fiveelementtao

These forms do more than just aid in Qi circulation, they are very effective ways to open the MCO and will safely and automatically open both the microcosmic and macrocosmic orbits without mental effort when performed correctly.., I was trying to point out that if one wishes to open the orbit while standing, in my experience, standing postures like Yi Chuan and moving forms like Tai Chi are safer and more effective than simply standing and "opening the MCO." with the imagination. In my experience, seated meditations for the MCO are much more powerful after the standing postures or moving forms... Some schools will not teach any seated meditations until after the energy channels have been opened through standing postures and moving forms. There is a possible problem when people try to open the MCO solely with their imagination before opening the meridians through postures and forms. In my experience, imagination is effective after the fact, but beforehand can trap one into their intellect and the exercise is purely mental which can result in a false impression of success....

I have suffered in the past from persistent muscle "twitches." There is a difference between muscle spasms and spontaneous twitching from energy work. spontaneous movements from energy work are not distracting or annoying. They are pleasant and cease when the practitioner stops the exercise. If you are having spasms that continue after your meditations it is a spasm. Muscle spasms can be a result of a dietary imbalance caused by overheating possibly from obsessive thinking. I suggest getting a magnesium supplement to balance your nervous system. My preferred magnesium supplement is "Ionic Fizz Magnesium plus" If the spasms only occur during meditation, it is also possible that your spine may be out of alignment and the twitching may be a result of your muscles trying to realign themselves. So, a trip to the chiropractor and/or a an acupuncturist may help. Someone more knowledgable about Chinese medicine may be able to explain the cause of the ringing in the ear... Good luck.

As I understand it, Tai Chi, standing postures and other internal arts will automatically and naturally open the "orbit" and accomplish more than just focusing on the orbit by itself.

I completely understand... I am putting together some videos for my site and no matter how much I make notes etc... when it comes to shooting the vid, I keep making mistakes... By the way thanks for the Tai Chi vids, excellent stuff, very informative... Mike

GIH... You are absolutely right. I really should take myself less seriously... Good advice... Ohm-Nei spoke his Truth as he saw it. As do you... You have every right to your viewpoints. Whatever floats your boats.... My apologies to both you and Ohm-Nei. _/\_

Hi Darin, I enjoy your posts and agree with much that you say, however, I have to disagree with you here. I wish you had mentioned in your video that you were describing your understanding of philosophical taoism. I cringed when I heard you say "I'd like to tell you What Is Taoism." Taoism is like hinduism, there is no ONE standardized sect or practice. While all sects of Tao have some basic things in common like yin and yang and the five elements etc... many sects disagree very sharply with each other. Many sects of Tao believe in reincarnation and the immortality of the unified soul. Before the communist take over of China, Taoism was more varied and different than what is found in China today. (Which has been reformulated by the Chinese gov't.) The energy transformation process you describe for taoist alchemy is absolutely the most prevalent method practiced but is also not the "Uniform" method of energy cultivation in all of Taoism. Your description of taoist alchemy is a "Earth to Heaven to Earth" method. There is at least one other method which is "Heaven to Earth to Heaven" and is very different in practice, results and feel. None is right or wrong but there are some big differences. Some sects do believe in a creator god. Some taoist sects have commonalities with buddhism and have merged belief systems with buddhism, shamanism etc.... Philosophical Taoism is a VERY recent invention and is mostly found in the west... So, I am not saying you are "wrong". If you had said, "in my sect" or "What I was taught about taoism, or My understanding etc... " I would have stayed silent. Thanks for your thread about no drugs in energy practice. I wholeheartedly agree... Respectfully, Mike

GIH arguing with a self appointed master who has never trained in taoism???...Am I the only one seeing the irony in this thread? p4VcZZBAgOY

The question is not whether AIDS is real. It absolutely is. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and simply means that a person's immune system has broken down and cannot defend them against diseases that a healthy individual can easily resist. The diseases responsible for killing people with aids is varied. People have been been dying of diseases caused by a lack of immune function forever... The questions being raised by the movie is whether or not HIV is a real virus and/or is it the cause of the immune system breaking down. Anyone in the US who has taken an AIDS test has to sign a waiver that says they understand that the HIV/AIDS connection is only a theory and that HIV has not been proven to be the cause for AIDS. At least I had to when I took my last "AIDS test" which was at least 10 years ago... I'm not saying one way or the other, just clarifying what the real argument is...

