Creation

fiveelementtao, GF is indeed a cool practice. That mudra was the first mudra that I really felt the power of. Thank you for the very thorough response.

The focus is not different, it is nei gong: cultivating the free flow of chi throughout the body, especially the central channel, dan tien and later the mco and dai mai. It also cultivates concentration and awareness. The different parts are practiced in a circular way, until all can be integrated into each breath, so it is not a bunch of different "additions" cobbled together. Have you listened to and practiced from the CDs in question? It seems to me that you haven't, even though you assured me you knew what you were talking about.

LOL...I was one of the first participants in that thread. But as far as people practicing it, Pietro, Slopy Zhang, and myself are the only current forum regulars that have in been doing this stuff for a while, and you are the only new one I know of. I was very happy to see that you were so pleased with the stuff that I have come to know and love.

Hi Mal. I was listening to Sonnon on "Secrets of Qigong Masters" and he said something interesting. He said that Indian and Chinese breathing methods spread to Russia, and evolved into folk methods for health called zdroye (apparently that is Russian for heath). Then the Soviets took this knowledge and applied scientific methods to it all to systematize it, and that is what Sonnon says he learned in Russia, which he now teaches in his materials.

Scotty, The product I think is better for breathing than YJM's stuff is the 2 CD set Taoist Breathing for Chi Gung and Meditation. The practice I got from Dr. Yang's DVD was one small piece of what is in Frantzis' CDs, yet I can think of loads of things that are in Frantzis' material but were not in Dr. Yang's DVD's, notably almost everything about involving the physical and emotional aspects of breathing. That is the reason for my opinion. But I have not read the book, so maybe I am in error? Please share with me essential point of practice or insight from Dr. Yang's book that was not in Frantzis' CDs. I would be happy for one as knowledgeable as yourself to instruct me. Best wishes, Tyler

Of course I don't. Do you?

I think this is worth checking out, and I am the only one who has mentioned it around here: http://www.damo-qigong.net/qigong/course.html It looks to be a GOLD MINE for those who wish to get started on authentic nei dan. I have major respect for Hu Xuezhi. Maybe when I get the money and get in a position to practice it I'll be the one to get it and tell you guys how it is. Also, I often wonder why more people don't give B.K. Frantzis' stuff a chance. For example, his material on breathing is absolutely top notch, but people don't know that and keep recommending Yang Jwing-Ming's embryonic breathing stuff, which IMHO is vastly inferior. Interesting and valuable as far as it goes, but not nearly as good for getting results.

I've been wondering about Golden Flower for a while. The only thing the book said for golden flower was the mudra. Is there a mental aspect of the practice, i.e. what is one to do with the mind when holding the mudra? Also, should the practice be done immediately before or after the spontaneous practice and/or close-down, or perhaps completely separately?

The story I remember is that Kunlun level 1 is the same as Yi Gong level 1. Jenny did not teach Max (or anyone) the higher level(s) of Yi Gong. If you don't recognize levels 2 and 3 as being from the Lum lineage, I wonder where they came from?

Blasto, Thank you for sharing this. -Tyler

The question then becomes how does a student become ready if he is not ready yet? From the transmissions I have received (for which I am very grateful) the impression I get is that I am not ready.

heavenlygong, This is really saddening. I'm so sorry this happened. I can tolerate people around here fighting with words, as annoying and juvenile as it is. But psychic attacks? That is disgusting. I was looking forward to listening in on your interaction with ShaktiMama, and perhaps even interacting with you a bit myself. If you ever read this, I wish you all the best. -Tyler

Susan, Thank you for the encouragement. It means a lot to me. -Tyler

durkhrod, I know you said you can't give more clues, but I really wonder about something. You say stay away from Mt. Wudang, but you seem to respect the Bee Daoist, and I gathered that he lives on Wudang. So, what gives? Dao Zhen had some funny stories about how tourist centered the place had become, but that doesn't mean there aren't high level people there (Bee Daoist being a case-in-point). As far as I'm concerned the question is not will you find a fully accomplished immortal that will teach you there (as you say, that is yuanfen anyway), but can you get better instruction in authentic Taoism there than anywhere in the West?

LOL... If you could describe my attempts at practice in a word it would be 'resistant'. Filled to the brim with negativity of all flavors, the rigor mortis of having sat-chit-ananda all but blotted out by powerful Vasanas. How can such a one proceed in his practice?

http://www.umaatantra.com/tantra_articles/...r_exercise.html

-Zhuangzi

From the standpoint of mathematical physics, the golden ratio is a very natural geometric construction and to have it pop up randomly is no surprise. What is really surprising is the appearance of E8, the largest exceptional Lie group. When mathematicians first started thinking about symmetry in an abstract way, they decided to try to classify all symmetries of continuous objects, starting with the building blocks for the others. Many were well known, like the rotation groups. But there were a handful of "exceptional" groups that had no pattern to them. The largest of these was called E8. It's the kind of thing that a mathematician discovers and thinks "there is no way this will ever have a practical application." But here it is in an actual physical system. Mind blowing! Actually, here is a textbook example of irresponsible science journalism: I looked into it and the experiments have not definitively proved the connection to E8, because there are 8 quasiparticles they would have to observe to establish that and they have only observed the first few. Ugh. Well, it looks promising.

The only in-site review I've seen: http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=116132 One of Master Hu's long-time students used to post here: http://www.thetaobums.com/dao-zhen-m8508.html He always struck me as a genuine Wayfarer: virtuous, knowledgeable, very dedicated to his cultivation practice. I always thought that reflected very well on Master Hu.

Does it irk you when you can't arrange things in whatever order you'd like? Do you prefer cycles which are not boundaries to loops that can't be shrunk to a point? If so, maybe you've picked the right name. But are you a group, extension, integral, function, variety, or category?

I'm afraid I've only heard of the form. Frantzis is not offering any seminars on it that I know, and hasn't published any books on it. In his system it is taught after the form Marriage of Heaven and Earth, and he doesn't offer too many seminars on that in the first place. Frantzis' site: http://www.energyarts.com/ Bend the Bow http://www.energyarts.com/Energy-Arts-Syst...ung/Qigong.html Marriage of Heaven and Earth http://www.energyarts.com/Energy-Arts-Syst...ung/Qigong.html Some of his senior students teach it more regularly. Anyone listed with level 2 certification in Marriage of Heaven and Earth should know it. http://www.energyarts.com/Directory/Browse...ng-Level-2.html A google search turned this up: http://www.taoist-arts.com/html/chi_kung.html It was the most promising lead I found. Good luck.

Jess, Thanks for the fascinating read. The part about your experience with groups A and C especially. It's always nice to have a reality check if you find yourself idealizing those who are said to represent a philosophy you respect. The traditionalists of the West think their philosophies are best and only see the bad in the philosopies of others, likewise with the traditionalists of the East. By the way, This is quite a big statement you've made. Have you hear of B.K. Frantizis's Bend the Bow Spinal Chi Gung? It is level two of his form The Marriage of Heaven and Earth. I have wondered about a comparison of this with XSZ for a while.