daoseeker

Hi YM, do you have the second book on cultivation from WLP as PDF? His autobiography is translated already in western languages and quite widespread (even though Mr. Cleary's translation is a mess....). If so, I will send you by mail my mail adress. Many thanks in advance!

check out http://hi.baidu.com/fu_hui/album/item/9f21...bdb0d078601b073 if you wanna see some pictures and other random related stuff of Wang Liping

Confucianism lays the ethical and moral foundation of personal, family and societies' life. It emphasizes the wordly life and order with no approach towards the afterlife. Buddhism is seen in China as the way of spiritual salvation and liberation of the earthly life in suffering. It emphasizes the efforts towards the afterlife. Daoism is combining both, living a harmonious earthly life in accordance with nature and also pushing forward towards an afterlife, however it might be according to the individual view. A more humorous picture to get on it is the famous painting of the three "Vinegar Tasters", Buddha, Confucius and Laozi. Confucius makes a sour face, Buddha a bitter one, and only Laozi is smiling. That is pretty much displaying the "Three teachings" of China and how it is seen by the Chinese people. Confucian thinking is based on the opinion that the society is in disorder if you don't push it into an order by rules to obey. Buddhism has the foundational theory that life is suffering. Daoism only takes it as it is and follows the way of nature.

great post to dive into... and maybe get lost I would like to hear from our Chinese friends what they have to say about the etymology of "DAO" generally, since that is the root of what we are discussing here. I studied Chinese, also Classical Chinese on an academic level. I once translated 16th chapter of Daodejing with the motivation to get it's spiritual essence transferred into German. Believe me, it took more than 3 months to really grasp it's meaning and etymology, by getting rid of sterotypes and pre-conditioned words and associations in my mind. Finally, when I check Amazon to see the 10.867,56 translations of Daodejing by all kinds of "give-it-a-try" western guys.... uuahh! I have a calligraphy of "Daofa ziran" from a monk of Baxiangong in Xi'an in my living room - wonderful, powerful calligraphy, and I have found the meaning deep in my heart over years of practice and a bit by my academic education. But honestly, I can still not express it in German or English. (P.S.: it's funny to see western people diving into the etymology of a translated word, such as "Way" instead of "Dao" and then further interpretating "Way" to explain daoist principles.... hahaha ... that's totally off, sorry)

I know of prescriptions for the ordained - and even in daoist monasteries it's quite detailed for reasons of spiritual hygiene and moment-to-moment awareness in any type of activity. And this is also valuable for practicing alone, e.g. wearing clean clothes, neutral colors like black or dark blue or grey, having a tidy and clean meditation environment with elements you pay respect to etc. but for energetic health you could as well cover and keep warm yourself with a blue blanket.... I think that's not really the reason. Another thing to say: A Daoist robe or jacket is nothing else than common Chinese cloth of old times. The daoist of older times was identified by his hairstyle, hat, stockings and some other equipment. There is not much difference to the cloth of common people....

hahaha - Oh, I like that discussion so much.... The time I seriously practiced Zen, I got a Chinese Ch'an buddhist robe as a gift from the abbot of Xingshansi in Xi'an. I actually only had it on twice along with a non-blessed tourist Mala at Carneval since everybody knew I am the China guy... Out of respect for those who "left their home" I have never been wearing it during buddhist retreats or so. But I also got a daoist common blue jacket from my daoist monk brother at Xi'an's Baxiangong. He said as a "sujia dizi" (disciple who is staying home/does not leave the family) I should wear it for practice. And that's how I use it to remind myself of discipline, lineage, masters - also identifying myself and my practice to gain more seriousness. What do you think? I don't like disrespect to those who leave their homes, I don't like those who pretend... but I would not see an offense by wearing robes in private to identify with serious practice and link oneself to the tradition and lineage

Hi Sirius, I have plenty of highest grade Longjing (dragonwell) and Wuyi green tea. Where are you? I am right now at the airport on my way to Shanghai and Longhushan later on. Anything particular you want that I could bring along....

I just checked the website.. frankly speaking another guy coming up with a big "Secret" kind of stuff. In the introduction and the interview he is in fact talking about Bodhidharma and the Shaolin monastery, and that nobody has ever been authorised in the west (except him of course) to teach that style of that secret lineage, which was taught until cultural revolution etc. etc. etc. to be honest, I don't know whether this guy is legitimated to teach anything, or wether such a thing called Hsin Tao (in Pinyin transcription Xindao - Way of the heart, or Dao of the mind) as a lineage or orthodox practice ever existed. BUT: The way to promote it picking "Secrets" and lineages and all that stuff, and then in fact coming up with that Shaolin story, which hundreds of thousands of Zen or other practioners can easily identify as the Bodhidharma story... that's easy ignorant, impertinent or just silly..... (Sorry for all the harsh words, but evolution in that field of life leads to fantastic things like the taobums, but there are still some prehistoric artefacts like this guy out there...)

