fiveelementtao

Denial is a bitch. Denial of denial is the first sign of denial... Nothing personal but nothing you've said indicates that you have the power of choice over weed. In fact, it indicates the opposite to me. It's great that you wait until your work is finished and that you can go "days" without it. What would indicate that you had real power of choice is if you could go six months without it. Do that and if you are successful, then maybe you aren't addicted... Addiction is a funny thing. I used to work as a chemical dependency counselor in a treatment facility and I have heard it all. I will share with you a story about a guy who was definitely not addicted. He came to me one day and said, "I think I may be an alcoholic. I want to go to one of those A.A. meetings." "How do you know you're an alcoholic?" I asked... "Because I have been drinking alot lately to overcome the sadness of my breakup." "You're not an alcoholic." I said... "How do you know?" he asked. "Because alcoholics spend a huge amount of time and energy explaining how they aren't alcoholics and they can quit anytime they like. If you are wondering whether or not you are an alcoholic from a few weeks of binge drinking and have no resistance to the idea of being addicted... You're not." that is not enough time to determine whether or not you are having withdrawals... The beginning stages of withdrawals is simply the desire to smoke. If you are consistently feeling the desire to smoke weed every few days, that is a sign of addiction. The proof that you have the desire to smoke every few days is that you smoke every few days... I suspect it is a little more frequent than a few days... Most likely, those intervals between days will shorten until it is every day... Let me know how you feel after six months without ANY weed... Well, one way is to not do things that severely deplete their wei chi... To quote the previous quote... "in terms of spiritual growth, it can give you a glimpse though the keyhole. That's all." So, the ultimate answer is no. what I hear you saying is... "I know weed is bad for me but I am going to do it anyway, is there any way to make it good for me?" Sounds like you are searching for justification... If you're going to do it, do it with your eyes wide open knowing the consequences don't B.S. yourself... I would have more respect for your post if you simply said, "Well, I know it's bad for me and my cultivation, but I like it too much to stop, so I'm going to keep doing it." If you said that, I would stay silent and respect your clarity of choice. It's hard for me to stand by and watch someone look for justification to BS themselves....

Ya Mu, would you elaborate on the two worlds that you see? Mike

Thanks to all my teachers, Those who taught me how to do things and those who taught me what NOT to do... (probably the most profound lessons) Thanks to Sifu Lum, Thanks to my friend, Max Thanks to my student and teacher Luke... Thanks to those who went before me, Thanks to Tao Hong Jing for the Six Healing Breaths. Thanks to Lady Wei for starting it all... Thanks to Ya Mu for his wonderful book and DVD and his informative posts. Thanks to Gurudev Singh Khalsa/Dr. Neil for his continued help. Thanks to Baba Ayo Adeyemi and Master Francis Awe for teaching me the power of the drum. Thanks to Joe Young for teaching me flute... Thanks to the unseen teachers who guide me every day... Thanks to the Mother of us all Thanks to Father Shiva, the great Master... Thanks to all others who choose to remain anonymous.. Thanks to all those whose influence or names escape me... Thanks to myself for answering the call and for doing my best...

That's great, Non... So what does that mean? Are you scheduled to see one solo? It takes a while before you make any significant progress...So, when is your next appointment?

I am also interested in the Chinese interpretation. From reading the english, I hear it better as "concentrate on Life Force and do not focus on the internal dialogue" For me the biggest problem isn't so much what I say out loud, it is the constant internal running dialogue of the mind that seeks to define me and attach me to name and form... my .02

Lao Tzu is only one of many taoist sages and practices. Taoism is not like christianity in that it is dependent on one prophet. For christianity (as it is practiced in the West) yes, I can see that for some, his actual existence might be important for belief. But Taoism is not about intellectual belief in one person, it is about experience with the forces of the universe and using them to transform yourself. So, believe or don't believe, no matter, practice what taoism teaches and see for yourself if it helps you. You can be christian, buddhist, hindu, muslim, whatever and practice taoism, it is not a religion in that sense... And i feel fairly confident in saying that if Lao Tzu does exist he does not care whether we believe in him or not, he might even agree that he doesn't exist...

My suggestion non, is to copy your last post and save it. After you have been in regular therapy for 1 year, take it out and read it... You will laugh...

