mYTHmAKER

Not at all. The uncentered and unsteady need all the help they can get.

I originally posted this under "cool quote on benefits of stretching" I think it got lost - not quite fitting in the thread- so am reposting Thanks to Yoda I investigated Bob Cooleys Meridian stretching. Have been doing it for about a month. I bought the book and DVD. Well let me tell you this is the greatest system I have ever tried. In less than one week I was able to do the hero pose supta virasansa where my shoulders are about one inch off the floor. Before I started I could hardly get my elbows to touch the floor. BTW this is not one of the stretches at this level. I do the stretches and then try some poses to see if anything happened. My palms now touch the floor when I'm standing bending over. I do have to say that I made my greatest gain in the first week. At some point I will try the next level of stretches. When I finish the routine I feel like I'm really in my body and have a sense of well being. Before investigating Bob Cooley I tried yin yoga. I found a class and attended one session to get the basics. Twelve positions five minutes each. I did it most every day for about a month. From time to time I use these postures. Nice but for now I'm sticking with Bob.

When I am centered and steady where ever I am is the best spot.

I am not a natural asana master. I had to work hard for my stretch. I do have excellent balance though. I started at beginner maybe a month. Then I went to intermediate. I do them every day. I kept some of the beginners such as the 4 corner balance and one of the shoulder swings as I need some healing in that area - I still do the beginner shoulder as an addition for healing. Don't remember when i started the advanced. At that point I dropped the other two 4 corner balances. I can do most of the advanced fairly well. I added one or two of the masters level such as the 4 corner with bouncing (sometimes) and one or two of the spinal rocks as I am tight in my hips. I will probably go to the masters in about a month or so. See how it goes. The idea as far as i understand it is to start at the beginning as different levels do different things. Haven't done the extension clubbells yet. I did check them out. I have to find the time to work on them.

I was taught the best pendulum is wood painted black hung from string. All the various stones, metals etc cause interference - have their own vibrations.

Has Jeffrey reached that level? If not he might know someone who has.

Not really - but thanks for the vote of confidence

You shouldn't be in any pain if you do it correctly. I did hurt myself once as I didn't tense my muscle properly. The cd is a must and it is only $20 here in the US. I don't do them as often as I'd like to because of time and other practices. Sometimes I just work on a few stretches. I feel they have increased my stretch and I do feel good after - a sense of well being. This winter has been devoted to into flow - am now at the advanced level. I also supplement with yin yoga. At some point I will alternate days.

Darin you've put a lot of work and effort into this. I would seek out a Taoist priest or practitioner of the Golden Flower for advice. Not to stir up any hard feelings I seriously doubt that anyone on this forum is in a position to give advice in this matter. Advice usually is given from the point of view of the giver without the seekers experience. Advice should be given from similiar experience and as far as I can guess no one here has been in your situation. Remember you have achieved a lot - more than most of us. So don't be hasty and throw it away and don't be hard on yourself. I for one am impressed.

Shame on you

Not to burst your bubble but take a look at accomplished yogis. Swami Satchadananda comes to mind - long flowing beautiful gray hair. Iyengar also comes to mind. BTW the shoulder stand is a good practice in and of itself.

Siddha is the teacher.

Very interesting. What is your source. Is there a book.

Here is an an online petition, Mandatory Almond Pasteurization is WRONG!!!. http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/mandat...n-is-wrong.html Now the government is messing with raw almonds? This is outrageous!

Agreed it should be natural. This was the first time I had ever heard it described this way with the underside rather than the top of the tongue touching the palette. Thanks for the info

Here is an an online petition, Mandatory Almond Pasteurization is WRONG!!!. http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/mandat...n-is-wrong.html Now the government is messing with raw almonds? This is outrageous!

The joke is on all of those who believe they aren't going to get sick and or die, (I speak from experience - I have been reincarnated many many times.) or that there is a practice or something that will keep them from the natural course of things. This is the natural occurance in this world. Of course they say there is some Baba in the Hymalayas who is 500 years old but no one has seen him. Hmm makes you wonder. Qi gong ( I include tai chi and the other internal arts) will enhance your chances of being happier i.e healthier until you get sick and die. Now if you smoke and drink, eat poorly and do all other sorts of no no's what can you expect. Qi gong isn't going to save you.

oops!

cult

You might get your wish when you join him and the rest of the immortals

Yes that's what I do. It is slightly back of the teeth - natural. I thought he was on to something. Rolling the tongue makes the bottom of the tongue touch the roof of the mouth which doesn't feel right. He should change it for the next printing.

evZENy since both you and forestofsouls study in Master Liao's school I was wondering if you could clarify something for me. Below is a question I sent to Wayson Laos site. I never received an answer. Thanks Hello Webmaster. Could you please forward this to Waysun Liao Dear Waysun Liao, I am reading your book T'AI CHI classics and find it most interesting and informative. I have a question regarding the tongue position. In generating ch'i you say to roll the tongue upward toward the back of the mouth. The would mean the underside of the tongue is touching the roof of your mouth. Is this correct? While playing the form you say the tongue is rolled back touching the upper palate. Would this mean the underside of the tongue is touching your palate? Is the tongue position the same in both cases? I have always been under the impression that the top of the tongue touches the palate just behind the teeth. Please explain. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I would say there is no self to lose and no true self to find. You cannot attain what you already have. So there

Keeping your nose aligned you bend at the qua - your back as vertical as possible. It would be similiar to squatting in front of a wall. This will help with proper alignment.

What you are using is a plumb line. - A cord with a weight attached to one end used to determine perpendicularity, to determine the vertical from a given point. A pendulum is a body suspended from a fixed point so as to move to and fro by the action of gravity. In this case you are adjusting your body the plumb line doesn't move. One can also suspend a plumbline from the ceiling and practice squatting keeping your nose a lined with the cord. Make sure your knees go back as in sitting and not forward.