, but not accessible by all. When the conditions are conducive for receiving this transmission, it becomes available to us (either partially, or fully). For e.g., if you go to a powerful place on earth, the transmission is stronger there because of certain conditions that result in it. Then the transmission becomes accessible even by those who are not prepared sufficiently for it. This happened to me when I was visiting my home town in India after a long break, which is considered to be one of the 108 major power vortices in India. Even though I had grown up in that town, I had no idea how powerful it really is. When I went there in 2016, I was relatively more open and the information (transmission) was not only accessible to me, but also constantly flowing out through me (I was the conduit).

Looks like a stylized Sanskrit S. But could be a P or M too. https://goo.gl/images/UcJsN1

Transmission exists and I know many who will do so. However they will not do so in YouTube It doesn’t need to be a human being. In fact it never is a human being. The human being is just a conduit. It could be an mountain, it could be a place, a temple, etc. My advice is , don’t go looking for transmissions. When you are ready, the right transmission will find you

This doesn't explain much of what one can experience with a high level taiji person imho. It is a good theory up to intermediate level where leverage, and biomechanics, etc are still in play.

Please show me, if its not too much to ask for. Or at least map these concepts 1:1 with concepts in physics. Remember, that Quantum physics is not acceptable in explaining phenomena that occur the in classical mechanics domain. At least, the scientific community today doesn't accept it afaik. I agree completely. Real understanding comes after direct experience (and then some period of maturation). And it is an unfolding the continues progressively too. So no single "definition" really works, as its nature changes as we go deeper. I've heard people say "It is only physics" and then in the same breath say "You put your intention in the other person's feet/root". In physics there is no role for the intention of the objects being studied Sad but true...

And a lot cannot How do you explain "shen"? Or for that matter, even the role of "Yi", even if you somehow convince a scientist that "Qi" is a real thing? Or for that matter, how do you convince a scientist that an energy field exists (around the human body), and that, it can be tapped into for applications ranging from healing to martial? Personally I gave up on "scientific" explanations a long time ago. I just accept the phenomena and associated terminology as they are. Qi is Qi, Shen is Shen, Jin is Jin, Yi is Yi. It IS magical. It IS mystical and once we go beyond what I call the "internal-external" method of moving stuff inside the body, the real taiji comes into play (imho).

Strongly recommend watching this (Rx as needed)...

Well said! And covering more stuff is not necessarily good instruction. Important thing to check in IMA (imho) is if there is an energetic transmission from teacher to student. Energetics need to be implanted imprinted, via resonance. Otherwise we're just learning techniques. Techniques don't have power, they only allow the power to express itself. I like Richard Clear's videos too. He comes across as matter-of-fact, humble and confident and shows some good skills.

Hatha yoga is yogic posture work (involves asanas) and pranayama (breath work). Breath work could be as simple as alternate nostril breathing. But typically its best to start after the body has been prepared for the breath work. Any specific ones?

Do you already have a hatha yoga + pranayama practice?

You need to be clear in your mind about what your goal is. If Enlightenment is the goal, then I'd recommend following the yoga path - it is easier and if you don't get caught up in body-enhancement objectives (about looking good), then it is a wonderful pathway to progressively deeper meditation. You don't even need to do advanced alchemy that is associated with tantric practices. In Hindu traditions, there are four paths that can be taken (one or any combination of the four thereof) to lead to liberation (enlightenment). The four paths are -- Karma Yoga - Selfless service Bhakti Yoga - Devotional self-surrender to a deity of choice Raja Yoga - Using combination of yogic postures, breath control and meditation, enter the state of meditative absorption (Samādhi) Jnana Yoga - Using your intellect, cut through the misconceptions of who and what you are, to know in a flash of intuitive realization, your true nature (enlightenment). Depending on your personality and tendencies, one or more may work for you. For e.g., are you action oriented? Then Karma and Raja might be best for you. Are you intellect oriented, then Jnana yoga may be best for you. Does faith and love drive you? Then Bhakti might be the path for you. I'll be happy to discuss this more if you want it

yes don't focus on the sensations. Just maintain your awareness there.

For me it started with feeling of pressure/condensing in the lower abdomen region (not physical but a denseness). It wasn't very clear whether it was my mind playing tricks or indeed a real thing. However, when it first became a distinct feeling, it was like a wisp of smoke moving around in the lower abdominal level, right where the lower dantian is supposed to be. But it was not a static feeling or strictly fixed in one region - rather it kept shifting and morphing (like how smoke from an incense might billow in a mild breeze). You will eventually get beyond the sensations.

My spiritual mentor is a venerable spiritual stalwart who was a direct disciple of two jivanamuktas in the Hindu tradition (one being the Shankaracharya of the Sringeri Math), a student of a Zen lineage holder (3rd generation dharma heir of Hsu Yun). He is a most spectacular individual, who somehow took it upon himself to guide me (as to why, is mystifying for me, but I'm not complaining ). Well, he asked me to read a book titled "Zen: The Dawn in the West", by Roshi Philip Kapleau. I've already done some studying of the buddhist sutras and found myself agreeing with everything the Buddha had said anyway. I'm halfway through the book and in it I found the most lucid, pragmatic and no-nonsense directions and advice about meditation and the spiritual approach, that I thought I'd recommend it here. At the same time, I found a beautiful illustration of the model of consciousness according to (Zen) buddhism, which piqued my interest. I have taken that model and added a correlation to the Vedantic model of consciousness (Being actually) which some might find of interest. In the above diagram, the left hand side is from the original book and the right hand side is my addition. It becomes infinitely clear that there is a wonderful overlap between the Buddhist model and the vedantic models. In the buddhist model, the first 6 levels of consciousness map very neatly into the vedantic (and actually samkhya) model of the five tanmatras (associated with the sense functions) and part of the mental apparatuses that identifies with the body (ego). The mind, intellect aspect of the antahkarana seem to correlate with the level 7 (termed manas in the buddhist model) while the chitta aspect (storehouse of impressions) seems to correlate with the 8th level or "relative Alaya consciousness". This also seems to correlate with the causal body (kārana sharira) which is said to contain the karmic seeds (samsakaras) from which spring forth actions and consequences in a cyclical manner. At level 9, is absolute Alaya consciousness, which he labels "Formless Self or True-Nature". This maps very nicely as Atman (Vedantic model). Somethings to ponder for sure. I hope this will lead to "peaceful" explorations of the areas of consensus, which has always been my primary interest.

Ideally there should be practice even during discussion

There is no answer to this. The questions exist in duality but no answer. In nonduality there is no need for questions or answers. Yoga? This knowledge brings about the end of yoga and all seeking

Just different levels of teaching for different levels of students. we CAN agree to disagree though

You see, Lineage holders have a responsibility to transmit their lineage. There are those who follow the Avadhuta path, who are not bound by such responsibilities. And I know from very reliable sources that jivanamukta hindu pontiffs, Zen lineage holders and Daoist masters say exactly what you claim they don't say, but in private, to a select few worthies. Why? Because others are not ready to hear this truth. In any case, do you have any observations about what was shared in the OP?

Love that table on Turiya

Different ways, but should lead to same result

The "No self" is only part of the teaching as I understand it. It is as important as the "neti neti" process goes in Advaita vedanta, for instance. All that is not the Self, is discarded as "not self, not self", which includes identities, labels, memories, relationships, body, mind etc that define said "personality". Which leads to the relative alaya consciousness level, where in infinite mind-streams seem to exist (infinite waves from the diagram in OP). Yet, they too are only appearances in the absolute alaya consciousness, which is the True nature/formless Self.