According to TheEternalStudent, the Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective on marijuana use and energy cultivation is... "Marijuana flares the ming men fire out of its normal position. The Ming Men fire resides behind and around your kidneys. It is a false sense of awareness because the extra heat rises up the Du channel and gets into your head. While there, it ups the amount of seratonin you produce, momentarily. After long term use, you slowly drain the good feeling hormones from your brain and adrenals. Eventually leads to insomnia and depression without the drug. The addiction comes from the lack of stimulation on the adrenals, not receptors in your brain. In terms of spiritual growth, it can give you a glimpse though the keyhole. That's all. But it leaves you open and vulnerable because while the ming men fire is in your head, its not powering your wei chi, your defensive energy. Leaves you open to energetic, emotional, psychic and pathogenic influences. The ultimate goal is to be able to alter your own hormone system without any external influence. So I am capable of getting "high" by tweaking my own pituitary and pineal glands. Its way cheaper than relying on external sources, energetically and monetarily." This subject has been thoroughly discussed many times. I would type in Marijuana into the Tao Bums search option... But just out of curiosity... You say you smoke everyday, but you are not addicted and don't need to smoke everyday... You do understand that sounds somewhat incongruous and exactly like something an addicted person in denial might say, right? Maybe try quitting pot altogether for 6 months and see if you really can stop and don't need it... Some avid pot smokers on here will tell you differently but all recognized Tao teachers and masters discourage Pot smoking to anyone serious about Tao cultivation or spiritual progress...

Find a teacher who knows them. Do you really think you could learn them from an internet forum post?

Non, stop with the same thing over and over. GET SOME THERAPY... People are getting tired of you saying the same. You need counseling....

Probably referring to the three dan tiens. Navel (power), Heart (Love), Third Eye (wisdom)

It is not the root or cause of your problems it is the result of your problems. If you work on the true causes of your real issues, the result (involuntary celibacy and isolation) will take care of itself. No one is minimizing your difficulties. Many of us have been in similar situations. You are not "different from everyone else." This attitude only increases your isolation. If you really want help, you're going to have to be willing to do things that you don't like. Get some therapy. It may take years of therapy before you are able to see your life turn around. I'm sorry if that is not what you want to hear, But since you asked for helpful advice, I am giving it. It doesn't mean you have to like it or agree with it. You have been fishing around for people to tell you what you want to hear instead of wanting to hear what you really need...

Well, you guys know my opinion of celibacy from a book/without a teacher. And while it is possible to gain energy from proper retention practices, it is only necessary with lower level energy techniques. It is possible to get the same benefits faster without having to practice celibacy by using higher level energy practices and without the same dangers. As I have always said hyperfocusing on celibacy and retention in a spirit of fear, greed or other emotional attachment will not result in satisfactory results. Celibacy practices without the proper emotional, mental and spiritual maturity and wisdom is a waste of time. These threads focus only on the reported energy benefits of retention, but that is only part of the whole necessary package. And as I already stated, it is possible to get better and faster results without having to be celibate if you know the higher level energy techniques....

Excellent point! I think you may still be able practice to Kunlun. Just take out the spontaneous (KL1) and Red Pheonix. Instead just do Five element Jongs and Golden flower and be sure to close down. These are often overlooked but are necessary for grounding. This may actually help you. But of course, do what you feel is best...

Biff, my friend, I am seeing a pattern here. You are not reading thoroughly... I did not say that cancer wasn't influenced by hereditary factors. I said it was a preventable disease. There is a difference. Some hereditary things are not preventable... Like male pattern baldness... That is not something someone can effectively prevent if they are genetically predisposed to it. It is not a disorder because baldness does not impede normal healthy functioning. At worst, it can bruise the ego... But it is not a health concern unless it is a result of a disease...Cancer on the other hand can be easily prevented even if someone is genetically more susceptible to it. So, you cannot equate the two just because genetic factors are involved with both. That is obviously your theory, But it is not established as scientific or Taoist fact. I have not heard anyone other than a hair treatment salesman say anything like that. I haven't heard any reputable physician say anything like that. Nor have I heard any taoist master say anything like that in regard to male pattern baldness. ( in fact some recognized taoist masters go bald also) No. because women rarely suffer from age related baldness. Absolutely! I have worked with a Yoga master ( who btw has a receding hairline and a bald patch) who is also a naturopathic doctor. He cures people ALL the time from "incurable" cancer simply by changing their diet and sometimes with psychological therapy. http://drjulianneil.com Biff, my friend, I encourage you to do some more research into what cancer really is. It is not a genetic mutation like albino-ism. I understand your thought process but you are starting from faulty assumptions and thus making inaccurate conclusions...

Thanks. Peace from me, too.

I didn't call baldness a disorder. I said it was hereditary. You are making the assumption it is a disorder or a disease. It is not a disease.... Cancer is not a hereditary disorder... It is a disease that is very treatable and preventable. The reason why cultivation heals disease and not hereditary baldness is because cultivation is about returning to health and naturalness not about becoming a supermodel. Curing someone of the imbalance of cancer is part of that, reversing male pattern baldness is not important or necessary in returning to one's true nature...

I never said his Chi was low level... I said it was different. Which it is... With respect... You are not welcome. I do not take challenges. If you want to challenge someone, go find my ex teacher. The video was his idea. I was against it.

