dwai

Well I'm no gatito, but here goes -- vikalpa - imagination/mental movement samadhi - meditative absorption So nirvikapla means without mental movement or imagination. What is there if there is no mental movement? No thoughts? When we are meditating on this, it is nirvikalpa samadhi. When we enter meditating absorption with a mental object/thought/image, it is savikalpa samadhi.

Samadhi is also a gentle way. Those who have skillful guidance can go there without extreme effort. In fact, extreme effort is counter productive.

Well it is not. Because it is not a "personal" experience. On the contrary, it is a rather "person-less" experience.

Why would it be a spiritual trap or a dead end? It only brings home two realizations. There is only that one...no other (no separation between people, things, religions, languages, skin color, animals) There is really no thing. You are I and I am essentially empty of phenomenal existence. The world as we know it is just a vivid dream. Once these two realizations occur (experientially), there is no more negativity or fear or anger or envy etc. There is only love, tranquility and bliss. When we are in presence of such masters, it also influences us to become that way.

From condensing one should go on to develop emptiness and cultivate Shen. If we focus on Jing we are limiting ourselves. It's like going from steam to diesel power. Whereas we should be aiming for solar and even more subtle zero point power.

I find everything about Gary Clyman suspect. He is not recognized by Master Liao as having been one of this students. He was Ron Hoffman's student who essentially kicked him out of the school. He teaches condensing breathing to beginners and its a recipe for disaster. I'm not saying HoldorFold is a novice or was one when he practiced CB. However, the fact is that in Temple style, from which Clyman concocts his system, Condensing breathing is taught at the end of the 4th term. Assuming each term takes a minimum of 1 year to learn, one would have to practice the basic forms and practices of temple style (not the same as running through a long form) before even venturing into CB. Even then, CB needs to be done when one is completely clean, no negative emotions, no health issues etc. It will cause what HoldorFold experienced or worse (cancer, mental illness) if not practiced under the guidance of a qualified teacher. It is very powerful but like all powerful things, it will need proper guidance and feedback from a teacher. I always do another type of condensing after doing condensing breathing. Condensing Breathing condenses Qi into Jin that is stored in the bone marrow. We should also do shen condensing into our emptiness/central channel long with it. My Sifu says if you don't do that, you will go out of balance. In any case, when one practices the internal martial arts properly, the Qi should naturally start condensing into the marrow, and then shen into the emptiness. I remember there was another gentleman on this board who was very gungho about Condensing breathing and I had warned him from following Clyman or venturing into CB without proper hands on guidance and sufficient experience. I was happy to know he switched to something that he has guidance for since then.

See I'm from India and I consider that the east too. So I have to beg to differ. The reason for lower physical strength etc is nutritional differences. Most westerners eat lot of meat, processed with growth hormones and anti-biopics. GMO plant products loaded with fertilizers. So before that entire organic food movement started, westerners were growing bigger (abnormally so IMHO). Girls grow breasts and reach puberty at ages of 9-12 whereas in Asia it used to be much later - 15-16. So would I consider the health standards of the west superior? Definitely not. But Many poor people in Asia suffer from lack of nutrition. So a balance needs to be reached between the two extremes. As far as health care practices in the traditional systems is concerned, I know Ayurveda far better than TCM so I can speak for that. Ayurveda emphasizes harmonious lifestyle over specific aspects of anything. Vitality is a result of balancing the doshas or humors. Different people are combination of three humors - vata - wind, kapha - phlegm or water and pitta - fire. When humors are in balance there is abundance of the sattva guna in the body. To balance the doshas one has to eat appropriate food, appropriate exercise, sleep, etc. What is appropriate varies from person to person.

The problem with this question is that in practical life, there is no "Pure East" anymore. It's mainly East + West in the East. So what is it that you want to know about? Eastern medicine vs Western medicine?

I think that is a bit of a stretch

Initially use visualization till you can feel. Then you don't visualize anymore but feel. Once you feel you can flow. When you can flow you can harmonize with dao. Then abide in emptiness.

And this is most important imho --

Further more --

Further --

Further more --

We often discuss this as part of our Taiji practice. The way I understand this is as follows - To get caught in the external aspect of sensory stimuli, we lose focus of that which underlies it all. So this aphorism is to warn the seeker to not get caught up in what are ephemeral phenomena. Instead of getting captivated by the senses and sensory stimuli, our job (as cultivators of Dao) is to seek that which gives us the "ability" to see, smell, hear, taste, feel and think. That begets the question - "What gives one the ability to see, smell, taste, feel and think?", thereby setting us down a more nuanced path of inquiry.

Continuing further --

Notes on Creation (Chapter 3) --

Easiest way is to just be aware of your toes.wiggle them and feel each and every one of them. Keep your mind on your feet and toes. That will bring the energy down.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is an iconic figure in Modern Indian history and in the Revival of Hindu Dharma, as well as popularization of Advaita Vedanta. His words and teachings have inspired millions of people over several decades in and outside of India. Enjoy... http://www.belurmath.org/gospel/

I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt egos...he was beyond all that. He just stated his experiences. If someone takes offense, it's more from their ego than anything else.

Hi 3Bob, I won't question your right to your opinion. Needless to say, in India today, the Ramakrishna Mission is a highly respected group and Sri Ramakrishna highly revered.

That is not what I read in the paper. I think the paper was presenting a position very much like my own

No no, not at all...I was just making an observation. I try to avoid such "academic" discussions because they don't do anything towards our spiritual growth. And also because, well, i don't really know much anymore.

Well...to those who can discern

Haha...such is the way of discussions...we have travelled quite far from the introduction of the Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna Paramahamsa in the OP