Oolong Rabbit

Okay I am working my way into half lotus (unfortunately I have clunky treetrunk legs and clicky knees). A few months ago I tried half lotus and I couldn't do any better than to get the left knee a couple inches above my right foot. For the past 3 months I have been sitting cross legged for 20 minutes daily during meditation. I made it a habit to press my knees as low as I could get them to the floor and try to hold it during meditation. A couple nights ago, I figured what the hell and tried half lotus again. Lo and behold I can get my left knee to touch my right foot. It's hellishly painful mind you, but I am trying to hold it for two 10 minutes sessions. It is truly a test of sheer will power to hold it the entire time, but I am stubborn and believe in no pain... no gain. As for the clicky knees, I realized I had some bad habits in my tai chi. I was not sitting deep enough, and I was loading up my knees. They are not really designed to be load bearing at those angles, and the reason for not letting the knee potrude past the tip of the toes in the sits is now painfully obvious. P.S. Cat read the article below re: knee/ankle problems: Basic Facts about the Yoga Posture (Asana) The Half Lotus Posture (whose original Indian name is Ardha Padmasana or Ardha Kamalasana) in Yoga is suitable for meditation (Dhyana). Note that Ardha means Half, whereas Padma or Kamala means Lotus. The posture gets its name because the person performing it resembles a Lotus. The Half Lotus Posture is an intermediate pose for beginners who cannot sit comfortably in the Lotus Posture (Padmasana). Yoga beginners can practice the Half Lotus Posture initially, and switch to the Lotus Posture later. Stepwise Technique Sit on the ground with your head and spine erect without drooping your shoulders. Extend your legs forward such that your knees and heels are placed together. Bend your right leg at the knee and get the bent knee toward your chest. Keep your calf touching the thigh and place the bent knee toward the floor. Hold your right foot heel with the right hand and the toe with the left hand and bring the right foot over the left thigh with the sole facing upward. Keep the other leg straight. After attaining this position, bend your left leg and place it under your right leg such that your left sole is under the right thigh. Touch the thumb of each hand to the index finger at the tips to form a circle. Ensure that the other three fingers are straight. Rest your left hand on your left knee and your right hand on your right knee with the palms facing upwards. Keep your arms straight at the elbows. This hand position is called Jnana Mudra (Knowledge Hand Gesture) because it signifies the knowledge of connecting the Individual Soul (Atma) with the Supreme Soul (Paramatma). Remain in this final posture with your eyes closed for about 1-2 minutes (in the early stages) or your breakpoint*. Repeat the above steps except that you swap the position of the legs by placing your left foot over the right thigh to begin with. This will ensure that both legs are built uniformly. Tips and Comments Step 1 forms a pose called Preliminary Half Lotus Posture (Purva Ardha Padmasana) which is a preparatory exercise for Ardha Padmasana. In the early stages, you may experience pain in the knees and may be able to place only one foot comfortably on the thigh. Therefore, you may wish to skip Step 2. Regular practice will make the process of placing the second foot easier. Beginners with rigid knees and/or ankles should proceed with care. The Half Lotus Posture (Ardha Padmasana) itself is a preparatory exercise for the Lotus Posture (Padmasana). In Step 3, the hands were positioned in Jnana Mudra (Knowledge Hand Gesture). They may be alternatively positioned in Dhyana / Padma Mudra (Meditation / Lotus Hand Gesture) or Drona Mudra (Bowl Hand Gesture) as described below. Bend your arms at the elbows and place your hands below your navel on your lap. Keep the palms (a little cupped and with extended fingers) one on top of the other (usually, right palm on the left palm). The thumbs may either be straight or touch at the tips to form a triangle. This hand position is called Dhyana Mudra (Meditation Hand Gesture) because it is the hand posture recommended for meditation, or Padma Mudra (Lotus Hand Gesture ) because it looks like the lotus petals. Rest your left palm on your left knee and your right palm on your right knee with the cupped palms facing downwards. Keep your arms straight at the elbows. This hand position is called Drona Mudra (Bowl Hand Gesture) because the palm is shaped like a bowl (Drona) covering your knees. *Breakpoint is the time upto which you can comfortably remain in a yoga posture. It varies from individual to individual depending on one's fitness, age and will power. Potential Benefits of the Yoga Posture (Asana) The Half Lotus Posture (Ardha Padmasana) helps reduce excess fat in the body especially in the abdominal region. It aids in better functioning of the digestive and excretory systems. The yoga posture assists in the cure of pain in the knees, ankles, and back. Its practice helps those suffering from insomnia and asthma. The yoga posture keeps the mind focused because it requires one to sit upright. It is a posture often suggested for practicing Breath Control (Pranayama), Concentration (Dharana), Meditation (Dhyana) and Self-realization (Samadhi). http://www.syvum.com/cgi/online/serve.cgi/..._padmasana.html

Very cool card. Thanks for sharing these little gems with us Brian!

