Todd

I can second the Lingzhi recommendation. Its also known as Ganoderma and Reishi. Note that my experience with it is rather limited (about 10 days), but I have noticed as significant effect, especially in terms of my meditation, skin and sleep. I've looked it up in a couple Materia Medicas: The traditional functions are: 1) to nourish the Heart and calm the spirit, 2)Tonifies the Lung Qi, transforms phlegm and stops coughs and wheezing, 3) Tonifies Qi and Blood. It has a neutral temperature and so can be taken long term without throwing the physiology out of whack. The only traditional caution is that it should not be used for patients with excess conditions (i.e. acute illness, such as a cold or fever). It was listed in the original Materia Medica way back when as the premier tonic herb in the Chinese phamacopeia, more highly rated than ginseng. There has been some research done on it (mostly in China), which I don't have in front of me, but if memory serves, it is being studied for its anticancer effect (there is some Western interest in this), it is used to treat autoimmune disorders in China and Japan, it lowers cholesterol in people with high cholesterol, it has some sort of protective effect on the liver, and it if taken for ten days before going to high altitude, it helps to prevent altitude sickness. My guess is that this mushroom yields the best effects to someone who is cultivating. At least my experience is that it potentiates the effects of meditiation, and this is where I've been noticing the largest change. I'm taking a hot water/alcohol extract of the fruiting body (what we'd call the mushroom). A lot of products use the mycelium, which is somewhat like the roots, or else merely ground up mushroom. I can't speak to the effectiveness of either the mycelium or spores, but the historical tradition that I refered to above, as well as the more modern research is based almost entirely upon hot water decoction, or alcohol/hot water extraction. Ideally I'd be using only hot water extract, but the Mushroom Science brand seems to be best bang for the buck that I've found. Obviously, there is a lot I don't know about this, but it might be worth looking into.

Welcome Lucioeso, I can't really answer your question, but I can sympathize. I was standing an average of three hours a day for about 6 months, though this was broken up into two sessions. I might still be doing this if there were fewer demands on my time. However, the fact that you are asking the question is one sign that you might be standing too much. If you want to spend that much time cultivating and feel that it is too much standing, you might consider adding some movement. You also might mix up the postures: some lying down, some sitting, some walking. I think it is definitely possible to become unbalanced by focusing on one practice, though it may also be just the thing for you at a given time. Only you can say. Todd

Ryan, Here's a link to the opening pages of a book that describe a couple've practices that might be right up your alley. I haven't done the first one much, though if I were intensely trying to be celibate I would. I have been doing the massage practice after standing and I have noticed a very significant difference in the length of time I can go without feeling presure to ejaculate. It also has cosmetic benefits for the skin around the eyes, though you're probably not worried about that right now. Also I second Owl's comments about forcing the issue, though to each their own. Todd

Dao, Yeah, how I relate to others (and hence to myself) has definitely been a sticking point for me, and is likely the source of much of the physical stuff I'm dealing with now. One thing that I'm exploring right now is recognizing how little I really know about the person with whom I am interacting. Throwing away the stories that I usually associate with a person creates so much more room in the interaction and opprotunities to be pleasantly surprised. Also, if I have a bad experience with someone, I don't repeat it to myself as a story and so I am prepared to react positively to anything positive that might unfold. I'm still free to react to the negative things, but they don't stick around so much. It also helps with not attaching to good experiences, which I think is just as destructive as attaching ot negative ones. Its something of a never-ending exploration.

Perhaps you should consider spending some more time at just that point. We tend to do whatever we can to avoid that place, such as building up new worldviews "that hold up to argument", but underneath even these are more unexamined assumptions. Maybe just try to let all that go. Just be in the void, since thats where we already are. Just recognize it. Can be scary yes, and I can't say that I've recognized it in fullness, but just give it try. You are already doing it every moment that you aren't actively telling yourself something about the world. What do we REALLY know? I thnk you've looked deep enough to see that the answer to that is not much, maybe nothing. I'm just guessing, but perhaps admiting unresolvable uncertainty is better than the alternatives that you are exploring. It doesn't mean that unfolding does not continue, there's just a little less juice to illusion. Whatever that means.

