thelerner

Unfortunately he gave me my fathers brains and my mother's guts She probably shoulda switched them around.

A.A.Khokhlov I'd love to see some constructive new threads that talk about your practice, its history, as well as simple things, like how it relates to breathing and sitting. Cause that's the low level that I am. I don't know much about history, things like immortals and the like are beyond me but, I sit and breathe. Rather then glom onto Awaken's thread, start one talking about your tradition and practice. If you created one, I'm sure beyond respectful questions, you'd hope it wouldn't get bogged down by trollish comments or personal criticism. I love having teachers and dedicated hard core practitioners on this board. Especially of traditional arts. It's great to get there perspective but we lose that when threads get bogged down by excessive controversy. Once someone has stated there opinion, then leave the thread to those who want to pursue it. Even if you think its an improper path. Why waste time repeating the same thing over and over on another's thread, which will end up opening your threads to revenge and counter revenge trolls.

There is a 3rd path. State your truth and walk away. Start a respectful thread elsewhere. Stop the trolling cycle. Negative threads get washed downstream (or end in the Hundun section) and worthwhile ones (hopefully) stay closer to the top. When trolls appear, don't insult them but let them know this is a thread on your subject and they after stating there opinion, they should be asked politely to leave your thread alone or start there own. Course, one persons troll is another's brave truth teller. Again for this person, stating your truth and walking away is often the best rout. The worst being getting personal and entangled. Perhaps you can make short factual posts from your point of view but in general don't over post critically in another arts threads. Once you've stated your objections, trust people, even newbies to read and decide on there own. Continual browbeating does nobody any favors.

Its winter, kind of a blah time for many people. Little sun, cold out, stuck indoors.. many people are a few notches down. As I've gotten older, I don't ask why, or wish for miracles; instead I accept and ask 'How can I help?'. I try to live using skillful means, looking for intelligent solutions and having faith that when misfortune occurs, things will get better. As far as a physical room, you could try a divider, something like an oriental multi-panel divider. That's what I'm using now. A divider and a white noise generator can work wonders. Healthwise it can be a long journey til the body heals itself, or you find what you need. But once found there is a happiness and thankfulness that others don't have. Odds are you'll find the right solution. Sometimes its not trying strange things, but getting back to basics, good food, good sleep. I'm a lifelong insomniac, but lately I've started a 30 day 'gong' to watch the sunrise each day. So I'm up early, a second gong/program is to complete a 'couch to 5K' training regimen, so I'm getting exercise. And I'm trying to lay off electronics when it gets late. These things have been helping.. a bit. Forcing myself to get up early, and getting daily exercise. Somewhere there is lifestyle change or addition that'll solve your problem. It may not be drastic but it'll take work and persistence. Don't know what it is, but its out there. You just have to find it and stick it out. And when you come out the other end, you'll have some gifts of empathy and strength that others don't have. Good luck, tomorrow plan something that'll make you smile. The movie Dr. Strange was pretty good. Michael

Trick question, with there ability to harmonize with there surroundings the Daoist makes any job 'perfect'.

That's a good point. Still, if I can find a person I trust who can vouch for a system or it matches an interest I have And its not too expensive, then sometimes its worth the risk. Sometimes you gotta kiss a few frogs before you find your system.

Seems to me this thread has been caught in a pointless insulting circling for the past couple pages. Nothing but animosity is being shown or gained. I'd suggest to break out of it, start a new thread, that is more directed to a subject, ie some aspect of the practice that you want to discuss. Whether its breathing, length of sitting, fundamental understanding of the energy body, how long it takes to reach a level of enlightenment.. something.. that can show ones knowledge and art without so much bickering.

.. never mind.

hmmn, I recall a guy who could do that. Went to Tibet, learned from the Ancient one, could pretty much do it all, teleport, astral travel, spells, shields, create illusions. Course he had a big budget and special effects team behind him. I think (many) Siddhi's are real but rare and less flashy and dependable then one might hope for. In some ways modern tech has given us great power and no responsibility. Thus phones work better then telepathy and cars and planes better then teleportation. I also assume with deep learning and cultivation, comes detachment. A certain craving for quiet and low drama. With great attainment, one is more likely to live cloistered in a monastery or humbly as a hermit then be on youtube. writing books doing seminars and showing off powers.

