Cameron

I did a Feng Shui class with David Twicken years ago. Nice guy, he has a very laid back approach to Taoist practice. I remember asking him that I heard if you get a good level at Taoist alchemy you can sort of 'overcome' these astrological influences to a degree. And so wouldn't time be better spent cultivating and not worrying about astrology. He agreed yes but we need all the help we can get! Nice answer. I think he also said that in his view the spiritual awakening of Buddhism and Immortality of Taoism were the same thing. Just different paths to the same mountain top. I know others views might differ in regard.

The best thing I have ever read on this site

Actually, I am not a good resource regarding practicing with or without transmission. Occassionally, I ponder how my practice would look without it. But I can't say. I believe I practiced a couple times from the book before my first seminar and got benefit. But afterwards it was a different species In any case, I think it's long overdue for me to pay respect to my Japanese teachers and display some restraint in talking about my spiritual practice. Plenty of smart people here to give good feedback

My pleasure. There has been enough said on these things already. And I have said enough here but I do enjoy hearing about people who have benefitted from Kunlun. I don't really have an opinion about if you need the transmission or don't. From what Max has said you need to see him once. Can you get Red Phoenix without the transmission? Who knows? But why mess around when Max is still teaching publically? I would go for it to see him. Good luck on your path

I don't practice Zen anymore but one of my favorite sayings from Master Dogen. Dogen returned to Japan, he said, "I have come back empty-handed. I have realized only that the eyes are horizontal and the nose is vertical." From this empty clarity came the great Soto sect.

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Red Phoenix isn't just the technique. Frankly, I don't think it would be much to tell someone how to do Red Phoenix. I think a similar meditation is taught in other systems. Red Phoenix is all about the transmission. Kunlun/Yigong takes care of itself. You don't need anything to get a good level at that practice. I respect Max's desire for the facilitator program to get the practice out there. I am sure that there are some capable facilitators. But to be honest, I wouldn't bother getting Red Phoenix from anyone but Kan or Max. If your serious about doing Kunlun I would just practice on your own and save up to see Max in person. I am going to see Kan in Tokyo in April, can't wait! Best, Cameron

I think this post might be a long time coming. It's almost a seperate religious or sociological study. But those of us who have spent time in the Taoist tradition over the years online have seen it again and again. Why is there so much disrespect in the Taoist traditon? First it might be better to phrase the question "Why is there so much disrespect in students of the Taoist tradition?" Pretty much a consistent string I have seen over the years is a sort of superiority complex people into Tao develop about their teachers. Actually, someone just recently highlited the issue in a recent post saying "My teacher can beat up your teacher." But I think the issue runs deeper than that .And rather than resorting to immaturity or anger I would like to take a critical, objective look at this issue. I am sure everyone will have excellent feedback and a different perspective. Here are 4 main reasons I can think of. 1. Taoists tend to work heavily with sexual energy. For men, this excess sexual energy can become volitile and unbalanced and then express itself in an unbalanced or angry way. 2. It's a Chinese cultural issue. Chinese test and challenge eachother as part of their culture. Disrespecting and insulting another school has some sort of cultural significance. Students of Chinese teachers perhaps pick up these bad habits from their teacher. 3. Taoism has a strong connection to martial artists. What do many martial artists like to do? Fight! Very simple(Though I like to think more evolved martial artists go beyond the ego, that is really a high level, we all have ego, as martial artist myself I can relate to this). 4. It's an American issue. Most high level Taoist Masters are perhaps not disrespectful. It is the western students who learn from "The Real Taoist Master" and then brag about how great their teacher and lineage is and their teacher or lineage is far better than someone elses. I will say I have not heard any disrespect from two Taoist teachers I have met, Ken Cohen and Max Christenson. In the 2 times I have met both of them their behavior and integrity was to be admired and both seem to have integrated energy practices and good behavior and virtue. I am sure other people have had positive experiences with Taoist teachers that don't have a disrespectful tone so I will add a 5th possible reason. 5. It all has to do with the mode of communication(internet) and people would be less disrespectful if face to face.

I felt that there were a couple more things that wanted to be said here. And I feel everything has now been said for me. I have been reflecting a little this past week on the karma of Tao Bums. I think that Sean is a great guy. And it must have been destiny for him to create this place. Sean was kind enough to send me Liu Mings recent Year of the Dragon talk. Which is really excellent. http://www.dayuancircle.com/ming.htm I would have ordered it myself but can't with my Chinese debit card. I highly reccommend it. So much great wisdom on topics like Religion, politics and spiritual practices. As well as the future and how the Chinese view these things. Wish you all the best!

I like cats. Unfortunately, they are one of the only things that I am terribly allergic to! Thus, I am a dog person by default. And well, I really love dogs!

His knowledge is pretty vast. I don't know how they do it now. But when I was going to the weekend seminars they would always do a friday evening talk. You can vibe out if it's right for you or not if they do that.

Muchos gracias, The challenge is not in not drinking itself. But more the social aspect. Feeling comfortable hanging out at a party or a bar where everyone is drinking. It will be the year of virgin pina colodas for me lol.

I don't study Magic myself. Max would know the answer to your question. He knows all about Egyptian practices and teaches them.

Cool, I enjoy drinking sometimes it just feels right for me to do this. Anyway I have abused my liver enough! lol

Hi Serene Blue, Max wrote that you shouldn't mix Kunlun with other stuff. And personally, I think the Kunlun system would give the average cultivator everything she wants. But it's ok to mix in other stuff if you want. The big no no is mixing something like Kundalini Yoga or practices that are considered fire paths to awakening. Kunlun is the downward flow. So doing a fire practice and water practice together don't jive. Best, Cameron

Good stuff. This will be really good I think. Now, if I can quit this smoking habit I have picked up I think I will be set!

As a boost to my practices, I have decided to take the rest of 2012 off drinking. Anyone care to join me?

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I like the singing idea If you guys were here in Beijing we would go to K TV(singing room) have a few beers and sing the night away. And we would all get along very well I am sure. Don't worry, the old timers know me well enough, you might see me back on in a year or two. Ok, no more logging on lol for me haha

Thanks for your kind words Personally, I don't think you guys are negative. However, I do think the medium being used is extremely limited in it's scope and can be a very poor substitute for real human interactions. I think it is good for some things but something definetly gets lost in translation trying to express ones deepest spiritual values over a computer screen. I am not saying it's bad. Just not the real thing. In any case, I suspect Taobums will be around for awhile which is a good thing. I hope some good merit comes of it and it can actually be of some service to people and not a place to argue. And if any bums are in Beijing drop me message I'll check in from time to time. *bow*

Exactly. What is doing ones best? A constant question to ask(or not). Perhaps you could say it is your karma not only what you do but what you think that is good. Hitler doing his best and Buddha doing his best are not the same thing exactly.

I don't really see anything bad about selling a product that could help peoples sex life. I used to be really into Ron Teeguarden's Dragonherbs years ago which sells high quality Chinese formulas to nourish the 3 treasures jing, qi and shen. Plato's marketing is different then Teeguarden's, but that's fine. He is most likely going to attract a different client with that approach and my guess is that is what he wants anyway. It's not hurting anyone so not sure it could be considered anti-Buddhist. Perhaps not what a serious Buddhist or Taoist cultivator wants but the serious cultivator will already have deeply studied and gone into these things themselves. Verified for themself whether it is good for them or bad for them. And simply would be at the level to distinguish if it is helpful or not to their own practice and lifestlye.