My .02... You are focusing waaaay too much on this woman and other people in general. Focus on you. That is all you have control over. As far as I understand your situation, you were broken up with him at the time. What he did when you were broken up is absolutely NONE of your business. His relationship with the woman is none of your business. His work with his therapist is none of your business. Worrying about other people will drive you crazy and distract you from YOUR issues and feelings..... I understand that you still have alot of feelings about what he did and it is difficult to simply turn your feelings off. However, it is still none of your business. The woman has every right to make her own choice about what to do with the child. Whether or not it is his child is again none of your business. If you love him as you say you do, then your responsibility is to accept him with all his baggage. Your only responsibility is to do your best to relate to him from a place of consciousness. You can be there for him as a friend and lover through his difficulties. but what happened and continues to happen between him and the mother of his (possibly) child is none of your business and you need to stay out of it. For YOUR own happiness. If it turns out to be his child, and you wish to stay in his life, then the only option is to love that child as best you can and stay out of his relationship with her as the parent of THEIR child. I know it is not easy, but it is the only option. If you feel that you are not able to stay neutral about the child, the woman and his actions while you were broken up, then you may need to consider whether you are able to stay in a relationship with him and find a partner that has a more manageable life situation. If that is not an option for you, then the only option is to use the situation to learn how to let go of others and focus on what YOU can do for others and yourself... as long as the actions of others bother you, relationships will always be challenging. Bottom line... Focus on YOU and not them.... Look at your need to control others and base your happiness on the actions of others. Focus on how to be more self-sufficient.. that is your lesson as I see it... again just my incomplete, imperfect .02... good luck...

It should be noted that there are other types of qigong called Wu Ji Gong or primordial qigong. They are not all the same. They may be the same in that they seek to reconnect the practitioner to "Wu Ji" but the actual practice may be different. The form that Winn teaches is a very specific moving form that is said to have been created or discovered by Zhang Sang Feng. So, be sure which version you get.... Note: I am not making any value judgements on other types, just making a distinction....

Alterations is not the right word. Just small insignificant, tiny details... Nothing important... I practice Winn's version...

Mostly Winn's version. I have made tiny alterations based on what the energy tells me. But it is basically Winn's version...

Yes. those videos do not contain the whole set, though. His version is a little different than Winn's, so it's nice to see alternate techniques.

Do not think of it as a tai chi or martial set. The energy is very subtle. Try it like a ritual. For me, I feel alot of energy in my heart, central channel and third eye when I do the set... I'm in my 40's now...I think that if I had tried the set 10 years earlier, i might have missed the feel of it.

Yes, I practice this form almost every day. It is very, very cool and recommend it to anyone!!!

Dear Sifu Hata, I respectfully request that you please remove any and all videos from the SSTT website and youtube channel containing my likeness or voice. You may continue to use any videos I have edited for you that do not contain my likeness or voice. I have stayed silent about this controversy on a public level out of respect for our previous friendship, but the escalating negative attention that this thread is receiving as it spreads on the internet is causing me personal discomfort as I do not share your position in the controversy between SSTT and Max Christensen.. I do not wish anyone to get the impression that I support SSTT's recent statements concerning Max nor do I wish to give the impression that I presume to speak for anyone in the Lum family lineage other than myself. Since you have chosen to expel me from both your tutelage and SSTT, it is only fitting that you remove my likeness and voice from any materials that you currently use to promote SSTT. At the very least, it will remove any potential confusion for SSTT in the future. As your former student and friend, I humbly request that you grant me this one last favor. Since I am unable to reach you in any other way, I am forced to put my request on this forum. It is my sincere hope that this disagreement between you and Max be resolved in private in a peaceful manner in order to avoid any further negative attention to the Lum lineage... Thank you for your quick action in this matter, Your former student and friend, Michael Denney

