hugo

I agree with this. As much as I also believe that we are "already Enlightened etc." I don't experience that it goes very deep if we don't realize it completely at all levels of our being, energetic, physical, mental, intellectual etc. Its one thing to say "we are already Enlightened" or ascended or whatever and think it on a purely intellectual level - its a completely different thing to "be" and know it at every level. It's that realization at every level that would let you be aware of everything everywhere. Realization at the intellectual level seems pretty easy where as even just a simple realization at the physical body level such as detaching the mind's reaction to pain is pretty profound. Training the body to realize that its just pure energy and can pass through walls would indicate a highly developed level of mind that has permeated into the body. It would indicate a mind that is able to transcend beliefs and illusions so whether this mind is applied to gaining other powers etc or to shed Karma, beliefs, illusion its going to be a damn fine tool to do so.

Thanks James. Funny that you mention the Jhanas as I've just recently been looking into stuff by Acharn Brahm on Jhana practice. Enlightenment primarily through the intellectual channel though is an interesting and new concept for me. I used to think that it wasn't possible but I'm now thinking, "why not"?

Old thread, but just thought I'd add my 2 cents. Almost finished reading this book and its a good read, Byron definitely seems to me to be someone who has done a lot of work on herself. Interesting to me is that it seems like she accesses a pretty deep level of emptiness cultivation initiated through intellectual self-inquiry. I never really thought much of these sorts of methods in the past but I have to admit that there's something here that works for me and complements my own practice.

So does anyone know whether Max will coming to Australia this year? Any idea on dates?

I just had water during the day and started eating at around 5 or 6 pm. Vegetable/fruit juices during the day is like what I do not except I also eat some solid fruits and I take some herbs and teas also. I'm not trying to lose weight as I'm already pretty lean, it's more of a mental and energy balance thing for me.

I did the warrior diet for 6 months and felt really aggressive like I was ready to hunt or fight - like a warrior basically. Didn't really suit my lifestyle. The anabolic diet really didn't make me feel physically good with all that animal fat. I just felt greasy inside. What suits me best now is raw foods/juices before 5pm and then a light hot meal for dinner.

I started with Goenka too and I'd highly recommend it. I've done Vipassana retreats in other styles and places but the Goenka ones have got a structure that works best for me. The noble silence is really beneficial too. I think you would almost get the same retreat no matter what country you were in. The first retreat I did I remember being very humbled at the end of the 10 days realizing that I had only scratched the surface of myself, but it gave me something solid to work with for my home practice and after the retreats, 2 hours of meditation a day felt like nothing. I've also found Vipassana to be an excellent complement to the neigong that I practice which is similar to the dissolving method that B.K. Frantzis teaches and if a part doesn't dissolve, well "anicca" right? lol. During the retreats I found that I had a lot of visions, "lights," sounds and a lot of my energy centers seemed to be stimulated. The stock standard response from teachers is to "be equanimous, no attachment, observe without reaction." I also noticed that any colds I had would clear up very quickly, even for me. Vipassana is really good at letting go of stuff. In a way that's all it really is. My friend had ezcema all her life and it left and never came back after her retreat. Another friend had her warts go away. I met a guy who decided to go cold turkey from heroin by coming to a retreat. It's funny because the aim of Vipassana as they keep saying is to "accept reality as it is, not as you want it to be" but I was thinking that perhaps similar to what Louise Hayes says when the body is "listened" to the issues resolve themselves and release. Funny because now that I think of it, Vipassana has "healed" far more of my issues than energy work, qigong or Reiki ever has. So my own feeling is that there is a lot of energetic balancing that is automatically going on in Vipassana. It's just that getting consciously involved or attached to the balancing (in Vipassana) ends up being counter productive.

Vipassana has brought me a lot of peace that I never got from energy cultivation styles, I mix the two now and enjoy the health benefits of qigong but I feel that Vipassana still goes A LOT deeper for me. I've gotten a little bit out of Bodhri's and Nan's books but a little too much filler for my liking and too much time spent denigrating other styles.

Yeah I figured the deafening silence to mean that perhaps the Australian plans had gone kaput. Last I heard he was going to be coming out here in Feb.

Is there much of a different between Quantum Touch and Matrix Energetics?

I for one appreciate the review Hundun. You're saying what you need to say and if that requires being critical then so be it. I'm still keen to see Max when he comes out but I appreciate have a more well rounded view and you've helped to provide this. Thanks.

I interested for sure.