Kundalini and Golden Flower, not easy eggs to crack. By powers you're probably not referring to having your brain, heart, kidneys or adrenals fried. Having so much energy you can't sleep or concentrate. So much of a shift in your consciousness that you can't relate to other people or hold down a job. Semple talks about Gopi Krishna, but reading his account shows how close to hellish it can be. There's good and potential ruin. Without an experienced teacher you may be more likely to be a strange patient then Dr Strange. This isn't meaning to say don't do it. I'm saying take your time, be cautious. Slow down or back off if things get strange. People who over do it and/or are very energy sensitive can get burned. Also, imo, esoteric teachers, aren't exactly lying, but tend to stress there very best students and results, not the average, leaving many disappointed in there wake. That being said, people like myself who are less energy sensitive (or perhaps too lazy), don't get the true fast flow that brings the more esoteric gifts.

We've got a few people here who've done the Wim Hof 10 Week course. He doesn't do classic tummo, not like its done in the Tibetan traditions. Part of it is simply acclimatization. One minute in the shower, up to 10 minutes in the shower. Doing some cold bath work, walking and/or jogging in the cold.. building up slowly. Thus a big part of the program beyond the breathing technique, is slow steady working on it. The secret is no secret, slow steady work. What's helped me was more horse stance in the latter stages. Seems once I'm in 'state' ie after breathing and holds, it helps tremendously to get my heart beat up, ie hiking or moving at a good clip. Being still is hard. In the beginning that'd help me with longer cold showers, now I don't need it as much. Still keeping moving and having a higher heart beat helps tremendously. Here's a link to some notes I made during my practice of it- http://www.thedaobums.com/topic/39544-wim-hof-method/

Truth or love. They're such different things, its hard to set them as either or. I find truth is often in the eye of the beholder. Or rather it can change depending on perspective, ie if you're intimately involved or have more distance, ie with enough distance most things fall into a 'really doesn't matter' category. Ie, Zepnot on the planet Zolar is sticking his tentacle into Beznot who's not his shnlofmoz. Do we really care? we would if we were Zepnot. With a perspective like mine, I value both, but give an edge to happiness. Knowing that truths can be rationalized, but happiness is home.

Thanks for the suggestion. I had flux or something like it on my last computer but somehow it didn't make it on this one.

What? Thank you.. lerner?? Nice to be thanked but I got nothing to do with it. Most likely the system's become sentient and feels it should thank me. I just read, write and am a junior mod here. (also forget bit coins, imo that's an old old relic) Paying into the site is optional, just shows support and keeps the owner (Sean) in coffee, likely home made not Starbucks. I could be wrong, but being a member might allow you to store more Mail Conversations in memory. Thus I have 604 (Mail) Conversations going back to 2004! An interesting reminder of old times; members- friends and foes who cared to converse. I believe I got a lifetime membership years back. I use the site quite a bit and its a good thing to support.

I'm surprised its so few jobs. (might want to double check since its a huge plant) If that's the case then having a foreign (or US) company drain so much of a shared asset, so cheaply should be looked at very closely and maybe stopped. Beyond the water the plastic used is also abominable. Tons and tons of plastic being used and much of it finding its way into landfills. The above article is from Oct 31st of this year, so I'm glad its getting press and hope its looked into. Ultimately it'll be up to Michigan citizens to look into it, find out the true numbers and raise hell if they feel they've gotten a bad deal. For anyone though, if you want to do something, and feel you've gotten enough information. Here is a link to a petition against it- https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/stop-nestle-from-doubling-the-amount-of-free-michigan-water I don't feel reading both articles and the comments I've gotten enough information to sign it. I haven't heard from the other side. Maybe the fact that they're not in the comments is telling in itself.

my guess States like Michigan and Illinois are by Lake Michigan, where water is measured in the trillions of gallons, even the square mile. Cities that are looking for jobs for there citizens offer companies sweetheart deals to build factories nearby. Odds are they're selling water cheaply or at a loss, to attract jobs. Jobs create other jobs. My company did business with many of the Chicago area pop companies, incl CocaCola bottlers because they did so much production of Dasani water (bottled tap). We bought there used boxes. They employed 100's if not 1,000's we employed about 14.