I was a castaneda fan for a while in the early 90's. I have read all of Casteneda's books several times. I have also read the works of his followers and even the "Toltec" knock offs like Sanchez and Miguel Ruiz. But, sadly, as the evidence piled up against him, I had to admit that he was a genius fraud. There is also the previously mentioned book by Amy wallace http://www.amazon.com/Sorcerers-Apprentice...a/dp/1583940766 I probably would have resisted the truth about him longer if it hadn't been for the whole "assemblage point" nonsense. Also I tried his "Tensegrity, Magical Passes". My impression was that it was invented by someone trying to copy Qigong who has had zero energy experiences. later, I heard that this is exactly what happened, Castaneda took some Tai Chi and Qigong classes and then tried to invent his own style of "toltec" Qigong. As far as Sanchez is concerned, Castaneda brought a law suit against him http://www.sustainedaction.org/Exploration...tor_sanchez.htm Sanchez now says Castaneda was a fraud. Miguel Ruiz is shamelessly "Certifying" students as Nagual masters. Of course after they shell out thousands to him to learn his secret "Toltec" knowledge. It is unfortunate that Castaneda and his groupies/copycats have become permanent fixtures in new age spiritual circles and that he is used as a prophet by some who believe that enlightenment and energy cultivation can be found through drug use and denial of emotions...

If you had maximum wood just before penetration, then your problem is not physical. I do agree that smoking, pizza and lack of exercise is not helpful. But, it sounds like you have other issues stemming from the sudden change from energy work, celibacy to sex again. before celibacy, sex for guys often times is just a physical release. After celibacy and energy work, sex can represent a sharing of energy which can require alot of trust. Maybe you are not ready for casual sex and need to rethink how you feel about sharing your energy with someone. for some people, celibacy and energy work are not something that can just be turned on and off. You may have to make a smoother transition... just my .02

Excellent Thread! Energy techniques CAN kill you. I personally have experienced teachers who were very powerful, but one thing they lacked was grounding and humility. Let's be honest, alot of us are energy and power junkies. It is also a well know fact among internal martial artists that those practitioners who focus on power and lack humility (which includes alot of high level masters) will overheat their hearts and die sometime after 55. Remember the context of alot of these disciplines was done originally in monasteries or as hermits. Being a world renowned energy teacher is not the norm. In previous times, energy masters had no more than two students. One to carry on the tradition and a second one in case the first one died. Part of the training meant that one did not show their powers to the outside world. One reason for this was to protect their life from the dangers of ego... When a person has real energy powers, ego can kill... Many modern (western) teachers have not learned this and as a result, they die young.... Fame, money and power have destroyed many peoples' health. My experience is that when one does energy work, whatever emotional and mental influences you have in your life are magnified. So, if ego and greed creep in there, the negative effects are multiplied. This is why I have been spending my recent training and investigation into incorporating more fundamentals and grounding energy into my practice and teaching.

The story of Jesus is found in many religions far older than christianity. For many believers this is seen as an attack on their belief. For me, I see it differently. It is either one of two possibilites: 1: Christianity is a compilation of fact and previous religious myths. OR... 2: it is a very real spiritual truth that has actually happened numerous times throughout human history. According to Hindus, Vishnu (2nd person of Divine trinity - The preservation principle of the Cosmos) reincarnates into human form whenever mankind has deviated from the balanced path... If it is true that the Christian birth story reflects other spiritual myths from antiquity, (which it does - (horus, mithra, Krishna...) it doesn't have to mean that it is false, it could also mean that it is a real spiritual principle that repeats itself throughout history... I humbly suggest considering this more holographically and less Black and White... xH66MsrmE50 M1Vo-rqftSU oOKVd1Owpy4&NR

Well, I'm not trying to suggest anything too complicated. But there is some historical objective facts about the creation of the modern Christian bible about which many christians do not know. The christian bible was compiled from a select few of many existing christian scriptures. The Bible emerged at a time when Christianity was very diverse. Many other scriptures that were widely read at that time were not included in the Bible because it did not serve the political aims of the roman emperor who was looking to use christianity as a means to consolidate his empire. But many of the current teachings of christianity encouraged free thought and were not conducive to population control. The fact of the matter is that a group of men appointed by the roman emperor sat around a table and decided what scriptures were of God anf which ones weren't. These Men felt they had the right to decide what God did and did not say and then put it all together in one book and proclaimed that this one book was now the absolute and infallible word of God. All others were forbidden reading. This bible was then immediately used as an excuse to kill and torture fellow christians who did not subscribe to this new "Word of God". Instead of being a guide to spiritual thought as most other scriputres are seen in other religions, the Bible became a tool of control. And the end result is that people now unswervingly follow the teachings of this book as "The Infallible Word of God." when it is no more than a compilation of SOME scriptures... This the danger, that a group of MEN can decide for everyone else what God did and did not say...