Sellout

The above symptoms happened to me several months back http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?showtopic=3640&hl=. It was very intense for about 10 days. I was practicing semen retention and the microcosmic orbit. Similar flow of fire energy to the kundalini stuff you are doing. You might want to play around with holding the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth as this completes a major energy circuit and allows the energy stuck in your head to drain into the dantien. I apply this during Kunlun as well. Other than that, I wouldn't get too caught up the experiences. They are traps to lead you off the path. Notice you have already started talking about giving up your practices. Ironically that may be a good thing since you appear to be mixing practices like a mad scientist throwing unknown chemicals together. P.S. The dancing fairies didn't happen to look like Richard Simmons did they . (sorry, not very PC but I couldn't resist)

I will give you the same piece of advice one of my philosophy professor's once gave me: "It is much more important to have the right questions, than to have the right answers." It sounds to me like you are asking the right questions, so perhaps you are closer than you think. If all else fails, just look at what everyone else is doing and do the exact opposite. Most of the people are wrong most of the time, and the path of least resistance is seldom fulfilling. Brgds!

Hi Brian, That seems like a pretty bold statement. I always thought Cleary and Wong's works were held in high esteem. I believe both are practicing taoists as well.

With a knife or through excercises?

Cool, thanks for sharing (although the share limit has maxed out). I have a bunch of files from Brainwave Mind Voyage and some hemi-synch stuff. I have never used anything during Kunlun, since I try to empty my mind. I might try tonight. Yoda, Interesting that Max said Gamma Waves and not Theta which is commonly linked to meditative staes. I guess maybe because Kunlun is more of an "active" meditation. Brdgs!

Just trying to lighten things up brother. I didn't mean you were trying to make them eat green eggs and ham. I take all back. You are the Lorax: o-Y0Az-4wUg Which Dr. Seuss character are you?

This whole thread is starting to remind me of an old taoist classic I read to my daughter tonight: "Green Eggs and Ham". Cam you are like Sam I Am. WYG, Xeno and Starjumper.... You are composits of the guy who is convinced green eggs and ham must taste terrible even though he never tasted green eggs and ham. Mantra, you're like the Cat in the Hat or something dude. http://www.seussville.com/titles/greeneggs/recipes.html

WYG, Looking forward to hearing your criticism good or bad brother. I have been doing the practice for almost 3 months now and here is what I think may be happening. Many of us (myself included) only had limited experience with chi kung. I tried some methods before but it was half assed. I commited to myself to make a real effort with Kunlun for 6 months. Whether it is the Kunlun method itself or the sincere dedication to practice, I have had some weird experiences or "stuff" happen. The interesting thing is that the more I practice, the less "stuff" I encounter (or maybe the less I attach to it). My belief is that these manifestations or experiences are from burning away some of the crap we have built up over the years. The more adept practicioners like Hundun and yourself have already worked through this crap, so the experiences are not as dramatic and the mind is not as quick to latch onto them. So in closing, the greatest piece of advice I could give is what was given to me by Lin Aiwei who I respect greatly: Do not attach to experiences. Brgds OR

It's too late to cancel my plan tickets now, so I am affraid you are stuck with me! . P.S. I would like to donate a little bit Lin. You can use the money to help offset some of the expenses, or to put towards ypur goal of building a temple. How should those of us who wish to do so go about it? Brgds!

Yeah, what Jakara said . Beautifully written brother!

Could you please quote me some classical gnostic scriptures to prove your claim Mantis? I am not talking about the modern new age crap either. Have you read John Allegro's "The Mushroom and the Cross"? He's one of the people who translated the Dead Sea Scrolls. Have you read Clark Heinrich? Here's just a couple of interesting scriptures for you: The Nag Hammadi Library The Prayer of Thanksgiving Translated by James Brashler, Peter A. Dirkse and Douglas M. Parrott This the prayer that they spoke: "We give thanks to You! Every soul and heart is lifted up to You, undisturbed name, honored with the name 'God' and praised with the name 'Father', for to everyone and everything (comes) the fatherly kindness and affection and love, and any teaching there may be that is sweet and plain, giving us mind, speech, (and) knowledge: mind, so that we may understand You, speech, so that we may expound You, knowledge, so that we may know You. We rejoice, having been illuminated by Your knowledge. We rejoice because You have shown us Yourself. We rejoice because while we were in (the) body, You have made us divine through Your knowledge. "The thanksgiving of the man who attains to You is one thing: that we know You. We have known You, intellectual light. Life of life, we have known You. Womb of every creature, we have known You. Womb pregnant with the nature of the Father, we have known You. Eternal permanence of the begetting Father, thus have we worshiped Your goodness. There is one petition that we ask: we would be preserved in knowledge. And there is one protection that we desire: that we not stumble in this kind of life." When they had said these things in the prayer, they embraced each other and they went to eat their holy food, which has no blood in it. The Nag Hammadi Library The Gospel of Truth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Translated by Harold W. Attridge and George W. MacRae excerpt: Through this, the gospel of the one who is searched for, which <was> revealed to those who are perfect, through the mercies of the Father, the hidden mystery, Jesus, the Christ, enlightened those who were in darkness through oblivion. He enlightened them; he showed (them) a way; and the way is the truth which he taught them. For this reason, error grew angry at him, persecuted him, was distressed at him, (and) was brought to naught. He was nailed to a tree (and) he became fruit of the knowledge of the Father. It did not, however, cause destruction because it was eaten, but to those who ate it, it gave (cause) to become glad in the discovery, and he discovered them in himself, and they discovered him in themselves. And some notes on John Allegro who showed how the original texts carried hidden meanings and double entendres that are lost in translation: Language, myth and religion As a philologist, Allegro analysed the derivations of language. He traced biblical words and phrases back to their roots in Sumerian, and showed how Sumerian phonemes recur in varying but related contexts in many Semitic, classical and other Indo-European languages. Although meanings changed to some extent, Allegro found some basic religious ideas passing on through the genealogy of words. His book The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross relates the development of language on Eurasia to the development of myths, religions and cultic practices in many cultures. Allegro believed he could prove through etymology that the roots of Christianity, as of many other religions, lay in fertility cults; and that cultic practices, such as ingesting hallucinogenic drugs to perceive the mind of god, persisted into Christian times. http://johnallegro.org/main/ Perhaps you may have a vested interest in your current belief system that prevents you from seeing the matter objectively. I don't really care one way or another, but I have at least done my homework on this one brother. Go read the classical western alchemical texts. Pierce the veil and look at the "red and white" stone of the philosophers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria

I only got 1 reply to this on the taoist levitation thread, so figured I would post it on its own thread. What do you guys think?

According to Newtonian physics perhaps, but not according to quantum physics. Things are not always so black and white. Actually the Russians spent an enormous effort developing a psychic warfare program. This prompted the United States to do the same. This is how Remote Viewing came into existence. There are also widespread rumors that the Chinese have an extremely advanced program as well.

I believe that the original gnostics were mystics who felt that man could have a direct experience of the divine. How did they do this? Likely through the ingestion of magic mushrooms. In my opinion the modern gnostics misinterpret the sexual imagery too literally. It actually symbolizes the mushroom stem penetrating the cap. Then again perhaps both views hold some truth. As above, so below. See my post on the Taoist Sorcery thread for more detail. Brgds!

I just finished reading Franklin's post and was about to respond in kind. The Gnostics believed that man could experience God directly. Many assert that it was through entheogens like the fly agaric mushroom *. In fact John Allegro (highly respected scholar who helped translate the dead sea scrolls) wrote a book called "The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross". In this book he asserts that "Jesus Christ" is just an allegorical code for the the fly agaric mushroom. Obviously direct mystical experience of the divine was not a popular idea for those who would use organized religion to control the masses. The gnostic "heresy" was stamped out and the true meaning of the divine host was lost. By far one of the best books I have read on the subject was Clark Heinrich's "Strange Fruit: Alchemy and Religion the Hidden Truth" (since renamed to Magic Mushrooms in Religion and Alchemy) . He makes a very strong case that the fly agaric mushroom is the universal key which is veiled by many religions: The red and white powders of the philosopher's stone, the vedic soma, the Holy Grail (he has interesting pictures where the caps bend upwards and look very much like the grail). He also cites a very long history of "crucified" gods and notes that the fly agaric grows (is crucified to) at the root of trees. Truly a fascinating study and I highly recommend it. *In my opinion the modern "gnostics" take the sexual imagery a little too literally. The "phallic" symbollism is the mushroom stem, and the "vaginal" is the cap. When the mushrooms are extremely ripe, the stem penetrates the cap often symbolised as sexual union by the old alchemists.

Very cool Brian. Thanks for sharing. In the book I mentioned to Adam on Taoist Sorcery he advises using real money.

I've been on his site a few times and was debating picking up some of his books. The ritual books actually look pretty interestingly to me, though not sure I would ever follow through with any of it. Speaking of which, I actually just downloaded a pdf book the other day called Chinese Taoist Sorcery by Min Tzu. It's contains some information which I would call "black" magic, but does contain a wealth of info about Taoist folk beliefs and religion. PM me if you are interested. In regards to internal alchemy have you ever checked out Taoist Yoga by Charles Luk? It's explains things pretty straight forward and is written in the style of a master explaining conecpts to his disciples. I am only about 1/3 of the way through it. But it's filled with gems. Brgds

Yeah defying the "law" of gravity is impossible. So when guys like John Hutchinson do accomplish it, the scientific community labels it an "anomaly" and ignores him. I doubt we will see eye to eye on this Buddy as you seem like a materialist, but I try to remain open minded about spiritual abilities/psi. Most are frauds, but I think some like John Chang are the real deal. It seems like every couple of centuries we think we are at the pinnacle of knowledge, and then something happens to prove how ignorant we really were.

Yes. I Just found it. Qigong for Health: the 5 Element Qigong by Dr. Paul Lam.

Okay. I kind of like Adam West's view. Odds are it is probably fake, but then again who can say for certain. According to the commentator, the camera guys think it's real. It's too bad we couldn't have gotten a better view of the surroundings. As for Chris Angel, I am much more impressed with this shaman. These guys don't have access to high tech gear like ultrathin high capacity wires etc... Also it's well known that Angel's "audience" are often paid actors who are in on the tricks. Brgds!