dwai

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Everything posted by dwai

  1. In the Classical Indian traditions, the elements are Akasa "space", Agni "fire", Bhumi/Prithvi "Earth", Jal "Water" and Vayu "Air". But they are derivatives of Purusha (Consciousness) and Prakriti (Energy). http://www.swamij.com/prakriti-purusha-sankhya.htm

  2. Motion in Stillness

    dwai posted a topic in General Discussion

    Motion in Stillness There’s motion in stillness The old master said As the student stood steadfast A million thoughts racing through his head As he stood steadfast holding the pose his mind churning frantically and his anxiety rose he stood for five minutes every nerve screaming in pain he said to himself No never! Never ever again But such is the the lot Of folks of his kind Once something enters It doesn’t exit his mind So he stood again the next and the day after that and everyday since that day in an unseemly half squat As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months what used to bring tears hardly even made him grunt Then one day he realized his mind had become still and his thoughts fell to the bottom like an ungainly swill what remained afloat was a crystal clear thing it was bereft of everything yet it wasn’t nothing Then the motion he noticed rose from its depth it was the movement of spirit it floated and leapt Then he remembered what the old master said there’s motion in stillness and it’s not the junk in your head
  3. This is an article by a wonderful human being and a brilliant philosopher friend of mine - Prof. Antonio De Nicolas... http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/i_es/i_es_denic_self_frameset.htm
  4. Haha... How do you talk now?
  5. Haha...the paradox of syntax. Yes, but we deal with similarly outwardly paradoxical statements in the internal arts all the time. For instance, "Stillness in Motion" or "Motion in Stillness"...or "Anahata dhwani - aka Unsounded Sound" etc. They are ways to describe experiences that are labeled by the brain/mind approximately to something familiar.