I'm Melbourne too. I might have to get up to Sydney one of these days, there are a couple of good teachers up there I'm interested in meeting. I'd adding Master Dong Yang to the list now.

Well after a review like that, bring on the world tour. When's this guy getting to Australia?

This is interesting. I've never done kunlun, but I've always had spontaneous movements in my meditation. I always just thought it was energy sorting itself out - may be it is. Teachers/forummers etc, that I've asked about it always kind of just ignored me - I guess they didn't know either.

So...can anyone else comment on whether the book is a practical type book or more of a story?

So for those of us who can't get over to the U.S. does the book contain usable techniques that would get us very far into actually experiencing much?

Has anyone had a session or classes with this daoyin teacher? Any comments on your experience? http://www.daoyintherapy.com.au/

Thanks Mat. Do you think that for someone without any obvious health issues that I'd feel a major difference from a therapy session? Or would you recommend the classes? Also what's the deal with "may attain supernormal strength?" Thanks mate.

I'm not so experienced at tai chi, my teacher was more of a Bagua man so the stuff he threw in of Tai Chi seemed to have those sorts of influences. He had me doing RouShou and push-hands right off the bat though because the study group was primarily martial. Someone else PMed me a link for www.peterwutaichi.com - looks interesting and is in Burwood which is just around the bend from me. Hmm does anyone know if Erle Montaigue has any students down here?

One of the guys top student's Stephen Co has a book "your hands can heal you" which covers pretty much everything you do in the course - it may be easier to connect to the energy of it at the seminar but the book is pretty good and for 20 bucks well worth it I reckon.

Good to meet you too neimad! and I'm glad to hear that you've got results - that of course is the main thing. As to my own experience I was dedicated as far as meditating everyday, twice a day(at least) for the year. I came into Higher Balance because one of the coaches there told me that what I would experience here would blow all other experiences that I had had out of the water. Pretty big statement. Eric himself said that 2 months is a long time to experience nothing profound - so who is talking about "magic pills." I got a "scholarship" too but I've also paid my dues over the time I've been involved with them. At the end of the day though it is about results. I'm glad you got what you wanted - personally I've got far more from other material. The last time I spoke to my coach she said that to be honest many people who experience energy or a quietening of the babbler call it profound. For me after 20 years of dedicated meditation the babbler is no longer a problem. But as you say perhaps my ego is getting stuck - at 30 I'm already feeling the arthritis kicking in It is good to know 1 person who has achieved beneficial results from higher balance. I'm not actually out to put them down for the sake of it - I'm simply critical because of others and my own experiences. At the end of the day the more people and groups we have promoting the exploration of spirit the better for all IMO. My main encouragement would be for people to try out some other methods too. I'm familiar with the martial artists analogy - I've practiced an assortment continuously since I was 5 and have seen friends and family drop off, come back in and expect continuous results. Meditation is different - at least in my experience. Vipassana had me experiencing my body and mind at the sub atomic level after about 3 days. Gnostic practices had me astral projecting after 3 weeks. Robert Bruces NEW system is almost too effective if not used to his guidelines. The higher balance stuff is good - but basic. In my experience many people have not received any results at all from these method but very profound experiences from other methods. Perhaps it's just apples and oranges. It has been admitted to me that no one has even come close to having any of the experiences that Eric has. Interestingly this is also common in martial arts. I'll leave my reasoning for why I think this happens. But I will say that there are method schools out there where this does not occur. Vipassana is one. Robert Bruces methods, Gnostic stuff - Chia's and Winn's stuff is pretty effective when practiced diligently.

I worked with higher balance for about a year - went through many of their add on modules and coaching - the stuff is good on an intellectual level - but there is a fair bit of marketing going on there. They make big promises are keen on using statements like "profound results" and "secrets" and "revolutionary" when what they are basically selling in the foundation is 3 dan tien meditation. To this day I haven't actually met a single person who has actually achieved any result beyond energy building from the higher balance stuff. This isn't a bad thing in itself but it gets me when people try to sell "enlightenment" or experiencing "god" in easy lessons or a couple of weeks. I guess having been led down the garden path many times in the past has given me a bit of a chip towards groups like these. In my opinion the gnostic web people provide more realistic methods for mental projection and "spiritual" experiences and they're free.

I've read on this site that the keysound is basically the heart sound. Could anyone describe the way it is applied? Is it sounded sub-vocally? and is it basically trying to focus the energy at the heart chakra area? Hugo

Thanks guys - I'll give it a try.