thelerner

Out of advice, other then classic warnings. One of which is Never meet your heroes. The hope is that they recognize you as a kindred spirit who they're longing to take in and teach the secret sacred ways. The reality is you're quickly filed under Annoying Westerner and the more you push, the more likely you're thrown out or sent on an eastern snipe hunt. Solution is as old as time. Find a teacher who's better than you are. Not famous, no books, not an exotic art, not even a master, just a person willing to teach who knows more than you. One who's dedicated decades to his art and is willing to share. While studying keep an eye out for an opportunity to study or take a seminar with someone from WLP's lineage.

Meditation: the peaks, valleys and plateaus.

Tonight the site is loading on my Mac in Chrome And Safari. Yay, and thanks to those beating the Machines into compliance.

I've defaulted to Safari on my Mac and last week the site was so slow to open I ended up clicking away. Today I clicked and got an error message. I panicked a little then used Chrome browser and it opened, a bit slower than usual. No complaint but wondering why Safari is acting up with the site. In any case very glad it's still here. Nothing lasts forever but was reminded how much I value the site, its people and its history.

Arguing keeps us young

Kind of surprised this didn't end when you learned about the Greece seminar in 2025. To some extent that is mission accomplished. You found a way to contact him. The very very expensive seminar. If that's out of your price range and you're still obsessive you could go there, not take the seminar, not meet Wang Li Ping but hang out nearby hoping to contact and befriend a seminar taker. With luck, humility and the power of friendship you might get pointers and perhaps develop a relation with them. Even if meeting anyone falls through, you could do worse than a week or two vacationing in Greece.

We had an old thread on astronomical events. Couldn't find it. Here's an interesting one that comes along every 14 years. Wolf eats Mars! ie A total Eclipse of the Mars. Happening today Monday the 13th. Here's a good article on it- https://www.space.com/stargazing/the-full-wolf-moon-eats-mars-on-jan-13-heres-how-to-see-it "...on Monday evening, Jan. 13, when it will cover the planet Mars, now shining as bright as it will get in this new year of 2025. An opportunity to see the moon occult a bright planet at night does not happen too often; for Mars, a specific location on Earth can see it happen (on average) once about every 14 years. So, if you are fortunate to live in the occultation zone and the weather cooperates, this upcoming event is one that really should not be missed. The moon will be mere hours past full phase during the occultation. Traditionally, the January full moon is known as the "Wolf Moon." At the moment it officially turns full  —  5:27 p.m. EST (2227 GMT)  —  it will be diametrically opposite to the sun in the sky. By sheer coincidence, Mars is also opposite to the sun, though its actual moment of "opposition" will not come until late on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Still  —  both objects, the moon and Mars will be near enough to each other so that during Monday evening, the moon will temporarily hide the planet from view, and much of North America has a ringside seat to observe it"

that seems pretty exciting to me. Today while driving I spat out the window, but it was closed, and the loogie landed high up. It slowly slid down, but it was cold outside and the slime trail started to freeze. I wondered if the main ball would freeze before it got to the bottom. I checked it a few times while I I drove. Then I arrived at the restaurant and forgot about it. now that's Boring.

Sinai, if plan A, part 1- is find a senior student to give you contact information. Out of curiosity, what is your pitch to Master Wang Liping? What do you want from him and what do you offer him?

Old cartoon, vaguely political enough that I had second thoughts. Happy New Year everyone. I predict, it will be.. interesting.

I'm working on- God is what's left when you remove all the noise.

Hmm, has the age of Wang Liping seminars passed? Too bad, I heard good things about them, but they were also very expensive. Sinai, I bet if you keep on the hunt, you'll find a senior student eventually. Check their credentials, which might be difficult. In the meantime keep practicing and keep an eye out for credible esoteric Taoist practices. Even if they're not on LiPing's level they might still have much to teach.

What about most downvoted Topic? I have this historic one-

No, that's silly, but I'm selling a course in True Spiritual Cultivation ™ , it's 100% guaranteed and has the approval of all spiritual masters alive And ascended. I'm offering those on the bums an exclusive special offer, 95% discount bringing the price to $888 a month. My Guarantee: Within one month you'll be more spiritual than 50% of all people. Within 3 months more spiritual than 70% At 6 months you'll lose points and drop down to 40% but at a year, you'll raise into the mid 80's.

Don't know Iron Mountain Qigong, but years ago, one of my assistant instructors in Aikido used Ssst as her Kiai. She was very talented and the only who used it.