It's not that bad things don't happen. Black swans come, more frequently then people suspect. I just think its important not to see all dark birds as black swans, cause they ain't. Call black swan/wolf/impending doom too often- and many conspiracy sites do it several times a year- and you lose the ability to see and forecast real disasters in time to do something. Extremists on both sides are too ready to have there cognitive bias's played too. Willing to believe extremely low odd and nearly impossible things because they play to there cultivated prejudices. Perhaps ignoring real dangers because they're not so sexy or partisan. Hitler stole Germany because he was so adept at saying look at the evil bogey men over there. It's important to understand situations and people accurately. If you're only getting information from sources that play to your bias's; that are extremely one sided then you're going to end up being wrong, or worse paranoid about the wrong things, and have blind spots to real problems. We have things to worry about. Civil war and internment camps next month are not one of them.

I'll make small pot of lemon grass tea. drink half of it, take shower, as hot as I can stand, including letting it run into my mouth and throat. get out, down more lemon grass, wrap myself in a towel and go to bed. Lemon grass seems to heat up the body, as does the towel wrap and bed with extra covers. The idea is to sweat it out. *note not doctor approved but its what I do.

Question to all. Would you like this moved into the {Esoteric and Occult Discussion} area? Might be a better fit. If a couple people say yes, I'll move it, otherwise wu wei is my way.

You've got some good advice here. Practice note cards- not word for word, but outline format to keep you ontrack Posture and smile- smile when you screw up and and often the crowd won't mind or even notice. As far as the battle for the mind, ie relaxation. Find a hypnotic routine on public speaking. Preferably one that has you rehearse your speech within it. For example here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hypnosis+for+public+speaking I'll make youtubes into mp3's and use them a couple days in a row. Might help with anxiety, especially if you find one that clicks with you. A good hypnotic routine, puts you in a state of relaxation and focus and that's 2/3rd the battle.

I don't 'need it'. I get annoyed at the frequent 'end of the world' threads or in this case, martial law, internment camps coming this December, that I wondered if those who post them really believe it? Had any confidence or were just blowing smoke. I figured the best way to test it was to offer a bet. More of a psych experiment then a way of making money. On the other hand, the board often has people making predictions that I find ridiculous. I should set up a bettarium, maybe in my PPD, where there can be gentle bets that have some tracking to separate probability from fantasy.

I think there's been 2 other times candidates have lost the popular vote and won the electoral. Most recently Gore vs Bush in 2000. Happened in 1888 too. Trump won the electoral by a relatively large lead. Three contested states would have to flip to change the result. Then it would probably go to the supreme court. Also the thought that Obama a power mad despot is a hyper partisan fantasy. There's no way he'd declare martial law inorder to stay in power or create constitutional, political and social havoc to change the results through executive order to give it to Clinton. I get the feeling the only reason Clinton is going along with a recount is to make Trump squirm. Which is ironic since he's the only claiming 2 to 3 million fraud votes that got from 'some guy' on twitter. If he believed that he should call for an investigation so that such massive could be stopped next time, but because its not true, he won't call for such. It was just lip service to his constituency.

I just wrote this in another persons Intro. it works even better here. If you're into Franz Bardon, you probably have run into Rawn Clarks work. (**re-reading ofcourse you have) If not you're in for a treat. I particularly like his (& Mistele's) commentary on IIH, and his Bardon inspired programs are quite good. I wonder if this wouldn't do better in the Esoteric Magic section?

Here is an interesting resource you may like. Its a Western hermetic system that feel very Taoist to me. Rawn Clarks free audio programs. I like his Archaeous series, an elemental system that goes pretty deep. I like to do them standing. When chant and magic mix, you get a canticle, and that is his YHVH kabalic chanting system, that includes some healing techniques. His Center of Stillness guided meditation is pretty deep if you can get into it. Here's the link: http://abardoncompanion.com/csm/contents.html

When charging a car battery, except for the battery, it's all ground. Similarly, while I've never gone through kundalini, quieting the mind and walking outside, preferably in nature seems very grounding. Sitting outside is good too. You can think about bringing the energy down, but I think just sitting, just walking with a relaxed clear mind does the job pretty well too.