When I was researching theanine awhile back, I ran into some really interesting stuff about it making some types of chemotherapy more effective and reducing side effects. The types that have been studied (though only in mice-- no human studies) are doxorubicin, cisplatin, idarubicin and irinotecan. Caffeine has a similar effect, and since theanine also reduces the side effects of caffein (jitteriness), they likely work well together, though this specifically has not been studied (to my knowledge). Here are a few sites I found ina quick search. This one focuses on theanine and chemo, good overview. This one is more general on theanine, some chemo stuff. This is an abstract from one of the research papers. I'm no expert, and have no idea what type of chemo your freind will be taking, but it looks worth looking into. Also, here is an abstract from a recent study on the benefits of zhanzhuang (standing meditation) on the immune system of patients receiving adjunctive chemotherapy.

Yoda, Not to split hairs, but I would call shaking more of jing practice than a qi practice. Not that I'm sure what that really means.. hehe... ahem. Well anyway, I say that because I do a lot of standing. The only problem that I've had with standing is perhaps that I haven't included enough movement to avoid stagnation. My lack of difficulty with standing is probably because it suits my condition quite nicely, since I've had a strong tendency towards deficiency in recent years. I also emphasize emptiness more than any energetic sensations. Shaking feels very different from standing. With standing emptiness is coupled with body awareness and increasing energy. It has had a pretty powerful effect on my immune system, with colds being very rare, and allergies disappearing. It has not affected the material level of my body very much however. Shaking went directly for the material. It literally shook things up and got them moving, and seemed to be producing the jing that allows such material changes to occur. With my general state of material deficinecy though, it seems that I have to be very careful with shaking. Strong medicine. Good thoughts on cross training though. I heartily agree. I've been moving more towards this type of practice recently. Its easy to get out of balance grabbing onto just one thing and thinking it will take one somewhere. Treena, I generally don't try to do much of anything with my energy. Its a quirk of mine. If I can't do it formlessly, I tend not to do it. When I was taught shaking though, my teacher emphasized the importance of sending stagnant energy out through the feet after shaking. I did that just to be consistent with what I was taught and I still had the same sort of reactions. The heel drop exercise sounds interesting. Thanks for calling that to my attention. I'll probably incorporate that if I start shaking again. Todd

I'm not sure if anybody is interested in this, but just thought I'd follow up with recent experiences. It turns out that increasing negative feelings from shaking every day weren't just a hump that I needed to pass over, but were actual calls to rest. I got a pretty clear message from my body, but I was like, "This is an experiment, I want to be sure" and shook another day. Now I'm sure. I'm a bit disappointed since this is by far the best bang for the buck physical practice that I have come across. I could shake for five to ten minutes followed by significantly longer periods of standing meditation and notice pretty damatic effects on my strength, movement and general vitality. These effects did come at a price, and I found myself on a rollercoaster of aches and negative emotions, which would break open into an increasing sense of strength. It would take 2-4 days to recover. But during those days I would get pretty low, much lower than I have been since I started meditating, the kind've low where I didn't want to run into people because I felt my low energy would drag them down. Stringing days together without rest and being hit like a ton of bricks has me turned off of shaking right now. I am not sure if I will take up this practice again. I may build up to it with other movement exercises and Chinese medicine. If I do start again, I will be very conservative for awhile. Maybe once a week. I want to feel good more often than not. Sometimes a diet of all bitter becomes, well... bitter. Maybe I should change my signature quote to something sweeter.

This site has many interesting programs that one can download and try for free. They take into account both latitude and longitude, and generate comprehensive analyses of one's results. Exploring one of these programs did bring up an interesting dilemma though. It has to do with time zones. The program I used has us express anything west of GMT as a positive number, wheras the time zones generated by most time zone calculators express those same time zones as negative numbers. Its just a switch of point of view-- are we adding time to where we are to get GMT time, or are we subtracting from GMT to get our time? The thing is that the first chart generator that Sean posted a link to gives the same results using the positive time zones as the program I linked to above. This doesn't affect the animals but it does affect the stars for some reason. To make things a bit more uncertain, one the links posted above explaining Zi wei dou shu states that one should just calculate charts based on Beijing time. Insights anyone? I kind've lost interest, but there seems to be a lot to explore for anyone so interested. Todd Oh BTW, thanks for posting the Liu Ming astrology talk Sean. He is very knowledgeable and entertaining when he's not channeling the wolf. I enjoyed it a lot.