  6. Sandilya Upanishad

    dwai posted a topic in Hindu Discussion

    http://www.astrojyoti.com/sandilyaupanishad.htm

  7. Preventing Jing Loss

    dwai replied to taoguy's topic in Daoist Discussion

    Your diet goes a long way towards helping in this regard. Eat Sattvic food (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sattvic_diet) Also as others pointed out, you can transmute this by practicing internal alchemy. When sattva (shen) increases, the desire will naturally subside. Forcing suppression is not the way, imho.
  8. As a corollary of the OP, is the practice of the Long form really the essence of Taiji Quan practice? I've posted the way we practice in Temple Style here -- http://thedaobums.com/topic/38760-morning-taijiquan-practice-video/ and here -- http://thedaobums.com/topic/38671-my-taiji-workout-video/ We practice individual forms repeatedly and also have fajin (aka fajing) practice that can be applied to all the individual forms. This is apparently how traditionally how it was practiced in Daoist temples (from Chang San Feng's times...) I've had people vehemently argue with me about this...claiming the long form is the way to go. Most people can't imagine how single form practice looks, hence the videos...
  9. My friend and I were having a conversation over past several days on whether it is possible for a human being to remain in the Non-dual absorption state and still be functional in the world. He quotes Lisa Cairns, whom he's found very inspiring, and says that he feels she is in such a state and that thousands of people walk around all over the world in said state. My point is however, that if one is completely in non-dual state for too long (measured in terms of days even) the physical body will die. Once one realizes the non-dual, their personality (as in mundane sense) is changed permanently, however there still remains vestiges of the original self (ego identity) albeit at a much diminished level. Without this, it would not be possible to function in the material/dualistic existence that is a result of being in this body. One can bridge the divide between duality and non-dualism, but cannot be fully immersed in the non-dual while being functional in the dual. Thoughts?
  10. It's not a question of dual or non-dual Nature, it is more about if we can drop subject-object framework (and duality) and function in this world? Stemming from a discussion with my friend about whether we can remain in nondual absorption state and still function in the world...towards that somewhere on this thread there is a small discussion on what are the samadhi states...experiences...
  11. To understand what sankara's non-duality entails -- http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/i_es/i_es_denic_self_frameset.htm
  12. So we are far more aware of the energetic effects of energy body work and visitations. In wake of the Jeff thread I thought I'd highlight some of my personal observations that might help a few who are struggling like I have done. After I started with my current teacher, who initiated me energetically (one could call it a shaktipat; though my Sifu says he just connected with my Dan Tiens)...and visits his students (myself included) energetically, I struggled with strong feelings of ambivalence and irrational anger (sometimes directed towards my teacher). Luckily for me I soon realized that it was a result of being affected by his energy - and that my ego was struggling to stay in control, making up stories and raging and ranting. It was a gradual process but once I stopped fighting the energy and the change (and this struggle is not entirely volitional - because intellectually the training was exactly what I wanted) much started being revealed to me. I'd venture to say exponential growth in my understanding - ie felt psychosomatic knowledge...yet it is as if that which is becoming apparent and clear is so fundamental and simple that it befuddles the "intellect".
  13. I think "only the non-dual" trap is a neo-advaita one. Traditional systems focused on both, including the Kevala advaita of adi shankaracharya...and are very pragmatic.
  14. This is more at a subconscious level I think. My rational mind and intuitive side made me realize what was happening. Though I'm sure my teacher felt it too. So one Morning after practice I apologized to him for the junk in my head. He knew exactly what I was referring to and then explained the effects of cleansing. And he said it's not even like active "cleaning". it can happen just upon contact...
  16. I only raised your ethnicity because non-Indians don't usually have an idea how powerful and closely integrated with things culture is (it is called sanskriti). It is you who is making assumptions about my motivations for calling out what I consider fallacies in your statements As far as matriarchal vs patriarchal families are concerned. Yes in Kerala certain families follow a matriarchal system. But the concept of "Dravidian" is a relatively new phenomenon (about 200 years at most). You'd do well to read up on the political rhetoric of the same. As much as I could enlighten you from an emic perspective, I really don't want to. I much rather meditate and practice tai chi. So let us not ruin what has been a perfectly sound discussion on non-dualism with wild theories.
  17. There are y-chromosome tracings and mtDNA tracings. They show an interesting picture. Jury is still out on which one is more likely. Evidence from within India show that after the first migration out of Africa there were more migrations out of India (from the south to up north and further westward). It will be hard for a westerner to grok but the culture of India really an undifferentiated one and has been for a long time (there are lot of politically motivated polemics and theories posited around the European colonial lines - even in post-colonial academic circles)... And spirituality in India is very tightly woven with culture. I know you have your thesis that needs defending, and I'd rather not expend my energy on non-spiritual pursuits. However later, if I do feel upto it, I'll post a detailed rejoinder/critique of your locus standi.
  18. Well it's a long post so haven't read it in totality yet. However I will point out some fallacious points wrt Vedic vs Dravidian (there is no such distinction - it was manufactured by the Europeans for colonization purposes). We could talk about Vedic vs other vernacular systems but I find it's hard to separate them. Your hypothesis about brahminical conspiracy is fallacious as well. I could go into why but suffice to say I wanted to call it out so I did
  19. In this case I know It is so. What I felt for 15 days after he initiated me (and still do intermittently) was deep love for everyone and everything and a complete lack of judging and "negativity". But he also warned me that when people go to teachers who can "clean you up" they might feel bad initially because the junk that's deep inside comes out and gets flushed out. As it does it evokes emotions the correlate with it.
  20. . May I point out that all language is dualistic and therefore necessarily limited. It is not a limitation of "Vedantic teachings per se". Vedantic knowledge is meant to be corroborAted with experiential realization. Also you are conflating samkhya terminology and advaita Vedantic concepts I think. Traditionally the ascetics of India used a secret language to convey this called "sandhya bhasha" (aka twilight language). I agree with a lot of what you're saying but I think you are falling into the same trap of too much thinking as well (be it as it may that it is after the fact )
  22. And hence some extreme reactions to energy based activities by some people...that's why the old world perspective on this type of training (traditional system of sticking with a teacher and a system - ethics and conduct that goes with it ... like you put it)
  23. That is a state of neutrality not non-duality. I still maintain that non duality as in turiya state is not possible all the time
  24. A very poignant description. I find myself "going going going" sometimes right after practice and then wonder why I didn't feel effect of what was a good practice session. But then as I settle down, slow down and observe, the feeling is still there, I'm just masking it with activity... Also per my lineage, (my) our understanding is that qi is essentially a vibration of energy/consciousness. As we connect deeper and subtler we let go of tensions , thereby losing the gross vibrations. Then we sense the fine vibrations and can tune to them. Eventually we tune to the primordial vibration.

  25. Lz,Zz and ego

    dwai replied to Stosh's topic in Daoist Discussion

    only time will tell. In the meanwhile all we can do is enjoy the ride...