Thanks for the advice, you are wright indeed! But I buy my tea IN China, as well as all TCM herbs directly from the farmers on a herb market in Shangai (at the edge of famous Yu Garden). There you can get e.g. the natural, raw Jiaogulan to make tea (which is sold in the west called "Immortal's herb" or similiar) for only a few bucks PER POUND..... Anybody from Germany wants me to bring along something?

apart from Diabetes (you should really see a doctor to get it checked) it might be a spleen-stomach defiency. That disgnosis leads to constant thirst. But the more you drink the more dampness you cause in that spleen system which leads to more thirst. The same defiency leads to a lack of utilisation of food, which along with heavy training leads to even more hunger.... Check out a TCM practioner. If the case, cure with following dietary advice: 1. no chilled drinks, especially not before eating or after exercises 2. no raw, greasy or chilled food 3. not too much sugar of any type (but first check the Diabetes) 4. have some hot water with some slices of fresh ginger first every morning and in the evening Apart from that there are of course much more TCM prescriptions, but mostly it can be much better with the above advices.

I haven't done any kind of muscle building ab exercises for a century but still have a six-pack. I have been doing some yoga and Qigong warm-ups every morning since the past 15 years, including the 2nd and 5th of the "5 Tibetans". That'll work out your abdomen and build muscles, but at the same time, by deep abdominal breathing in the relaxation phase, keeps your diaphragm soft and prevents tension in this area. In my opinion, all exercises are of no good for the Dantian and Qi development, if it leads to tension of any kind in that region in particular. Breath deeply!

Froggie, frankly speaking that "Wu-Yi" tea is nothing else than plain Chinese green tea from the Wuyi mountains. By accident I just recently got big amounts as a present from a Chinese client, it's still in my trunk... I prefer to buy my green tea directly from the farmers in China to get the highest quality of green tea. Green tea is in fact aiding digestion, but it also cools out the spleen-stomach system, if drunk heavily, or if your stomach is in a weak condition generally. It can cause some problems and keeps your mind awake for ages (not the body), if you drink it constantly during the day. You better try Jiaogulan tea for a daily drink, having the effects of Ginseng, but not cooling out the stomach or having too much tannins... Or just stick to the most classical Chinese dietary advice and the best-ever drink...: hot water!

finding the time is also my biggest issue for the Zhanzhuang practice.... just one more suggestion: read the book from B.K. Frantzis "Opening the Energy Gates of your body". His practice of "Dissolving" while doing Zhanzhuang is a fantastic way to relax, open up blockades and find a deep relaxation in the wright posture. It will increase your energy quite amazingly and - well - change your life! As somebody said before: Zhanzhuang is changing lifetime habits to tuning in into nature and natural body and energy structures. Keep standing

just some basic replies on that topic and discussion: 1. it is true that some results of energy work unfold naturally without that particular practices, e.g. when you just practice Zazen or Zuowang (sitting and forgetting) for a long time. I experienced that myself a big portion. Your Dantian can fill up naturally over time when you do quiet sitting the right way, and Qi is just "overflowing" into the channels or even into the microcosmic orbit (that happened to me) 2. I consider that natural "Qi-gathering" even the secret of many initial steps of Daoist inner alchemy, e.g. when the classics talk about the utmost emptiness when a "Yang spark" is occuring and Qi starts to rise... (as far as my understanding and practice has reached). I believe and have been taught in China that many initial practices of Neidan are just covering quiet meditation practices in the beginning. 3. The Daoist way, particularly the Quanzhen/Longmen approach is dual cultivation named Xing and Ming - I would translate as "Inner nature" and "Life". Most of present Daoist monks interprete this as dual cultivation of energy work/mind cultivation OR moving practice/sitting practice. Or you could simply say one part is practising arts like Taichi or Qigong as body/energy work (and daily labour...), another part is meditation as a mind cultivation e.g. Zuowang or Zazen-like ways. And that's not theory! That's how they live and structure their daily life in general. If you say "+", there will be a "-" also.... the truth is in between, the truth is non-differentiating!