Some defining of terms is in order here. If "Taoist study" is refering to the realization of the Tao, and "essence" refers to the most fundamental aspect, then I say no. I think Qi has a lot to do with how the world works, and it is quite mysterious and a perception of it brings together many seeemingly disparate elements in a more tangible way. It is the function of the Tao. But I don't think that having an experience of Qi is fundamentally different from banging my toe against a oddly shaped chair and realizing that it is wider than it seems, or that if I always act the same away around someone, I'll tend to get a similar response. It is just another engagement with form, and in some ways, using the word "Qi" can be a impediment to that engagement. This happens when "Qi" is imparted with the magical ability to confer some form of escape or deliverance. If I can just fully understand this one thing, I'll really have something! That ridiculous. It may be fun to realize more of manifestation, and it may be a natural outgrowth of our integrity in dealing with the world, but it can never really satisfy. Taking one class of experiences out of all experiences and believing that they offer a road out to a better land, is to deny the most fundamental truth and hence to suffer. It may be better to have a conscious relationship with one's striving, because eventually it may become apparent that after all of these practices, nothing fundamental has changed. Sure, I'm healthier; I've had neat experiences; I tend to move with more grace, but has that changed the fact that I want something more? Staying with that perception, that nothing will ever satisfy, is a gateway to truth. 14 We look but don't see it and call it indistinct we listen but don't hear it and call it faint we reach but don't grasp it and call it ethereal three failed means of knowledge we weave into one with no light above with no shade below too fine to be named returning to nothing this is the formless form the immaterial image this is the waxing and waning we meet without seeing its face we follow without seeing its back holding onto this very Way we rule this very realm and discover its ancient past this is the thread of the Way "three failed means to knowledge" I love that line. Keep alive with that.

I often find myself using "formless" as a designation for aspects of the world through which truth comes. It is a pointer to something which cannot be described. Based upon that definition, ultimately, everything is formless. Of course this includes form. As someone for whom this is not apparent at all times, I find the concept of formlessness helpful. I have noticed that the more formless a practice the more powerful it is for me, though this is somewhat like saying the greener something is the more green it is. Everything that can be observed has form. This includes "realized beings" and their teachings. It becomes a question of how much we rely on those observable aspects in our relationship with the teacher or teaching. How much does our relationship with them bring a recognition of what always is, and how much does it distract us? The key factor seems to be not so much what the exernal form is, as whether I am following my integrity when I interact with it. I like formlessness, so when I am being honest with myself, I gravitate towards formless things. If there is not some degree of formlessness in the things that I do, it stands to reason that I might not be being totally honest with myself. Is this movement in any way universal? Who knows? Its just a way I move in the world, and perhaps not for long. It is much nicer when formlessness only comes up in conversation.

As far as black sesame seeds go, according to Bensky (3rd edition), they are sweet with neutral temperature. they enter the Kindney, Liver and Large Intestine channels. They nourish and tonify Liver and Kidney yin. They nourish the Blood and extinguish Wind (problems with headaches and dizziness, esp. when dizziness gets worse wtih activity). They also moisten and lubricate the intestines (constipation). The only contraindication is loose stools. Commentary on the Divine Husbandman's Classic of Materia Medica says that it is "harmonious in nature and flavor, neither hot nor cold; it is an excellent food that augments Spleen and Stomach, and tonifies the Liver and Kidneys." Also if you know any nursing mothers with insufficient lactation, you might suggest they eat some. Not so sure about how preparing them for tahini might change things. Bensky does mention that they are usually dry-fried to increase their tonifying properties. Todd

Have you read this book yet? Were there any insights for you? Your post inspired me to start shaking again. It is still early going, but the cyclic aches and negative emotions that I described to you as symptoms of recovery are seeming to be yet another example of what I am beginning to think of as the "activation energy" of a practice. I recently also stopped regular meditation for about a month and restarting reminded me of the hill of negative effects that I have to climb for a few days before all of the beautiful aspects of the practice really start to shine. With this in mind, I decided to shake for a short time every day before standing, wether or not I feel "recovered". Like I said, still early going, but today I felt great after shaking, despite feeling really horrible yesterday. This might also have to do with my general tendency toward stagnation, which makes a stagnation busting practice like shaking pretty intense for me. As you can tell, I'm no expert on shaking. I'll keep you posted on things as they progress, and let me know how things are going with you. Todd