Just curious...How do you know this?

So I guess Master Chunyi Lin has a bald issue for some other reason. Yes.. It's hereditary. Has nothing to do with his cultivation. Neither does his height, hair color or eye color...

Yes. this is a real phenomenon. Both answers are given as reasons for this. Secretions from the pineal gland can create a smell of incense. And I have been told by my teachers that this smell is an indication that the ascended masters are helping you and the smell is a sign of their presence. I have had this happen to me on more than one occasion. Years ago, when I practiced yoga, I was doing a heavy Kali Sadhana (Kali is a very powerful form of Shakti and is often connected to fire.) Well, wouldn't you know it? during that sadhana I smelled smoke everywhere I went. The smell stopped when I finished the sadhana... Nowadays, I experience a sweet smell like incense sometimes during my Tao practice... I just assume it is my guides helping out...

That is your answer. She wanted to separate. You already threatened her for making that choice. Leave it alone and move on. Pray for her. If you are meant to see her again, you will, but it has to come from her.

It's also helpful to have some training in standing meditation. If the posture is off and the energy doesn't ground through the heels, or if the spine alignment is off or the shoulders are too far back, it won't have the desired effect. If someone just tells a newbie to "stand like a star" they will probably do it wrong and have no results. or worse may hurt themselves...

I have done alot of thinking and experimenting with this problem... I feel very confident that I have found a solution. It's important for me that I not only find an intellectual understanding but also an experiential understanding of the elements. Metal didn't get lost. It's there right under our noses. It's difficult because we get caught up in literal names like "Metal" I once read a description of the Five Phases like this: (I'm paraphrasing) The five phases describe Five ways in which energy manifests. It follows Five basic laws which interact and change. Wood - Expanding Fire - Rising Earth - Congealing (I can't think of a better word, maybe condensing.. anyway think gravity...) Metal - Contracting Water - Descending These "elements" are the best symbols we have in Nature to explain the ways in which the Five Phases operate. They are not the phases themselves they are the result of their action... So, don't get caught up in names like "metal" instead think what the process is that produces metal... According to the Five Phase theory, ash becomes earth which compresses the minerals to become metal. So metal itself isn't the Phase it is the result of the contracting force of the phase in question... Western elements are the same (including Hindu). Here's how they connect with Taoist elements... Earth - Earth Water - Water Fire - Fire Air - Metal Ether - Wood Metal is the lungs (air). So air is connected to the metal element. Wood is expanding energy. The hun energy of the liver is considered the ethereal aspect of our energy. (below the Shen of course) ether is the expansive force of spirit. so look back at the taoist element chart with the four cycles of the five elements. The constructive cycle doesn't really construct energy. It creates energy by fueling the elements. The "controlling" cycle attempts to suppress the excess energy created by the creative cycle. This doesn't last and the excess energy which has no place to go (No purpose) starts to decay (disease, evil). The "insulting" cycle is actually purifying and purifies the excess energy which is liberated and then returns to the Source by way of the "destructive" cycle. The destructive cycle is what is used in the Yogic elemental cycle Earth Water Fire Air Ether. It is used in yogic meditation because it traces the path of Kundalini (earth) returning to the void. Ching Chi Shen is often quoted as the path of alchemy but others (including Master Ni) state that the proper cycle of energy for alchemy is Jing (water)-Shen (Fire)-Chi (Air)-Universal Chi (Ether)-Void. Same as the path of kundalini... In spirit fighting we use the "insulting" cycle which is the opposite of the "destructive" cycle. Wood metal Fire Water Earth. This is pre heaven energy descending to earth to purify "evil" excess energy of decay. It traces the opposite path of the destructive or "liberating" cycle. (Ether, Air, Fire, Water Earth) So, here is my view of how energy is created balanced and returned to the Void for recycling: Void (Pure undifferentiated Potential) separates into Yin and Yang which creates the Five Phases which govern how created energy functions. Now, the energy is in the post heaven stage. Energy follows the creative cycle and produces energy (life). as the energy continues to grow, the controlling cycle seeks to preserve life by suppressing its' growth, this is only temporary, the excess energy begins to decay which brings disease. The insulting cycle brings pre heaven energy from heaven to purify the decaying excess energy which is then liberated (dies) and follows the "destructive" cycle back to the source where it returns to the void and is recycled and the process starts all over again.... So, bottom line is (for me) that the five elements in western understanding is the same as the Chinese version only looked at through a different culture and with a different emphasis... I know that some will find all kinds of problems with my understanding and throw book knowledge at me. But, for me, this stuff has to be something that I can experience. Otherwise it is all a bunch of intellectualization. This understanding is something I can actually use in my experiential practice...