I understand... I didn't find the right woman until I was in my fourty's. I know that there is pain and negative karma stealing energy from men and I respect your decision to change that pattern. There are men out there who would be happy to be with a powerful, spiritual woman. Who would be excited at the prospect of the fun energy competition with a witch, who could handle your power and give back strength without losing their energy to you. They may be hard to find, but they exist. Are you woman enough to handle a man like that? I guess the next question is why are you drawn to a man who doesn't reciprocate, and a spirit who cannot reciprocate? He may be willing to "dress up" but its not real... Anyway... none of my business... Do what you gotta do... Again no offense intended. Respect..

Just my opinion, based on my experience... Forgive the judgmental sound... Well, I understand the thrill and excitement involved. I understand the convenience. I understand the feeling of safety... But like drugs, I think there is considerable unforeseen danger in this... Besides the obvious danger of sex with an entity.... (in my experience, any entity that wants to have sex with you, is a lost spirit or much worse, and it will not turn out well... That spirit is, at the very least, stealing your energy and it could make you very sick or crazy eventually)... My question is: Why do you choose not connect with a living human. That sounds very lonely to me... I also predict that when you choose to end this affair, the spirit will not be so happy about it and will cause you alot of trouble. and if you choose to reject the spirit for another human, you will be putting that person in danger... I may be wrong. After all, I am an exorcist, so I may be seeing this through my own filter. As you say, it may just be your own spirit. But still, underneath it all, isn't there an element of inability to relate with other people? Is there not an element of lonliness about this? Wouldn't you rather have a fulfilling emotional and sexual relationship with a flesh and blood person whom you can see, touch and talk to? I mean, I know that humans can be very unreliable, controlling and there is always the danger of being heartbroken etc.. But, wouldn't you rather have a fulfilling relationship with a mortal? Could just be my own projection... Forgive any offense... Blessings... Why not look for a man who is strong enough to not allow himself to be used as fast food? Who can match your strength and respect you for it?

Hi Fox, I relate to your crisis. I was a devout protestant Christian for the first 22 years of my life. I almost became a Protestant minister until I had a similar crisis. My thought process was, "If God goes to all the trouble to create his children and then sends them to hell simply for a "mistake" in their intellectual belief process, then, I cannot follow that God." I left the Church not because I didn't believe but because I could not worship a God that punishes his children out of ego. I was prepared to go to hell for eternity just to make a statement. I do not say that lightly. It was the darkest time in my life and I thought about suicide. Of course as time went on, I came to see that Christianity was just another belief by humans doing their best to try and understand... I also suggest doing some research on the origin of the "Bible", especially on the council on Nicaea. You will see that the beliefs of modern Christianity have little or nothing to do with the historical Man Jesus. You can still choose to follow the teachings of Christ and reject the obvious flaws in the belief system. I also recommend looking into "Ex christian" support groups. I came to learn that many christian organizations and churches are actually cults. It took me a while to realize this and to heal from the mind control techniques. Just because Christianity is one of the largest world religions does not mean it isn't a cult. The good news is that you can still retain the best parts of your christian faith and relationship with God and reject the obvious flaws... If you want to talk more, you can PM me... Mike

Guess I should look into Mahayanna buddhism... Thank God (I mean buddha) that "Conservative Christian/Protestant" is last on the list. Although I don't know how I even got 10%... 1. Mahayana Buddhism (100%) 2. Hinduism (92%) 3. Theravada Buddhism (81%) 4. Neo-Pagan (77%) 5. Jainism (68%) 6. Unitarian Universalism (68%) 7. New Age (66%) 8. Taoism (63%) 9. Sikhism (57%) 10. Liberal Quakers (56%) 11. New Thought (46%) 12. Scientology (41%) 13. Orthodox Quaker (40%) 14. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (35%) 15. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (34%) 16. Baha'i Faith (32%) 17. Secular Humanism (31%) 18. Reform Judaism (27%) 19. Seventh Day Adventist (22%) 20. Orthodox Judaism (21%) 21. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (14%) 22. Nontheist (13%) 23. Jehovah's Witness (12%) 24. Eastern Orthodox (11%) 25. Islam (11%) 26. Roman Catholic (11%) 27. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (10%)