I've been reading Red Pine's translation. I like it a lot. Here are three chapters: 1 The way that becomes a way is not the Immortal way the name that becomes a name is not the Immortal name the maiden of Heaven and Earth has no name the mother of all things has a name thus in innocence we see the beginning in passion we see the end two different names for one and the same the one we call dark the dark beyond dark the door to all beginnings 14 We look but don't see it and call it indistinct we listen but don't hear it and call it faint we reach but don't grasp it and call it ethereal three failed means of knowledge we weave into one with no light above with no shade below too fine to be named returning to nothing this is the formless form the immaterial image this is the waxing and waning we meet without seeing its face we follow without seeing its back holding onto this very Way we rule this very realm and discover its ancient past this is the thread of the Way 51 The Way begets them Virtue keeps them matter shapes them usage completes them thus do all things honor the Way and glorify Virtue the honor of the Way the glory of Virtue are not conferred but always so the Way begets and keeps them cultivates and trains them steadies and adjusts them nurtures and protects them but begets without possessing acts without presuming and cultivates without controlling this is called Dark Virtue

Hi Matt, The advice I have consistently come across in the writings of Wang Xiang Zhai and students of his is to breath naturally. I remain grateful for this advice, because the expression of one's natural being is where its at for me, and every method seems at best temporary. Thats not to say that methods have no potential to speed things up in the right person at the right time, but they have never borne out long-term benefit for me. One approach that I came upon fairly early, was to simply recognize that every breath, no matter how halting, is natural. Staying in that recognition, which is more a letting go than an exertion, is the most powerful "technique" that I have ever tried. I ended up trying other techniques since, thinking that perhaps they held more promise, but from my current perspective all of those techniques were a step down from the recognition of natural breath. That said, if you feel drawn to breathing techniques, thats probably what you should do. Todd

Year: Fire Dragon Month: Metal Rat Day: Wood Ox Hour: Fire Ox Inner Element: Wood Constellation: Deer Elements: Wood/1 Fire/2 Earth/5 Metal/2 Water/2 Do you know what the numbers next to the elements represent? Is it relative amounts or something else, because to look at me, the earth element isn't that strong.

I posted an excerpt from a paper I wrote with a couple've other people for a class that covers the modern history of qigong in China in a fairly cursory way. I was trying to fit within space limtiations and to cover required topics, so there are some awkward moments, but it ends with a brief description of the rise and fall of Falun Gong. Todd

Anyone who is interested in Daoist teachers and organizations in the US and Canada and who doesn't mind a scholarly tone, might find this article interesting.

Beautifully said.

I had fairly severe seasonal allergies that went away after I started standing. I wasn't in the midst of symptoms when I started, but by the time allergy season rolled around I had no problems. It also made it very easy for me to stop smoking. However, I know of people who stand who still smoke or who still have allergies, so go figure. I still have back pain, though standing makes it much easier to tolerate.

I was playing around with Long vowel E, Long vowel A, Ahhhh, Oooooo (as in moo), Ummmmmm, all in one breath, sort've running together. I have only done this several times, but it had a profund effect on the time that I was able to sit in one position. I could be in pain and numbness, then do the mantra and it would dissolve (I could feel my toes again), then when I stopped the mantra it would come back. The guy who wrote the book I got it from says that most mantras are more place holders for enlightenment (my paraphrase, which may be totally off base), but this one actually puts you there (though you still have to practice the presence silently). I didn't continue with it, partially due to embarassment, and partially due to a prejudice for the formless.

Hi Cynic, I just got the Red Pine translation a few weeks ago. Still haven't worked through a whole lot of it, but what I have... WOW! Its almost like reading a different work entirely... So fresh. I know what you mean about the amazon backordering.. I was waiting for mine since November... Eventually they said it wasn't gonna happen, so I just got a used (like new) copy... It doesn't have the cool tree on the cover, but whatever. Welcome. Todd